Nikephoros Gregoras

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Nikephoros Gregoras ( Middle Greek Νικηφόρος Γρηγοράς ; * around 1295 in Herakleia Pontike ; † 1359/61) was a Byzantine historian , theologian , writer and astronomer .

Life

Little is known about the family background of Nikephorus Gregoras. He lost his parents in childhood and was then raised by Bishop Johannes von Herakleia Pontike, his maternal uncle. He came to Constantinople around 1315 and became a pupil of Theodoros Metochites and confidante of Patriarch John XIII, who noticed the talent of the well-read Gregory. Emperor Andronikos II. Palaiologos became aware of his eagerness to learn and his rhetorical talent and wanted to appoint him Chartophylax (keeper of the archives). Gregoras politely refused this, pointing to his inexperience, but he was still in the emperor's favor. In 1324 Gregoras proposed a calendar reform, which the emperor believed he could not implement due to existing reservations; it was not until almost two hundred years later by Pope Gregory XIII. realized. In 1326 Gregoras went to Serbia as the emperor's envoy , but otherwise devoted himself entirely to his extensive studies. As Andronikos in 1328 by his grandson Andronikos III. Palaiologos was ousted, Gregoras lost his fortune and withdrew completely into private life, but was otherwise spared from reprisals, whereas his mentor Theodoros Metochites was banished. Gregoras remained closely connected to both and, for example, visited the overthrown emperor several times in the quarters in which he was being held.

In the period between 1329 and 1333, Gregoras was probably the victim of slander by envious people who wanted to damage his scientific reputation, against which he vehemently resisted. In 1331 he took part in two public discussions with Barlaam of Calabria , in which Barlaam was defeated both times. This victory increased his fame again and brought him a large number of students; his notoriety rose and his works were apparently widely read and copied. In 1332 two of his friends died, the former emperor Andronikos II (who became a monk against his will in 1330) and Theodoros.

Nikephoros Gregoras succeeded in winning the favor of Emperor Andronikos III. to obtain, who in 1333 with the implementation of the unsuccessful negotiations for a union of the Orthodox and Catholic churches with the envoy of Pope John XXII. commissioned. In the hesychast dispute , Gregoras took a stand against Gregorios Palamas , the leader of the hesychast party. Gregoras had already been negotiated in 1341. After the doctrine of the Palamas had been confirmed at a synod in May 1351 and his own views were condemned, Nikephoros Gregoras spent an arrest in the choir monastery . He was only released again in 1354 and continued to act against palamism. Gregoras died excommunicated, his body was displayed in a vicious way. The exact date of his death is not known; it is often assumed to be 1359, but sometimes also 1360 or 1361.

Works

Beginning of the Byzantina historia (f. 1 r.) In Codex Palatinus graecus 299, Heidelberg University Library

Nikephoros Gregoras, who particularly revered Plato , was already considered a great scholar during his lifetime, who also pursued literary ambitions. He is considered a true polymath and has written numerous works, including speeches, biographies and philosophical, astronomical, mathematical, historical and theological treatises.

His main work is the Rhomean history in 37 books. It covers the period from 1204 to 1359, with numerous digressions (for example on astronomy and geography) and theological treatises being woven into the presentation. After a brief review of the time since the conquest of Constantinople in 1204, for which Georgios Akropolites acts as an important informant, the contemporary history is dealt with in detail. The work is an important source for this phase of Byzantine history; For the period after 1315/16 at the latest, he was often an eyewitness to the events. Especially with regard to the tendentious representation of Johannes Kantakuzenos , the largely objective and reliable representation of Gregory is indispensable.

The other writings of Gregory, some of which have not yet been published, prove his great versatility. Among them are the story of the dispute with Palamas; Biographies of his uncle and teacher Johannes, Metropolitan of Herakleia, and of the martyr Codratus of Antioch; Funeral speeches for Theodoros Metochites and the two emperors Andronikos; Comments on Odysseus' wanderings and on Synesius by Cyrene's treatise on dreams, writings on spelling and words of dubious meaning, the philosophical treatise on Florentius or on wisdom , astronomical treatises on the date of Easter and the astrolabe, and an extensive correspondence.

Editions and translations

  • Rhomean history / Historia Rhomaike . Translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. In continuation of the work by Jan Louis van Dieten trans. and ext. by Franz Tinnefeld . 6 volumes in 7 parts (Library of Greek Literature Volumes 4, 8, 9, 24, 39, 59, 66). Hiersemann, Stuttgart 1973-2007.
  • Antirrhetika I . Ed., Trans. and annotated by Hans-Veit Beyer, Vienna 1976, ISBN 3-7001-0179-1 .
  • Nicéphore Gregoras: Correspondance . Ed. And (into French) transl. by R. Guilland, 2nd edition, Paris 1967 ( Collection byzantine ).
  • Nicephori Gregorae explicatio in librum Synesii "De insomniis". Scholia cum glossis . Edited by Paolo Pietrosanti, Bari 1999, ISBN 88-7949-200-4 .
  • J. Mogenet, A. Tihon, R. Royez, A. Berg (Eds.): Nicéphore Grégoras - Calcul de l'éclipse de soleil du 16 Juillet 1330 . Corpus des astronomes byzantins I. Amsterdam 1983, ISBN 978-9070265342 .

literature

Web links

Remarks

  1. ↑ For general information on the biography of Gregoras see Rhomean Geschichte / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 1ff.
  2. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, p. 5.
  3. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 5f.
  4. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, p. 9.
  5. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 10-12.
  6. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 13f.
  7. ↑ See in detail Rhomean Geschichte / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, p. 14ff.
  8. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, p. 34f.
  9. ↑ Rhomäische History / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, p. 34.
  10. ↑ So in Lexikon des Mittelalters , Vol. 4, Col. 1685f., Where the author, also van Dieten, 1359/61 is given. Similarly in other specialist works, where the dating fluctuates.
  11. ↑ Overview in Rhomean Geschichte / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 44ff.
  12. ↑ See Rhomean Geschichte / Historia Rhomaike , translated and explained by Jan Louis van Dieten. Vol. 1, Stuttgart 1973, pp. 36-44.


personal data
SURNAME Gregoras, Nikephorus
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Νικηφόρος Γρηγοράς
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Byzantine historian and theologian
DATE OF BIRTH around 1295
PLACE OF BIRTH Herakleia Pontike
DATE OF DEATH between 1359 and 1361