Patriarch Gregory IV of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Gregory IV was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople for two months in 1623.
. At the time of his election, he was old and blind in one eye, and so he was given the sobriquet Stravoamaseias , i.e. the blind of Amasya.
His short reign has to be considered in the context of the clash between the pro-Calvinist Patriarch Cyril Lucaris
, supported by the Protestant Dutch
and English
ambassador
s to the Ottoman capital, and his opponents supported by the Catholic French
, Austrian
and Venetian
ambassadors. The latter were successful at persuading the Grand Vizier
to depose Cyril Lucaris on 12 April 1623 and to appoint in his place Gregory IV, the head of the pro-Western faction.
Gregory IV proved to be incompetent and could not pay the appointment fee (peshtesh) due to the Ottoman Sultan. Further the Metropolitans
and the bishops were unsatisfied with him because he had not been canonically elected by the Holy Synod
. Thus on 18 June 1623 the Holy Synod deposed Gregory IV and formally elected Anthimus II in his place.
After his deposition, Gregory IV was exiled to the island of Rhodes
. The date of his death is not known.
Life
Before he was elected as Patriarch of Constantinople Gregory IV was Metropolitan of AmasyaAmasya
- History :Its location in this steep valley makes the city a mountain stronghold, easy to defend, and thus Amasya has had a long and prominent history.-Antiquity:...
. At the time of his election, he was old and blind in one eye, and so he was given the sobriquet Stravoamaseias , i.e. the blind of Amasya.
His short reign has to be considered in the context of the clash between the pro-Calvinist Patriarch Cyril Lucaris
Cyril Lucaris
Cyril Lucaris born Constantine Lukaris or Loucaris was a Greek prelate and theologian, and a native of Candia, Crete . He later became the Greek Patriarch of Alexandria as Cyril III and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople as Cyril I...
, supported by the Protestant Dutch
Dutch Republic
The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...
and English
Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
s to the Ottoman capital, and his opponents supported by the Catholic French
Kingdom of France
The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a...
, Austrian
Habsburg Monarchy
The Habsburg Monarchy covered the territories ruled by the junior Austrian branch of the House of Habsburg , and then by the successor House of Habsburg-Lorraine , between 1526 and 1867/1918. The Imperial capital was Vienna, except from 1583 to 1611, when it was moved to Prague...
and Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
ambassadors. The latter were successful at persuading the Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier
Grand Vizier, in Turkish Vezir-i Azam or Sadr-ı Azam , deriving from the Arabic word vizier , was the greatest minister of the Sultan, with absolute power of attorney and, in principle, dismissable only by the Sultan himself...
to depose Cyril Lucaris on 12 April 1623 and to appoint in his place Gregory IV, the head of the pro-Western faction.
Gregory IV proved to be incompetent and could not pay the appointment fee (peshtesh) due to the Ottoman Sultan. Further the Metropolitans
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
and the bishops were unsatisfied with him because he had not been canonically elected by the Holy Synod
Holy Synod
In several of the autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches and Eastern Catholic Churches, the patriarch or head bishop is elected by a group of bishops called the Holy Synod...
. Thus on 18 June 1623 the Holy Synod deposed Gregory IV and formally elected Anthimus II in his place.
After his deposition, Gregory IV was exiled to the island of Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
. The date of his death is not known.