The Temperance and Prudence of Simeon, the Bulgarian Ruler in the Letters of Nicholas Mystikos, Patriarch of Constantinople: Some Remarks

Mirosław J. Leszka

University of Lodz , Poland
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2643-4520


Abstract

Between 912–927, Nicholas Mystikos, Patriarch of Constantinople maintained a correspondence with Simeon, ruler of Bulgaria. The goal of Nicholas’ correspondence was to persuade Simeon to end hostilities and make peace with Byzantium. For this purpose, he employed various methods and resorted to a variety of arguments. Appeals to temperance and prudence were clearly means of influencing Simeon to abandon military action and take steps that would bring peace. It seems that for Nicholas Mystikos, the primary criterion for recognizing Simeon as a temperate and prudent man were his actions in the political sphere and whether they were aligned with Byzantine interests.

Keywords:

Nicholas Mystikos , Simeon I the Great, Byzantium (10th C.), Bulgaria (10th C.), temperance, prudence

Nicolaus I Constantinopolitanus, Epistulae, in: Nicolai I Constantinopolitani patriarchae Epistulae, ed., tr. R.J.H. Jenkins – L.G. Westerink, CFHB 6, Washington 1973.

Photii Patriarchae Constantinopolitani Epistulae et Amphilochia, rec. B. Laurdas – L.G. Westerink, v. 1, Leipzig 1983.

Angelov B., Poslanie patriarcha Fotija bolgarskomu knjazju Borisu, “Bizantinobulgarica” 6 (1980) p. 45-50.

Angelov D., Metody vizantijjskoj diplomatii v otnoshenijakh s Bolgariejj po danym pisem konstantinopolskogo patiarkha Nikolaja Mistika, „Voprosy Istorii Slavjan” 1 (1963) p. 60-69.

Angelov D. – Kashev S. – Cholpanov B., B’’lgarska voenna istorija ot antichnostta do vtorata chetv’’rt na X v., Sofija 1983.

Angelov P., B”lgarija i b”lgarite v predstavite na vizantijcite, Sofija 1999.

Angelov P., B”lgarskata srednovekovna diplomacija, Sofija 1988.

Angelov P., Religiozni argumenti v korespondencijata na car Simeon, in: Simeonova B”lgarija v istorijata na evropejjskija jugoiztok: 1100 godini ot bitkata pri Akheloj, v. 1: s”st, ed. А. Nikolov – N. K”nev, Sofija 2018, p. 206-213.

Bozhilov I., Car Simeon Veliki: zlatnijat vek na Srednovekovna B”lgarija, Sofija 1983.

Dagron G., Emperor and Priest. The Imperial Office in Byzantium, tr. J. Birrel, Cambridge 2003.

Dagron G., Kościół i państwo (połowa IX – koniec X wieku), in: Historia chrześcijaństwa. Religia. Kultura. Polityka, v. 4: Biskupi, mnisi i cesarze 610-1054, tr. M. Żurowska, et al., ed. G. Dagron – P. Riché – A. Vauchez, Polish ed. A. Romaniuk, Warszawa 1999, p. 145-207.

Feissel D., Cesarz i administracja cesarska, in: Świat Bizancjum, v. 1: Cesarstwo wschodniorzymskie 330-641, ed. C. Morrisson, tr. A. Graboń, Kraków 2007, p. 97-132.

Gjuzelev V., Photius’ Constantinople Model of a Ruler Newly Converted to Christianity, “Bulgarian Historical Review” 15/3 (1987) p. 34-42.

Jenkins R.J.H., A Note on the Patriarch Nicholas Mysticus, in: R.J.H. Jenkins, Studies on Byzantine History of the 9th and 10th Centuries, London 1970, art. V, 145-147.

Karlin-Hayter P., Le synode à Constantinople de 886 à 912 et le rôle de Nicolas le Mystique dans l’affaire de la tétragamie, “Jahrbuch der Österreichischen Byzantinistik” 19 (1970) p. 59-101.

Konstantinides J.Ch., Nikolaos A ho Mistikos (ca. 852-925) patriarches Konstantinupoleos (901-907, 912-925), Athenes 1967.

Leszka M.J, Mikołaj Mistyk, patriarcha Konstantynopola w świetle korespondencji z Symeonem, władcą Bułgarii, „Balcanica Posnaniensia” 18 (2011) p. 23-33.

Leszka M.J., Obraz wojny w Listach Mikołaja Mistyka do Symeona, władcy bułgarskiego, „Slavia Antiqua” 47 (2006) p. 9-16.

Leszka M.J., Symeon I Wielki a Bizancjum Z dziejów stosunków bułgarsko-bizantyńskich w latach 893–927, Byzantina Lodziensia 15, Łódź 2013. (Crossref)

Leszka M.J., Wizerunek władców pierwszego państwa bułgarskiego w bizantyńskich źródłach pisanych (VIII-pierwsza połowa XII wieku), Byzantina Lodziensia 7, Łódź 2003.

Marinow K., In the Shackles of the Evil One The Portrayal of Tsar Symeon I the Great (893–927) in the Oration On the treaty with the Bulgarians, “Studia Ceranea” 1 (2011) p. 157-190. (Crossref)

Pitsakis K.G., Sainteté et empire. A propos de la sainteté impériale: forms de sainteté ‘d’office” et de sainteté collective dans l’empire d’Orient, “Bizantinistica” 3 (2002) p. 155-227.

Simeonova L., Vizantijskata koncepcija za izkustvoto da se upravljava spored Fotievoto poslanie do kniaz Boris, “Problemi na kulturata” 4 (1988) p. 91-104.

Simeonova L., Diplomacy of the Letter and the Cross. Photios, Bulgaria and the Papacy 860s-880s, Amsterdam 1998.

Simeonova B”lgarija v istorijata na evropejjskija jugoiztok: 1100 godini ot bitkata pri Akheloj, v. 1, ed. А. Nikolov – N. Ky”nev, Sofija 2018.

Stanković V., Carigradski patrijarsi i carevi makedonske dinastije, Beograd 2003.

Stratoudaki White D. – Berrigan J.R., Jr, The Patriarch Photios of Constantinople to Khan Boris of Bulgaria, Brookline 1982.

Testimonia najdawniejszych dziejów Słowian. Seria grecka 3, ed. A. Brzóstkowska – W. Swoboda, Warszawa 1995.

Tougher S., The Reign of Leo VI (886-912). Politics and People, Leiden – New York – Köln 1997. (Crossref)

Trendafilov Kh., Mladostta na car Simeon, Sofija 2010.

Westerink L.G., Introduction, in: Nicholas I Patriarch of Constantinople, Letters, tr. R.J.H. Jenkins – L.G. Westerink, Washington 1973, p. XV-XXVII.

Wozniak F.E., The Metaphysics of Byzantine Diplomacy in the Relations of the Byzantines and Bulgarians 880’s – 920’s, “Greek Orthodox Theological Review” 21 (1976) p. 289-297.

Zografidis G., Ethics, Byzantine, in: Encyclopedia of Medieval Philosophy. Philosophy between 500 and 1500, ed. H. Lagerlund, Heidelberg – London – New York 2011, p. 323-328. (Crossref)

Download

Published
2022-12-15


Leszka, M. J. (2022). Umiarkowanie i roztropność Symeona, władcy bułgarskiego w listach Mikołaja Mistyka, patriarchy Konstantynopola. Kilka uwag. Vox Patrum, 84, 93–104. https://doi.org/10.31743/vp.14045



License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Papers published in Vox Patrum are covered by the Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0) licence. Authors and users can use published works licensed under the CC-BY-ND since 2018. For earlier publications, copyrights are available under fair use rights in accordance with the Act of February 4, 1994 on copyrights and related rights.