In the second half of the tenth century, Byzantium embarked on a series
of spectacular conquests: first in the southeast against the Arabs, then
in Bulgaria, and finally in the Georgian and Armenian lands. By the
early eleventh century, the empire was the most powerful state in the
Mediterranean. It was also expanding economically, demographically, and,
in time, intellectually as well. Yet this imperial project came to a
crashing collapse fifty years later, when political disunity, fiscal
mismanagement, and defeat at the hands of the Seljuks in the east and
the Normans in the west brought an end to Byzantine hegemony. By 1081,
not only was its dominance of southern Italy, the Balkans, Caucasus, and
northern Mesopotamia over but Byzantium's very existence was threatened.
How did this dramatic transformation happen? Based on a close
examination of the relevant sources, this history-the first of its kind
in over a century-offers a new reconstruction of the key events and
crucial reigns as well as a different model for understanding imperial
politics and wars, both civil and foreign. In addition to providing a
badly needed narrative of this critical period of Byzantine history,
Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood offers new interpretations of key
topics relevant to the medieval era. The narrative unfolds in three
parts: the first covers the years 955-1025, a period of imperial
conquest and consolidation of authority under the great emperor Basil
"the Bulgar-Slayer." The second (1025-1059) examines the dispersal of
centralized authority in Constantinople as well as the emergence of new
foreign enemies (Pechenegs, Seljuks, and Normans). The last section
chronicles the spectacular collapse of the empire during the second half
of the eleventh century, concluding
with a look at the First Crusade and its consequences for Byzantine
relations with the powers of Western Europe. This briskly paced and
thoroughly investigated narrative vividly brings to life one of the most
exciting and transformative eras of medieval history.
