670-689 Rome Argues Theology While Islam Advances

In this twenty year period the ruling powers in Rome and Constantinople sat around arguing about theology while the Islamic tide advanced throughout the east, the Lombards strengthened their position in Europe and plague ravaged England in 685.

This time, theological controversy was Monothelitism -- the belief that Christ did not possess simultaneously a divine will and a human will, but only one that he exercised through both his divine and human natures -- first put forward by Pope Honorius I in 625.

Emperor Constantine IV wanted to ban Monothelitism -- as did the Pope Agatho (678-681) -- and it was duly put to rest at the Council of Constantinople in 680.

By 680, the empire was forced to recognize the Lombard Kingdom in Italy, and the conversion of the Lombards to Catholicism made their rule more acceptable to the ruling class (represented by the bishop of Rome)

Another ramification of theological oblivion of this period that allowed the Islamic advance was that Rome gained supremacy over Constantinople. Only four of the next sixteen popes would come from Rome, the rest would come from eastern areas lost to Islam.

Also, the election of popes from Leo II onwards came to be subject to the emperor's approval rather than that of Constantinople. 

630-649 Moslems Conquer Eastern Christian Lands

In this twenty year period the Arabs -- united by the new Moslem faith -- easily conquered all of the former Christian lands that had been torn asunder by Christian theological arguments.

In 630 Mohammed entered Mecca with an army of Bedouin followers and with so many disgruntled and alienated and persecuted people of all faiths in the old roman provinces, they were happy to accept a new religion and a new leader.

In 632 Mohammed died in Medina and, like the early Christians, his followers took up the cause with increased fervour.

The Moslem Arabs took Syria, Palestine and Persia in 637; captured Jerusalem in 638; Egypt in 641; and then took Africa and the Spanish enclave. The Arabs also penetrated central Asia to the frontier of India and China

The Islamic world was governed by the Ummayad caliphs with their capital at Damascus, and all that was left of the former eastern empire was an area around Constantinople, exclusively Greek, which had by then reverted to its former Greek name -- Byzantium -- and became known as the Byzantium Empire..

The Islamic invasions aided the Lombards in Italy who, in 643, under King Rothari took over the empire's remaining strongholds in Italy.

Although theological arguments had dogged the Christian church since its inception, Pope Honorius I (625-638) was responsible for the latest controversy over Monothelitism -- the belief that Christ did not possess simultaneously a divine will and a human will, but only one that he exercised through both his divine and human natures.