Editing Constantinople (section)

=== 717–1025: Constantinople during the Macedonian Renaissance ===
[[File:Imperial Gate mosaic in Hagia Sophia.jpg|thumb|[[Emperor Leo VI]] (886–912) adoring [[Jesus Christ]]. [[Mosaic]] above the Imperial Gate in the [[Hagia Sophia]].]]
In the 730s [[Leo III the Isaurian|Leo III]] carried out extensive repairs of the Theodosian walls, which had been damaged by frequent and violent attacks; this work was financed by a special tax on all the subjects of the Empire.<ref>Vasiliev 1952, p. 251.</ref>

Theodora, widow of the Emperor [[Theophilos (emperor)|Theophilus]] (died 842), acted as regent during the minority of her son [[Michael III]], who was said to have been introduced to dissolute habits by her brother Bardas. When Michael assumed power in 856, he became known for excessive drunkenness, appeared in the hippodrome as a charioteer and burlesqued the religious processions of the clergy. He removed Theodora from the Great Palace to the Carian Palace and later to the [[Sancaktar Hayrettin Mosque|monastery of Gastria]], but, after the death of Bardas, she was released to live in the palace of St Mamas; she also had a rural residence at the Anthemian Palace, where Michael was assassinated in 867.<ref>George Finlay, History of the Byzantine Empire, Dent, London, 1906, pp. 156–161.</ref>

In 860, an [[Rus'–Byzantine War (860)|attack]] was made on the city by a new principality set up a few years earlier at [[Kyiv|Kiev]] by [[Askold and Dir]], two [[Varangian]] chiefs: Two hundred small vessels passed through the Bosporus and plundered the monasteries and other properties on the suburban [[Princes' Islands]]. [[Niketas Oryphas|Oryphas]], the admiral of the Byzantine fleet, alerted the emperor Michael, who promptly put the invaders to flight; but the suddenness and savagery of the onslaught made a deep impression on the citizens.<ref>Finlay, 1906, pp. 174–175.</ref>

In 980, the emperor [[Basil II]] received an unusual gift from Prince [[Vladimir I of Kiev|Vladimir]] of Kiev: 6,000 [[Varangian]] warriors, which Basil formed into a new bodyguard known as the [[Varangian Guard]]. They were known for their ferocity, honour, and loyalty. It is said that, in 1038, they were dispersed in winter quarters in the [[Thracesian Theme]] when one of their number attempted to violate a countrywoman, but in the struggle she seized his sword and killed him; instead of taking revenge, however, his comrades applauded her conduct, compensated her with all his possessions, and exposed his body without burial as if he had committed suicide.<ref>Finlay, 1906, p. 379.</ref> However, following the death of an Emperor, they became known also for plunder in the Imperial palaces.<ref>Enoksen, Lars Magnar. (1998). ''Runor : historia, tydning, tolkning''. Historiska Media, Falun. {{ISBN|91-88930-32-7}} p. 135.</ref> Later in the 11th century the Varangian Guard became dominated by [[Anglo-Saxons]] who preferred this way of life to subjugation by the [[Norman conquest of England|new Norman kings of England]].<ref>J M Hussey, The Byzantine World, Hutchinson, London, 1967, p. 92.</ref>

[[File:Christ_Pantocrator_mosaic_from_Hagia_Sophia_2744_x_2900_pixels_3.1_MB.jpg|thumb|upright=1.15|One of the most famous of the surviving Byzantine mosaics of the [[Hagia Sophia]] in Constantinople – the image of Christ Pantocrator on the walls of the upper southern gallery, Christ being flanked by the Virgin Mary and John the Baptist; circa 1261<ref>{{Cite book |last=Freeman |first=Evan |url=https://pressbooks.pub/smarthistoryguidetobyzantineart/chapter/late-byzantine-naturalism-hagia-sophias-deesis-mosaic/ |title=Smarthistory Guide to Byzantine Art |date=2021 |chapter=Hagia Sophia's Deesis Mosaic}}</ref>]]

The ''[[Book of the Eparch]]'', which dates to the 10th century, gives a detailed picture of the city's commercial life and its organization at that time. The corporations in which the tradesmen of Constantinople were organised were supervised by the Eparch, who regulated such matters as production, prices, import, and export. Each guild had its own monopoly, and tradesmen might not belong to more than one. It is an impressive testament to the strength of tradition how little these arrangements had changed since the office, then known by the Latin version of its title, had been set up in 330 to mirror the urban prefecture of Rome.<ref>Vasiliev 1952, pp. 343–344.</ref>

In the 9th and 10th centuries, Constantinople had a population of between 500,000 and 800,000.<ref>[http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/cities/turkey/istanbul/istanbul.html Silk Road Seattle – Constantinople] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060917215153/http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/cities/turkey/istanbul/istanbul.html |date=2006-09-17 }}, Daniel C. Waugh.</ref>
[[File:Fethiye_Museum_9607.jpg|thumb|left|Mosaic of Jesus in [[Pammakaristos Church]], Istanbul]]

==== Iconoclast controversy in Constantinople ====
In the 8th and 9th centuries, the [[Byzantine Iconoclasm|iconoclast]] movement caused serious political unrest throughout the Empire. The emperor [[Leo III the Isaurian|Leo III]] issued a decree in 726 against images, and ordered the destruction of a statue of Christ over one of the doors of the Chalke, an act that was fiercely resisted by the citizens.<ref>The officer given the task was killed by the crowd, and in the end the image was removed rather than destroyed: It was to be restored by [[Irene (empress)|Irene]] and removed again by [[Leo V the Armenian|Leo V]]: Finlay 1906, p. 111.</ref> [[Constantine V]] convoked a [[Council of Hieria|church council in 754]], which condemned the worship of images, after which many treasures were broken, burned, or painted over with depictions of trees, birds or animals: One source refers to the [[Church of St. Mary of Blachernae (Istanbul)|church of the Holy Virgin]] at [[Blachernae]] as having been transformed into a "fruit store and aviary".<ref>Vasiliev 1952, p. 261.</ref> Following the death of her husband [[Leo IV the Khazar|Leo IV]] in 780, the empress [[Irene (empress)|Irene]] restored the veneration of images through the agency of the [[Second Council of Nicaea]] in 787.

The iconoclast controversy returned in the early 9th century, only to be resolved once more in 843 during the regency of Empress [[Theodora (9th century)|Theodora]], who restored the icons. These controversies contributed to the deterioration of relations between the [[Roman Catholic|Western]] and the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Eastern]] Churches.