Every Claimant To Rome Ever || How Rome Finally Fell in 2011

Summary

This video explores the complex history of the Roman Empire's succession, examining various entities that claimed the title of Rome, from the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 to the Byzantine Empire, Holy Roman Empire, and beyond. It delves into the legitimacy of each claim and the historical events that shaped these claims, concluding with a visual representation of the Roman Empire's legacy.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Roman Empire's end is a complex topic with multiple dates proposed, such as 476 for the fall of the Western Roman Empire, 1453 for the fall of the Byzantine Empire, and others like 1806 for the fall of the Holy Roman Empire.
• 🏛 The Byzantine Empire, considered a direct continuation of the Roman Empire, claimed legitimacy through its political system and identity as Roman, lasting until 1453 when Constantinople fell to the Ottomans.
• 👑 The Western Roman Empire's legacy continued through the Papacy and the Frankish Empire, which was crowned by the Pope in 800, establishing a new lineage of Roman Emperors in the West.
• 🕊 The Holy Roman Empire, a successor to the Frankish Empire, lasted until 1806 when it was dissolved by Francis II due to pressures from Napoleon's expansion.
• 🛡 Napoleon's Empire of France claimed a connection to the Roman Empire through Charlemagne but did not directly claim the Roman emperorship, making its claim indirect and less direct than others.
• 🇮🇹 Italy's claim to the Roman Empire is based on its geographical and cultural heritage as the heart of the ancient Roman Empire, with the unification of Italy in 1861 further solidifying this connection.
• 🇧🇬 The Bulgarian and Serbian Empires briefly claimed the title of Roman Emperor, but these claims were short-lived and not widely recognized.
• 🇷🇺 Russia's claim to the Roman Empire was based on its religious and cultural ties to the Byzantine Empire, with Moscow being considered the 'Third Rome' after the fall of Constantinople in 1453.
• 🇹🇷 The Ottoman Empire had a strong claim to the Roman Empire title after conquering Constantinople in 1453, which was the capital of the Byzantine Empire.
• 🇬🇷 Greece's connection to the Byzantine Empire and the idea of the 'Megali Idea' to reclaim Constantinople gave it an informal claim to the Roman Empire, though it was never officially claimed.
• 🏰 The concept of the Roman Empire's end is not definitively agreed upon, with various successor states and claims stretching into modern history, reflecting the enduring legacy and influence of Rome.

Q & A

What are the different years that are often cited as the end of the Roman Empire?

The years often cited as the end of the Roman Empire include 476, the fall of the Western Roman Empire; 1453, the fall of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire; and 1806, the fall of the Holy Roman Empire.

Why is it difficult to pinpoint a single end date for the Roman Empire?

It is difficult to pinpoint a single end date for the Roman Empire because there is no one true answer. Various entities across history have claimed the title of Rome, and different criteria for what constitutes a 'successor' state can lead to different end dates.

What is the significance of the year 395 in the context of the Roman Empire?

The year 395 is significant because it marks the permanent division of the Roman Empire into an Eastern and Western Roman Empire, which is considered the founding of the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire.

How does the script differentiate between the claims of the Eastern and Western Roman Empires?

The script differentiates by noting that the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, had a direct and explicit claim to Rome due to its political system and identity as a Roman Empire. In contrast, the Western Roman Empire's claims are more contested and involve various successor states and the role of the papacy.

What role did the Pope play in the succession of the Western Roman Empire?

The Pope played a crucial role in the succession of the Western Roman Empire by crowning Charlemagne as the Roman Emperor in 800, effectively transferring the title from the Byzantine Empire and establishing the precedent that the Pope had the authority to depose and crown Emperors.

Why did Francis II dissolve the Holy Roman Empire in 1806?

Francis II dissolved the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 because the empire was facing a crisis due to Napoleon's conquests across Europe and the establishment of the Confederation of the Rhine, which showed the Holy Roman Empire's obsolescence.

What claim does the Ottoman Empire have to the title of Rome, according to the script?

The Ottoman Empire has a strong claim to the title of Rome because they conquered Constantinople in 1453, which was the capital of the Byzantine Empire and arguably the capital of the Roman Empire for longer than Rome itself.

How does the script discuss the claim of the Russian Empire to the Roman legacy?

The script discusses the Russian Empire's claim to the Roman legacy as being based on religious, cultural, and ideological grounds, stemming from their conversion to Greek Orthodoxy by the Byzantines and their subsequent claim to the primacy of the Orthodox faith after the fall of Constantinople.

What is the 'Megali Idea' mentioned in the script, and how does it relate to Greece's claim to Rome?

The 'Megali Idea' is a Greek nationalist concept that aimed to reclaim Constantinople from the Ottoman Empire and potentially turn it into the Greek capital while also reclaiming Asia Minor. It is related to Greece's claim to Rome through the idea that Greece is the cultural and religious continuation of Byzantium.

How does the script categorize the various claims to the Roman Empire?

The script categorizes the various claims to the Roman Empire into three groups: 'Definitely Rome', 'Good claim to Rome', and 'Not Rome', with the categorization based on the strength and legitimacy of each entity's connection to the Roman Empire.