IMC 2015: Sessions
Session 1724: The Empire of the Palaiologoi: Ruin or Renewal?, III - Debates and Perspectives
Thursday 9 July 2015, 14.15-15.45
| Sponsor: | Byzantine & Modern Greek Studies, Maney Publishing |
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| Organisers: | Christopher Hobbs, Department of History, Royal Holloway, University of London Brian McLaughlin, Hellenic Institute, Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Moderator/Chair: | Brian McLaughlin, Hellenic Institute, Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Paper 1724-a | Three Questions towards a Study of the Black Death in Byzantium (Language: English) Index terms: Byzantine Studies, Demography, Historiography - Medieval |
| Paper 1724-b | Retrospective Views of the Palaiologoi as a Failed Dynasty (Language: English) Index terms: Byzantine Studies, Historiography - Medieval, Politics and Diplomacy |
| Paper 1724-c | Renewal from Ruin?: History Writing under the Palaiologoi (Language: English) Index terms: Byzantine Studies, Historiography - Medieval, Language and Literature - Greek |
| Abstract | This final session discusses the portrayal of ruin and renewal by the Byzantines themselves. It investigates the contribution of the Black Death to the decline of Byzantium, along with the riddle of why, if the demographic impact in Byzantium was comparable to that in the West, it attracted much less attention among Greek writers. The Palaiologoi, who ruled during such a fraught period, were never without controversy; criticism of them by George of Pelagonia and Doukas, among others, is examined. Finally, 'ruin or renewal' is considered through the lens of historiography: the 'ruin' of the empire provoked considerable, yet under-explored, innovations in history writing. |