Patriarch Joasaph I of Constantinople
Encyclopedia
Antony Joasaph I Kokkas was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople in the 1460s. The exact dates of his reign are disputed by scholars at various times ranging from 1462 to 1465.
. During his patriarchate he had to face troubles caused by clashes with monks and intrigues of the Greek nobility.
The intrigue that led to the tragic end of Joasaph's patriarchate involved the scholar and politician George Amiroutzes
, renowned for having persuaded Emperor David of Trebizond
to surrender to the Ottomans, and who, along with all the nobility of the former Empire of Trebizond
, had moved to Istanbul
. George Amiroutzes had became an intimate of Sultan Mehmed II and wanted to marry the beautiful Mouchliotissa, widow of last Duke of Athens Franco Acciaioli, notwithstanding that he was already married and his wife was still alive. Patriarch Joasaph refused to grant his permission because it was a case of bigamy
under canon law
. George Amiroutzes pressed forward and turned to his cousin, the Grand Vizier
Mahmud Pasha Angelović, who tried to influence the Holy Synod
to depose Joasaph. Some scholars propose different details for these events.
Irritated by the refusal of Joasaph to allow the new marriage of Amiroutzes, Sultan Mehmed II ordered the Patriarch's humiliation by cutting his beard, and punished also the Megas Ekklesiarches (i.e. Head Sacristan
) Manuel, the future Patriarch Maximus III
, by cutting his nose. These events led Joasaph to a state of depression which culminated in his attempted suicide: the day of Easter 1463 (10 April) he deliberately threw himself in the cistern
beneath the Pammakaristos Church
.
Joasaph was rescued, deposed and exiled to Anchialos
, opening the way for George Amiroutzes to marry his new wife.
and before Sophronius I
, dating it between April 1462 and Easter 1463.
Other scholars, following Bishop Gemanos of Sardeis (1933–8) and Grumel (1958), as well as the official website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, propose that Joasaph I reigned after Sophronius I and before Mark II
, suggesting that his reign begun in early 1465 (or July 1465) and ended in first months of 1466. Blanchet (2001) places the beginning of the reign of Joasaph in summer 1464 directly after Sophronius.
Furthermore, there is no consensus among scholars on the length and chronology of the second and third terms of Gennadius Scholarius which supposedly alternated the patriarchates of Joasaph and Sophronius. For a comparison of the main scholar suggestions, see the List of Patriarchs of Constantinople.
Life
Antony Kokkas was born probably to Western parents and he became a monk. According to Laurent and Kiminas he was elected as Patriarch with the name of Joasaph on 1 April 1462, in a rush the day after the death of Patriarch Isidore IIPatriarch Isidore II of Constantinople
-Life:Little is known about the life and the patriarchate of Isidore. His surname derives from the Xanthopoulon monastery in Istanbul which he entered, becoming a hieromonk and later rising to be its abbot. Isidore worked alongside Gennadius Scholarius during the Council of Florence and was one of...
. During his patriarchate he had to face troubles caused by clashes with monks and intrigues of the Greek nobility.
The intrigue that led to the tragic end of Joasaph's patriarchate involved the scholar and politician George Amiroutzes
George Amiroutzes
George Amiroutzes was a Pontic Greek Renaissance scholar and philosopher.He was born in Trebizond, lived and taught in Italy and eventually died in Constantinople. He is considered as a controversial figure of the late Byzantine era...
, renowned for having persuaded Emperor David of Trebizond
David of Trebizond
David Megas Komnenos was the last Emperor of Trebizond from 1459 to 1461. He was the third son of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene....
to surrender to the Ottomans, and who, along with all the nobility of the former Empire of Trebizond
Empire of Trebizond
The Empire of Trebizond, founded in April 1204, was one of three Byzantine successor states of the Byzantine Empire. However, the creation of the Empire of Trebizond was not directly related to the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, rather it had broken away from the Byzantine Empire...
, had moved to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
. George Amiroutzes had became an intimate of Sultan Mehmed II and wanted to marry the beautiful Mouchliotissa, widow of last Duke of Athens Franco Acciaioli, notwithstanding that he was already married and his wife was still alive. Patriarch Joasaph refused to grant his permission because it was a case of bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
under canon law
Canon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
. George Amiroutzes pressed forward and turned to his cousin, 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...
Mahmud Pasha Angelović, who tried to influence 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...
to depose Joasaph. Some scholars propose different details for these events.
Irritated by the refusal of Joasaph to allow the new marriage of Amiroutzes, Sultan Mehmed II ordered the Patriarch's humiliation by cutting his beard, and punished also the Megas Ekklesiarches (i.e. Head Sacristan
Sacristan
A sacristan is an officer who is charged with the care of the sacristy, the church, and their contents.In ancient times many duties of the sacristan were performed by the doorkeepers , later by the treasurers and mansionarii...
) Manuel, the future Patriarch Maximus III
Patriarch Maximus III of Constantinople
Maximus III , born Manuel Christonymos , was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1476 to his death in 1482, and a scholar. He is honoured as a saint in the Eastern Orthodox Church and his feast day is November 17.-Life:...
, by cutting his nose. These events led Joasaph to a state of depression which culminated in his attempted suicide: the day of Easter 1463 (10 April) he deliberately threw himself in the cistern
Cistern
A cistern is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. Cisterns are distinguished from wells by their waterproof linings...
beneath the Pammakaristos Church
Pammakaristos Church
Pammakaristos Church, also known as the Church of Theotokos Pammakaristos , in 1591 converted into a mosque and known as Fethiye Mosque and today partly a museum, is one of the most famous Byzantine churches in Istanbul, Turkey...
.
Joasaph was rescued, deposed and exiled to Anchialos
Pomorie
Pomorie is a town and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, located on a narrow rocky peninsula in Burgas Bay on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is situated in Burgas Province, 20 km away from the city of Burgas and 18 km from the Sunny Beach resort. The ultrasaline lagoon...
, opening the way for George Amiroutzes to marry his new wife.
Disputed chronology
The chronology of the reign of Joasaph I Kokkas is disputed among scholars. Recent scholarship, such as Kiminas (2009), Podskalsky (1988), Laurent (1968) and Runciman (1985) place the reign of Joasaph I Kokkas after Isidore IIPatriarch Isidore II of Constantinople
-Life:Little is known about the life and the patriarchate of Isidore. His surname derives from the Xanthopoulon monastery in Istanbul which he entered, becoming a hieromonk and later rising to be its abbot. Isidore worked alongside Gennadius Scholarius during the Council of Florence and was one of...
and before Sophronius I
Patriarch Sophronius I of Constantinople
Sophronius I was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1463 to 1464. The dates of his reign are disputed by scholars in a range from 1462 to 1465.-Life:Almost nothing is known about the life and the patriarchate of Sophronius...
, dating it between April 1462 and Easter 1463.
Other scholars, following Bishop Gemanos of Sardeis (1933–8) and Grumel (1958), as well as the official website of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, propose that Joasaph I reigned after Sophronius I and before Mark II
Patriarch Mark II of Constantinople
Mark II Xylokaravis was Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from 1465 to 1466. In 1467 he became Archbishop of Ohrid, a post he held until his death.-Life:...
, suggesting that his reign begun in early 1465 (or July 1465) and ended in first months of 1466. Blanchet (2001) places the beginning of the reign of Joasaph in summer 1464 directly after Sophronius.
Furthermore, there is no consensus among scholars on the length and chronology of the second and third terms of Gennadius Scholarius which supposedly alternated the patriarchates of Joasaph and Sophronius. For a comparison of the main scholar suggestions, see the List of Patriarchs of Constantinople.