Watch History of Christianity. Lecture 17 of 30. Christianity and Islam.

History of Christianity. Lecture 17 of 30. Christianity and Islam. The eastern provinces were at theological odds with Orthodox Constantinople, when the Empire faced a Persian invasion and occupation that lasted nearly 30 years. No sooner had the Persians been defeated, than the Empire faced a new military and theological threat - Islam. At first Islam seemed like no more than another Christian heresy. But since disaffected Christians preferred life under Islam to persecution from Constantinople, the Empire soon saw the loss of half its lands to the new faith. But Islam's initial tolerance soon faded and surviving Christians found life difficult beneath the weight of hostile Moslem rulers.