Savaş, Din ve Şehitlik: Bizans'ın Müslüman Düşmanları (VII.-X. Yüzyıllar)

Abstract

This thesis examines the role of religious discourse in the Byzantine Empire's political struggle against Muslims from the 7th to the 10th century. The Byzantine Empire had a close relationship with religion, particularly Christianity, with emperors using it to legitimize their rule and the Church leveraging political power for its own interests. This partnership between Byzantium and the Church shaped the empire's social, political, and cultural identity under the Roman and Christian concepts. The perception of Muslims and the struggle against them changed based on the political context. Initially, the Byzantines saw Muslim attacks as political conquests rather than a religious movement. However, as Muslims established a permanent presence and communication between the two sides improved, the Byzantines recognized the religious motivations behind Muslim conquests. In the 9th and 10th centuries, the empire's policies towards Muslims became more aggressive, culminating in a harsh religious discourse. As in the examples of jihad and the Crusades, which bring to mind the idea of holy war, the Byzantines used religion as a motivator in warfare, but with its own unique characteristics influenced by the empire's religious-political tradition and geographical conditions.