Cardinal Isidore, c. 1390-1462: A Late Byzantine Scholar, Warlord and Prelate

Description

A member of the imperial Palaiologan family, albeit most probably illegitimate, Isidore became a scholar at a young age and began his rise in the Byzantine ecclesiastical ranks. He was an active advocate of the union of the Orthodox and Catholic Churches in Constantinople. His military exploits, including his participation in the defence of Constantinople in 1453, provide us with eyewitness accounts. Without doubt he travelled widely, perhaps more so than any other individual in the annals of Byzantine history: Greece, Asia Minor, Sicily, Russia, Poland, Lithuania, and Italy. His roles included diplomat, high ecclesiastic in both the Orthodox and Catholic churches, theologian, soldier, papal emissary to the Constantinopolitan court, delegate to the Council of Florence, advisor to the last Byzantine emperors, metropolitan of Kiev and all Russia, and member of the Vatican curia. This is an original work based on new archival research and the first monograph to study Cardinal Isidore in his many diverse roles. His contributions to the events of the first six decades of the quattrocento are important for the study of major Church councils and the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks. Isidore played a crucial role in each of these events. Cover Title Copyright Contents Preface Acknowledgements Abbreviations 1 The rise of Isidore 1 The early years 2 The sojourn in the Morea and the letters of Isidore 2 Isidore and the Council of Basle 1 Prelude to Basle 2 At Basle 3 Byzantine issues resulting from Basle 4 The Muscovite reaction 3 The rise of Isidore and the Council of Ferrara-Florence 1 Metropolitan of Kiev and of All Rus’ 2 The Council of Ferrara-Florence 3 The return to Muscovy and the aftermath of Florence 4 The papal emissary 1 The first mission to Constantinople: a failure 2 The second mission to Constantinople: warlord and gift-bearer 3 Disputations 4 Isidore and the declaration of church union 5 Defender, humanist, and survivor 1 Imperial councilor and legate 2 Warrior and reporter 3 Two letters of Isidore 4 The escape of Isidore 6 Cretan interlude 1 Early propagandist 2 Two major themes in Isidore’s letters from Candia 3 Religious propaganda and military strategy 7 Il Cardinal Greco Vecchio: The last years 8 Conclusions: Damnatio memoriae? Appendix 1 Isidore the historian 2 Selections from Isidore’s Panegyric to Manuel II and John VIII 3 English translation of selections from Isidore’s Panegyric to Manuel II and John VIII Bibliography Index Nominum Index Locorum Index Rerum Antiquarum