From a Groom to an Emperor – Part IV – Basil the Noble.

Basil I the Macedonian (867-886) showed during his two decades of reign that he was worthy of the crown of the Byzantine emperor. With skillful and prudent policy, both internal and external, he had greatly improved the Empire. 

In order to somewhat mitigate Basil’s dark and violent rise to the throne of Constantinople, his descendant – son Leo VI the Wise (886-912) and grandson Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (912-959) – and almost the entire official historiography of the Macedonian dynasty with them, reached for fictional genealogy. 

In Basil, on one hand, they saw a distant descendant of Arsacid, known Parthian royal house that was in the 3rd century BC founded by Arsaces I, and later, with kindred, connected to Persian Sassanid Empire, as well as young Armenian state. From his mother’s side, Basil was allegedly associated with Constantine the Great, and by some with Alexander the Great. 

It is interesting to note that the later Byzantine writers have, in different ways, accepted these incredible assumptions. For example, in the 11th century, John Skylitzes gives them, without any intellectual doubt, an unconditional trust. Unlike Skylitzes, John Zonaras (first half of the 12th century) dismisses the whole story of Basil’s ancient nobility and notes that the founder of the Macedonian dynasty comes from Macedonia, from insignificant and unknown fathers, regardless the fact that some of those who wrote about him made up that he was a descendant of Arsacid.

Another legend, that sounds tempting but suffers from a lack of historical credibility, contributes to a new mystery around Basil I the Macedonian. It is a famous word BECLAS, an acronym of Basil’s closest family -  in the first place Basil himself, then his wife Eudokia, and, finally, his sons Constantine, Leo, Alexander and Stephen. This acrostic is recorded by Patriarch Photius (858-867, 877-886) who wrote many stories about Basil’s “nobility”. 

As written by the Byzantine writer Niketas David Paphlagon, the genealogy of the founder of Macedonian dynasty was put together by Photius, who, with the help of some priest, wrote a great number of lies with Alexandrian literate on the oldest paper, to imitate an ancient manuscript.  He then put an ancient cover on it that he took from some ancient book, and secretly placed his work among other books in the royal library.

Leaving aside the veracity of this interesting story by Niketas David Paphlagon, it is probably possible that the Byzantines themselves were well aware that genealogy could be forged, and that many of them are indeed forged.

Invention of legends is not typical just for Byzantine Empire, but also for a number of other states of the medieval world. Furthermore, it is not exaggeration if we say that false genealogies are being created even in our time. Unfortunately, a great number of people is blindly convinced in such forged genealogies.

Whatever the case, the assumption that Basil I the Macedonian, man who was capable and discerning enough to become emperor from a groom, was not familiar with the compilation of "fabricated" genealogy that celebrates antiquity of his imperial home, seems unlikely.

To return to Part III – „The one who sleeps beside”, click HERE.

To return to Part I – A boy named Basil, click HERE.

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From a Groom to an Emperor – Part III – „The one who sleeps beside”.

It took ten years before Empress's prophetic words were fulfilled. In the meantime, Basil steadily climbed the Byzantine hierarchical ladder, mostly because a favorable combination of circumstances allowed it.

The most powerful man in Byzantium at that time was Emperor’s uncle Bardas. Bardas was a man of luxurious administrative abilities. In 865, he removed the parakoimōmenos Damian whose influence he was afraid of, and appointed Basil on his place.

Parakoimōmenos (Greek word for “The one who sleeps beside”) was the head of royal nuptial bed, something like a “guardian” of emperor’s bedroom who, due to the fact that he stayed close to the emperor, had the opportunity to be at the source of valuable information. This position was usually reserved for eunuchs, but in Basil’s case, they made an exception. Very soon, Bardas regretted for promoting Basil on such high position, and he expressed that with these words: “I got rid of the fox; but in his place I have put a lion who will end by devouring us all.”

The emperor’s uncle and former emperor’s groom were now worst enemies. In April 866, during the campaign for Crete, an island that the Arabs captured from the Byzantines, Basil and his men killed Bardas.

Still enchanted, a month after Basil’s return to Constantinople, Michael III gave the crown of co-emperor to his little pet. The stranger from Thrace officially became the second man of the empire and just one step behind the throne.

Afraid of Emperor’s capricious and sometimes unbalanced nature, Basil left nothing to chance. He devised a plot. In the night between September 23 and 24, 867, after a feast on the court, his men killed a drunken Emperor in his bedroom. 

Phrygian Dynasty was succeeded by new Macedonian dynasty. This new dynasty will become the most famous Byzantine dynasty that ruled almost for two centuries over the Roman Empire (867-1056).

Staggering rise of ambitious and ruthless newcomer, crowned with legends that are not deprived of historical background, is convincing testimony to the fact that the path to the Byzantine throne was open to everyone and that the biggest “nobody” could have climbed on the very top of the Roman Empire.

This was typical for early (4-7 century) and middle Byzantine (7-11 century).  In the late Byzantine Empire (11-15 century), just a member of some of the most prominent noble families could have become an emperor.  

To read Part IV – Basil the Noble, click HERE.

To return to Part II – Little Theophilus and Big Basil, click HERE.

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From a Groom to an Emperor – Part II – Little Theophilus and Big Basil

The abbot of this monastery had a strange dream that night - some unknown voice was calling him and telling him to get out and open the door to the emperor. Delirious and still half asleep, he looked outside the door, but he didn’t noticed anyone. He returned to bed.

As soon as he fell asleep again, the same voice called and told him to come out of the monastery and greet the emperor. Being very confused now, the spiritual father once again went to the door. He noticed only a stranger in rags, and went back to bed.

As soon as he sank into sleep, the unknown voice strictly commanded him: “Go out and bring in to the monastery the one who sleeps on the stairs. He is the emperor!” The frightened abbot of the monastery of Saint Diomedes came out, woke Basil, invited him in and offered him dinner. In the morning, he sent him to take a bath and gave him new clothes.

The abbot had a brother who was a doctor. As soon as the doctor saw the tall and handsome young Basil, he immediately recommended him to one of his patients, Theophilus, who was a relative of Emperor Michael III (842-867). Because of his small height, Theophilus was nicknamed Theophilitzes (small Theophilus). Since he was aware of his fragile physical appearance,  this aristocrat liked to be surrounded by servants of imposing height and tremendous strength. He dressed them in shiny clothes and enjoyed flaunting with them through the city streets. When he saw Basil, he immediately took him into his service.

After a while, Basil was introduced to the most prominent people of the Byzantine Empire.

On one occasion, there was a luncheon at the imperial court. Many guests were invited, including the Bulgarian delegates who were passing through the capital on the Bosphorus. At the end of the lunch, as it was a tradition, a competition of wrestlers was arranged for the entertainment of the audience. Ostentatious Bulgarians claimed that they have such an athlete who will defeat all of his Byzantine adversaries. And, indeed, the strong Bulgarian defeated all Roman wrestlers.

Dispirited because some barbarian defeated all their fighters, the Byzantines had tough time coping with the defeat. But Theophilitzes, who also was at the luncheon, stated confidently that his servant can beat the Bulgarian. The arena was immediately re-prepared, the hall was sanded to be a suitable foundation for the fighters and the victorious Bulgarian started wrestling with Basil.

The Bulgarian wrestler was trying very hard to lift the Byzantine groom in to the air. However, the opposite happened. Basil, who was physically stronger, lifted the Bulgarian, swung him around himself, and with a skilful move that was very famous in martial arts of that time, threw him on the ground. The excited Byzantines, whose honor was saved by a giant groom, loudly greeted their winner. On the other side, injured and unconscious Bulgarian wrestler was barely coming to himself. With this accomplishment, Basil drew attention to himself. The members of high court circles remembered well the young groom.

Shortly after this event, Emperor Michael III received as a gift a very beautiful horse from one provincial governor. When he approached him to look at his teeth, the horse got frightened so much that no one couldn’t tame him. Once more, Theophilitzes intervened. He told the emperor: “My Emperor, I have at home a young man who knows with horses. His name is Basil”.

Without hesitation, they brought the groom who, according to notes of one Byzantine writer, was like Alexander on Bucephalus. He got on the recalcitrant stallion and just few moments later, he had control over the untamed animal.

Emperor Michael III, who was just a few years younger than Basil, was delighted, and forced his cousin Theophilitzes to give him his groom. Then, still under the strong impression of what happened, he took his new servant to show him to his mother - Empress Theodora. And while her son was talking excitedly about his new groom, she watched silently and suspiciously the tall newcomer. It was obvious that she didn’t share her son's happiness.

When Basil left, with concern in her voice, Theodora told her son: “It would have been better if you never met him.  He will destroy us.”

To read Part III – „The one who sleeps beside”, click HERE.

To return to Part I – A boy named Basil, click HERE.

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From a Groom to an Emperor – Part I – A boy named Basil.

If you thought that only in fairytales some groom could become an emperor, you were wrong. History teaches us that such things are possible even in real life, and the best example of that is Byzantine emperor Basil I the Macedonian.

In one Thracian village, in the home of a poor peasant, possibly an  Armenian immigrant, a boy was borne whom they named Basil. History knows him as Basil the Macedonian, because, at the time of his birth, this part of Thrace belonged to theme, or military-administrative unit, called Macedonia. Some scientists believe that Basil was born in 830 or 835, while others say that he was born on May 25, 836.

Several strange events suggested that this newborn boy would have a bright future. 

On one warm summer day, his parents went to work on the field, and they left their son in the shade where he fell asleep. Then an eagle showed up and, flying around him, sheltered him with the shadow of his wings. Basil’s mother was scared at first and tried to chase away the bird. But the eagle came back. That is when she accepted this as a sign of God.  In addition, she allegedly had a dream in which from her womb came out a golden tree full of golden flowers and fruit, and this tree grew so big that it threw a shadow over the entire house.

Another time, again in a dream, Prophet Elijah spoke to Basil’s mother. This tall old man with white beard from whose mouth a flame was burning, foretold success and happiness to her son. 

His father’s death affected his family greatly, and Basil, who had to take care of his mother and sisters, realized that from agriculture they could only live a difficult and meager life. He decided to try his luck and went to Constantinople.

On a late Sunday afternoon, he entered the "Queen of Cities" through the Golden Gate. Sources say that he was poorly dressed and had just a bundle and a stick. At first, he watched with amazement wide streets and large buildings of the city on the Bosphorus, but, when the night came, he had to seek some place to sleep.

Since he knew no one in Byzantine capital, and was already exhausted from a long journey and the tide of unusual impressions that splashed him on arrival in Constantinople, he lay under the porch of the famous monastery of Saint Diomedes and fell asleep. 

To read Part II – Little Theophilus and Big Basil, click HERE.

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Unusual tax – Roman emperor Vespasian

In an effort to economically empower the Roman state and return to her the former glory, Roman emperor Vespasian (9-79) introduced a tax on everything that came to his mind.

Among many things, the citizens of Rome had to pay tax even for using public urinals.

When Vespasian's son Titus objected his father's decision on this kind of tax, considering it unworthy for any man, Vespasian grabbed a handful of coins, brought them under his son’s nose and uttered the famous phrase: "No olet" ("They don’t stink!")

 

 

In remembrance of this tax, public toilets in France are even today called "Vespasiennes”.

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Fourth Crusade - Twilight of Byzantium (Part five: The Consequences of The Fall of Constantinople.)

After the conquest of Constantinople, the Crusaders will share the lands of Byzantium with Venetians and establish short-lived Latin Empire, which will disappear after just a few decades. Although restored with its return to Constantinople in 1261 the Roman Empire will never be the same. Until the fall by the hand of Turks, Constantinople will just be a shadow of its shadow. And the emperor and autocrat of Romans will remain just in name only. Constantinople, in reality,  will no longer play a leading political role, even in the Balkans, but the Byzantine civilization will once again, like a dying star, shine at the time of "Renaissance Palaeologus" in the 14th century, and then fold like a dark dwarf - Empire reduced to the area of a city. Like being in agony, Constantinople will provide a last, desperate, heroic resistance to Turkish attacker in 1453, and then immerse in the eternal silence from which will emerge Turkish Istanbul.

Equally serious consequences the fall of Constantinople had on relations between the two Christian churches - Orthodox and Catholic. Although for more than a century the official division of the Christian Church dominated ("Schism" from 1054), only the wanton violence of Catholic Christians against the Orthodox Constantinople finally deepened the gap between the two churches, which has not yet been overcome. To this is certainly contributed and the conduct of Pope Innocent III, who, after the conquest of Constantinople, confirmed the election of a new, "Latin", or the Catholic Patriarch, and thus become subsequent complicit in the foray on Constantinople, something to which he previously opposed. Pope’s pressure on the eastern "schismatic" did not, however, have any results. Pope John Paul II, eight hundred years later, during his visit to Athens, in May 2001, asked on behalf of the Catholic Church for forgiveness - for everything the Latins committed eight centuries earlier in Constantinople.

In addition to material damages, the conquest of Constantinople had and other consequences on international and regional relations of that period. Instead of one empire, in its place it was created a larger number of countries, whether Latin, or Greek, "empires", "Despotates", "Kingdoms" and "principalities"... and finally, in the Balkans and Asia Minor many Latin and Greek states waged war for the succession of Byzantium.

To read Part one: Angels of Vanity, click HERE.

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Fourth Crusade - Twilight of Byzantium (Part four: A Tragedy Had Several Acts.)

The first act began on 17 July 1203 when the Crusader and Venetian army, led by the blind Doge, managed to penetrate through walls, burn one part of the city and instead of Alexius III give the throne to the blind Isaac II and his airy son who will be crowned as Emperor Alexius IV. The Crusaders and the Venetians weren’t satisfied with mere change on the throne, and they remained outside the city in anticipation of a rich reward from the new Emperor - and that reward was supposed to be so big that even the entire Byzantine Empire was not able to satisfy them.

Interact of the tragedy occurred on 25 January, 1204, when the administrator of the castle, Alexios Murzuflos, with the support of the people, who were bitter with crusaders presence, took the throne under the name of Alexius V. Previous rulers, father and son, were strangled, and the new Emperor tried, helter-skelter, to strengthen the walls in order to defend against Crusaders expected attack.

The last act of the drama occurred on April 9, 1204, or 6712, when Venetian-Crusader army, for the second time in a year, won the walls, and finally occupied Constantinople. For the first time in eight centuries since its founding, the city that has withstood countless sieges and attacks – from the Goths, Slavs, Arabs, Russians, Normans – has fallen. Capturing of Constantinople was the introduction of perhaps the greatest robbery that was remembered throughout the history of Europe. For three days lasted robberies, murders, assaults, burning of the city...The destruction was such that it petrified the very Pope Innocent III who threw anathema on the Venetians.

Coeval of events, Nikita Choniates, writes how conquerors were "breaking the sacred images and throwing holy relics of the martyrs to places that I am ashamed to mention, scattering everywhere the flesh and blood of the Savior. These messengers of Antichrist drew the church vessels and plucked jewelry and ornaments in order to use them as containers for drinking... In the Great Church they destroyed the holy altar, a work of art the whole world admired, and split between them its own parts... and they brought horses and mules into the Church to help them take the screed parts of wealth... Prostitute was placed on the throne of the Patriarch, screaming slanders, awkwardly singing and dancing... On the streets, in homes and churches you could only hear screams and cries."

The Fourth Crusade was one of the darkest moments of Christianity. Never, since the days of the barbarian invasions centuries ago, Europe has seen such an orgy of brutality and vandalism, never in the whole history so many beautiful, so many magnificent works of art were destroyed in such a short time. It is believed that with the burning of Constantinople in 1204 it was forever lost more written works of classical Greek and Roman culture than what happened during the robbery of Rome in the fifth century, or when fire engulfed the Library of Alexandria in the seventh century. What we have now left is only a small part of the vast collection of classical Greek philosophy and literature that is irretrievably lost in the fires of Constantinople.

What wasn’t destroyed was stretched throughout Western Europe - from artistic works, such as horses on St. Mark's Cathedral and many other valuables that can be seen today in Venice and elsewhere - to the countless holy relics, such as those which are located in the Holy Chapel (Ste Chapelle) in Paris, built only for this occasion. Just one collector of holy relics, Robert de Claria, brought home forty relics including: pieces of the Holy Cross, several thorns from Christ’s crown, a part of the Virgin clothes, pot and sponge used during the crucifixion, the hand of St. Mark, St. Helena finger, a piece of clothing Christ wore on the crucifixion… On the other hand, a large number of ancient works made of bronze and copper were easily melted down for the treasury of the Latin masters of Constantinople. The Byzantine chronicler Nikita Choniates from memory has made a list of destroyed ancient works on which is listed Lysippos’es Heracles statue, a magnificent statue of Juno taken from the temple of Samos, incomparable statue of beautiful Helen and many others.

To read Part one: Angels of Vanity, click HERE.

To read Part five: The Consequences of The Fall of Constantinople, click HERE.

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Fourth Crusade - Twilight of Byzantium (Part three: Crusader Galleys Under Constantinople)

In July of a 1203, or  a year of 6711 of the Byzantine era, the guards on the towers of the city of Constantinople saw hundreds of Venetian galleys approaching the other coast of Golden Horn bay, the merchant suburb called Galata. Galleys were carrying army of crusader knights, mostly French and Fleming, who, while not clearly understood themselves how, instead of the walls of Jerusalem, the holy city, found themselves in front of Christian Constantinople. The first Crusader attack was directed on the Tower of Galata. In this tower was end of a huge chain of Constantinople walls, over the whole bay, which was preventing the entrance of ships into the Golden Horn, and thus the attacks on the city from the sea.

Byzantine tower defense lasted only one day. Already the next morning, the chain has fallen and the entire Venetian fleet with the crusade army found itself under the walls of Constantinople. The last act of the tragedy of the Byzantine Empire could begin.

The Fourth Crusade was launched five years before by Pope Innocent III as soon as he was elected (1198). It took a long time for the crusaders from the north of Europe to gather together and go with hired Venetian galleys in the campaign to the Holy Land. But neither the pope nor did crusader leaders counted on a feature that will turn an entire campaign to achieve a completely other intentions. Venetian Doge Enrico Dandolo was already very old and almost completely blind. Cunning leader and a skilled politician will use the inability of the Crusaders, to pay transport to the Holy Land, and will make them, for the account of Venice, to conquest Hungarian Zadar, and then Constantinople. Excuse for the arrival of the Crusaders under the walls of Constantinople was their alleged intention to return to the throne, the young Tsarevich Alexis and his father, the blind Isaac II, who was languishing in jail in which he was thrown by his brother Alexius III. Of course, doge Dandolo’s real goal was winning the Byzantine Empire so that Venice could freely trade in the Mediterranean and Black Sea.


To read Part one: Angels of Vanity, click HERE.

To read Part four: A Tragedy Had Several Acts, click HERE.

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Fourth Crusade - Twilight of Byzantium (Part two: The Beginning of The End)

The first ruler from Angel family, Isaac Angel, became Emperor in the year of 1185 almost by accident, by rescuing his bare life in the city rebellion against the Emperor Andronicus I Comnenus. After coming on the throne he lived in the magnificent castle that was built on one of the islands in the Marmora Sea. He was surrounded with mistresses and buffoons who he received at the same time as the royal princess. Diseases of old Byzantine state, which were hidden in the era of the former Comnenus dynasty, emerged on the surface. Selling of positions, bribery and blackmail from tax collectors have become an everyday occurrence. For Emperor Isaac II was said that he is selling clerical positions like a vegetables in the market. However, Isaac II showed at least some effort to improve the position of Byzantium in foreign affairs, and has led several war campaigns against the Bulgarians and Serbs. Although in 1190, in the fierce battle, he defeated the army of the Great Zupan Stefan Nemanja, in the end he returned to Stefan most of the conquered land that he possessed earlier. As a special proof of his peaceful intentions, the Emperor married his niece Evdokia with Nemanja’s middle son Stefan (the Crowned).

During one of the following campaigns, in 1195 against the Bulgarians, the Emperor was, while he was hunting, victim of a conspiracy behind which was standing his older brother, Alexius (Evdokia’s father). Isaac was captured and blinded, and thrown into prison along with his young son, Alexis.

But during the eight years of ruling of Alexius III, the situation in the Kingdom worsened, and its fall was more visible. Alexius III was a typical product of this declining era. Utter love for power was merged inside of him with cowardly weakness. This ruthless man is remembered, among other things, for blinding two Emperors – his rivals - one of which was his brother and the other his son-in-law. Alexius spent his days amused only with his satisfactions on which he extravagantly spent the money from the state treasury.

The enemies of the Empire weren’t at rest. Alexius III was particularly harassed by his imperial opponent from the west, the German Emperor Henry VI (son of Frederick Barbarossa) who, as the husband of Norman Princess, demanded possessions in the Balkans between Durazzo and Salonica. In May 1197, Henry married his brother Philip of Swabia with daughter of the overthrown Emperor Isaac II, Irene, which acquired him the right to fight for the throne in Constantinople by presenting himself as sponsor and avenger of Isaac’s family against the usurper Alexius III.

Scared Alexius agreed to pay huge tribute to German emperor. A special “Alemanic tax” was imposed, but a huge sum could not be collected. That is why Alexius III, in desperation, ordered that even the jewelry from the imperial tombs in the church of the Holy Apostles is collected in order to appease his superior opponent. The Emperor found unexpected support in the Roman Pope Innocent III, who opposed the attack on the Byzantine Empire, fearing the excessive strengthening of his rival - the German Emperor. But before the attacks occurred, fate has helped Alexius: in September 1197 the Emperor Henry VI suddenly died during his campaign in Sicily and the western empire soon collapsed. Emperor Alexius III was then at peace. But, not for long.

Evident weakness of the Byzantine Empire around 1200 aroused thoughts of its conquering. Not only one leader of the Crusade was tempted with thought of immeasurable riches that were hidden behind the walls of Constantinople. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa and Serbian Zupan Stefan Nemanja, during the Third Crusade, in Nis, in 1189, have already forged plans for an attack on Byzantium. It took several decades of bad government in Constantinople, several incompetent leaders, a group of brave crusader leaders and a high style insolent plotter (Venetian Doge Dandolo) that inevitably occur. A decisive strike against the Byzantine Empire was in preparation.


To read Part one: Angels of Vanity, click HERE.

To read Part three: Crusader Galleys Under Constantinople, click HERE.

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Fourth Crusade - Twilight of Byzantium (Part one: Angels of Vanity)

Immense greed separated two kingdoms and two faiths to never unite again.

In Byzantium, two ways could have leaded you to the supreme authority (that is, the Empire): you could have been born in the imperial purple and gain authority as parental heritage, or gain it by fate, as “God's reward for your virtue.” Although in Byzantium there was possible to be crowned without imperial origin, it was very easy to lose the crown if you weren’t worthy of the crown - forty-three Emperors in the history of Byzantium have lost the throne by force (deposed, murdered, abdicated).

Angel House was not particularly old nor particularly characterized by something. Angels would probably have remained unknown outside of Lydian city of Philadelphia if one of the daughters of Emperor Alexius I Comnenus, Theodora Porphyrogenitus, have not fallen in love and married to a provincial nobleman Constantine Angel. This marriage secured the family a quick rise and many high positions and honors in the coming generations. But it was a sad day for the Empire when Angels rose on the throne. Of all the families who have in some period wear the imperial crown, the Angels were the worst. Each of the three Angels who have shortly boasted with a crown - Isaac II, Alexius III, and Alexius IV – was, in his own way, responsible for the biggest disaster that ever happened to Constantinople until its final fall.


To read Part two: The Beginning of The End, click HERE.

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Byzantine Art of Persuasion (Part IV)

Not on earth nor in the sky

Story says that in the year of 986 Prince Vladimir of Kiev was visited by missionaries from various parts of the medieval world. First who came was the Bulgarian delegation from the middle Volga who recommended Islam, then Pope's envoys trying to religiously subjugate multiple Russian people, who inhabited large areas, to papal curia, then Khazar missionaries who recommended Judaism, and, finally, a redundant sage, envoy of the Byzantine emperor. With haughty contempt and ostentatious arrogance, this Greek "philosopher" mocked the other competitors. At first he spoke with rough and unmeasured way of Muhammad, and then, he confidently revoke dogmatic teachings of Rome as well as Jews. In response to Vladimir's theological questions, this proud Byzantine smatterer gave a speech of nearly five thousand words. However, halting Russian prince, even after this adept and oratory brilliant speech remained somewhat cautious. Since it was a very important national issue, Prince Vladimir sent emissaries to all the above-mentioned religious destinations.

Finally, the odds went to Byzantine "proposal." This time the brilliant rhetoric of the Roman negotiator was, with the best way, supported by unsurpassed Byzantine art to, in Constantinople, the "Empress City" as Byzantine writers called it with grace, in the most important temple of Capital, in the magnificent Hagia Sophia, serve Divine Liturgy to confused visitors from the north. The question is whether the doubts recorded in Russian source really existed, or, it was just a need to subordinate the facts to an exciting plot that somehow had to maintain tension and suspense by telling of how the Russians made difficult and historic decision.

The words of the Russian chronicle say distinctly: "And we have come to the Greek country, and they took us to a place where they worship their God, and we did not know whether we are in heaven or on earth; because the earth there is no such sight and such beauty and we do not know how to describe it. We know that there is a God among men and their service is prettier than in all other countries. "

And, finally, evidence of barbarian fascination with Byzantine persuasion skills brings Theodore Metochites. I am telling you about famous Byzantine-Serbian negotiations from 1299, important for the events and the balance of power in the Balkans at the turn of the 13th the 14th century. The good thing is that we possess the so-called "Ministerial letter" which is confidential report that a Byzantine negotiator Theodore Metochites sent to Constantinople within his last of his five trips to Serbia during 1298/1299. It is reasonable to assume that this interesting writ was compiled in the first half of April in the year of 1299 when long and difficult negotiations between Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus (1282-1328) and Serbian King Milutin (1282-1321) where completed.

It is necessary to emphasize that this is a unique source, a text which, apparently, was sent to Nicephorus Chumnus, then mesazon, that is the "first minister" of the Byzantine Empire, who was at the time Metochites superior officer. Hence the text of this confidential writ overgrows usual official reports which are characterized with routine drafting, arid and established lexicon, but also and the redundancy of any imagination. Before us, therefore, we have educated writing with which a young intellectual - Theodore Metochites was then only thirty years old, and was at the beginning of a great scientific and statesmen career – is trying to impress the older, respected and already famous colleague. Therefore, this "talk" of two wise men should be viewed as a kind of clash of intellects, conflict between two scientific vanities, and spiritual contest in which the younger is trying hard to fascinate the older one. Leaving aside colorful and exciting events from his travel to Serbia during one of the coldest winters in the period of the Middle Ages, and extensive diplomatic "wrestling" between Byzantine and Serbian negotiators, I bring you just one assessment that Theodore Metochites is telling at the very end of his "Ministerial letter". He notes: "Because, question is if someone can win in everything just with words and not be defeated by evil, and if the suffering will not manage those who use only words, and relying only on them. In every matter, namely, every word is certainly just a shadow of a true act. And this is especially so with the barbarians and limited people who do not easily relinquish to words, especially with such plots, intrigues and wickedness, and moreover because they think that we use words most skillfully, better then them and the others, and that we use them to rule, persuade, and turn everything anyway we want. "

With regard to the presented it’s not surprising that the Byzantines in the Middle Ages were considered as shifty people. To tell the truth, the Byzantines themselves have thought of other nations as shifty. At the same time, of course, we should not lose sight of the well-known fact that people notion of each other - both then and now! – were often burdened with not only the whole set of prejudices, but also and with various forms of simplification. However, it is not without interest to mention the famous Byzantine principle of "oikonomia", which implies allowed deviation from strict adherence to church rules under irregular circumstances and for honorable goals. In other words, it’s about special Byzantine willingness to interpret the law arbitrarily, in accordance with political or personal intentions. At the same time, it is necessary to remind that "oikonomia" was raised to one of the most essential principles of political thought in the Byzantine Empire.

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Byzantine Art of Persuasion (Part II)

Emperors and shepherds



The first example concerns the Khan of the Hunnish tribe Utigur and his message to Justinian “The Last of the Romans” (527-565), that, in the pages of its history, brings Procopius of Caesarea, and in which the barbarian leader is against the emperor’s insidious policy toward his people. What is this actually about?

Emperor Justinian, guided by the best traditions of Byzantine foreign policy, turned the two Hunnish tribes - Kutrigurs and Utigurs - against each other. Tribes lived in the steppes, one on the west and another on the east side of Don. Wishing to reward newcomers from Asia, the Byzantine emperor allowed two thousand Kutrigurs to settle in Thrace. In this way, supporting one group of Hunnish tribes and neglecting another, he hurt Utigurs feelings. Their Khan, to whose attention Justinian cunning political move didn’t slipped, in the state of resentment sent an envoy to Constantinople.

Hunnish emissary was supposed to file his master's complaint because of emperors fond to rival Kutrigurs. Since the Huns were illiterate, Khans oral complaint was recorded by Byzantine writer Procopius. It is permitted to assume that the historian of Justinian's era performed and her adept stylization. However the case, Khans words, in which the foreground is a simple and a great parable, reveal barbarian clarity and discernment:

"I know a proverb that I heard in my childhood, I haven’t forgotten it. Proverb goes something like this: a wild beast, a wolf, maybe, that’s how they say, can to some extent to change the color of his hair, but his mood does not change, since his nature does not allow him… One more thing I know, the experience taught me that, and it's one of those things that uncouth barbarian needs to learn: the shepherds take the dog while he is still sucking and carefully raise him so the beast is thankful to the one who feed him and it’s always returning them back with constant amiability. The shepherds probably do it for the following reason: when wolves attack the sheep, dogs will stop them, they’ll stand in front of sheep as guardians and saviors. I think this happens everywhere ... even in your empire, where almost all is in abundance, probably impossible things also, there is no denial from this rule... But if these things are by their nature, all permanent, then I think that it is not fair from you to hospitably meet Kutrigurs, make your self bad neighbors, and make a home for people who you until recently could not bear even beyond your borders ...While we barely live on wasted and infertile land, Kutrigurs have corn to spare, they are drunk in their wine cellars and they are managing easily to afford all the sweetness of this world. They certainly have access to bathrooms and they wear gold, and surely they do not miss beautiful embroidered clothes covered in gold."

It is not known what kind of impression these words have caused on Justinian I, known for his ruthlessness and infinite conceit, but they did not significantly affect the foreign policy of the government of Constantinople, which was often two-face harsh to somewhat diplomatically  naive barbarian tribes.

To read "Byzantine Art of Persuasion (Part III)", click HERE.

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Byzantine Art of Persuasion (Part I)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – a message from the New Testament (the Gospel of John, 1, 1). "Words, words, words!" – Pathetically cries Hamlet in William Shakespeare's eponymous tragedy. French writer Andre Maurois warned of power and destructive force that words can have: - “If the people better understood what danger lies in the use of certain words, dictionaries in the windows of the bookstores would have had a red ribbon with the inscription: "Explosive! Carefully Handle!"” Indeed, although they are most impermanent, at the end and after all, only words remain.

It is well known, on the other hand, that artistry in the use of the words is exactly proportional to the level of civilization of a certain society. In the period of the Middle Ages, Byzantium was a good example which confirmed the rule said. Barbarians themselves were aware of the skills of Byzantine diplomacy, that is, their ability to achieve anything they wanted with words and their clever use, which would otherwise been achieved only by the force of arms.

But this is not just about the deep impression that Roman eloquence was leaving on simple and primitive barbarians, but also and about giddiness and sometimes Byzantine perfidy which were in a special way connected with the art of handling words in the intricate political and diplomatic circumventions. In order to understand this, it is necessary to recall the Roman beliefs in their own uniqueness and Byzantines confidence in the sacred right of Byzantine Empire to rule over the entire Christian universe.

From this kind of belief, the Byzantine conception was coming out according to which all other people were less valuable than Romans and as such were worthy of contempt. It is necessary to bear in mind what was issued in order to properly understand the Byzantine attitude toward other nations, but also attitude of others towards Romans.

In order to show this, I will present four cases: two from the early Byzantine history, tied to 6th century and Turkish tribes, one from the final decades of the 10th century, in which, along with the Byzantines, the Russians are the main participants, and, finally, one which is placed in the last years of the 13th century, and it’s turned to the history of the Byzantine-Serbian relations.

To read "Byzantine Art of Persuasion (Part II)", click HERE.

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