AP: Greek monastery manuscripts tell new story of Ottoman rule

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: Greece, Greek tourism news, Tourism in Greece, Greek islands, Hotels in Greece, Travel to Greece, Greek destinations, Greek travel market, Greek tourism statistics, Greek tourism report
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Gabriel
- 1) Sports Tourism | Ministerial meeting for the Euroleague Coaches Conference 2025
- 2) Holy Metropolis of Rhodes: Digital Promotion of Museums Network and Monuments
- 3) Filming at Kallimarmaro Stadium in Athens to create an electronic map
- 4) What will the exciting diving park in Stalis of Hersonissos be like
06/02 18:58
Work on the Thessaloniki Flyover is progressing at a rapid pace
06/02 18:54
Sports Tourism | Ministerial meeting for the Euroleague Coaches Conference 2025
06/02 18:25
29.3 million international air arrivals in 2024, with clear signs of an extended season
06/02 16:43
06/02 15:49
06/02 14:42
Sotheby’s: The Athenian Riviera is first in demand for luxury properties
06/02 13:48
06/02 12:05
Travelers are paying attention to cost and quality, few to sustainability
06/02 11:57
Wyndham and HR Group expand into Germany, Austria and the Netherlands
06/02 07:37
How will Naxos deal with the risk of water shortages ahead of the tourist season
06/02 07:28
Attica Region: There is no overtourism in Athens - a warning for infrastructure
06/02 07:16
Grant payments for 4 hotel investments in Rhodes, Chania, Itilo and Sivota
06/02 07:05
06/02 06:11
Municipality of Folegandros: Prohibition of roaming or grazing animals in tourist areas
05/02 19:57
Milos Municipality attempts to block second investment for 5-star hotel
05/02 19:03
National Action Plan for Cycling, with development in cycling tourism
05/02 16:51
05/02 15:46
05/02 12:41
The first robotic restaurant with artificial intelligence at Barcelona Airport
05/02 12:40
Athens Airport: 2025 started on a positive note,+14.5% passengers in January
05/02 12:35
How foreign travel professionals will promote Greek destinations
05/02 11:45
Tourism: 4 Greek islands capture Americans’ 2025 vacation interest
05/02 07:04
Grants for a boat shelter in Halkidiki and hotels in Chania, Zagori, and Koroni
05/02 07:02
05/02 06:53
Conde Nast Traveller | Crete among the 29 best places to visit before summer
05/02 06:22
05/02 06:14
05/02 06:13
Holy Metropolis of Rhodes: Digital Promotion of Museums Network and Monuments
05/02 06:09
04/02 22:49
Main Patras-Pyrgos highway section due to finish July 31, open to traffic soon
04/02 20:18
Hellenic Republic President to receive new Ambassadors of Vietnam, Ireland, and Sweden
04/02 19:53
04/02 17:31
Pan-Cretan Forum | Promoting Cretan products in Cretan hotels for the 13th year
04/02 16:05
SKY Express: Free tickets for children and teachers on Santorini-Athens flights
04/02 14:57
04/02 14:40
04/02 14:01
SkyUp Airlines: Two new connections to Athens and Corfu from Moldova
04/02 11:34
Rethymno Hoteliers head | The upcoming tourist season is predicted to be "quite good"
04/02 11:25
European Hotels: "Stop" on single-use plastic packaging from 2030
04/02 07:13
Greek hotels: Revenues in 2024 soar 11% above 2023 - read the latest investments
04/02 06:58
Filming at Kallimarmaro Stadium in Athens to create an electronic map
03/02 23:01
03/02 18:11
03/02 17:15
Chania: Smart barriers to protect the Venetian port and its visitors
03/02 16:02
Rhodes: The season kicks off on March 28, wounds from "Bora" storm remains
03/02 15:53
03/02 15:08
Promotion of Lesvos in Istanbul - Participation in EMITT 2025
03/02 14:48
03/02 13:14
Wyndham Hotels: Agreement with Zafido Holding for a new hotel in Piraeus
03/02 12:25
03/02 11:03
HolidayCheck: These are the 50 most popular Greek hotels in Germany for 2025
03/02 10:29
Cruises to Chania make a positive first impression in 2025 - 1,347 visitors daily
03/02 06:38
iAlonissos: Digital promotion of local natural and cultural attractions
03/02 06:25
5 new hotel investments in Lefkada, Rhodes, Ios, Karystos and Trikala
02/02 20:08
The travel profile of expatriates from Australia - the rescue of Rex
02/02 06:48
01/02 13:58
Tourism in Turkey beats expectations - 62 million arrivals, $61 billion in revenue in 2024
01/02 07:04
Volotea: Codeshare cooperation with Aegean to run on 13 routes
31/01 18:11
10 new hotel investments in Corfu, Rhodes, Paros, Ios, Skiathos, Samos, Kalambaka and Kranidi
31/01 17:49
Booking.com | Hotels: Don't leave negative guest reviews unanswered
31/01 10:18
The Region of Crete at the FITUR exhibition - Promising prospects from Spanish-speaking markets
31/01 10:15
ITEP Survey: Hotel Performance stagnant in Greece in December
31/01 07:03
Municipality of Agrinio reacts to photovoltaic plant in Kremaston Lake - threat to tourism
31/01 06:54
31/01 06:07
Mitsis Group: Donation of an architectural study to enhance a beachfront in Crete
31/01 00:02
Commission: First comprehensive European strategy for tourism coming
30/01 23:08
Greek Culture Ministers to attend European conference in support of Ukraine's heritage
30/01 18:58
Cruise: Viking Libra to make maiden voyage in 2026 from Piraeus
30/01 17:56
Record year in 2024 for international air transport – Now “flying” above 2019
30/01 17:50
Accessible tourism on the beaches of the Municipality of Agios Vasilios, Crete
30/01 16:40
Travel | London is now the top destination for Greeks abroad
30/01 16:23
Aegean: 40% increase in available seats from Saudi Arabia in 2025
30/01 16:04
UK Tourism | Lesser-known destinations and experiential travel the main trend in 2025
30/01 14:35
Pancretan Association of Hotel Managers Seminars underway for 2025
30/01 13:22
Airbnb is “sweeping” Europe - Demand is growing faster than supply in Greece
30/01 11:17
Airbnb | 76 billion euros in revenue for hosts in Europe in 2024
30/01 11:09
Investments | Lifestyle Hotels with branded residences and alternative accommodations in focus
30/01 10:30
30/01 06:52
30/01 06:45
Tourism Observatory in the Region of Thessaly in Central Greece
30/01 06:40
Networking of the municipality of Aristotle with the municipality of Valletta in Malta
30/01 06:16
What will the exciting diving park in Stalis of Hersonissos be like
29/01 23:59
Dynamic promotion of the Greek city of Thessaloniki in the Irish market
29/01 22:59
Why France hits record high of 100 million international arrivals in 2024
29/01 22:48
29/01 19:18
Conde Nast Traveller | Milos and Paros are the top Greek islands
29/01 17:49
Thessaly: Innovation, experience, digitalization lead to lengthening of tourist season
29/01 17:04
The Canary Islands present their new strategy as a sustainable destination
29/01 16:44
Rethymno Carnival | “Come to the Light” with a rich program of events
29/01 16:35
Jet2CityBreaks adds Athens and Rome to its Discover More program
29/01 15:38
Halkidiki is an attractive destination for the Irish travelers
29/01 13:32
This is how the Special Quality Label for Greek Cuisine will be granted
29/01 13:27
Marella Cruises | Corfu island among top UK cruise destinations
29/01 12:21
Short-term rental: AADE message about heavy fines of up to 20,000 euros
29/01 11:42
Tourism | Spain dominates destinations in Southern Europe - 33% share in global searches
29/01 11:16
Promotion of the Greek prefecture of Pieria in the Irish market
29/01 07:09
Conference in Pyrgos, Ilia | The digital transformation in tourism
29/01 07:05
5 new hotel investments in Piraeus, Crete, Rhodes, Paros and South Pelion
29/01 06:12
28/01 23:35
ABTA | Climate change and over-tourism the new risks to travel
Travelers are paying attention to cost and quality, few to sustainability
Sports Tourism | Ministerial meeting for the Euroleague Coaches Conference 2025
29.3 million international air arrivals in 2024, with clear signs of an extended season
How will Naxos deal with the risk of water shortages ahead of the tourist season
Work on the Thessaloniki Flyover is progressing at a rapid pace
Wyndham and HR Group expand into Germany, Austria and the Netherlands
Sotheby’s: The Athenian Riviera is first in demand for luxury properties
Attica Region: There is no overtourism in Athens - a warning for infrastructure
Municipality of Folegandros: Prohibition of roaming or grazing animals in tourist areas
Grant payments for 4 hotel investments in Rhodes, Chania, Itilo and Sivota
The first robotic restaurant with artificial intelligence at Barcelona Airport
Milos Municipality attempts to block second investment for 5-star hotel
National Action Plan for Cycling, with development in cycling tourism
Athens Airport: 2025 started on a positive note,+14.5% passengers in January
ELSTAT: Hospitality enterprises' turnover grows 28.6% in Greece during Q1
5 new hotel investments in Lefkada, Rhodes, Ios, Karystos and Trikala