The Fate of Byzantine Government Archives After the Turkish Conquest of Constantinople
After the Turkish conquest of Constantinople in 1453, the fate of the Byzantine government archives was complex. Many of the archives that contained a wealth of administrative, legal, and historical documents were either destroyed or lost during the siege and subsequent looting of the city. However, the Ottomans recognized the importance of some documents and sought to preserve aspects of Byzantine administration and governance.
Some of the Byzantine archives were repurposed for the use of the new Ottoman administration. They incorporated certain practices and documents from the Byzantine system into their own governance. However, much of the original Byzantine archival material was either neglected or destroyed in the turmoil of the conquest. Considering the importance of documents as primary sources, which offer a direct and sincere view into the inner workings of power, this loss remains a significant hole in our historical understanding.
Surviving Documents and Archives
While scholars today study Byzantine history through surviving manuscripts, documents, and secondary sources, the original archives as they existed prior to the conquest largely vanished. However, some documents did survive in various forms or were integrated into Ottoman records. These surviving documents are crucial for understanding the history and administration of the Byzantine Empire.
The most important document archive was the imperial library, but it has not survived. The two falls of Constantinople, in 1204 and 1453, are responsible for a considerable part of the destruction, with the first one being the most catastrophic. Other factors like fires and floods also contributed to the loss. The Byzantines, being diligent, often cleaned up their archives themselves, reducing the overall volume and ensuring that writing materials were used efficiently.
Surviving Documents Preserved in Monasteries
A significant number of Byzantine documents have survived and are preserved in monasteries, with a substantial portion kept in the Holy Mountain, Mount Athos. The Monastery of Xeropotamou, for instance, has thirty Byzantine documents, including a chrysobull of Michael VIII Palaiologos and prostagmata of Andronicus II Palaiologos. These documents cover issues associated with the monasteries where they are kept.
The oldest surviving documents are from the 9th and 10th centuries, while the latest come from the 15th century. These documents have been crucial for Byzantinists and philologists, who have been working on them for over a century. The documents of the Monastery of Mount Athos have been edited in the series Actes d'Athos, while more systematic and ambitious editions have been compiled in the Archives de l'Athos series, which has given us twenty-two volumes with diplomatic editions, indexes, introductions, and analysis.
Conclusion
The loss of the Byzantine government archives is a significant challenge for historians and scholars studying the Byzantine Empire. While the original documents have largely vanished, the surviving ones provide crucial insights into the empire's administrative, legal, and historical development. The meticulous preservation efforts in monasteries, particularly in Mount Athos, have helped to preserve much of this invaluable historical material.