International congress of byzantine studies belgrade, 22 27 august 2016

Ionut Alexandru Tudorie
University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania; 
[e-mail]
Political Opportunism vs. Ecumenical Project: 
A Reassessment of Michael VIII Palaiologos’ Attitude 
towards the Church Properties
According to those who view Michael VIII Palaiologos as a political opportunist (mainly 
Peter Charanis, in his two articles published in 1948 and 1951), several stages can be identified 
in his attitude towards the Church. Thus in the early years of his reign (1259-1261), the emperor 
attempted a rapprochement with the Church, especially the monastic clergy, perceived as an 
important element in the Byzantine society. Then, after his return to Constantinople, a military 
success that strengthened the position of the Palaiologan usurper, he adopted a more reserved 
stance towards Church property (1262-1273). Finally, the stage that confirms this hypothesis spans 
between 1274-1282, when Michael VIII faced criticism against his religious policy and he revealed 
his true feelings, starting to persecute the monastic circles. 
Is, however, this hypothesis in agreement with the reality described by the documents issued 
by the imperial chancellery, regarding the Church properties under Michael VIII Palaiologos? By 
investigating in detail the contents of these documents and examining the statistical data in the 
context of the imperial ideology of the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty, Peter Charanis’ view 
could be questioned. Thus, some of the documents signed by the first Palaiologan emperor re-
acknowledging the rights of particular monasteries cannot be taken as absolute proof of Michael 
VIII Palaiologos’ intentions to gain the support of monastic clergy, but rather, he simply continued 

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the process of reconstructing the archives that had been lost when Latins conquered the Byzantine 
capital (1204). Also, in many cases, to the documents acknowledging ownership of estates previously 
held, and taxes and fees exemptions granted to monasteries, Michael VIII added either donations or 
privileges (plots of land or various grants such as money or products necessary for daily life). Not 
least, the willingness of the novus Constantinus to renovate some monastic settlements established 
by his Komnenos dynasty predecessors (e.g. Kastoria and Apollonia) confirms that throughout his 
reign he pursued a major project – that of restoring the ecumenical character of the Empire and 
reestablishing its former glory, lost during the Latin occupation.