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In 2004 frescos in three lime pits and one mortar mixer in the northern yard of the church “St. 40 Martyrs” are found great deal of fragmented murals. May be considered with certainty, that the pictural art fragments, found in pits, lime pits and mixers from the north of the temple, were filled up during the main reconstruction of the church. This will say, that this material is associated with the first fresco painting of the temple in 1230. In the article, before all, we pay attention to one image, which is related to a church-donor‘s composition or a ruler’s portrait. This image, discovered and supplemented with new parts in the process of discrimination, bears the brightest marks of the nature and style of the first fresco painting of the church. 24 parts of the image under consideration are found. The middle part of the face of a man is preserved, with the nose, lips and beard, the silhouette of the hair-style and also a crown of cross-metal collars and gold-lace matter. The head is embraced by a nimbus, which suggests, that if the image is of a secular person, as it appears, it is of the Bulgarian ruler. In the case it is certain, that we are facing a rulers’ image, that can be identified with the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen II, who had built thoroughly and fresco-painted to the end the temple “St. 40 Martyrs”. This, though fragmented, the image complements the imagination for the church-donor’s portrait in the Medieval Bulgaria and furthermore, the identification with the royal image of Ivan Asen II is a valuable source for the Bulgarian history.
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A brief survey is done of four newly examined Medieval villages, situated in the territory of Radnevo Municipality. Their inserting into scientific circulation together with the newly found out but unexamined two settlements completes the settlement system in the Medieval period. On the basis of investigation done referring to the topography, the building character and numerous excavations material the settlements are dated about the end of 11th century – the beginning of 13th century
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The article is dealing with the area of the western fortress wall, as a result of the carried out field observations of the Trapezitsa hill of the medieval Turnovo. The section of the western fortress wall under consideration with the round tower, postern, diversion facility and the transverse fortress wall to the river allows specifying the planning and making an attempt to build a working chronology of the stages of construction in this part of the fortress.
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After the first half of the XIII c. relations between Bulgaria and Serbia went in another direction, a battle for supremacy. Bulgaria had already lost influence over Serbia. Michael II Asen knowing that he should quickly and adequately find way out came up with the only solution to the Serbian problem, conquering the Serbian kingdom. Michael II Asen knowing that he should quickly and adequately find way out came up with the only solution to the Serbian problem, conquering the Serbian kingdom. Michael Asen sought an ally in Dubrovnik. The two countries signed a treaty on 15 June 1253, joint military actions against Serbia, apart from trading relations, were also included. Military terms were dictated by the need to seek assistance against the Serbian king Stefan Uroš who did not hide his intentions for territorial gains in both countries. The course of events shows the intentions and resources of the Bulgarian tsardom in the middle of XII c. The unsuccessful foreign policy of the young Bulgarian tsar becomes an indicator of the kingdom’s weakness, but at the same time clearly outlines the intentions of the Bulgarian court, toward the Serbian state, in particular. The notion that Serbia belongs to the Bulgarian crown is brought to light in the strained relations on the Balkans and the territorial losses suffered. Bulgaria’s complicated relations with its neighbors, all fighting to split Bulgarian territories, provoked Michael II Asen to abandon his desire to take over Serbia through diplomatic means and take to military action. This turning point in the Bulgaria-Serbia relations comes about because of the complex political situation in Southeast Europe in the mid-XIII century, consistent with the goals of both countries toward realizing their political intentions.
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The article presents some comments on a source, well-known to the researchers of the medieval Bulgarian history under the name “Venetian Anonym from 1268”, which tells the story about the relics of St. Theodore found in the city of Mesemvria in 1257 and transferred to Venice. The comparative analysis of numerous other sources from the period makes me conclude that the data presented in the Anonym raise serious doubts in their authenticity. It also found out that the earliest securely dated text presenting the story of that event was a “communication” from the well-known chronicle of the Doge of Venice, Andrea Dandolo composed in the 40’s of the 14th century. It seems that the story of the “Venetian Anonym from 1268” accepted until now as authentic is a beautiful, but politically motivated fabrication of the Doge of the Republic Andrea Dandolo.
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The material is a historical retrospection of the fate of the Western Rhodopes and, more precisely, of the region of Dospat, Devin and Batak. It spans the period between the Slavic settlement of the Balkan peninsula and the time of the Islamization processes in that region during the first centuries of the Ottoman domination. There is a brief review of the chief Medieval objects, evidenced by archeology. With regard to the entering of Islam among the native Bulgarian population, it is represented as a long-running process with the new faith adopted either individually or en masse in a different way – not only by force, but also as a result of gaining tax and social privileges, the inevitable change of people’s mentality, etc. Possibly, in that direction there was an influence from the views of the Medieval Bulgarian Bogomils – a “heretical” community which had its positions in the Rhodopes – as is known, it is in the Rhodopes where the Bogomil community of “Dragovichia” existed. The analogy with Bosnia and Herzegovina is indicative – the followers of Bogomilism the readopted Islam because of the hostile attitude of both the Orthodox and the Catholoc churches which had been demonstrated towards them for centuries.
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The review of: А. В. Мартынюк: До Герберштейна: Австрия и Восточная Европа (XIII – начало XVI века). Москва: Квадрига, 2019, 575 s., ISBN 978-5-91791-323-0.
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Review of: Esad Kurtović, Almir Peco, Izvori za historiju srednjovjekovne Bosne (Ispisi iz knjiga notarijata Državnog arhiva u Dubrovniku 1370–1529), I/1-3. Sarajevo: Univerzitet u Sarajevu – Institut za historiju, Bošnjački institut Fondacija Adila Zulfikarpašića, Historijski arhiv Sarajevo, 2021, 1351.
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This paper analyzes cyrillic diplomatic documents from the chancellery of the Bosnian ruler Stjepan II Kotromanić considering the paleographic and linguistic aspects. The types of writings handled by the scribes of this chancellery – Priboje, Radjen, Pribisav and Kupusac – are discussed in the context of the minusculization process in the Bosnian ruler’s chancellery of the 14th century, while the linguistic examination deals with the penetration of the West Štokavian characteristics in these texts in the context of the manner of writing.
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In the process of secularisation that began in the 18th century in Europe, man tried to emancipate himself from religious authority and aspired to the knowledge of the intramundane reality without religious influence. However, an obstacle to secularisation remains the political factor, which persists with despotic and cruel regimes exercising violent and oppressive authority over man. The renewed return to religion observed today all over the world is due to this repressive situation where Man, in the absence of democratic transparency or political protection, is left to his own devices and has only God to return to. The present article is inspired by this observation in the dramatic text „William Tell” by the German classic Friedrich Schiller. In this text, which is set in a despotic context, there is not a single page, where God is not revealed. Drawing on the German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach’s profound and convincing treatment of the psychological dimension of religion, this article explains the Swiss Man’ penchant and infatuation for God in Schiller’s play under the tyrannical Austrian Habsburg regime. To better demonstrate the place of God in the life of oppressed Man, Schiller considers two contexts in his historical play: the historical context of the 14th century where the Habsburgs attempt to subjugate the Swiss people and Schiller’s present context of the 18thcentury where tyranny reaches its peak in the context of the French Revolution. In „William Tell”, which is Schiller’s reaction against the throes of the French Revolution, which still resembles the political throes of the Habsburgs in Switzerland in the 14th century, the Weimar classic, Schiller tries to show in the political dimension how the return to God in the context of political violence can lead to non-violence and social peace.
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„O du tūkstančiai dvidešimt antraisiais mūsų Viešpaties metais, birželio 28-ąją, arba Šv. Irenėjaus, kankinio ir bažnyčios mokytojo, kitaip, daktaro, dieną, kaigi gana neįprastas čionykščiams kraštams nuožmus karštis visus išvarė ieškotis atvangos tarp mūrų, ten pat, Vilniaus universiteto Istorijos fakultete, Antanas Petrilionis komisijos bei kitų sugužėjusių žioplinėtojų ir smalsuolių, kam tik reikalinga apie tai žinoti buvo, akivaizdoje be priekaištų apgynė savo tezes ir iš magistrų į daktarų luomą buvo džiaugsmingai išlydėtas“, – taip ar panašiai galėtų skambėti pusiau lakoniškas įrašas Vilniaus universiteto pseudokronikoje. Visgi, jei kam maga sužinoti daugiau (kaip kad magėjo ir dabar jau daktarui Antanui Petrilioniui), kas slypi už lakoniškų kronikų, laiškų ir kitų šaltinių užuominų, galbūt pravers ši apžvalga ar ir pati apgintoji jaunojo daktaro disertacija.
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The article deals with the historical archival records for the city of Szczecin, which were lost in 1945. The author outlines the process of compiling the Szczecin municipal archive, transferring its contents to the State Archive and then forming an archival collection from it. This section of the narrative is conducted against the backdrop of the development of Prussian municipal and state archives, as well as discussions on the recognition of municipal records as a valuable historical source. Then the author discusses the internal structure of the collection and describes the contents of the consecutive subject groups in the historical archive of the Pomeranian capital.
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The legendary story about the foundation of the Schola Medica Salernitana tells about the collaboration between four men of Greek, Latin, Jewish and Arabic origin. Created sometime in the 9th century under Lombard rule, Salerno became an increasingly famous “Town of Hippocrates” (Hippocratica Civitas) as part of the Kingdom of Sicily. The Norman rulers and, to a lesser extent, their Swabian successors, were significantly influenced by Byzantine and Muslim traditions. They demonstrated predilection for scholars, medics, philosophers, theologians, and translators of different provenance. These intellectuals resided at the Palermitan court and worked for the Sicilian rulers, notwithstanding any political antagonism. This spirit of cooperation, together with the rising wave of the Twelfth-century Renaissance reinforced the creation of a heterogeneous image of the Kingdom. And indeed, this was perfectly mirrored by another valuable achievement, a fruitful heritage in the heart of the Mediterranean, namely, the medical school of Salerno.
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The present study aims to establish cultural interconnections both between Wallachia and Transylvania and between them and the areas of Eastern and Western artistic influence, with the aim of identifying the transfer of clothing models from one cultural area to another, as well as to identify the reason behind the implementation of some of the figures of hierarchs in the mural theme of some of the churches. The paper notes several types of hierarchical figures organized according to the type of clothing and the context in which they are depicted. The representations of the holy hierarchs in the 14th century fresco reveal political, confessional and cultural links internally between the Romanian Countries, but especially externally, between them and the Western-Italian and Eastern-Constantinopolitan and Balkan areas. The origins of the hierarchical models reveal not only the areas of artistic influence but also a desire to affirm the newly established orthodox metropolitanates church and principalities in the Romanian Countries by adopting a predominantly monastic iconographic canon, as confessional validation in the face of Catholic proselytism.
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The article analyzes the process of development in the architecture of Old Rus on the basis of transplanted elements of the Byzantine cathedral construction of its own tradition, which is vividly embodied in the original forms of arch-gabled and pillar-shaped churches. The formation of the archgabled church took place in the second half of the 11th century in Kyiv, where in the early 12th century, it acquired finally completed forms. Almost simultaneously in Chernihiv and Novgorod in the first quarter of the 12th century, and later in other cultural centers, there appeared regional variants of arch-gabled church, of which the Chernihiv variant quickly became interregional, spreading in the south-western regions of Rus. The first signs of pillar compositions are recorded in the first decade of the 12th century also in Kyiv within the newly formed arch-gabled cathedral. In the middle of the 12th century in Polotsk there existed already a purposeful search for an aesthetic model of a pillar-shaped church, which in the 80’s of the 12th century moved to Smolensk. The crystallization of the completed forms of the vertically oriented composition occurred at the end of the 12th century, after which the pillar-shaped church took over the role of interregional type, displacing the arch-gabled cathedral, apparently completely until 1240, when the development of Old Rus architecture was interrupted by the Mongol invasion.
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The question of the evolution of the iconographic image of St. James of Borovichi is considered in the time interval: the miraculous appearance of the saint in the 13th century, the preparation of the memorial service between the 16th -17th centuries, the formation of variants of local iconography between the 18th -19th centuries. We are talking about the formation of a local iconographic performance, characteristic to "Borovichi" and "Valdai" types, the focus being the image of the fool (in a robe and with a scarf on his loins). The description and analysis of the composition of the copper icon with the image of St. James of Borovichi from the personal collection of V. V. Babiyak bears the character of attribution and it is introduced into a wide scientific context.
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Salt trade was one of the main economical activities in Dej. The local rafters and carters carried the mineral within the kingdom, largely contributing to the development of the settlement. The most relevant sources can be found at the National Archives of Romania – County Branch of Cluj, Fond of the City Hall of Dej. Enough documents have been preserved referring to their activity, their origin, and relations with the kings of Hungary, with the officials of the salt chambers and the local council. It is worth investigating their social status, their salaries and their destinations. Sovereigns largely encouraged the efforts of rafters and carters as they owned the salt mines and they wanted to stimulate the mining activity. The mining center located at the confluence of the Somes rivers had a certain development during the 13th–16th centuries, having much more town features. The local and the regional context influenced the transporters’ lives.
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John Vatatzes’s accession in 1221 was not quite the bland affair that the historian George Akropolites would have us believe, but the historian was not an eyewitness of events and had to make do with the sanitised version of events that was circulating more than ten years later, when he arrived at the Nicaean court. He played down the fact that it was a disputed succession, which pitted those that supported a continuation of the alliance with the Latin Empire of Constantinople against those around John Vatatzes, who were opposed. The latter had support from within the administration and from the Orthodox patriarch of Constantinople, who used the novel rite of anointing with chrism to compensate for Vatatzes’s lack of any strong dynastic claim to the throne. This had been coming under scrutiny from a rival Byzantine ruler, Theodore Doukas, who had to his credit stronger dynastic credentials and notable success against the Latins, which brought the city of Thessaloniki within his grasp. Anointing gave John Vatatzes an advantage in the propaganda war between them over legitimacy. The debate that ensued helped clarify the ideological significance of anointing with chrism by linking it to the sacerdotal status of the imperial office. It stamped John Vatatzes’s understanding of imperial authority and conduct of office with a philanthropic character that was remembered with gratitude by later generations and earned him popular canonisation. It was less to the liking of the aristocracy. Some of Vatatzes’s relatives and original supporters conspired against him because they felt deprived of rewards to which they were entitled. It was a more serious episode than George Akropolites allows and required a display of military force, but once the conspiracy was crushed by the autumn of 1224, John Vatatzes was securely in power.
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The research is dedicated to an important and broad topic from our past, related to the prosopography of the medieval Bulgarian state. The study focuses on the information about ordinary Bulgarians who lived in Dubrovnik in the period of the 13th – 14th centuries. The chronological framework is determined entirely by the historical features related to the establishment and development of Bulgarian-Dubrovnik relations during the Middle Ages. The lower chronological limit is marked by the establishment of official political and economic relations between the Second Bulgarian Tsardom and the Dalmatian Commune in the era of the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan II Asen (1218–1241). As for the upper chronological limit, it is determined by the sunset of the Bulgarian tsardom, which fell under the blows of the Ottoman Turks at the end of the 14th century. The study is based mainly on Dubrovnik sources, giving information about one or another person. From the content of the written testimonies known to us so far, information is revealed about a total of thirteen Bulgarians, who in one way or another connected their fate with that of Ragusa. This fact leads us to think that during the considered period there were not many representatives of the Kingdom of Tarnovo in the Adriatic city. This limited number of people, however, comes to show something else: that the emphasis in the bilateral contacts was primarily aimed at the Bulgarian territories. The people of Dubrovnik seem to be more interested in the development of trade relations with Bulgarian lands, and therefore a number of representatives of Ragusa deployed their activities in Bulgaria and the Balkans. This is probably one of the reasons why in the Archives of Dubrovnik there are not many names of ordinary Bulgarians – merchants or craftsmen – who lived in Ragusa during the considered period.
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