Byzantine Empire under the Isaurian dynasty

Byzantine Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων (Ancient Greek) Imperium Romanum (Latin)
717–802
Map of the Eastern Roman Empire after the coronation of Charlemagne as Imperator Romanorum, 800
Capital	Constantinople
Common languages	Greek Latin (in the Exarchate of Ravenna until c. 751)
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 717–741	Leo III the Isaurian
• 741–775	Constantine V
• 775–780	Leo IV
• 780–797	Constantine VI (with his mother Irene serving as regent from 780–790 and as co-ruler from 792–797)
• 797–802	Irene of Athens (as sole ruler)
History
• Accession of Leo III the Isaurian	717
• Deposition of Irene of Athens	802
Preceded by Succeeded by Twenty Years' Anarchy Byzantine Empire under the Nikephorian dynasty Principality of Serbia (early medieval) First Bulgarian Empire

Part of a series on the
History of the Byzantine Empire
Preceding
Roman Empire Dominate
Early period (330–717)
Tetrarchy era Constantinian–Valentinianic era (Constantinian dynasty – Valentinianic dynasty) Theodosian era Leonid era Justinian era Heraclian era Twenty Years' Anarchy
Middle period (717–1204)
Isaurian era Nikephorian era Amorian era Macedonian era Doukid era Komnenian era Angelid era
Late period (1204–1453)
Fourth Crusade and Latin rule Latin Empire Principality of Achaea others Byzantine successor states Nicaea Epirus/Thessalonica Trebizond Theodoro Palaiologan era Despotate of the Morea Decline of the Byzantine Empire Fall of Constantinople
Timeline
By topic
Art Government Economy Army Navy
Byzantine Empire portal
v t e

The Byzantine Empire was ruled by the Isaurian dynasty (or Syrian dynasty) from 717 to 802. The Isaurian emperors were successful in defending and consolidating the empire against the caliphates after the onslaught of the early Muslim conquests, but were less successful in Europe, where they suffered setbacks against the Bulgars, had to give up the Exarchate of Ravenna, and lost influence over Italy and the papacy to the growing power of the Franks.

The Isaurian dynasty is chiefly associated with Byzantine iconoclasm, an attempt to restore divine favour by purifying the Christian faith from excessive adoration of icons, which resulted in considerable internal turmoil.

By the end of the Isaurian dynasty in 802, the Byzantines were continuing to fight the Arabs and the Bulgars for their very existence, with matters made more complicated when Pope Leo III crowned Charlemagne as emperor of the Romans, which was seen as an attempt at making the Carolingian state the successor to the Roman Empire.