International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Aneliya Markova
University of Veliko Tarnovo “Ss. Cyril and Methodius”, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria; 
[e-mail] 
Solar Eclipses as Indicator in Nicetas Choniates’ 
Historia
According to all available information about the Byzantines campaigns against Bulgarian 
uprising in 1185-1886 many authors have worked the moment mentioned by Niketas Choniates 
about the solar eclipses. In Choniates’ “Historia” this astronomical phenomenon is referred to the 
revolt of the Alexios Branas. The solar eclipse happened during these events, some authors refer as 
a stylistic technique of Choniates and they suggest this to be moved aside like evidence in dating 
of revolt, which the Byzantine general Alexios Branas organized in Constantinople. Even if we 
assume this is not deliberately used techniques, but it was actually happened, we must pay serious 
attention to some facts. Choniates refers this moment at the time when the Byzantine emperor 
had lunch with margrave Conrad of Montferrat, who had become earlier son-in-wall to the Isaac 
II Angelos and suppressed the serious threat to Byzantine throne. Investigating the period from 
spring of 1186 to the autumn of 1187, for which there are many different opinions about the Branas’ 
revolt, we indicate six solar eclipses. From the official data publishes by NASA, four of the solar 
eclipses can’t be seen because their appearance is in the early hours of the night and it is dark.
In this case there are two possible dates – 21
st
April 1186 and 4
th
September 1187. It is necessary 
to be compared the specifications of astronomical information and looking for the effect that in 
the day has fallen darkness and stars have appeared as describes himself Choniates: “ Έγένοντο 
δέ καί διοσημίαι τηνικαυτα• ημέρας γάρ αστέρες έφάνησαν καί ό άήρ ταραχώδης ώφθη και περί 
τόν ήλιον πάθη τινά συμβεβήκασιν,â φασιν άλωνας, ώς μηδέ τούτον καθαρόν και άθόλωτον, άλλ’ 

---

400
ώχρότερονάποδισκεύειν τό φως…”. This remains only one possibility: eclipse of September 1187 
is what could be seen while of that in the spring of 1186 which is unnoticeable. Comparing the 
percentage coverage of the moon on the area of the sun which numbers are 97% to 12% in favor 
of 1187, we can declare what could be the effect of visibility. In addition the solar eclipse from 
1186 began at 5:00 o’clock in the morning and its maximum values were at 6:30 in the morning. 
Sun in April at latitudes of the Byzantine capital rises in the interval 6:45-7:00 in the morning. 
The solar eclipse of 1187 was at noon when it could be seen from observers and coincides with 
described events from Byzantine writer who talks about that phenomenon at the time when the 
Emperor had lunch. Van Diten express for same assertion and declares “…that phenomenon was on 
4
th
September 1187.”, at 14:00 o’clock. Before acceptance the opinion that Choniates uses these words 
only as a stylistic technique, we need to pay attention to the fact about the events in Constantinople 
completely coincide with that real natural phenomenon. For determining Alexios Branas’ revolt all 
authors are turning their attention to Conrad of Montferrat in Constantinople and when he was in 
there. There are several main accents related to Conrad of Montferrat – his arriving to Byzantium 
and his leaving the Empire. Conrad stay in Byzantium is not mentioned as long. In the winter of 
1186/1187 he head to Byzantine capital and got married to Isaac Angelos’ sister like guarantee for 
renewing the relations between the Byzantium and western kings. These agreements were renewed 
in the early of 1187. There are some facts that in march of 1187 Conrad signed documents in the 
German Emperor’s royal court. This had been before his leaving to Constantinople and for sure 
before his marriage with emperor’ sister. According to the facts we must accept Branas’ revolt 
couldn’t been earlier than late spring of 1187
th
. It’s hard we claim that Conrad participation in the 
events in the Byzantine capital was earlier than the spring of 1187
th
because that would mean he 
had arrived in Byzantium year before, took a part in the Constantinople events, after he went back 
to Italy for signing the documents and then again to opposite direction. Probably signing of those 
documents would not been reason enough one military campaign to be postponed. For that time 
and conditions military campaigns for western kings were one of main points in “Crusade idea”.