The Era of the Palaeologi

Pre-requisites: Enrollment in the first semester of academic masters studies or applicable semester in other programs

Course objectives: An introduction to the last byzantine dynasty and the eve of roman civilization, economic and military decline, but also the effervescent cultural endeavors, as well as complex and multilateral relations with the slavic and latin world.

Course description: This course presents a panoramic view of the last two and a half centuries of byzantine history, beginning with the fall of Constantinople in 1204 and the destruction of the Empire,through to the byzantine re-conquest in 1261 and narrative of a renewed Byzantine Empire, but this time as a "second-rate state" in the eastern mediterranean, until the final fall to the Ottomans in 1453. We will be examining the most important political events on a local and international level, along with important church history, crumbling of the feudal system in a way that was specific to christian states on the Balkan peninsula (Byzantine Empire, Bulgaris and Serbia) but also the cultural uprising of powerless and reduced nations (the so-called " Palaeologi Renaissance" at the end of the 13th century and the last "Byzantine Renaissance", tied to the rise of the Moors in the first half of the 15th century). The spiritual climate of the Empire in its decline will also be looked at, which was imbued with an eschatological atmosphere and unbelief in the afterlife. An accent will be put on the convoluted and complex relations between the Byzantine Empire and Wester Europe, especially on the issues of church unity, religious connections and mutual impact.

Learning Outcomes: Mastering knowledge of the eve and fall of the Byzantine empire, in a broad, panoramic context of an european "autumm" in the Middle ages from which another era would arise - the Renaissance.

Literature/Reading:

• G. Ostrogorski, Istorija Vizantije, Beograd 1959 (reprint: 1998)
• Oksfordska istorija Vizantije, prir. S. Mango, Beograd 2004.
• Vizantijski izvori za istoriju naroda Jugoslavije, VI, Beograd 1986.
• G. Ostrogorski, Sabrana dela, I-VI, Beograd 1969-1970.
• B. Ferjančić, Despoti u Vizantiji i južnoslovenskim zemljama, Beograd 1960.
• I. Đurić, Sumrak Vizantije. Vreme Jovana VIII Paleologa (1392-1448), Beograd 1984.
• R. Radić, Vreme Jovana V Paleologa (1332-1391), Beograd 1991.
• R. Radić, Crno stoleće. Vreme Jovana V Paleologa (1332 - 1391), Beograd 2013.
• R. Radić, Drugo lice Vizantije. Nekoliko zapostavljenih tema, Beograd 2014.
• V. Stanković, Putovanja kroz Vizantiju, Beograd 2016.