John Camaterus
Encyclopedia
John X Kamateros was the Patriarch of Constantinople
from 5 August 1198 to April/May 1206.
John was a member of the Kamateros
family, to which belonged the Empress Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera
, wife of Alexios III Angelos
(r. 1195–1203). An educated man, well versed in classical literature, rhetoric and philosophy, he occupied a series of ecclesiastical posts reaching the post of chartophylax
, which he held at the time of his elevation to the patriarchal throne.
In 1198–1200 he had an exchange of letters with Pope Innocent III
on the issue of papal supremacy
and the filioque clause. Notably, he disputed Rome's claim to primacy based on St Peter, and asserted that in reality its primacy came from the fact that Rome was the old imperial capital. He intervened in the riots in Constantinople against the arrest of the banker Kalomodios, and secured his release, but during the coup of John Komnenos the Fat
on 31 July 1200, he hid in a cupboard as the rebels seized control of the Hagia Sophia
.
John remained in office after Alexios III's deposition in July 1203, and according to Western sources, both he and Alexios IV Angelos
, threatened by the Fourth Crusade
, acknowledged papal supremacy in the same year. After the capture
of Constantinople
during the Fourth Crusade
in 1204, he initially fled to Didymoteichon in Thrace
. In 1206, Theodore I Laskaris
invited him to Nicaea, where he had established the Empire of Nicaea
, a Byzantine Greek successor state, but John refused, perhaps because of his advanced age, and died in April or May of the same year.
The Crusaders then installed a Latin Patriarch
in Constantinople, while Theodore simply created a new Greek Patriarchate in Nicaea, which was eventually restored in Constantinople with the rest of the Empire in 1261.
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
from 5 August 1198 to April/May 1206.
John was a member of the Kamateros
Kamateros
The Kamateros or Camaterus were a Byzantine family of functionaries from Constantinople that became prominent in the 10th–12th centuries. Several family members were scholars and literary patrons. The feminine form of the name is Kamatera ....
family, to which belonged the Empress Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera
Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera
Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina or better Kamatera was the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios III Angelos.Euphrosyne was the daughter of Andronikos Doukas Kamateros, a high-ranking official who held the titles of megas droungarios and pansebastos . She was related to the Emperor Constantine X...
, wife of Alexios III Angelos
Alexios III Angelos
Alexios III Angelos was Byzantine Emperor from 1195 to 1203.- Early life:Alexios III Angelos was the second son of Andronikos Angelos and Euphrosyne Kastamonitissa. Andronicus was himself a son of Theodora Komnene, the youngest daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Irene Doukaina. Thus...
(r. 1195–1203). An educated man, well versed in classical literature, rhetoric and philosophy, he occupied a series of ecclesiastical posts reaching the post of chartophylax
Chartophylax
A chartophylax , sometimes also referred to as a chartoularios, was an ecclesiastical officer in charge of official documents and records in the Greek Orthodox Church in Byzantine times....
, which he held at the time of his elevation to the patriarchal throne.
In 1198–1200 he had an exchange of letters with Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III was Pope from 8 January 1198 until his death. His birth name was Lotario dei Conti di Segni, sometimes anglicised to Lothar of Segni....
on the issue of papal supremacy
Papal supremacy
Papal supremacy refers to the doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church that the pope, by reason of his office as Vicar of Christ and as pastor of the entire Christian Church, has full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered: that, in brief,...
and the filioque clause. Notably, he disputed Rome's claim to primacy based on St Peter, and asserted that in reality its primacy came from the fact that Rome was the old imperial capital. He intervened in the riots in Constantinople against the arrest of the banker Kalomodios, and secured his release, but during the coup of John Komnenos the Fat
John Komnenos the Fat
John Komnenos , nicknamed "the Fat" , was a Byzantine noble who on 31 July 1201 attempted to usurp the imperial throne from Alexios III Angelos in a short-lived coup in Constantinople...
on 31 July 1200, he hid in a cupboard as the rebels seized control of the Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia is a former Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, and now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey...
.
John remained in office after Alexios III's deposition in July 1203, and according to Western sources, both he and Alexios IV Angelos
Alexios IV Angelos
Alexios IV Angelos was Byzantine Emperor from August 1203 to January 1204. He was the son of emperor Isaac II Angelus and his first wife Irene. His paternal uncle was Emperor Alexius III Angelus....
, threatened by the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
, acknowledged papal supremacy in the same year. After the capture
Siege of Constantinople (1204)
The Siege of Constantinople occurred in 1204; it destroyed parts of the capital of the Byzantine Empire as it was confiscated by Western European and Venetian Crusaders...
of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
during the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
in 1204, he initially fled to Didymoteichon in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
. In 1206, Theodore I Laskaris
Theodore I Laskaris
Theodoros I Komnenos Laskaris was emperor of Nicaea .-Family:Theodore Laskaris was born to the Laskaris, a noble but not particularly renowned Byzantine family of Constantinople. He was the son of Manuel Laskaris and wife Ioanna Karatzaina . He had four older brothers: Manuel Laskaris Theodoros...
invited him to Nicaea, where he had established the Empire of Nicaea
Empire of Nicaea
The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the three Byzantine Greek successor states founded by the aristocracy of the Byzantine Empire that fled after Constantinople was occupied by Western European and Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade...
, a Byzantine Greek successor state, but John refused, perhaps because of his advanced age, and died in April or May of the same year.
The Crusaders then installed a Latin Patriarch
Latin Patriarch of Constantinople
The Latin Patriarch of Constantinople was an office established as a result of Crusader activity in the Near East. The title should not be confused with that of the Patriarch of Constantinople, an office which existed before and after....
in Constantinople, while Theodore simply created a new Greek Patriarchate in Nicaea, which was eventually restored in Constantinople with the rest of the Empire in 1261.