Unit:
Κατεύθυνση Βυζαντινή ΙστορίαLibrary of the School of Philosophy
Author:
Armenis Nikiforos
Supervisors info:
Σοφία Μεργιαλή-Σαχά, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια Ιστορίας του Βυζαντινού Κράτους, Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Αντωνία Κιουσοπούλου, Καθηγήτρια Βυζαντινής Ιστορίας, Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Κατερίνα Νικολάου, Αναπληρώτρια Καθηγήτρια Βυζαντινής Ιστορίας, Ιστορίας και Αρχαιολογίας, ΕΚΠΑ
Original Title:
Η αντιαιρετική πολιτική του Αλεξίου Α' Κομνηνού.
Translated title:
The anti-heretic policy of Alexios I Komnenos
Summary:
The eleventh century was a significant period during which the claimants for the throne, the capital's aristocracy as well as the provincial military aristocracy were competing for the reign. The year 1081 saw the prevalence of Alexios I Komnenos and his dynasty and with it the beginning of a period that the military aristocracy became hegemonic. The successive shifts of emperors that preceded the eleventh century together with the internal competition for power, had created serious problems for the economy and the defense of the State. Reaching the end of the eleventh century, the borders were being attacked from all sides. The Turks in Asia Minor and the Normands in Italy had made territorial gains at the expense of Byzantium.
The coming to power of the Komnenoi family was characterised by the clash of the new regime, with popular sentiment and hostile reception from the capital's public opinion. The plundering of Constantinople by the insurgent troops of Alexios I and the attempts to sideline his legal spouse, Maria Alani, triggered popular reaction and suspicion concerning the moral make-up of the new emperor. This already tense climate was further exacerbated by the protest of the clergy following the emperor's decision to divest property of the Church in order to fund his army.
The emperor was well aware of the negative implications this provocation of popular religious and moral sentiment as well as the hostility of the Church could have on his reign. It was for this reason that he proceeded with his anti-heretic policy, following a clearly propagandistic agenda opting to distract public opinion and pacify the Church. The persecution of Ioannis Italos in 1082 and the targetted attempts of the emperor to condemn the philosopher as an iconoclast, succeeded in diverting people's attention from politics to religion, substituting the problems created by selling out property of the Church with the incrimination of the enemies of Orthodoxy. Basil Bogomil's sentence to death by fire in 1100 allowed for the promotion and publicisation of the emperor's piety. In 1117, the conviction of Eustratios of Nicaea demonstrates that, towards the end of his reign, the emperor had lost control of the decisions of the synode. The edict of 1107, together with the education reforms, resulted in advancing the level in religious matters for the whole clergy, directly influencing decisions of the synodes.
The anti-heretic policy of Alexios I had a primarily political function. The emperor was successful in distracting both the people and the Church from his repressive governing system while promoting himself as the protector of Orthodoxy, rescuing the people from the dangers of heresies and religious deviation.
Main subject category:
History
Keywords:
Heresy, Byzantium, Komnenoi, Alexios I, John Italos, Basil Bogomil, Bogomils, Orthodoxy, Church, Edict
