ByzantineEmpires.org
History of Byzantine Eastern Roman Empire for Kids

Byzantine Empire History  
     
 
         
 
Home Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Timeline
Byzantine Empire Decline
12 Byzantine Rulers
Traditions and Customs
Byzantine Contributions
Double Headed Eagle
Byzantine Emperors
Empire Army
Byzantine Artifacts
Empire Artists
Buildings Architecture
Byzantine Calendar
Empire Capital
Byzantine Cavalry
Byzantine Christianity
Byzantine Coinage
Daily Life of People
Divine Liturgy
Byzantine Dynasties
Byzantine Economy
Geography
Gold Coins
Historians
Empire Hymns
Byzantine Iconoclasm
Empire Icons
Ivory Artifacts
Jerusalem
Byzantine Jewellery
Justinian Emperor
Byzantine Language
Empire Laws
Empire Lyrics
Monastery
Mosaics
Empire Names
Empire Navy
Paintings
Empire People
Prayers
Sources Of Information
Princess
Provincial Governors
Empire Quotes
Empire Rings
Rite Catholic
Sculptures
Empire Ships
Social Structure
Symbol
Technology
Empire Trade
Empire Wars
Privacy Policy
 

Byzantine Empire Diplomacy

Byzantine diplomacy concerns the principles, methods, mechanisms, ideals, and techniques that the Byzantine Empire espoused and used in order to negotiate with other states and to promote the goals of its foreign policy. The conventional view of diplomacy is one of negotiation and compromise leading to a settlement of differences.

In protecting the state against the barbarians who surrounded it, diplomacy was a weapon as important in the eyes of the Byzantine government as soldiers or fortifications. The peace on the frontiers was maintained not only by strong military defenses, but by more or less skilful management of the frontier peoples. In the later Empire this kind of diplomacy; which may be defined as the science of managing the barbarians, was practiced as a fine art; its full development was due to Justinian.

byzantine-empire-diplomacy

Byzantium produced the first professional diplomats. They were issued written instructions and were enjoined to be polite, to entertain as lavishly as funds permitted, and to sell Byzantine wares to lower their costs and encourage trade.

Since it was impossible for the Empire to defeat every one of its enemies militarily, diplomacy became the primary instrument of strategy.

byzantine-empire-diplomacy

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, many diplomatic traditions disappeared. Diplomacy continued to thrive, however, in the eastern Roman Empire—also known as the Byzantine Empire or Byzantium. Emperor Constantine XI Palaiologos' diplomatic relations with other powers depended heavily upon his personal relationships with foreign elites and dignitaries.

He developed these throughout his tenure as despot of the Morea and while Roman emperor. He relied upon these relationships, rather than upon bureaucratic channels, because the Byzantine bureaucracy deteriorated along with the state. The emperor also relied heavily upon the personal relationships between members of his court and foreigners within the imperial capital. When Constantine and his court possessed direct, personal relationships with influential foreigners, relations with their home states improved.

byzantine-empire-diplomacy

In addition, the Byzantines created streamlined, coherent foreign policies toward those states. When the emperor or his court did not possess significant personal relationships with foreign elites, relations with those states suffered. Also, Constantine and his advisors could not create coherent foreign policies toward them.

Another mode of winning influence was to marry barbarian princes to Roman wives, and rear their sons in the luxury of the palace. Dissatisfied pretenders, defeated candidates for kingship, were welcomed at Constantinople. Thus there were generally some princes, thoroughly under Byzantine influence, who at a favorable opportunity could be imposed on their compatriots. Throughout Justinian's reign there was a constant influx of foreign potentates to Constantinople, and he overwhelmed them with attentions, pompous ceremonies and valuable presents.

A further diplomatic ploy was the use of surrogates. The Byzantines hated the expense of war and could hardly afford the cost in human life. Often they would get others to fight for them. If the Bulgars were troublesome, the Russians were called in. If the Russians were troublesome the Patzinaks (a central Asian tribe) were summoned. The Cumans and Uzes acted as checks on the Patzinaks and so on. The Byzantines almost always had an ally to the geographic rear of a potential enemy.



This site gives you complete information on the Byzantine Empire.

Ottoman & Byzantine Compare Byzantine Vs Roman Catholics Empire Rule
Ancient Byzantine Saints Arab Wars Architecture
Bureaucracy Empire Art Churches
Painters Empire Walls Vestments
Seminary Diplomacy Decoration
Crosses Basilica and Cathedrals Government
Necklace Jewelry Notation Swords
Emperor Leo iii Emperor Heraclius Rule Constantinople History

   
  Contact: ace_offers at yahoo.co.uk :