Being Byzantine: Greek Identity Before the Ottomans, 1200-1420

by Gill Page

In 1204, the Byzantine Empire was conquered by troops from western Europe ostensibly taking part in the Fourth Crusade. This was a hugely significant event for the subjects of the Empire, radically altering the Byzantines' self-image and weakening their state for the later conflict with the Ottoman Turks. Using the theory of ethnicity - a comparatively recent tool with regard to the pre-modern era - Gill Page provides fresh insight into the late Byzantine period, providing a corrective to nationalistic interpretations of the period of Frankish rule and more broadly to generally held assumptions of ethnic hostility in the period. A systematic analysis of texts in Greek from the period 1200-1420, from both ends of the social spectrum, is backed up by an in-depth study of Frankish rule in the Peloponnese to reveal the trends in the development of Byzantine identity under the impact of the Franks.

344 pages, Hardcover

Published November 24, 2008

About the author

Gill Page is a medieval historian with a particular interest in crusader states in Greece. Her book Being Byzantine: Greek Identity before the Ottomans was published by CUP in 2008. She was thrilled to discover connections between her Greek studies and the music of the medieval west and very much enjoys exploring the musical background to the period.