Lorsque la périphérie assiège et conquiert le centre: certains aspects des relations entre Byzantins et Turcs, XIIe et XVe siècles
When the Periphery Besieges and Conquers the Center: Certain Aspects of Byzantine–Turkish Relations, Twelfth to Fifteenth Centuries

Summary/Abstract: This contribution examines one of the various ways in which the Byzantines perceived the Turkish threat from the twelfth century onwards. The main issue addressed here is that of the perception of this threat as targeting the body itself of the Byzantines. The analysis is concentrated on the case of sodomy which, according to the Byzantines, is typical of Turkish mores, and it touches upon the cases of “sodomization”, real or alleged, of certain members of the late Byzantine elite who do not object to a status of cohabitation with the Turks.

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