论拜占庭帝国的灭亡

On the Fall of the Byzantine Empire

拜占庭帝国的兴盛时期,例如马其顿王朝盛期,依靠的是广大自耕农和城市工商业者,兵源充足,税源充足。然而到了科穆宁王朝以后,尤其是到了佩利奥洛格斯王朝,拜占庭政府既不能保护自耕农的权益,又不能保护城市工商业者,兵源和税源都枯竭了,拜占庭帝国赖以生存的基础动摇了、瓦解了。奥斯曼帝国正是在这样的条件下灭掉拜占庭帝国的。

The Byzantine Empire relied on small land holders, urban skilled workers and merchants, when it was prosperous and never worried about revenue and manpower resources. This rule was typical of Macedonia. The Empire began to crumble, under the rule of Comneni and in particular the rule of Palaeologi, when it failed to protect the interests of small land holders, urban skilled workers and merchants. The Byzantine Empire was then conquered by the Ottoman Empire.