The Byzantine Empire and Western Europe

The Byzantine Empire and Western Europe originally were part of the Roman Empire, but by the middle Ages(medieval times), they were very different, even though they did share some common traits, but by the 300's, the Byzantine Empire had far surpassed Western Europe in trade and economics and political unity, while both empires were having arguments over religion.
Despite the collapse of the Roman Empire, Europe still stood, separating into two different areas, governed two different ways. Western Europe and the Byzantine Empire had very different government structures. The Western half became Western Europe with popes, and princes ruling at that time. The Eastern half became The Byzantine …show more content…
Western Europe lasted much longer than The Byzantine Empire with their feudal system because they had a much larger military due to much land being given away in return for military protection. As well as having a similar military service to protect their lands, both halves of Europe adopted the same or similar laws. Several Byzantine emperors had called for new laws and edicts to be made for their empire. The most famous of these laws and edicts to be made was the Corpus Juris Civilis. In the eleventh century however, Western Euorpe began to adopt this collection, and use it instead of their canon and feudal law. If Western Europe had adopted these laws and edicts much sooner, this half of Europe might have fell just as The Byzantine Empire had.
Thus, despite big differences between the two halves of Europe, they were also greatly similar in ways. Both Western Europe and The Byzantine Empire were similar in ways relating to their government and military tactics, but different in ways relating to the way each half of Europe ruled its territory. Western Europe believed in using nuns and nunneries to teach their people, as well as having two rulers ruling different parts of the government. The Byzantine Empire felt that there