Nicephorus Gregoras (Νικηφόρος Γρηγοράς) (c. 1295-1360),
ByzantineThe Byzantine Empire or Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered on the capital of Constantinople, and ruled by Emperors in direct and de jure succession to the ancient Roman Emperors...
historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
, man of learning and religious controversialist, was born at
HeracleaHeraclea Pontica , an ancient city on the coast of Bithynia in Asia Minor, at the mouth of the river Lycus...
in
PontusPontus or Pontos is a historical Greek designation for a region on the southern coast of the Black Sea, located in modern-day northeastern Turkey. The name was applied to the coastal region in antiquity by the Greeks who colonized the area, and derived from the Greek name of the Black Sea: Pontos...
.
At an early age he settled at
ConstantinopleConstantinople was the imperial capital of the Roman Empire , the Byzantine/Eastern Roman Empire , the Latin Empire , and the Ottoman Empire...
, where his reputation for learning brought him under the notice of Andronicus II Palaeologus, by whom he was appointed
Chartophylax (keeper of the archives). In 1326 Gregoras proposed (in a still extant treatise) certain reforms in the calendar, which the emperor refused to carry out for fear of disturbances; nearly two hundred years later they were introduced by
Gregory XIIIPope Gregory XIII , born Ugo Boncompagni, was Pope from 1572 to 1585.-Youth:He was born in the city of Bologna, where he studied law and graduated
in 1530...
on almost the same lines.
When Andronicus was dethroned (1328) by his grandson Andronicus III Palaeologus, Gregoras shared his downfall and retired into private life. Attacked by
BarlaamBarlaam of Seminara ,ca. 1290-1348, or Barlaam of Calabria was a southern Italian scholar and clergyman of the 14th century. Humanist, philologist, and theologian. He brought an accusation of heresy against Gregory Palamas for the latter's defence of Hesychasm...
, the famous monk of
CalabriaCalabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian peninsula. It is bounded to the north by the region of Basilicata, to the south-west by the region of Sicily, to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, and to the east by the...
, he was with difficulty persuaded to come forward and meet him in a war of words and of predictive calculations of eclipses, in which Barlaam was worsted. This greatly enhanced his reputation and brought him a large number of pupils.
Gregoras remained loyal to the elder Andronicus to the last, but after his death he succeeded in gaining the favour of his grandson, by whom he was appointed to conduct the unsuccessful negotiations (for a union of the Greek and Latin churches) with the ambassadors of
Pope John XXIIPope John XXII , born Jacques Duèze , was pope from 1316 to 1334. He was the second Pope of the Avignon Papacy , elected by a conclave in Lyon assembled by Philip V of France...
(1333). Gregoras subsequently took an important part in the
HesychastHesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox Church, and some other Eastern Churches of the Byzantine Rite, practised by the Hesychast Hesychasm is an eremitic tradition of prayer in the Eastern Orthodox...
controversy, in which he violently opposed Gregorius Palamas, the chief supporter of the doctrine. After the doctrines of Palamas had been recognized at the
synodA synod is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application...
of 1351, Gregoras, who refused to acquiesce, was practically imprisoned in a monastery for two years. Nothing is known of the end of his life.
His chief work is his
Roman History, in 37 books, of the years 1204 to 1359. It thus partly supplements and partly continues the work of
George PachymeresGeorgius Pachymeres , was a Byzantine Greek historian and miscellaneous writer, was born at Nicaea, in Bithynia, where his father had taken refuge after the capture of Constantinople by the Latins in 1204...
. Gregoras shows considerable industry, but his style is pompous and affected. Far too much space is devoted to religious matters and dogmatic quarrels. This work and that of John Cantacuzene supplement and correct each other, and should be read together.
The other writings of Gregoras, which (with a few exceptions) still remain unpublished, attest his great versatility. Amongst them may be mentioned a history of the dispute with Palamas; biographies of his uncle and early instructor John, metropolitan of Heraclea, and of the martyr Codratus of Antioch; funeral orations for
Theodore MetochitesTheodore Metochites was a Byzantine statesman, author, gentleman philosopher, and patron of the arts. From c. 1305 to 1328 he held the position of personal adviser to emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos.- Life :...
, and the two emperors Andronicus; commentaries on the wanderings of
OdysseusOdysseus or Ulysses , in Greek mythology , was a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey...
and on
SynesiusSynesius , a Greek bishop of Ptolemais in the Libyan Pentapolis after 410, was born of wealthy parents, who claimed descent from Spartan kings, at Cyrene between 370 and 375.-Life:...
's treatise on dreams; tracts ‘on orthography and on words of doubtful meaning; a philosophical dialogue called
Phlorentius or
Concerning Wisdom; astronomical treatises on the date of
EasterEaster is the most important annual religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to Christian scripture, Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the third day from his crucifixion...
, on the preparation of the
astrolabeAn astrolabe is a historical astronomical instrument used by classical astronomers, navigators, and astrologers. Its many uses include locating and predicting the positions of the Sun, Moon, planets, and stars; determining local time given local latitude and vice-versa; surveying; and...
and on the predictive calculation of solar eclipses; and an extensive correspondence.
Editions: in Bonn
Corpus senitorum hist. Byz, by L. Schopen and
I. BekkerAugust Immanuel Bekker was a German philologist and critic.-Biography:Bekker was born in Berlin.He completed his classical education at the University of Halle under Friedrich August Wolf, who considered him as his most promising pupil. In 1810 he was appointed professor of philosophy in the...
, with life and list of works by J. Boivin (1829-1855);
J. P. MigneJacques Paul Migne was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood.He was born at Saint-Flour, Cantal and studied...
,
Patrologia GraecaThe Patrologia Graeca is an edited collection of writings by the Christian Church Fathers and various secular writers, in the ancient Koine or medieval variants of the Greek language. It consists of 161 volumes produced in 1857–1866 by J. P. Migne's Imprimerie Catholique...
, cxlviii., cxlix.; see also
Karl KrumbacherKarl Krumbacher , German scholar, an expert on Byzantine culture.He was born at Kurnach in Bavaria, and was educated at the universities of Munich and Leipzig, and held the professorship of the middle age and modern Greek language and literature in the former from 1897 to his death.His greatest...
,
Geschichte der byzantinischen Litteratur (1897).
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