The Town of Kostur (Kastoria) in the Bulgarian Middle Ages.
(About The Votive Painting of Michael II Asen and Irene Komnene
at the Metropolitan Church of the Holy Archangels in Kostur)
Authors:
Lachezar
Stoyanov
New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Tsvetana
Cholova
New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria
Zarko
Zhdrakov
NAA, Sofia, Bulgaria
Pages:
623-
649
DOI: https://doi.org/10.54664/TZGJ9555
Abstract:
Over the centuries, the Bulgarians have preserved a stable tradition of
regarding their country as consisting of three parts. They called the third part the
“Newly joined” and “Lower Bulgaria”. In this part, St. Clement of Ohrid established
an important literary centre in Ohrid, and Tsar Samuel turned the city into the capital
of the state and into the seat of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.
After the conquest of Bulgaria in 1018, Emperor Basil II carried out a policy of integration,
thus respecting its traditions and peculiarities. From the territory of Samuel’s
state, the theme of Bulgaria was formed, and the independent Bulgarian Patriarchate
was replaced by the Archdiocese of Ohrid, subordinate to the Patriarch of
Constantinople. To emphasize the continuity between them, the title of the head was
“Archbishop of entire Bulgaria”, whereas Kostur (Kastoria) as the oldest among its
metropolitans, bore the titles of “First Throne of entire Old Bulgaria” and “Exarch
of entire Old Bulgaria”. In different versions, these titles were carried by him until
the establishment of the Bulgarian Exarchate in 1870.
After the restoration of the Bulgarian state in 1185, the capital Tarnovo became
the seat of the new Bulgarian Patriarchate as well. Thus, there were two Bulgarian
church institutions existing in parallel. They were often under the influence of various
external factors. In Kostur, Irene Komnene expressed her ambition to make her
underage son the next Bulgarian tsar. In 1256, he took the name of Michael II Asen
and became tsar, and Irene became his regent. Namely because of the title of the Metropolitan
of Kostur and his connection with the possessions in the Kostur region, it
is logical that the Bulgarian Queen Irene Komnene was depicted in a votive painting
on the front wall of the Metropolitan Church.
624
The Metropolitan Church of the Holy Archangels (ὁ Ταξιάρχης τῆς Μητροπόλεως) in
the town of Kastoria drew the attention of researchers mainly with the images depicted
on its western façade. Since A. Orlandos (1937) and I. Duychev’s (1943) publication
of the inscriptions accompanying the images, which were not well preserved
even at that period, the discussion about their identification is still ongoing. It was I.
Duychev who pointed out for the first time that the images belonged to the Bulgarian
Tsar Michael II Asen and his mother Irene Komnene.
The royal personages are depicted in praying postures at the feet of their patron
Archangel Michael south at the entrance of the temple, at the right and left sides of
the Archistrategos of the Heavenly host, whereas Archangel Gabriel is painted north
of the entrance. The votive painting covers the entire western façade of the church.
The portraits are explored in the context of the iconography of the façade decoration.
The study throws light on the conceptual design of the artistic painting in connection
with the refinement of its dating.
Votive portraits of Michael II Asen and Irene Komnene might have been created during
their exile in Kastoria, which explains the absence of the royal insignia. The
former Bulgarian ruler found refuge at her brother’s in the Epiric despotism, and
she ruled the Protothronos of Kastoria, as witnessed by an inscription in Greek seen
along her portrait. However, it does not exist anymore and the translation reads:
“Irene, ruler of Kastoria”.
The portraits reflect not only the humble status of the royals, but also their claim to
the succession to the throne in Tarnovo. The portrait of Michael II Asen has a conditional
character and does not take into account the age features of a little boy. It
rather presents him as a legitimate ruler, a pretender to the throne. The portrait was
signed as a propaganda inscription in Greek, which reads: “Michael, son of the great
Tsar Asen.” The successor to the throne in exile was deprived of the royal dignity
and of the privilege of bearing the title of “king of Bulgarians and Greeks” with the
insignia of imperial power. Irene Komnene is also represented in accordance with her
social status as ruler of Kostur.
The ideological and propaganda conception of the votive paintings on the western
facade of the Metropolitan Church in Kastoria sheds light on the political context.
The archangels on both sides of the entrance are not only guardians, but also patrons
of the temple and the royal persons. The archangels proclaim the good news about
the royal power of Michael II Asen, and the incarnation of the King of kings Jesus
Christ into the Mother of God and the adoration of him.
Keywords:
Bulgarian Middle Ages; third part of Bulgaria; “Lower Bulgaria”; Kastoria;
Metropolitan Church; votive painting; Michael II Asen; Irene Komnene; ideological
conception
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