Byzantine Empire under the Amorian dynasty

The Byzantine Empire under the Amorian dynasty, from Michael II’s accession in 820 until Michael III’s death in 867. The period saw the end of Byzantine Iconoclasm and sustained conflict with the Abbasid Caliphate.

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Michael II: Byzantine emperor from 820 to 829 and founder of the Amorian dynasty. His accession began the dynasty’s rule after the revolt against Leo V.
Byzantine Iconoclasm: A Byzantine religious and political movement opposing the veneration of sacred images. The period began amid Iconoclasm and ended with its permanent restoration reversed.
Battle of Anzen: A major Byzantine defeat by Abbasid forces in 838 near modern Dazimon in Anatolia. Theophilos’s defeat exposed the vulnerability of the eastern frontier.
Leo V the Armenian: Byzantine emperor from 813 to 820, overthrown and killed in a palace coup. His deposition cleared the way for Michael II’s accession.
Isaurian dynasty: The Byzantine imperial dynasty that ruled from 717 to 802 and was associated with the first phase of Iconoclasm. Its earlier religious policies formed the precedent the Amorians inherited and revived.
Theophilos: Byzantine emperor from 829 to 842, known for preserving Iconoclasm and campaigning against the Abbasids. His reign combined imperial reform with costly warfare on the eastern frontier.
Triumph of Orthodoxy: The restoration of icon veneration in 843, commemorated by the Eastern Orthodox Church. Theodora’s regency established this settlement after decades of renewed Iconoclasm.
Sack of Amorium: The Abbasid capture and destruction of Amorium in 838, one of Byzantium’s leading cities. The city’s fall was a severe military and dynastic blow under Theophilos.
Thomas the Slav: A Byzantine military commander who led a large revolt against Michael II from 821 to 823. His rebellion nearly displaced the new dynasty and drew in foreign forces.
Macedonian dynasty: The Byzantine imperial dynasty that followed the Amorians, beginning with Basil I in 867. Its long rule followed the abrupt end of the Amorian line.