II. Andronikos dönemi Konstantinopolis Manastırları?nda Philanthropia

The present study aims to focus on philanthropy during the reign of Emperor Andronikos II.The main sources of the study can be divided into two groups, namely primary and secondary sources. The first group consists of typikon (monastic charters) and historical accountsof the period such as Pachymeres Gregoras. It is possible to claim that Constantinopolitan monasteries of the era shared the same difficulties of the period in terms of philanthropy. They have limited income in order to survive and they are not volunteer to offer their limited sources to other institutions. Most of the typika of the period included special chapters as to not share or support any philanthropic institution. Athanasios, the Patriarch of Constantinople, deserves special interest for this research. Athanasios, as a originaly from monastic circle, tried to isolate monasteries from the outside world and blamed the extravert attitude of the monasteries for the failure of the empire. On the other hand, he struggled for the poor and obtained help from the emperor and rich. Besides, he was willing to share the monastic properties with the government in order to satisfy military needs, which paved the way for reaction from the monasteries. So, Athanasios and his management is the best proof for the dilemma of the Andronikos II?s period. Under the light of sources, there was thirty-eight active monasteries in the Andronikos II?s Constantinople. The present study focuses on the institutions which lied inside the city walls. Most of them was built or restored by the aristocratic families who were actively took part in politics and cultural life of the Palaiolgan period. Still others were built or re-built by the emperor himself and his immediate family. In addition to all there was some others which were constructed or restored by monks or patriarchs. The institutions which were restored by the aristocrats and the imperial family had great amount of income when one compares with the public in general but they were not willing to share their fortune with the public. They just limited alms and distribution of food only after the commemorations. They offered quite limited meal to the poor at the gate in certain dates.Besides, whole typika devoted an item in order to state that the monastery should be autonomous and self-governed. Self-governed monasteries also should have ephoros. Ephoros is a title that was given to a person who protect monastery and made possible that the monastery should govern as ktetor said. Most of the time this title is hereditary and given to the children of the ktetor. It is interesting that from the beginning monasteries and philanthropic institutions shared the same financial resources. In contrast, monasteries of the late Byzantine period became smaller than before and the philanthropic institutions that were inside or attached monasteries decreased in number and quality of the service they offer.So, monasteries started to keep their limited sources for themselves and excluded philanhropic institituions which means exclude the poor, children, orphans and the elder.On the other hand, monasteries of the Andronikos II?s era tried to find a way in order to help poor at the gate but they dismissed the needy children. For instance, in her typikon the ktetorissa (patron) of Bebaia Elpis Monastery forbid the education of children inside the monastery and refers limited alms and distribution at the gate. One can assume that despite the poor sources of Andronikos II?s monasteries they tried to act as philanthropic institutions.But their priority was to survive under this difficult circumstances. They just have few institutions and they ignore to attach to a philanthropic institution. When we compare this period with the Komnenian period, it is possible to claim that the monasteries of Andronikos II?s period became introvert and tried to avoid traditional roles of the monasticism during the long life of the Byzantine Empire. It is obvious that monasteries shared the economic instability of the period and they prefered to use their financial resources in order to survive. Therefore, one may assume that monasteries became more introvert and went away their traditional role as philanthropic institutions. Monasteries started to pay attention and became responsible towards the community who live inside the monastery and ktetors and their families. Keywords: Andronikos II, Palaiologan period, Constantinopolitan Monasteries, Philanthropy.II. Andronikos dönemi (1282-1328), Bizans İmparatorluğu tarihinde manastır hayatında altın çağın yaşandığı zaman aralığı olması açısından önem taşımaktadır. Ancak bunun yanında philanthropia olarak adlandırılan insan sevgisinin ve manastırların bu konudaki rolünün azaldığının görülmesi açısından dikkat çekicidir. Araştırmanın birincil kaynağını manastır yaptıranların (ktetor) hazırladıkları typikonlar (manastırın yazılı kuralları) oluşturmaktadır. Sözkonusu kaynaklar ktetorun manastırın uymasını istediği yönetimsel ve liturjik kuralları belirlemektedir. Bu kurallar, aynı zamanda manastırın dış dünyayla olan ilişkilerini ve bu ilişkilerin önemli bir parçası olan philanthropia hizmetlerinin sınırlarını da ortaya koymaktadır. Typikonlar dışında çalışmada II. Andronikos döneminin önemli tarihi kaynakları olan Pakhymeres ve Gregoras’ın tarihleri, manastırın adının geçtiği birincil kaynaklardan yararlanılmıştır. II. Andronikos döneminde Konstantinopolis kentinde suriçinde kalan ve faal olan manastırların sayısı 38 olarak belirlenmiştir. Bu yapı topluluklarının bir kısmı II. Andronikos döneminde inşa edilmiş, bir bölümü ise bu dönemde yapı eklemeleri ya da ciddi onarımlardan sonra kullanılmıştır. Bu dönemde manastırların Palaiologos döneminin ekonomik ve politik zorluklarını paylaştıkları ve geleneksel rollerinden sıyrılarak içe kapalı ve sınırlı kaynaklarını kendi varlığını sürdürmek için kullanan kurumlara dönüştükleri görülür. Dönemin Konstantinopolis patriği Athanasios’un bir yandan philanthropiayı desteklerken diğer yandan da imparatorluğun içine düştüğü felaketin sorumlusu olarak, dış dünyayla ilgilenerek asıl görevlerini unutan manastırları suçlaması ilgi çekicidir.   Anahtar Kelimeler: II. Andronikos, Palaiologos dönemi, Konstantinopolis Manastırları, Philanthropia