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The Late Byzantine Monastery in Town and Countryside

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 March 2016

Anthony Bryer*
Affiliation:
University of Birmingham, Centre for Byzantine Studies

Extract

In this paper I want to look not only at the late Byzantine monastery in town and countryside, but how each category fared after the Turkish conquests, when towns became important again. By the late Byzantine monastery I mean one commonly established by a founder’s typikon, and commonly enjoying stavropegiac rights of autonomy (especially from the thirteenth century). Material for the late Byzantine monastery is abundant enough both before and after the conquests, especially on Athos which is a special case. But it is comparatively less explored after the conquests. This is curious, for if it is true, as we are so often told, that it was the Orthodox church which kept alive the flame of Hellenismes during the dark centuries of the Tourkokratia, and if it is true that it is monasticism which is the peculiar guardian of Orthodoxy, and that monks are, in Theodore of Stoudion’s words, ‘the nerves and foundations of the Church’, the fate of the late Byzantine monastery should be an important field of study. I have adapted my approach to the nature of the bulk of the surviving evidence, which is economic. This may be like trying to write an account of a university’s research on the basis of its finance department’s records alone, but in times of a squeeze it may not be an unfair approach. A late Byzantine monk had to feast so as to fast. I began my study by making a census of known Byzantine monasteries, within the twelfth-century borders. This has been done before. Beck worked on a corpus of a hundred and sixty monasteries, which Charanis brought up to two hundred and forty one. Charanis reckoned that there might be about seven hundred recorded all told, less than a tenth of the actual total. By chance my list of monasteries came to exactly seven hundred, so I drew the line there, although it is clear that diligence would unearth up to one thousand.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Ecclesiastical History Society 1979

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References

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2 Beek pp 200-29.

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25 See Guillou, A., ‘Production and profits in the Byzantine province of Italy (tenth to eleventh centuries): an expanding society’, DOP 28 (1974) pp 91-2Google Scholar; Bryer, A., ‘The first encounter with the West, A.D. 1050-1204’, Byzantium, ed Whitting, P. (Oxford 1971) p 107 Google Scholar.

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27 Lemerle, P., Guillou, A., Svoronos, N. and Papachryssanthou, D., Actes de Laura 2, de 1204 à 1328, Archives de l’Athos 8 (Paris 1977) pp 180291 Google Scholar. These figures exclude holdings at Gomatou and on Lemnos. I am grateful to Mrs Patricia Karlin-Hayter for her seminar on these Acts.

28 Laurent, V., ‘Deux chrysobulles inédits des empereurs de Trébizonde Alexis IV - Jean IV et David II’, ΆρχΕΐον Πόιττου [= AP] 18 (1953) pp 241-78Google Scholar; Bryer, A., A cadaster of the great estates of the Empire of Trebizond (Birmingham 1978)Google Scholar.

29 Beldiceanu, ‘Biens’, p 201.

30 Ibid J. P. Fallmerayer, ‘Original-Fragmente, Chroniken, Inschriften und anderes Material zur Geschichte des Kaiserthums Trapezunt’, ABAW PhK abh 3 (Munich 1843) pp 91-100; Uspensky, [T.] and Bénéchévitch, [V.], [Actes de] Bázelon. [Matériaux pour servir à l’histoire de la propriété rurale et monastique à Byzance aux XIII-XIV siècles] (Leningrad 1927)Google Scholar Act 106, taking fifteen aspers to the notional nomisma.

31 Thiriet, F., Régestes des délibérations du Sénat de Vénise concernant la Romanie 2 (Paris 1958)Google Scholar no 1008 of 22 March 1401 (where 190 aspers are taken to the summo or sauma); Bon, M., Notaio in Venezia, Trebisonda e Tana (1403-1408) (Venice 1963) pp 1112 Google Scholar, 16; Bryer, [A.], ‘Greeks and Türkmens[: the Pontie exception]’, DOP 29 (1975) pp 138-9Google Scholar.

32 Figures extrapolated from accounts in Rot Pat, 19 Edw I, membrane 11, most accessible in Desimoni, C., ‘I conti dell’ ambasciata al Chan di Persia nel 1292’, Atti della Società Ligure di Storia Patria 13 (Genoa 1884) pp 598669 Google Scholar.

33 Beldiceanu, ‘Biens’, p 201.

34 Constantelos, D. J., Byzantine philanthropy and social welfare (New Brunswick/New Jersey 1968) p 92 Google Scholar.

35 Papachryssanthou, Prôtaton pp 80-1.

36 Oikonomides, N., Actes de Dionysiou, Archives de l’Athos 4 (Paris 1968) pp 5061 Google Scholar, 97-101, taking 190 aspers to the soma: see Milner-Gulland, R. R. and Bryer, A., ‘Two metropolitans of Trebizond in Russia’, AP 27 (Athens 1965) p 24 n 5 Google Scholar.

37 Mendieta, Athos p 132.

38 Michael, Panaretos, Пері τών MeyáXcov Κομνηνών, ed Lampsides, O. (Athens 1958) pp 6181 Google Scholar; Bryer, A., ‘The great estates of the Empire of Trebizond’, AP 35 (Athens 1979)Google Scholar forthcoming.

39 De emendanaa vita monachica, PG 135 (1887) col 829. See Charanis, [P.], [‘The monastic] properties [and the state in the Byzantine Empire]’, DOP 4 (1948) pp 85-6Google Scholar.

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41 MM, 1 pp 506-7; Charanis, ‘Properties’, 115; Nicol, D. M., The last centuries of Byzantium 1261-1453 (London 1972) pp 280-1Google Scholar.

42 See Talbot, A.-M. M., The correspondence of Athanasius I Patriarch (Washington 1975)Google Scholar; and the same’s ‘The Patriarch Athanasius (1289-1293; 1303-9) and the Church’, DOP 27 (1973) pp 11-28.

43 Charanis, P., ‘Internal strife in Byzantium during the fourteenth century’, B 15 (1941) p 226 Google Scholar; Sevčenko, I., ‘Nicolas Cabasilas’ “Anti-Zealot” discourse: a reinterpretation’, DOP 11 (1957) pp 79171 Google Scholar, esp pp 93, 126, 159.

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46 On Euchaita, see Mango, C. and Sevčenko, I., ‘Three inscriptions of the reigns of Anastasius I and Constantine V’, BZ 65 (1972) pp 378-84Google Scholar; and on Arauraka, , Brown, T. S., Bryer, A. and Winfield, D., ‘Cities of Heraclius’, Byzantine and Modern Creek Studies 4 (1978) p 28 Google Scholar.

47 Mélikoff, I., La geste de Melik Danişmend, 1 (Paris 1960) pp 198222 Google Scholar; Bryer, A., ‘A Byzantine family: the Gabrades, C979-C1653’, University of Birmingham Historical Journal 12 (1970) pp 178-9Google Scholar.

48 Vryonis, S., ‘Another note on the inscription of the church of St George of Beliserama’, Βναντινά 9 (1977) pp 922 Google Scholar.

49 Vryonis, Decline, pp 334-5.

50 Wächter, A. H., Der Verfall des Griechenthums in Kleinasien im XIV. Jahrhundert (Leipzig 1903)Google Scholar.

51 Inalcik, H., ‘The policy of Mehmed II toward the Greek population of Istanbul and the Byzantine buildings of the City’, DOP 23-4 (1969-70) p 243 Google Scholar.

52 Gökbilgin, M. T., ‘XVI. yüzyil baslarmda Trabzon livasi ve dogu bölgesi’, Türk Tarih Kurumu Belleten 26 (1962) pp 310-21Google Scholar.

53 Inalcik, H., ‘Ottomani methods of conquest’, Studia Islamica 2 (1954) pp 103-30CrossRefGoogle Scholar.

54 The process is described in detail in Lowry, [H. W.], [The Ottoman Tahrir Defters as a source for urban demographic history: the case study of) Trabzon (ca. 1486-1583) (Los Angeles 1977)Google Scholar (unpubl PhD dissertation). See also Beldiceanu, N., Recherche sur la ville Ottomane au xve siècle (Paris 1973)Google Scholar.

55 Toynbee, A. J., The Western Question in Greece and Turkey (London 1922) pp 122-44Google Scholar; Smith, M. Llewellyn, Ionian Vision: Greece in Asia Minor 1919-22 (London 1973) pp 2134 Google Scholar concentrate on western Anatolia; for the re-hellenization of a Black Sea city, Samsun, see Bryer, [A.] and Winfield, [D.], ‘Nineteenth-century monuments [in the city and vilayet of Trebizond: architectural and historical notes,] Part 3’, AP 30 (1970) pp 249-55Google Scholar.

56 Iorga, N., Byzance après Byzance (Bucarest 1971) pp 84129 Google Scholar, 232-5.

57 Karlin-Hayter, P., ‘Notes sur les archives de Patmos comme source pour la démographie et l’économie de l’île’, BF 5 (1977) pp 189215 Google Scholar; The Greek merchant marine (1453-1850), ed Papadopoulos, S.A (Athens 1972) pp 25 Google Scholar, 30-2, 97, 177, 179, 233-5, 342, 363.

58 Bryer and Winfield, ‘Nineteenth-century monuments, Part 3’, pp 324-49.

59 There is no good history of Ottoman-Athonite relations. The arrangements of 1430 were a kind of relief from transitory Catalan, Serbian, Ottoman and Byzantine domination. See Hasluck, F. W., Athos and its monasteries (London 1924) pp 31-3Google Scholar; Oikonomidès, N., ‘Le haradj dans l’empire byzantin du XVe siècle’, Actes du 1er Congrès international des études balkaniques et sud-est européennes III (Histoire) (Sofia 1969) pp 681-8Google Scholar; Chrestou, P. K., ‘Αθωνική ΠολιτεΙα (Thessalonike 1963) pp 5465 Google Scholar; for a detailed description of the Lavra’s finances under the Ottomans, see Alexander Lavriotes, (Lazarides), To “Ayiov “Opos μετάτήν Όθωμανικήν κοηάκτησιν EEBS 32 (1963) pp 113261 Google Scholar; and for a number of useful articles, Le millénaire du Mont Athos, 963-1963 1 (Chevtogne 1963); 2 (Vcnice/Chevtogne 1965).

60 Runciman, [S.], [The] Great Church [in captivity: a study of the patriarchate of Constantinople from the eve of the Turkish conquest to the Greek war of independence] (Cambridge 1968) pp 193202 Google Scholar; Historia politica et patriarchica Constantinopoleos, ed Bekker, I., CSHByz (1849) pp 3204 Google Scholar.

61 Runciman, Great Church p 202. A not untypical European comment is in Grelot, W. J., A late voyage to Constantinople . . . (London 1683) pp 138-9Google Scholar: ‘Since Vain-glory and Simony became Masters of the Patriarchate, all these Prelates are constraint to reimburse the person, who to clamber over his Predecessor’s head, gives never so much Money to the Grand Signor. Which is the reason, that whereas the Empereurs formerly gave great Presents to the Patriarchs, to gain by their means the favour of the People under their Jurisdiction, they now receive vaster Sums from them; which daily increasing through the exorbitant Ambition of the Patriarchs, will soon enhance the price so high, that in a short time it will be a difficult thing for all Greece to raise the Sum demanded. In the space of two years that I stay’d at Constantinople, two different Patriarchs [probably Parthenios IV (1657-62, 1665-7, 1671, 1675-6, 1684-5) and Dionysios IV (1671-3, 1676-9, 1682-4, 1686-7, 1693-4)] gave for the Patriarchship, the one fifty, the other sixty thousand Crowns, as a Present to the Grand Signor. Considerable Sums for the Caloyers, who profess the Vow of Poverty, and ought to enjoy nothing of Propriety. Nevertheless when any of these Monks can meet with a rich Merchant, which will advance part of the Money, they propose their design to the Grand Signor [Mehmed IV (1648-87)], who fails not to grant the Title to him that gives most, and having received the Present, gives him the Barat or Grand Signor’s Letters Patents, by vertue of which the old Patriarch is displac’d, and the new one settl’d in his room, with order to the Greeks to obey him, and to pay with all speed the Debts contracted, under the penalties of Bastinadoing, Confiscation, and shutting up their Churches. Which Order is presently sent to all the Archbishops and Metropolitans, who give immediate notice thereof to their Suffragans : who laying hold on the opportunity, tax the Caloyers and People under their Jurisdiction, the sum assess’d by the Patriarch, and something more, under pretence of Expences and Presents extraordinary.’ The rivalry between Parthenios IV and Dionysios IV marked the nadir of patriarchal politics at a time when there were Greek and Armenian neo-martyrs after Mehmed IV’s rebuff at Vienna in 1683: this is also the background of Anglican and non-juror overtures to the Orthodox church.

62 Examples in Lowry, Trabzon pp 209-47.

63 Mendicta, Athos p 113.

64 Bees, N. A., Άφιερώματα καΙ λΕΐτουργικαΙ συνδρομαΙ Трогтгзуоиілгішу κσΐ άλλων ΠοντΙων ύττίρ τοθ Πανσγΐου Τάφον κατ’ άναγραφά; ΊερολυμιτικοΟ κώδικθΐ’, AP 14 (1949) pp 124-60Google Scholar. The well-organised beggar-monk must be distinguished from the perennial wandering monk, of which a late example is in Halkin, F., ‘Un ermite des Balkans au XIV siècle. La vie grecque inédite de Saint Romylos’, B 31 (1961) p 134 Google Scholar.

65 Binon, S., Les origines légendaires et l’histoire de Xéropotamou et de Saint-Paul de l’Athos (Louvain 1942) pp 158-68Google Scholar.

66 Bryer, ‘Greeks and Turkmens’, p 121 and n 24; Cuinet, V., La Turquie d’Asie, 1 (Paris 1892) 1129 Google Scholar, when Vazelon held twenty villages. Soumela fifteen, and Peristera eleven.

67 Kyriakidcs, Σουμελα pp 79-90.

68 Ibid pp 110-13; Colwell, E. C., The four gospels of Karahisar, 1 (Chicago 1936) p 52 Google Scholar; Bryer [J.], Isaac and Winfield, , ‘Nineteenth-century monuments, Part 4’, AP 32 (Athens 1972-3) pp 238-43Google Scholar.

69 Uspensky and Bénéchévitch, Bazélon Act 188 of 1094; Kyriakides, Σδυμελάρρ pp 115-79; Bryer, and Winfield, , ‘Nineteenth-century monuments. Part 3’, AP 30 (1970) pp 270-98Google Scholar.

70 Kyriakides, Σουμελα pp 134-5. The goods ranged from a Moscow gospel and altar silver at 187 piastres, to an icon of the Panagia worth 25 piastres.

71 Kyriakides, Σουμελδ pp 170-3; Chrysanthos of Trebizond and Athens (Philippides), ‘H ΈκκλησΙα ТрсптЕзоиитоѕ’, AP 4-5 (1933) pp 468-84.

72 Accounts in Soumela MS 8, now in the Archaeological Museum, Ankara, from 1840-1905. Sample years show:

Unfortunately there is no break-down of income and expenditure, except that the exceptionally high income for 1904 included 200,665 piastres from the abbot’s fundraising trip to Russia, while the largest expenditure that year was 133,869 on ‘Various’. But Soumela MS 54 gives monthly accounts from June-December 1852, which reveals that by far the largest income and expenditure came in August (15 August, the Dormition, was Soumela’s great festival). On Muslim pilgrims to Soumela, see Alfred Biliotti’s despatch of 17 December 1877 in PRO FO 195/1141: ‘It is also held in reverence by the Mussulmans many of whom, at least 500 yearly, go there in pilgrimage with important offerings in kind and money.’

73 Papoulides, K.K., Т6 κΐνημα τών Κολλυβάδων (Athens 1971)Google Scholar; Petit, L., ‘La grande controverse des colyves’, EO 2 (1899) pp 321-31Google Scholar.

74 Mendieta, Athos pp 100-105, 107-8.

75 There is still no critical work on Armenian monasticism and Ormanian, M., The Church of Armenia (London 1955)Google Scholar is no substitute. On the Nestorians of the Hakkari, see Badger, G. P., The Nestorians and their rituals (London 1852)Google Scholar.

76 Mendieta, Athos p 245.

77 Bryer, , Isaac, and Winfield, , ‘Nineteenth-century monuments, Part 4’, AP 32 (1972-3) pp 190-8Google Scholar.

78 Kyriakides, Σουμελδ pp 204-59; another view is in Gervasios of Alexandroupolis (Sarrisites), “Ετταρχΐα ‘ΡοδοτΓΟλεωΐ’, AP 6 (1935) pp 6885 Google Scholar.

79 Blackman, D. and Branigan, K., ‘An archaeological survey of the lower catchment of the Ayiofarango valley’, The Annual of the British School at Athens 72 (1977) pp 7780 and n 23 CrossRefGoogle Scholar above.

80 Mendieta, Athos p 132.

81 Frazee, Orthodox Church pp 120, 125-7. The remaining two thousand or so monks were concentrated in a hundred and forty eight surviving monasteries. By 1840 there were one thousand six hundred and forty six monks in a hundred and twenty eight monasteries.