Byzantium

[Garrick]

I do not understand the last paragraph, Venice was already one of 4 merchant groups in Constantinople, they sat on the council as part of the blue group, the other members where the genoese, the pisans and another which i cannot recall.

the 4th crusade was purely the result of lack of money ( paying your dues)
summary- the year before its departure from Venice, the franks and the pope asked Venice to build enough ships to transport 70000 men , horses and supplies to the levant, Venice stated ok and gave them a price . Venice built the ships.
a year later the franks returned, but had only 36000 men and no money. Venice placed these people in the lido ( an 18km island ) . the franks could not pay their dues.
2 options
1- Venice could have left these 36000 on the lido to die and rot in which many of the current european nobility would have perished or
2 - Support the pope in its request to head to Constantinople to bring the orthodox church back under the pope and Venice could be repaid by looting the city............not a hard decision is it..........religion was minor in the eyes of Venice........a personnel thing and not intended for a national organization ( maybe why venice was excommunicated 13 times by the pope , they did not care )

the contract was stated in the book by one of the leaders of the franks who fought there and eventually secured a piece of the Peloponnese for himself..............his name was VILLEHARDOUIN

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_of_Villehardouin

It is this paragraph:


The Triumph of Venice This left the republic of Venice in triumph. Their greatest rival in the Mediterranean was smashed, led by a ruler who would be of no danger to their aspirations of dominating maritime trade. They had successfully diverted the Crusade from attacking Egypt with whom they had signed a lucrative trade agreement. And now many artworks and religious relics would be taken back home to adorned their own great city. Their old, blind Doge, already in his eighties, had served them well.

...

The website is:

Illustrated History of the Roman Empire:

http://www.roman-empire.net/index.html

Web-Resource on Rome

Franco Cavazzi - [email protected]

 

[King Bardhyl]

Turk rulers quickly mixed with local aristocratic blood.????


We have not heard about any Turkish Romeo in love with a Byzantine Juliet.
Obviously Turks mixed with the locals, but they followed a different approach.


Final assault


The Army converged upon the Augusteum, the vast square that fronted the great church of Hagia Sophia whose bronze gates were barred by a huge throng of civilians inside the building, hoping for divine protection. After the doors were breached, the troops separated the congregation according to what price they might bring in the slave markets. Mehmed II allowed his troops to plunder the city for three days as it was customary.^[77] Soldiers fought over the possession of some of the spoils of war.^[78] According to the Venetian surgeon Nicolò Barbaro "all through the day the Turks made a great slaughter of Christians through the city". According to Philip Mansel thousands of civilians were killed and 30,000 civilians were enslaved or deported.^[79] An eyewitness account, which appears in the book Routh, C. R. N. They Saw It Happen in Europe 1450-1600 (1965), is as follows:

"Nothing will ever equal the horror of this harrowing and terrible spectacle. People frightened by the shouting ran out of their houses and were cut down by the sword before they knew what was happening. And some were massacred in their houses where they tried to hide, and some in churches where they sought refuge. The enraged Turkish soldiers . . . gave no quarter. When they had massacred and there was no longer any resistance, they were intent on pillage and roamed through the town stealing, disrobing, pillaging, killing, raping, taking captive men, women, children, old men, young men, monks, priests, people of all sorts and conditions . . . There were virgins who awoke from troubled sleep to find those brigands standing over them with bloody hands and faces full of abject fury. This medley of all nations, these frantic brutes stormed into their houses, dragged them, tore them, forced them, dishonored them, raped them at the cross-roads and made them submit to the most terrible outrages. It is even said that at the mere sight of them many girls were so stupefied that they almost gave up the ghost.
Old men of venerable appearance were dragged by their white hair and piteously beaten. Priests were led into captivity in batches, as well as reverend virgins, hermits and recluses who were dedicated to God alone and lived only for Him to whom they sacrificed themselves, who were dragged from their cells and others from the churches in which they had sought refuge, in spite of their weeping and sobs and their emaciated cheeks, to be made objects of scorn before being struck down. Tender children were brutally snatched from their mothers' breasts and girls were pitilessly given up to strange and horrible unions, and a thousand other terrible things happened. . .
Temples were desecrated, ransacked and pillaged . . . sacred objects were scornfully flung aside, the holy icons and the holy vessels were desecrated. Ornaments were burned, broken in pieces or simply thrown into the streets. Saints' shrines were brutally violated in order to get out the remains which were then thrown to the wind. Chalices and cups for the celebration of the Mass were set aside for their orgies or broken or melted down or sold. Priests' garments embroidered with gold and set with pearls and gems were sold to the highest bidder and thrown into the fire to extract the gold. Immense numbers of sacred and profane books were flung on the fire or tom up and trampled under foot. The majority, however, were sold at derisory prices, for a few pence. Saints' altars, tom from their foundations, were overturned. All the most holy hiding places were violated and broken in order to get out the holy treasures which they contained . . .
When Mehmed (II) saw the ravages, the destruction and the deserted houses and all that had perished and become ruins, then a great sadness took possession of him and he repented the pillage and all the destruction. Tears came to his eyes and sobbing he expressed his sadness. 'What a town this was! And we have allowed it to be destroyed'! His soul was full of sorrow. And in truth it was natural, so much did the horror of the situation exceed all limits."

 

[LeBrok]

Yes, it is certain that the local Byzantine commoners didn't just evaporate, but merged into the Turkic newcomers. Latin changed for Greek, and Imperial cult changed for Christianity. It seems like religion change was no biggie too.

Not a big deal for locals I guess, but a big deal for the rest of Christian Europe in acceptance of Ottoman Empire as extension of Byzantium.

 

[Angela]

Yetos;441276]You are correct, the word Hellenas was just like admit that you are a pagan,

that is the reason I do not like byzantine times,

The western empire was no more, and you think you all would have been better off without the "Byzantines"?

Was their Empire perfect? Of course not. I don't know of a perfect empire. Did it go through periods of decline? Yes, of course. Does that mean you would all have been better off without it? Doing what exactly? Living as illiterate subsistence farmers or pastoralists in mud huts surrounded by raiding bands and with no access to the outside world? Are you aware of what the west was like for hundreds of years after the fall of Rome?

Perhaps it's time for some of our Balkan members to actually read the specialist literature on life in the Balkans during the days of the "Byzantine" Empire from, say, about 400-1000 AD and compare it to conditions in the West during the same period.

 

[LeBrok]

I think this clip is in order again: "What Romans did for us?". The rhetorical question that went wrong, lol.

 

[Angela]

I think this clip is in order again: "What Romans did for us?". The rhetorical question that went wrong, lol.

Well, a different "Rome" but the point is the same...:grin:

Ed. The ironic thing is that a good part of my ancestry stems from people who fought against the Rome of the West with passion and commitment (the Celt-Ligures and the Apuani), and the war that the Rome of the East fought with the Ostrogoths on Italian soil caused more destruction than the original invasions. (My grandfather was born in a village built on the site of a Byzantine castrum.)

Facts are stubborn things, however, and they have to be dealt with honestly, in my opinion. I'm also not in the business of fighting wars two thousand years old. These are matters of academic interest which should hopefully teach us useful lessons, but we should be concentrating on making life better NOW, not on reliving and reviving old rivalries.

 

[King Bardhyl]

In the mean time Italian Rome was sitting back and laughing it. Albanian Skanderbeg went to ask them for help against the Turks around 1440-s. Ofcourse they gave him nothing, since they had no intention to support the Albanian Orthodox population or anything that smelled Byzantine. Do you know what Skanderbeg told them in the end: "Instead of the Turks, I should have fought you..."

A sentence out of context loses meaning. Scanderbeg has not had good relations with Venice. These relationships have had their fluctuations.
But should not forget that with Vatican and the Kingdom of Naples these relationships were excellent.

The Siege of Berat

More than 5,000 of Skanderbeg's men died, including 800 men of a 1,000-man-strong contingent of Neapolitans from Alphonso V as experts in demolition, artillery, and siege warfare.^[6] The commander of the siege, Muzaka Thopia, also died during the conflict.^[7]

After the victorious Battle of Ujëbardha, Skanderbeg's relations with the Papacy under Pope Calixtus III were intensified. The reason was that during this time, Skanderbeg's military undertakings involved considerable expense which the contribution of Alfonso V of Aragon was not sufficient to defray.^[97] In 1457, Skanderbeg requested help from Calixtus III. Being himself in financial difficulties, the Pope could do no more than send Skanderbeg a single galley and a modest sum of money, promising more ships and larger amounts of money in the future.^[97] On December 23, 1457, Calixtus III appointed Skanderbeg as Captain-General of the Curia in the war against the Ottomans and declared him Captain-General of the Holy See. The Pope also gave him the title Athleta Christi, or Champion of Christ.^[97]

Meanwhile, Ragusa bluntly refused to release the funds which had been collected in Dalmatia for the crusade and which, according to the Pope, were to have been distributed in equal parts to Hungary, Bosnia, and Albania. The Ragusans even entered into negotiations with Mehmed.^[97] At the end of December 1457, Calixtus threatened Venice with an interdict and repeated the threat in February 1458.
In this context he used That expression: "Instead of the Turks, I should have fought you..."

And must not forget this moment:
In November 1463, Pope Pius II tried to organize a new crusade against the Ottomans, similar to what Pope Nicholas V and Pope Calixtus III had tried to do before him. Pius II invited all the Christian nobility to join, and the Venetians immediately answered the appeal.^[107] So did Skanderbeg, who on 27 November 1463, declared war on the Ottomans and attacked their forces near Ohrid. Pius II's planned crusade envisioned assembling 20,000 soldiers in Taranto, while another 20,000 would be gathered by Skanderbeg. They would have been summoned in Durazzo under Skanderbeg's leadership and would have formed the central front against the Ottomans. However, Pius II died in August 1464, at the crucial moment when the crusading armies were gathering and preparing to march in Ancona, and Skanderbeg was again left alone facing the Ottomans.^[107]

Pope will reach personally in Durres and will crowned Scanderbeg King of Albania and commander of the crusade, and the Pal Engjellin cardinal.

Meanwhile, King Ferdinand of Naples' gratitude toward Skanderbeg for the help given during this Italian campaign continued even after Skanderbeg's death. In a letter dated to 24 February 1468, King Ferdinand expressively stated that "Skanderbeg was like a father to us" and "We regret this (Skanderbeg's) death not less than the death of King Alfonso", offering protection for Skanderbeg's widow and his son. It is relevant to the fact that the majority of Albanian leaders after the death of Skanderbeg found refuge in the Kingdom of Naples and this was also the case for the common people trying to escape from the Ottomans, who formed Arbëresh colonies in that area.
Approximately 150.000-200.000 albanians arrived and took refuge in Italy.



OK, we are talking about peoples not angels.

 

[King Bardhyl]

The Ottomans never called themselves Romans, although the maternal line of the dynasty was clearly Byzantine as the step-moter of Mehmed the Conqueror was Mara Brankovic, a Kantakouzene. Mehmed himself was thinking that he was related to John Tzelepes Komnenos. Mehmed was most probably an orthodox christian in the heart and perceived the conquest of Constantinople as uniting with his roots. Persians and Arabs regarded him as the Caesar of the Rum, since he declared himself that way and got recognized by the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinope. The claim of the Ottoman Empire being the continuation of Byzantium and the Third Rome is taking its arguments from this perspective.

I do not think he was an crypto-christian, he was an musslim emperor. If we use a modern term of his claims may consider propaganda.He knew very well that part of his citizens were Christian, also he knew the claim of Byzantine emperors as legitimate heirs of the Roman Empire. And Sultan Mehmet Fatih dreamed the invasion of Rome. Turks called Rome Red Apple and said they would turn the Vatican into a stables for horses.

 

[King Bardhyl]

The Roman East Empire was an multiethnic empire. Emperors who ruled had different nationalities.
Constantine the Great
Flavius Valerius Constantinus, as he was originally named, was born in the city of Naissus, (today Niš, Serbia) part of the Dardania province of Moesia, on 27 February of an uncertain year,^[28] probably near 272.^[29] His father was Flavius Constantius, a native of Dardania province of Moesia (later Dacia Ripensis).

He Was Illyrian.

The first Roman emperor to claim conversion to Christianity,^{[notes 4]} Constantine played an influential role in the proclamation of the Edict of Milan, which decreed tolerance for Christianity in the empire. He called the First Council of Nicaea in 325, at which the Nicene Creed was professed by Christians.
Foundation of Constantinople

Eventually, however, Constantine decided to work on the city of Byzantium, which offered the advantage of having already been extensively rebuilt on Roman patterns of urbanism, during the preceding century, by Septimius Severus and Caracalla, who had already acknowledged its strategic importance.^[206] The city was thus founded in 324,^[207] dedicated on 11 May 330^[207] and renamed Constantinopolis ("Constantine's City" or Constantinople in English).

Colossal marble head of Emperor Constantine the Great, Roman, 4th century
Following his death, his body was transferred to Constantinople and buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles there.^[260] He was succeeded by his three sons born of Fausta, Constantine II, Constantius II and Constans. A number of relatives were killed by followers of Constantius, notably Constantine's nephews Dalmatius (who held the rank of Caesar) and Hannibalianus, presumably to eliminate possible contenders to an already complicated succession. He also had two daughters, Constantina and Helena, wife of Emperor Julian.^[261]

Justin I

Justin was a peasant and a swineherd by occupation^[2] from the region of Dardania, which is part of the Diocese of Illyricum.^[3]
He was born in a hamlet Bederiana near Naissus (modern Niš, South Serbia). The Justinian Dynasty descend from him.

He Was Illyrian.

Tremissis of Emperor Justin I

Justinian I or Justinian the Great


Justinian was born in Tauresium^[12] around 482. The cognomen Iustinianus which he took later is indicative of adoption by his uncle Justin.^[17] During his reign, he founded Justiniana Prima not far from his birthplace, today in South East Serbia.^[18][19][20] His mother was Vigilantia, the sister of Justin. Justin, who was in the imperial guard (the Excubitors) before he became emperor,^[21] adopted Justinian, brought him to Constantinople, and ensured the boy's education.^[21]
Justinian (b. 483) and consequently Vigilantia Dulcissimus were children of a sister Vigilantia Sabbatius (b. a. 455) of Justin I (b. a. 450, r. 518–527), founder of the Justinian Dynasty. The family originated in Bederiana, near Naissus (modern Niš in Serbia) in Dacia Mediterranea.^[4] Procopius, Theodorus Lector, Zacharias Rhetor, Victor of Tunnuna, Theophanes the Confessor and Georgios Kedrenos consider Justin and his family Illyrians.
As a ruler, Justinian showed great energy. He was known as "the emperor who never sleeps" on account of his work habits.

He Was Illyrian.

He increased the Byzantine Empire due to its maximum.

Emperor Justinian reconquered many former territories of the Western Roman Empire, including Italy, Dalmatia, Africa, and southern Hispania.

He made this with the help of Illyrians generals, the most distinguished was .

Flavius Belisarius was probably born in Germane or Germania, a fortified town (some archaeological remains exist) on the site of present day Sapareva Banya in south-west Bulgaria, in the borders of Thrace and Illyria.

Belisarius may be this bearded figure ^[1] on the right of Emperor Justinian I in the mosaic in the Church of San Vitale, Ravenna, which celebrates the reconquest of Italy by the Byzantine army. Compare Lillington-Martin (2009) page 16.
He Was Illyrian.

Justinian I built in the territory of Illyria 167 castle, which together with the mountainous terrain helped Illyrians during the invasions of the barbarians and the fist wave of slavic invasion.The Justinian Dynasty made the Empire strong and beautifull, during the Justinian I started the construction of Hagia Sophia
whose works were completed during the reign of Emperor Justin II (565–578).His reign also marked a blossoming of Byzantine culture, and his building program yielded such masterpieces as the church of Hagia Sophia, which was to be the center of Eastern Orthodox Christianity for many centuries.

During this period the empire retained its Latin character. Later emperors with different nationalities ruled the Byzantine Empire.
The last Emperor was Constantine XI Dragaš Palaiologos.
He was half serbian, 1/4 italian and the rest i don`t know.

 

[Angela]

King Bardhyl:Meanwhile, King Ferdinand of Naples' gratitude toward Skanderbeg for the help given during this Italian campaign continued even after Skanderbeg's death. In a letter dated to 24 February 1468, King Ferdinand expressively stated that "Skanderbeg was like a father to us" and "We regret this (Skanderbeg's) death not less than the death of King Alfonso", offering protection for Skanderbeg's widow and his son. It is relevant to the fact that the majority of Albanian leaders after the death of Skanderbeg found refuge in the Kingdom of Naples and this was also the case for the common people trying to escape from the Ottomans, who formed Arbëresh colonies in that area.
Approximately 150.000-200.000 albanians arrived and took refuge in Italy.

A little off topic, I know, but in this regard I'd like to point out that although the period of twentieth century Albanian emigration to Italy had its stresses, the migrations of the period discussed in the prior post are, in fact, a model of the movement of refugees into another country. The Arbereshi villages were allowed to practice their religion and speak their language unharmed, and in return, they caused no problems for their hosts. Over the centuries, there was some intermarriage and blurring of ethnic lines, of course, but their culture still remains and forms part of the mosaic of the greater Italian culture.

Likewise, until very recently, there were many Greek speaking southern Italian towns; the man I married has most of his ancestry from one of them, as does the famous actor Raoul Bova. The Griko speaking community of the Salento is, in fact, enjoying something of a resurgence.

It is not impossible for people speaking different languages and following different forms of Christianity to live in harmony with one another.

 

[Yetos]

@ Bardulic

now Flavians are Illyrians?

did they spoke Illyrian too? or the continue of Illyrian?

 

[kamani]

A sentence out of context loses meaning. Scanderbeg has not had good relations with Venice. These relationships have had their fluctuations.
But should not forget that with Vatican and the Kingdom of Naples these relationships were excellent.

The Siege of Berat

More than 5,000 of Skanderbeg's men died, including 800 men of a 1,000-man-strong contingent of Neapolitans from Alphonso V as experts in demolition, artillery, and siege warfare.^[6] The commander of the siege, Muzaka Thopia, also died during the conflict.^[7]

Lets not get lost in the court pleasantries, the actual help received was very symbolic, and most of it was from the King of Napoli (the enemy of Venice). The Turks were coming with 100.000+ men, Skanderbeg stopped them for 25 years with around 20.000 total, which is a miracle for Albania. To add to the absurdity of this, at one point he was fighting Venice and the Turks at the same time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albanian–Venetian_War
Note that at some point Venice send 15.000 men to fight Skanderbeg. So the soldiers from overseas were coming, but not to fight the Turks...
I think Venice and Rome were always in control of the situation. They knew the Turks had no good navy to invade them and figured lets watch Byzant get annihilated and if the Turks get to Austria we'll deal with them, which is what happened later, but the Austrians and Polish Hussars dealt with them instead.

 

[Sile]

served at the Ottoman court, George Kastrioti
sought opportunities to organise a resistance against
his suzerain. First, with the mediation of his father
, he entered into negotiations with Venice, later,
on 28 November 1443, taking advantage of the wa
rs waged by John Hunya
di, he proclaimed a
rebellion and made efforts to unite the Albanian
forces to ensure its success. It is a curious
circumstance that Skanderbeg's mother was a Slav woman, according to some sources a Bulgarian
named Voisava, a fact recorded in an anonymous
Venetian chronicle:
"Huic uxor fuit Voisava,
Pologi Domini filia, est aute
m Pologum oppidum in Macedoniae et
Bulgarie confinibus" (the
provinces of Upper and Lower Polog ranged ove
r the territory of the Tetovo plain - A.t.).
22

 

[King Bardhyl]

A little off topic, I know, but in this regard I'd like to point out that although the period of twentieth century Albanian emigration to Italy had its stresses, the migrations of the period discussed in the prior post are, in fact, a model of the movement of refugees into another country. The Arbereshi villages were allowed to practice their religion and speak their language unharmed, and in return, they caused no problems for their hosts. Over the centuries, there was some intermarriage and blurring of ethnic lines, of course, but their culture still remains and forms part of the mosaic of the greater Italian culture.

Likewise, until very recently, there were many Greek speaking southern Italian towns; the man I married has most of his ancestry from one of them, as does the famous actor Raoul Bova. The Griko speaking community of the Salento is, in fact, enjoying something of a resurgence.

It is not impossible for people speaking different languages and following different forms of Christianity to live in harmony with one another.

From this diaspora has emerged important personalities for Albania and Italy like Girolamo De Rada, Francesco Crispi etc. Both countries are very close to each other geographically.
During World War II, Albania was occupied by Italy. However after the Armistice of Cassibile, thousands and thousands of Italian soldiers took refuge from the Albanian population, and none of them surrendered to the Germans. They took refuge in the houses of the Albanians until the end of the war, even though it constituted a risk.
I have this kind of experience in my family.

Friendship among the people is greater than the misguided ideologies.

 

[King Bardhyl]

I think Venice and Rome were always in control of the situation. They knew the Turks had no good navy to invade them and figured lets watch Byzant get annihilated and if the Turks get to Austria we'll deal with them, which is what happened later, but the Austrians and Polish Hussars dealt with them instead.

I think you are a little wrong. The distance between Albania and Italy is 60 miles. In 1988 an italian Swimmer named Paolo Pinto, traveled by swimming this distance.
Mehmed II was a very ambitious man. He had the dream the occupation of Rome, but he was fighting on many fronts, and Scanderbeg and the albanians constitute a danger for his army if he will began an campaign against Italy. This is why the Roman popes called Scanderbeg "sword and shield of christianity".

However in 1480 Mehmed II send an expedition in Italy.

Expedition to Italy (1480)

An Ottoman army under Gedik Ahmed Pasha invaded Italy in 1480. The Ottoman army captured Otranto in 1480 but after the death of Mehmed most of the troops returned and Otranto was retaken by Papal forces in 1481. Because of lack of food Gedik Ahmed Pasha returned with most of his troops to Albania, leaving a garrison of 800 infantry and 500 cavalry behind to defend Otranto. It was assumed he would return after the winter. Since it was only 28 years after the fall of Constantinople, there was some fear that Rome would suffer the same fate. Plans were made for the Pope and citizens of Rome to evacuate the city. Pope Sixtus IV repeated his 1471 call for a crusade. Several Italian city-states, Hungary and France responded positively to this. The Republic of Venice did not, as it had signed an expensive peace treaty with the Ottomans in 1479.
In 1481 an army was raised by king Ferdinand I of Naples to be led by his son Alphonso II of Naples. A contingent of troops was provided by king Matthias Corvinus of Hungary. The city was besieged starting May 1, 1481. On May 3 the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed II, died, with ensuing quarrels about his succession. This possibly prevented the sending of Ottoman reinforcements to Otranto. So in the end the Turkish occupation of Otranto ended by negotiation with the Christian forces, permitting the Turks to withdraw to Albania.
From that time in Italy began to use a phrase: "Mamma li turchi".

 

[King Bardhyl]

The Byzantine costume tradition took its form from the Roman Empire (27 B.C.E. –476 C.E. ) and its color and decorative tradition from the Orient and the Middle East. The Roman roots are easy to understand. After all, the Byzantine Empire began in the fourth century C.E. as the Eastern Roman Empire; its capital, Constantinople, was for a short time the capital of the entire Roman Empire. From the Romans the Byzantines inherited their basic clothing forms, the tunic and toga for men, and the stola, a type of long dress, for women, as well as their shoes and their hairstyles. These basic garments had become more ornate and luxurious late in the Roman Empire, yet it was not long after the fall of the Roman Empire in 476 C.E. that the Byzantines began to modify and extend the Roman costume tradition to become something uniquely their own.
[h=2]Changing styles[/h] By the end of the Roman Empire the toga, which had once been required wear for Romans, was worn only on ceremonial occasions. The Byzantines, who tended to prefer simple flowing clothes to the winding and draping of the toga, did away with the toga altogether. They chose as their most basic of garments the dalmatica, a long, flowing men's tunic, or shirt, with wide sleeves and hem, and the stola for women. Unlike the Romans, the Byzantines tended to be very modest about any display of flesh. Their garments were worn close about the neck, sleeves extended all the way to the wrist, and the hemline, or bottom edge, of their outer garments extended all the way to the ground. They layered their clothing, with men wearing a tunic and trousers under the dalmatica, and women wearing a long undergarment beneath their stola and an outer garment called a paludamentum, or long cloak.
One of the key features of the Byzantine Empire was its history of trade with the Middle East and the Orient. Traders brought exotic fabrics and patterns into the capital city of Constantinople from these regions, and rich Byzantines eagerly adopted the colors, patterns, and fabrics of the East into their costume tradition. Over time Byzantine clothing became ever richer in color and ornamentation, thanks largely to these influences. Deep reds, blues, greens, and yellows became common on the garments of wealthy people, but the richest color, purple, was reserved for royalty. When Byzantine emperors received foreign visitors, they costumed themselves in rich purple robes, glittering with gold embroidery and jewels sewn onto the fabric.

A Byzantine embroidered dalmatica. Variations on the Byzantine dalmatica later took on specified roles in religious practice among the clergy.

Among the more distinctive garments developed by the Byzantines were those worn by the clergy in the Christian church. Variations on normal Byzantine garments like the dalmatica, for example, took on specified roles in religious practice among the clergy. Garments originated by the Byzantines are still worn today by members of the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the influence of the Byzantines can be seen in the robes and headwear of leaders in the Roman Catholic Church, which split from the Eastern Orthodox Church in 1054.

[h=2]Silk, the richest fabric[/h] One fabric, silk, was especially beloved by the Byzantines. Silk first came to the West in about 139 B.C.E. via the long trade route that crossed the Middle East and reached China, and the supply was limited. In 552 C.E. , however, two Persian monks, from what is modern-day Iran, smuggled silkworms out of China and began to produce silk within the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines wove their silk into a strong fabric called samite, which sometimes had gold thread woven into the material. Silk was highly treasured by wealthy Byzantines to make a variety of garments as well as for embroidery.
Unlike in Rome, where strict sumptuary laws determined what people of different social classes could wear, the quality of Byzantine clothing was limited only by the ability of the wearer to pay for it. But this was a severe limit indeed, for only those at the very top of Byzantine society could afford the rich silks, jewels, and embroidery that distinguished Byzantine clothing. Most Byzantines likely wore much simpler versions of the common garments. However, as in many ancient cultures, little is known about what was worn by the poorer members of society because they were unable to afford the expensive things that would have survived many hundreds or thousands of years. The surviving remnants of Byzantine culture—tile mosaics, statues, and paintings—tend to depict the very wealthy or members of the church.

[h=2]FOR MORE INFORMATION[/h] Batterberry, Michael, and Ariane Batterberry. Fashion: The Mirror of History. New York: Greenwich House, 1977.
Cosgrave, Bronwyn. The Complete History of Costume and Fashion: From Ancient Egypt to the Present Day. New York: Checkmark Books, 2000.
Houston, Mary G. Ancient Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Costume and Decoration. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1947.
Yarwood, Doreen. The Encyclopedia of World Costume. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1978.

Read more: http://www.fashionencyclopedia.com/...ng-of-the-Byzantine-Empire.html#ixzz3Fm87R3Nq

​

 

[King Bardhyl]

 

[King Bardhyl]

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif][h=2]A Clothing How-To for Garments of the Byzantine Empire[/h] Men's:

• Men's costume in Byzantium didn't change too much over the centuries. It consisted of the tunica, the dalmatic, the cloak and shoes or boots. The shapes of the garments were consistent throughout the classes, only the quality of the fabric and trimming distinguished them.
• Tunica: The tunica was the basic article of clothing in Byzantium. For the lower classes, it was the everyday working garment. For the upper classes, it was the underlayment for some of the richest clothing in history. The tunica was a derivation of the ancient Roman tunica talaris, or tunic to the ankles. They were trim in the sleeve and mostly loose in the body. The more active wearer would gird it up to the shins or knees with a thin belt. The sleeve length would change according to the class of the wearer and the weather. The most well known tunic of this type is the coptic tunic. Some dock workers still seemed to be clad in a himation which is an ancient type of tunic made of rectangles pinned at the shoulders and belted at the waist. This was definately a lower class way of wearing your clothes.
• The primary fabric for a tunica was undyed linen or undyed wool. Both would be in a plain weave. The wool was not the heavy scratchy stuff we know as wool. It was a finer, tropical weight with a smooth finish. Silk was also used for these types of garments. They are seen in a small assortment of colors; red, ochre, yellow and orange. There is an existing tunic made from what could only be termed as a linen terrycloth. An even rarer type of tunic was the resist dyed tunic. This resulted in an indigo tunic with the designs in the natural ground color.
• Coptic tunics were trimmed lavishly. Clavi (stripes) and segmentae (roundels and squares) were done in a tapestry weave and were the most common type of trim. Most examples are in the natural tunic/ purple trim scheme, but there are many examples of more colorful trims. Most of the examples have the tapestry weaving as part of the garment. The tunics were woven individually, and much of the trim was done on the loom. A large number of examples, though, show tapestry woven trim attached to a plain weave body. Cards for card weaving have also been discovered in Coptic areas and card weaving also gives a similar look as tapestry weaving. Colors seen in existing trim are as follows: natural, tan, light and dark brown, yellow, gold, pink, red, maroon, light and dark blue, cobalt blue, aqua, light and dark green, yellow-green, orange, coral, purple and black.
• Dalmatic: The dalmatic was the over robe worn by the upper classes and on special occasions, by the common people. An early (6th -10th cent.) type of dalmatic is characterized by the one worn by Emperor Justinian in the Ravenna mosaics. It has long tight sleeves and comes down to the knees. This would be worn over a tunic or shirt and was usually belted. The dalmatic would mostly be of a solid base with trim applied in specific areas.Trim would be lavish, but restricted to neck, cuffs, hem, upper arm seam, side slits and occasionally medallions above the knees. This trim could be more tapestry woven strips and medallions or embroidery encrusted with pearls and gems. The color schemes would parallel the schemes on the tunicas. For the lower classes, it was usual for these decorative strips to be cut from scraps or short lengths of expensive brocades. This practice carried up into the northern cities as well.
• Later dalmatics (10th -13th cent.) are the most recognizable Byzantine garment. It now reaches to the floor and the sleeves have become somewhat wider. This could be worn belted or not. There would sometimes be small side slits put in for ease in walking. Some examples of this type of dalmatic close down the front and fasten with buttons. Patterns are the fabric of choice in Byzantium, which was known from the earliest times for its beautiful fabrics. The sleeve hem, bottom hem and neck would be heavily decorated. Embroidery, precious stones and pearls would be used. Pearls would outline all the major portions of the decoration as well as being part of it. If the garment was not made of a patterned fabric, decoration would be applied to give the impression that it was of the more expensive fabric. Fabrics for this would be fine linen, wool, cotton and for the wealthy, silk. The traditional patrician costume consisted of a dalmatic with wide sleeves over a tunic with tight sleeves and high boots.
• Dalmatics of the 14th and 15th centuries took on the appearance of Turkish caftans. These coats are distinguished from European garments by the armholes. European coats had curved armholes by this time but Eastern clothes were still being cut as rectangles and triangles. The cloth was still beautifully patterned and the decorations as lavish. Now, a small collar and occasionally false sleeves are seen. The dalmatic was worn belted and it had medium wide sleeves if it were an over garment and trim sleeves if it were underclothes. Italian cut velvets were also appearing at this time. The dalmatic was taking on a decidedly Turkish character. For less formal functions, long sleeved tunics which reached to the knee were still worn. These dalmatics were worn belted and were trimmed on the upper arm and hem. The false sleeves would be slit in the center and trimmed in fur around the bottom and the slit.
• Superhumeral: This was the imperial decorative collar. It has been difficult for me to determine whether any but royalty wore the collar. It is, however, one of the most recognizable parts of Byzantine clothing. It could be of cloth of gold or similar material, then studded with gems and/or immense amounts of embroidery. The decoration was general divided into compartments by vertical lines on the collar. The edges would be done in pearls of varying sizes in up to three rows. There were occasionally drop pearls placed at intervals to add to the richness. Rarely was the base fabric distinguishable after the decoration was applied. The collar would come over the collarbone to cover a portion of the upper chest. The collar was also a part of the ecclesiastical pallium.The men's version of the pallium was wide and rectangular. The back portion of the pallium would be cut fairly long so that it could be wrapped about the body and hang gracefully over the left arm. This is a distinct hold over from the Roman toga. Sometimes it looks as if the collar was being worn over a jeweled tabard. It is impossible for me to say whether they were attached or not. The superhumeral was worn throughout the history of Byzantium.
• Pants: Leg coverings of some nature were worn by almost all Byzantines. Breeches makers are shown in Diocletian's Edicts of Prices, so they were available from the beginnings of the Eastern Empire. Those who worked outdoors left the legs bare. Shepherds are shown with wrappings on their legs from the ankle to the knee. Dock laborers are shown with totally bare legs. Justinian wore hose. Frankish breeches were seen in areas where contact between the cultures occurred. During the early 12th century they were looked down upon as unmanly, but by the end of the century they were already being widely adopted. Hose seem to be the choice of the upper class and they came in rich colors. Trousers were wildly patterned and they fit fairly loosely. They seem to have what amounts to a drawstring waist, then they narrow down to a reasonably slim ankle.
• Shoes: Not too much is seen for shoes in Byzantine Art. The Ravenna mosaics show the men wearing what appears to be sandals with white socks. I am not certain how to interpret that. Emperor Basil II is shown wearing knee high red boots, embroidered with pearls. Other Imperial portraits show only the tips of the shoes. In Houston, there is shown a shoe from the Imperial regalia of the Holy Roman Emperors. It is a short boot, only to the ankle, which is cut to allow many different sizes to be accommodated. This shoe is lavishly decorated. Lots of pearls and gems give a very regal look. There is gold scrollwork on the sides and over the toe of the shoe. Outside laborers would either have sandals or be barefoot. The sandals follow the Roman model of straps over a thick sole. Some examples of the Roman cuculus or military boot are also seen on shepherds. Red sandals marked the Emperor; blue shoes, a sebastokrator; and green shoes a protovestiarios.
• Cloaks: The semicircular cloak seemed to have been the most popular. Emperor Justinian wore one as well as his guards. The length usually fell to about the hips or buttocks and on each straight side there might be a tablion. The tablion was a decorative spot sometimes used to show the rank of the wearer by the type of embroidery and jewels that were used. The imperial cloak of the Holy Roman Emperors is still in existence and is a fine example of the Byzantine style.Each element of the cloak is outlined in pearls and embroidered in gold. Sometimes an oblong cloak would be worn. This was more of a military cloak and not generally worn for court occasions. Cloaks would be pinned on the right shoulder for ease of movement.
• Hats: There were very few styles of hat for men in Byzantium. A small type of Phyrgian cap was seen in the earliest times, (before the 9th century). Mostly, men went bareheaded. In the 12th century, Emperor Andronikos Comnenus was seen wearing a smoke colored hat shaped like a pyramid. In 1159 Prince Reynald of Chatillon was seen with a tiara shaped felt cap, embellished in gold. An Iberian wide brimmed felt hat came into vogue during the 12th century and the turban also began to be seen more frequently. In the northern reaches of the Byzantine sphere, small caps with or without fur brims were seen.

Women's:

• Women's costume in Byzantium didn't change too much over the centuries either. It basically consisted of the tunica, the stola, and shoes. The lower classes still wore basically Roman clothes. These had lots of drape and movement, so the ladies could get on with their work. The upper class women wore the more stiff, jeweled garments that we are familiar with.
• Tunica: These were the basic underclothes for every class and every time period. It would only vary in material by class of the wearer. It was long and had tight sleeves that were trim to the body. The neck would be cut either in a boat style or in a regular round configuration. This garment could be of fine wool, as in Roman times, or of linen or silk. Generally it was the sole garment of the lower classes. It could be plain or have trimming. The trimming would be around the foot of the garment, the neck, and the wrists. Clavii would also be seen, in varying lengths. The most common would be clavii to almost the hem, but these would not have the trimming at the foot. As underclothes, it would have invariably been of a fine white linen. In the summer, women of the working classes would be seen in classical tunicas. These have no sleeves and were sometimes pinned at the shoulders. If it was the sole garment, it could be done in colors and it seemed to have been undecorated. Slate blue, raspberry, yellow and red are shown in paintings.
• Stola: The stola varied only slightly over the time of the Empire. In the early years, ladies continued the classical Roman style of tunica, stola and pallia.
• In the 5th century, the stola was wide and had no separate sleeves. A sleeved effect was gotten from the excess width of the stola being belted at the waist and bloused over the belt, just as in ancient Rome. Decorations were placed on the hems, tablions were placed above the knee, and clavii were done over the shoulders. Colors were varied. I have noted lavender, purple, pale green, light, medium and dark blue, pink, deep red, burgundy, gold, brown, black and white. Trimming was also very lavish. The scheme would be similar to the tunica but goldwork and gems were known to be used in excessive quantity. In the 7th and 8th centuries, the stola was trimmer fitting and it developed bell sleeves. These sleeves were shorter than in the next centuries, only coming to the elbow. They were still worn with long sleeved tunicas and the arms of upper class ladies never appeared bare. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the sleeves would be tight to the elbow then flare out. The was trim to the body but then flared out from the hip. With this style of sleeve, there was generally a band of trim or embroidery around the elbow, right above where the sleeve widened.
• In the 11th through the 13th centuries, the stola began to look more and more like the men's dalmatic. It transformed from being light and draped into the heavily jeweled and decorated garment we generally associate with Byzantium. The stola now was made out of the same beautiful silk brocades as the men's. The sleeves were generally longer, i.e. covering the wrists, and there would not be slits for walking. The sleeves would also be more bell shaped and flowing than the men's. The primary colors were purple and gold. This is mainly because all of the existing pictorial evidence portrays the Imperial family. Other colors included deep blue, rose and white. Evidence of what the common folks wore is hard to find during this time.
• The stola of the 14th and 15th centuries did not vary significantly from the men's. It would button down the front but maintained the bell like sleeves and the somewhat trimmer cut of the previous century. This became the dress of the Russian Imperial family. The former closed style of stola was also still seen. Colors seen are rose, green, white and rust.
• Superhumeral: The superhumeral is a decorative collar worn over the stola. It is nearly exactly the same as the men's version except it was generally scaled down to fit no lower than the top of the collarbone and no wider that the tip of the shoulder. There are exceptions to this but, in general the collar was fairly narrow and usually without the front and back dependant portions. A superhumeral with those portions is called an ecclesiastical pallium and was generally worn only by the priesthood and the Imperial family. The superhumeral would be edged with pearls and covered with goldwork and jewels. It was decorated in all respects just like the men's version. Only the Empress seemed to wear the full superhumeral, however the smaller jeweled collar was worn by the upper classes throughout the time Empire.
• Shoes: Since most gowns sweep the ground, there is little pictorial evidence concerning women's shoes. Empress Theodora has small pointed toed slippers as do her ladies. In other portraits, small black pointed toes peek from underneath the robes. Simple flat, slightly pointed shoes should be correct enough until more information comes to light.
• Hats: These were also rare for ladies. There is the small roll with the veil which appeared early in the history, (around the 5th Century) and also the small Russian cap. Generally the scarf or palla was draped over the head when there was need for it. The palla could also be done like a small scarf and used to cover the hair. Since Byzantium followed in the steps of Rome and it's fashion for large and elaborate hairstyles, coverings are not very common. In the northern climates, the chin scarf and the wimple were common headcoverings.
• Cloaks: Cloaks were semicircular from the early centuries. After the 6th century, the cloak was worn symmetrically. The straight edge was worn over the head like a scarf. Sometimes, though they would be pinned in the center with a big brooch or they wouldn't fasten at all. Up until the 12th century, the rectangular cloak was still worn by the working classes. Empress Ariadne wore a full length semicircular cloak with a picture of her son embroidered in pearls in the tablion. The cloak was also edged with a double row of truly large pearls. The tablions were reserved for the Empress alone, but the cloak shape was worn by all classes.
• Ornamental style: In general, pictorial evidence suggests that most Byzantine decoration was geometric in nature. Popular non-geometric trim motifs were: vines, back to back animals in roundels, heads of Dionysius in roundels, birds and animals in squares or roundels, and rosettes. Knotwork also appeared on clavi. Fantastic creatures, dots, leaves and crowns were also incorporated into the designs. Fake Kufic script began to be seen around the 12th century with the availability of tabriz fabrics from the Muslim lands. Intricate and elaborate overall patterns were the best.

How to construct your own Byzantine clothing:

• Byzantine clothing is of a very simple cut, but do not be fooled. Just because the patterns are simple, doesn't mean the clothes are easy. The beauty of the clothes comes from the skill in cutting them out, the types of fabrics used and the skillful overuse of decorations.
• Fabrics: The best fabrics for the job are Ecclesiastical Fabrics. You can but these from some regular fabric stores, but they are limited in scope and color. The best place to find them is from a specialty store. Look in your area phone book for fabric merchants and see if any are willing to special order for you. Be aware that these fabrics are generally exceedingly expensive. Also, they are generally acetate so they can get hot in the summer. The redeeming feature of acetate, however, is that it is very easy to clean and can be thrown in the washing machine. (I do this with all my Byzantines) It also has the look and feel of a period fabric, even though the fiber content is not period. If you find fabric like this in silk or cotton, grab as much and as fast as you can. The effect will be like none you have seen.
• Certain printed fabrics are suitable for these garments as well. The most essential thing to keep in mind is that the colors should not be too bright. Vegetable dyes give very clear color but not fluorescent color. Patterns should be geometric but not too modern in look. Paisley is a late period Turkish influence. It would be inappropriate for anything before 1500. Small repeat patterns seem relatively easy to come by. Woven-in patterns are the best choice but printed fabrics are also acceptable.
• Muslins and other cottons and linens of a similar weight are very useful. These are the fabrics of the middle classes and can be dressed up with appropriate trim and jewels. Clear reds, roses, blues and whites are the easiest to find. Moss green and ochre were also popular. Silk is the fabric of choice for almost everything. The underclothes are the only things which can get away with lesser fabrics. Besides, if you sweat a lot, you don't want to be washing delicate silk all the time. Fine cotton and linen work just as well and the hold up better in the wash. Handkerchief linen or its equivalent makes the best underclothes. Suit weight linen is good for field Dalmatics. It drapes nicely and is very cool in the summer. Raw silk gives an excellent drape and look to your clothes. The more finely woven the better it is. Shantung is nice for lightweight summer clothes. Silk crepe is too flimsy for anything but veils and nothing makes a veil like silk organza. Velvets should only be used for late period caftans. These were introduced from Italy and as far as I can tell, they were used for outer wear only. Be wary of rayon velvet. It looks alright but is a real pain to work with and to clean. Cotton velvet is goodand Silk velvet is the best, but I wish you luck in affording it.
• Trimming: There are numerous good commercial trims. These are good for use as clavii on Dalmatics and Coptics. Make sure that everything is pre-shrunk before attaching. Nasty surprises can occur when the fabric and the trim shrink at different rates. When choosing a trim, the only metallics should be silver and gold. The rest of the colors should be vibrant but not neon. There are several pattern examples here and in the books in the bibliography. Geometrics are the easiest to get. For the adventurers among us, you can use card weaving to make really period trim for your clothes. Doing your own tapestry weaving is possible as well. I have done this and found that lack of space is a very big consideration. The effect is great, though, and worth the effort.
• I will also embellish plain trimmings with beads. I'll use gold and silver filled beads and pearls to add richness to the trim. I like the filled beads the best because they wash well and will never corrode or peel. The silver will tarnish, though. I don't use colored beads on trims because I can't find any real evidence to support their use. Multitudes of Byzantine beads have come to light, but none of the literature I've seen has shown what they were used for.
• Jewels: Your jewels are the most visible and expressive part of your Byzantine outfit. The best types of jewels to get are the cabochon types with the sew on backings. NEVER ever use hot glue on your clothes!!! It never gives a satisfactory appearance nor is the glue period or long lasting. The jewels that need to be set are the best looking but also the hardest type to get. You will have to check around your area to see what you can find. For a somewhat inferior, but still good choice, some of the craft stores have the jewels that have a collar setting that have the prongs on the inside of the garment. Sometimes these are the more preferable type of jewel to get. Do not use this type on damasks and brocades; they will slide right out of the fabric. There are also jewels that are put into settings with the prongs that are on the outside. These are also fine to use, however, do not hot glue them into the settings and then glue the settings onto the fabric. They look very stiff and the glue will crack. Also, don't forget to make sure that you flatten out the prongs! Make the prongs as smooth to the jewel as possible. It will catch on everything if you don't. My trick is to surround that type of jewel with small pearls. It is nice looking and the pearls keep fabric from getting caught. The next best are the commonly found type of sew on jewel. There is some debate about the appropriateness of faceted jewels. Diamond cut, like modern jewelry is not appropriate, however, the sew on type of jewels are in a ñroseî cut and are fine. Make sure that the colors of the jewels are appropriate. Do not use the ñauroraî gems that are so popular and all over the place. They are not from this period. The heraldic colors are good. I don't use the clear, rose, turquoise or other pastels. I don't think they look real enough. I have also seen someone use chips from a gem chip necklace for thier jeweling. It looks a bit rough but seems correct enough.
• Pearls were the favorite Byzantine decoration and are readily available at any craft store. Be careful when washing the cheap plastic pearls, they tend to peel and to look junky. Since I don't want to do the same work several times over, I use the somewhat more expensive types of pearls that are available from bead catalogues. These glass pearls have a better color and don't peel. They also come in a creme color as well as the white. My personal taste runs towards the creme pearls which are not white but not creme either. They are more natural looking. They also are somewhat heavier than the plastic pearls so they hang better. For very small work, I have used 10/0 glass seed beads in pearl color. They give a good look and you can really outline things well with them. Real fresh water pearls are nice to use as well. They come pierced both widthwise and lengthwise to better fit your pearling plan. The only problem with these is that they can become prohibitively expensive to get in sufficient quantity.
• Metal or enamel plaques were also applied to these garments as decorations. These are difficult and somewhat expensive to get. Make sure that there are rings or spaces to attach the plaques and check to see whether or not the plaque will react to your fabric and stain. These are a very rich decoration and there are filigree plaques available now that would look good on a dalmatic. Sometimes at flea markets you can find old enamel bracelets that you can salvage. Remember to nail polish the backs to keep them from staining. Keep in mind that things did not always match in period, so don't get hung up if you don't seem to have enough of something to go around. Cover as much as you can and fill in the rest with something else. Byzantine decoration is more concerned with quantity and visual impact than with symmetry. Go for an aura of overall richness, rather than the subtle use of a small number of objects.
• Techniques: When cutting the garment, I tend to be very frugal. I have gotten a good feel for why things were cut in certain ways in period by doing this. Look at the cutting layouts I use for dalmatics, tunics and the rest of the parts. Notice that you can extend the sleeves as well as get a hat out of the stuff most people throw away. If you're really careful, you can get a pouch out of what's left. We have been spoiled by $1.00/yd fabric. Cut your clothes like the fabric costs $100.00/yd. Measure yourself carefully before cutting. Try to cut the armhole as small as you can and still get easy movement. If this is too big, the garment will look clunky along with making you look fat. Small diamond shaped or square gussets will solve a too small armhole. Do not cut the underarm area as a sharp corner. It never turns cleanly if you do. Instead mark the sharp turn, then draw a smooth curve along the line. The length should fall to just below the ankle bone. Any lower and the novice will rip out the hem, any higher and it would be incorrectly short. Short tunics will fall just above the knee. Trousers should be somewhat baggy but don't let the crotch get too low. A low crotch makes you look dumpy and will get ripped out faster than a properly fitting one. Also a low crotch allows your thighs to rub together in a most uncomfortable way.
• As a purist, I recommend that you sew the clothes by hand. I know that most people will not do this. At the minimum, I suggest hand finishes and never ever sew on the trims with a machine. A machine is not able to give that woven in look that is the most desirable. The best effect is that of trim that is laying on the fabric with no visible means of support.
• Finishing of the clothes is also important. Mainly, I double roll the seams and whipstitch them back on themselves. This doesn't work well with bulky fabrics. If the fabric is bulky, I will double roll the seam and carefully whip the seam onto the body of the garment. If you are careful, the stitches will not show on the outside. If the fabric is not particularly prone to fraying, the edges can be left as is or covered with a blanket stitch. All of these techniques were seen on period clothing. If you are pressed, fraycheck will do, but it leaves a scratchy interior and I don't generally care for the sloppy looking edges it leaves. French seaming and flat felled seaming are options , although I only use it on trousers and occasionally shoulder seams. They don't take curves too well and they get bulky.
• Lining is another method of finishing. For fairly stiff, later period court clothes, I would definitely use a lining. It will give the proper body to maintain the stiffness required. You can avoid this lining by using the ecclesiastical fabrics which have enough weight to hang properly. Sometimes, though, the ecclesiastic fabric is too translucent and must be lined so as not to show all the seaming. The underclothes should not be lined or they will be too stiff to wear with any degree of comfort. You should also check the way your sleeves hang. Look in the mirror when you are wearing the garment and see what shows. Flaring sleeves and bell sleeves show too much of the interior and need to be lined. A lining is a good opportunity to use clashing color combinations, scraps of expensive fabric or to have a subtle color combination. The color of the lining can drastically affect the overall look of your garment. Try several swatches before you decide.
• The best way to apply the pearls is by whipstitching them in place, then running a separate thread through the holes. This makes the design very strong. It is also the best way to do hems. I have stepped on and ripped out nearly every hem I have done, but I have not lost a pearl yet. This technique was used in period goldsmithing and for book covers, probably for the same reason. Look for the narrowest needles you can find or you'll break a lot of pearls. Don't use a beading needle to whipstitch the pearls. It doesn't have the strength and is too long to work with easily. Don't leave the pearls on their original strings. It is a weak thread meant only to hold the hank together long enough for you to get it home. It breaks if you breathe on it. Some people like to string their pearls then couch them into place. I don't like it because I don't have the fine control of placement that I do with the other method. Feel free to try any way you like. I also like to make sure that all of my pearling that is to be done on the body of the garment is totally finished before attaching the lining.

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[King Bardhyl]

Founded by by Constantine the Great in 324 AD, Constantinople was the captial of the the Eastern Roman Empire.

 

[King Bardhyl]

[h=2]Byzantine Algeria[/h]

The 6th century Byzantine walls, popularly known as "Solomon's Walls" and flanked by thirteen square towers.Tebessa, Algeria. At its peak the Empire stretched from Morocco and Spain to Italy, Egypt, the Euphrates River, the Caucasus Mountain to the Danube River.