AP: Greek monastery manuscripts tell new story of Ottoman rule

Α Decrease font Enlarge font
AP: Greek monastery manuscripts tell new story of Ottoman ruleThe libraries of the self-governed community, established more than 1,000 years ago on northern Greece’s Athos peninsula, are a repository of rare, centuries-old works in several languages including Greek, Russian and Romanian

Associated Press reports from Mount Athos in Greece that a church bell sounds, the staccato thudding of mallet on plank summons monks to afternoon prayers, and deep voices are raised in communal chant. And high in the great tower of Pantokrator Monastery, a metal library door swings open.

There, deep inside the medieval fortified monastery in the Mount Athos monastic Orthodox Christian community, researchers are for the first time tapping a virtually unknown treasure — thousands of Ottoman-era manuscripts that include the oldest of their kind in the world.

The libraries of the self-governed community, established more than 1,000 years ago on northern Greece’s Athos peninsula, are a repository of rare, centuries-old works in several languages including Greek, Russian and Romanian.

Many have been extensively studied, but not the Ottoman Turkish documents, products of an occupying bureaucracy that ruled northern Greece from the late 14th century — well before the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, fell to the Ottomans in 1453 — until the early 20th when the area became Greek again.

Byzantine scholar Jannis Niehoff-Panagiotidis says it’s impossible to understand Mount Athos’ economy and society under Ottoman rule without consulting these documents, which regulated the monks’ dealings with secular authorities.

“Ottoman was the official language of the state,” he told The Associated Press from the library of the Pantokrator Monastery, one of 20 on the heavily wooded peninsula.

Niehoff-Panagiotidis, a professor at the Free University of Berlin, said the oldest of the roughly 25,000 Ottoman works found in the monastic libraries dates to 1374, or 1371. That’s older than any known in the world, he said, adding that in Istanbul, as the Ottomans renamed Constantinople when they made the city their own capital, the oldest archives only go back to the late 15th century.

“The first documents that shed light (on the first period of Ottoman history) are saved here, on Mount Athos,” he said, seated at a table piled with documents and books. Others, the rare ones, are stored in large wooden drawers.

These include highly ornate Sultans’ firmans — or decrees — deeds of ownership and court decisions.

“The overwhelming majority are legal documents,” said Anastasios Nikopoulos, a jurist and scientific collaborator of the Free University of Berlin who’s been working with Niehoff-Panagiotidis on the project for the past few months.

And the manuscripts tell a story at odds with the traditional understanding in Greece of Ottoman depredations in the newly-conquered areas, through the confiscation of the Mount Athos monasteries’ rich real estate holdings. Instead, the new rulers took the community under their wing, preserved its autonomy, and protected it from external interference.

“The Sultans’ firmans we saw in the tower … and the Ottoman state’s court decisions show that the monks’ small democracy was able to gain the respect of all-conquering powers,” Nikopoulos said. “And that is because Mount Athos was seen as a cradle of peace, culture … where peoples and civilizations coexisted peacefully.”

Nikopoulos said that one of the first actions of Murad II, the Ottoman ruler who conquered Thessaloniki — the closest city to Mount Athos — was to draw up a legal document in 1430 protecting the community.

“That says a lot. The Ottoman sultan himself ensured that the administrative system of Mount Athos was preserved and safeguarded,” he said.

Even before that, Niehoff-Panagiotidis added, a sultan issued a mandate laying down strict punishment for intruders after a band of marauding soldiers engaged in minor thieving from one of the monasteries.

“It’s strange that the sultans kept Mount Athos, the last remnant of Byzantium, semi-independent and didn’t touch it,” he said. “They didn’t even keep troops here. At the very most they would have a local representative who probably stayed at (the community’s administrative center, Karyes) and sipped tea.”

Another unexpected revelation, Niehoff-Panagiotidis said, was that for roughly the first two centuries of Ottoman rule no effort was made to impose Islamic law on Mount Athos or nearby parts of northern Greece.

“Mount Athos was something like a continuation of Byzantium,” he said.

The community was first granted self-governance through a decree by Byzantine Emperor Basil II, in 883 AD. Throughout its history, women have been forbidden from entering, a ban that still stands. This rule is called “avaton” and the researchers believe that it concerns every form of external administrative or secular intervention that could affect Mount Athos.

Father Theophilos, a Pantokrator monk who is helping with the research, said the documents show the far-flung influence of Mount Athos.

“Their study also illuminates examples of how people can live with each other, principles that are common to all humanity, the seeds of human rights and respect for them, democracy, and the principles of social coexistence,” he told The Associated Press.

The research project is expected to continue for several months, even years.

“What could emerge in the long term I’ll be able to say when we have cataloged and digitized all the documents,” Niehoff-Panagiotidis said. “Right now, nobody knows what’s hidden here. Perhaps, even older documents.”

Read more at thenationalherald.com

RELATED TOPICS: GreeceGreek tourism newsTourism in GreeceGreek islandsHotels in GreeceTravel to GreeceGreek destinationsGreek travel marketGreek tourism statisticsGreek tourism report

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Gabriel

 

Tornos
  1. 07/12 21:07

    Greece to grant Turkish nationals new fast-track visas to visit 10 Aegean islands

  2. 07/12 20:23

    Greek municipal workers to hold 24 hours nationwide strike on December 14

  3. 07/12 18:16

    Greek police: All Athens metro stops now open

  4. 07/12 16:19

    Greece and Türkiye ink 'Athens Declaration' to refrain from actions that create tension

  5. 07/12 15:35

    Athens Acropolis Museum exhibition featuring works on loan from British Museum

  6. 06/12 23:33

    Annunciation New York City celebrates 19th Annual Stewardship and Mistletoe Galas

  7. 06/12 21:30

    Bill on joint recognition of Greece, Cyprus degrees passes first reading at Parliament

  8. 06/12 20:37

    Greek supermarket sales rise 9.5% in January-October

  9. 06/12 20:25

    Maria Callas celebrated in two exhibits and one installation in Athens

  10. 06/12 19:40

    President of Hellenic Republic meets with her Austrian counterpart in Vienna

  11. 05/12 22:16

    US hails the meeting of the Greece-Turkiye High Level Cooperation Council in Athens

  12. 05/12 21:49

    Traffic restrictions in downtown Athens on Thursday due to Erdogan's visit

  13. 05/12 19:59

    AP: British Museum loan to Greece coincides with dispute over Parthenon Marbles

  14. 05/12 18:54

    Greece, Abu Dhabi and Cyprus ink energy MoU during COP28 in Dubai

  15. 05/12 12:03

    Greek FinMin announces launch of National Investment Fund at 1st Growthfund Summit

  16. 04/12 23:04

    IPTO chief: Starting construction on Greece-Cyprus-Israel power interconnector

  17. 04/12 20:58

    US Ambassador to Athens: Foreign investments in Greece have broken all records

  18. 04/12 19:43

    Traffic restrictions in Athens on Wednesday due to rallies

  19. 04/12 11:40

    Taxi drivers' federation calls rolling 48-hour strikes in Greece until Friday

  20. 03/12 22:06

    Meetings with Greek parties will seek to maximise political consensus on postal vote

  21. 03/12 19:59

    Greek President Sakellaropoulou to officially visit Austria on December 4-6

  22. 03/12 18:56

    Hellenic Initiative 11th Annual New York Gala offers over $2.65 million for Greece

  23. 03/12 18:53

    Greek Development ministry to launch 'Christmas Basket' on December 13

  24. 01/12 22:55

    Hellenic Film Society USA presents Maria by Callas at MoMI in New York

  25. 01/12 21:58

    Greek PM to Bloomberg: I want to preserve the good relations with the UK

  26. 01/12 19:55

    Greece re-elected to the top of International Maritime Organization's Council Category A

  27. 01/12 16:47

    High maximum temperatures in Greece during November

  28. 01/12 15:51

    Festive Christmas tree lighting in Astoria’s Athens Square Park of New York

  29. 01/12 14:46

    President of Hellenic Republic on anniversary of Crete island union with Greece

  30. 01/12 14:38

    British Museum head says talks about a deal on Parthenon Sculptures continue

  31. 01/12 01:42

    Volos and Mount Pelion ready to receive winter tourists in Central Greece

  32. 30/11 22:50

    Google event: Greece aims to become an international hub for AI's code of ethics

  33. 30/11 18:34

    Greek police carry out intensive checks for offences including traffic violations

  34. 30/11 17:42

    Prime Minister announces Greeks abroad can vote by mail in Greek elections

  35. 30/11 01:54

    US Ambassador to Athens: Greece is a rising energy provider in SE Europe

  36. 29/11 19:47

    Greek deputy migration minister meets with visiting China counterpart in Athens

  37. 29/11 18:40

    OECD survey: Greek economy to grow by 2.4% this year and 2.0% during 2025

  38. 29/11 18:29

    HALC launches petition for return of Stolen Parthenon Marbles to Athens

  39. 29/11 12:24

    Minister: Request for Parthenon Marbles arises from law, history, global cultural values

  40. 29/11 11:43

    Kalymnian Society ‘Prodromos’ of Campbell in Ohio marks its 100th anniversary

  41. 28/11 16:06

    Greek PM's greeting on Seferis Office and Roderick Beaton Reading Room event in London

  42. 28/11 11:58

    Christmas holidays opening hours of Athens stores announced

  43. 28/11 09:02

    British government spokesperson assures the UK-Greece relationship is hugely important

  44. 28/11 08:16

    Greek Deputy FinMin: Government trying to close VAT gap with European average

  45. 28/11 07:10

    Unboxing Callas exhibition opens to the public through January 10

  46. 27/11 18:30

    UN World Tourism Organization endorses growing presence on the ground

  47. 27/11 14:51

    Greek merchant shipping fleet rose in numbers during September

  48. 27/11 14:44

    Teatro Grattacielo & Thessaloniki Concert Hall hold La Vestale for Callas Centenary

  49. 27/11 13:33

    Greek budget recorded a primary surplus of 6.08 billion euros in January-October

  50. 27/11 10:29

    Greek PM meeting with investors in London

  51. 27/11 08:55

    Top livestock facilities and animals to be provided to Greece's Thessaly farmers for free

  52. 26/11 12:58

    NBG: Fires, floods, disasters, inflation, costs cutting into Greece’s tourism sector

  53. 26/11 11:05

    Greek PM to BBC: Parthenon Sculptures case is like cutting up ‘Mona Lisa’

  54. 26/11 10:52

    Transport Minister: Thessaloniki Metro project will be fully operational by end 2024

  55. 26/11 09:02

    Boat schedules cancelled due to high winds on Sunday

  56. 26/11 07:08

    Greek government spox: 71% of freelancers declare lower income than minimum wage

  57. 25/11 14:08

    Chinese, Turks and Russians top Greece Golden Visa list getting passports

  58. 25/11 14:05

    Greece-Turkey High-level Cooperation Council 'one more step' in improving relations

  59. 25/11 13:54

    Weather service upgrades warning for 'Bettina' front in Greece

  60. 25/11 10:01

    Event in Chicago about Greek bureaucracy and Greek-American matters

  61. 24/11 14:40

    10th International Summer University Greek Language, Culture, and Mass Media in Boston

  62. 24/11 14:11

    European Union Commission offers €43.1 million in support for Greek farmers

  63. 24/11 12:48

    IPTO has secured enough power to boost launching offshore wind parks in Greece

  64. 24/11 11:43

    Land-use and Green Fund bill passes in Greek Parliament with ruling party votes

  65. 24/11 10:32

    Prime Minister: Port infrastructure in Greece undergoing major revamp

  66. 24/11 07:36

    Energy Minister: Greece could become global protagonist in offshore park industry

  67. 23/11 21:31

    Apartment prices rise 11.9% in Greece during Q3

  68. 23/11 21:09

    Athens Christmas tree lighting ceremony organized on Thursday

  69. 23/11 20:28

    Greek Foreign Minister meets with visiting Indonesian Vice President in Athens

  70. 23/11 15:11

    World-class distinctions bring Athina Luxury Suites at the top once again

  71. 23/11 11:15

    14th Ethnofest - Athens Ethnographic Film Festival opens on November 29

  72. 22/11 16:03

    Greek Cultural Center in Astoria of NYC will soon celebrate its 50th anniversary

  73. 22/11 13:07

    Greek state borrowing program from markets amounts to €9 billion during 2024

  74. 22/11 11:17

    International conference on social dialogue and inequalities in Athens on November 23-24

  75. 22/11 09:59

    Travel receipts rose by 15.2% to 18 billion euros in Greece during January-September

  76. 21/11 14:59

    Minister: Greece and India relations upgraded with the memorandum of cooperation

  77. 21/11 14:08

    National Economy and Finance Minister: Greek economy will rise even higher in 2024

  78. 21/11 13:19

    Greek Foreign Minister travels to Madrid for Euro-Med Group Med-9

  79. 20/11 22:59

    Transport Minister: Greece's entire railway network fully restored by 2025

  80. 20/11 21:39

    Greek airports see record hike in passenger traffic during January-October 2023

  81. 20/11 21:24

    AHEPA Supreme President visits New Haven Chapter 98 and presents Heroes Medals

  82. 20/11 19:13

    Embassy: Energy is the principal pillar of the US-Greece strategic relationship

  83. 20/11 16:10

    Tilda Swinton-Olivier Saillard show 'Embodying Pasolini' at Onassis Stegi in Athens

  84. 20/11 09:03

    Media guide: Get to know Greece’s diverse wines

  85. 19/11 14:29

    Archdiocesan Cathedral Philoptochos organizes the Chrysanthemum Ball in NYC

  86. 19/11 13:21

    Economic good news from EC dominates Greek PM's review of the past week

  87. 19/11 11:24

    Greek Consulate General & Teatro Grattacielo presented Callas tribute in New York

  88. 19/11 09:16

    Media report: Revealing the rich tapestry of Greek wines

  89. 18/11 16:12

    World Tourism Organization launches San Marino action for accessible tourism

  90. 18/11 16:11

    Telefonica and UNWTO to boost digital, sustainable and inclusive tourism

  91. 18/11 14:27

    Greek budget recorded primary surplus of 5.8 billion euros in January-October

  92. 18/11 14:04

    HFSF successfully concludes public offer of 22% of National Bank's share capital

  93. 18/11 13:46

    Ships docked in Greece on Saturday due to strong winds

  94. 18/11 12:59

    Greek PM visits supermarket and is briefed on 'permanent price reduction' initiative

  95. 18/11 10:50

    Event in Seoul marks 70th anniversary of Greece's participation in the Korean War

  96. 17/11 16:04

    UNWTO workshop promotes modern tourism communications for Africa

  97. 17/11 13:20

    Hellenic Professional Women organized Health and Wellness Event in New York

  98. 17/11 11:28

    FAITH Endowment offers 168 scholarships to top Greek American University Students

  99. 17/11 09:37

    Cyprus’ untapped business potential highlighted at event in New York City

  100. 16/11 18:57

    Toronto celebrates the twenty-fifth anniversary of its Theological Academy