Heraclius had not closed his reign before he saw all his
victories undone by the advance of the Arabs. The first wave of invasion tore
away Syria and Egypt from the empire, penetrated Asia Minor, and reached the
shores of the Bosporus. Repulsed before the walls of Constantinople, the Arabs
carried their arms to the West and seized North Africa, Spain, part of southern
Italy, and the Mediterranean islands. Asia Minor and the Balkan peninsula still
held out, however, and during the tenth century a line of able rulers at
Constantinople succeeded in winning back some of their lost provinces.
SELJUK TURKS
During the eleventh century the empire had to face new
enemies. These were the Seljuk Turks, [11] fierce nomads from the steppes
beyond the Caspian. After their conversion to Mohammedanism, they swept with
irresistible force through the East and conquered nearly all Asia Minor. The
ruin of this country, in earlier ages one of the most populous and flourishing
regions of the world, dates from its occupation by the Seljuks. To resist their
further advance the Roman emperor sought in 1095 A.D. the help of the
Christians of Europe. His appeals for aid resulted in the First Crusade, with
which a new chapter of medieval history began.
[11] So named from one of their leaders.
WORK OF THE EMPIRE IN ASIA
Thus, for more than five centuries after Justinian, the
Roman Empire in the East was engaged in a long struggle with the foes—Persians,
Arabs, and Seljuk Turks—which successively attacked its dominions. By its stubborn
resistance of the advance of the invaders the old empire protected the young
states of Europe from attack, until they grew strong enough to meet and repulse
the hordes of Asia. This service to civilization was not less important than
that which had been performed by Greece and Rome in their contests with the
Persians and the Carthaginians.
