In the first millennium after the decline and fall of the Roman empire, Western Europe developed new kingdoms under the rule of various leaders, increased the population to a significant degree, developed agriculture and commerce beyond the rudimentary beginnings of the Roman era, encountered war and privation as new leaders sought to subjugate people formerly ruled by the Romans and to extend their territory, and especially became more Christianized with the spread of that religion as the guiding power in Europa culture.
The first Christian Empire in the world was that of the Byzantine Empire founded by Constantine in 330 A.D. The Byzantine Empire started with the division of the Roman Empire into East and West factions, with the eastern provinces becoming the Byzantine Empire. When the Roman Emperor Constantine was converted to Christianity, he moved the governing center from Rome to the city of Byzantium, made Christianity the state religion, and created a state that would have a profound effect on the social life and outlook of the people. The first moves toward splitting up the Roman Empire had been made by Constantine's uncle, the Emperor Diocletian, who thought that the problems with the empire were related to having too much territory to the east and north out of direct control (Wenzel 11-13). The separation did not take place immediately but over a generation or so and would last for more than 1100 years.
There was in fact a greater need than ever before for able leaders with the growth of the Christian churches and their influence. Indeed, the Christian church would become a new arena for public speaking and thus for public debate and decision making, and church statesmen were soon the leading figures of their age at a time when the civil responsibilities of the old democracies had long ceased producing such men. However, these officers of the church devoted more and more of their time to church duties until th...