Tarnovo Literary School
Encyclopedia
The Tarnovo Literary School of the late 14th and 15th century was a major medieval Bulgaria
n cultural academy with important contribution to the Medieval Bulgarian literature
established in the capital of Bulgaria Tarnovo. It was part of the Tarnovo School of Art which was characteristic for the culture of the Second Bulgarian Empire
With the orthographic reform of Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo
and prominent representatives such as Gregory Tsamblak
or Constantine of Kostenets
the school influenced Russian, Serbian, Wallachian and Moldavian medieval culture. That is famous in Russia as the second South-Slavic influence.
(1331-1371) to literature and art and the traditions that he left to his sons and successors Ivan Shishman
and Ivan Stratsimir in that direction. Patriarch Theodosius of Tarnovo
also had some credit to the establishment of the School.
The school was established in the capital of the Bulgarian Empire
Tarnovo by Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo
. With his orthographic and linguistic reform rules of the Bulgarian language
were established and wrongly translated texts were corrected. These corrected texts became models for the Orthodox churches of Bulgaria, Serbia
, Wallachia
, Moldavia
and Russia
using the Church Slavonic language.
The main work of the writers of the Tarnovo Literary School included writing original literature, translation of books from Greek and creation of compilations.
. Its character was mainly religious. The main genre
was Hagiography
which included praising epistles, passionals, hymns and others. The main task for the authors of the passionals was to glorify the saint
s. There is stress on the element of miracles which is compulsory for that genre used by most of the writers, such as Evtimiy and Tsamblak. The attitude to the different heretic movements like Bogomilism
, Varlaamism or Adamism
is very hostile which mirrored the official position of the Tarnovo Patriarchate.
Stories for movement of saints' relics were very wide spread. There is no agreement whether these stories can be considered for sequels of the passionals or a separate genre. Along with the consolidation of the miraculous properties of the relics, the authors praised the rulers who took care of the movement and safe-keeping of the relics which always contain short but valuable historical information.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n cultural academy with important contribution to the Medieval Bulgarian literature
Medieval Bulgarian literature
The Medieval Bulgarian literature may be defined as the Bulgarian literature in the Middle Ages written in the Bulgarian Empire or outside its borders....
established in the capital of Bulgaria Tarnovo. It was part of the Tarnovo School of Art which was characteristic for the culture of the Second Bulgarian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
With the orthographic reform of Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo
Patriarch Evtimiy of Bulgaria
Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo was Patriarch of Bulgaria between 1375 and 1393. Regarded as one of the most important figures of medieval Bulgaria, Evtimiy was the last head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Second Bulgarian Empire...
and prominent representatives such as Gregory Tsamblak
Gregory Tsamblak
Gregory Tsamblak ; was a Bulgarian writer and cleric, metropolitan of Kiev between 1413 and 1420. His name is also spelled Gregorije Camblak....
or Constantine of Kostenets
Constantine of Kostenets
Constantine of Kostenets , also known as Konstantin Kostenechki and Constantine the Philosopher , was a medieval Bulgarian writer and chronicler...
the school influenced Russian, Serbian, Wallachian and Moldavian medieval culture. That is famous in Russia as the second South-Slavic influence.
Origin and development
The main prerequisite for the Tarnovo Literary School was the cultural revival of the late 14th century. It was largely due to the interest of Emperor Ivan AlexanderIvan Alexander of Bulgaria
Ivan Alexander , also known as John Alexander, ruled as Emperor of Bulgaria from 1331 to 1371, during the Second Bulgarian Empire. The date of his birth is unknown. He died on February 17, 1371. The long reign of Ivan Alexander is considered a transitional period in Bulgarian medieval history...
(1331-1371) to literature and art and the traditions that he left to his sons and successors Ivan Shishman
Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria
Ivan Shishman ruled as emperor of Bulgaria in Tarnovo from 1371 to 3 July 1395. The authority of Ivan Shishman was limited to the central parts of the Bulgarian Empire. His indecisive and inconsistent policy did little to prevent the fall of his country under Ottoman rule. In 1393 the Ottoman...
and Ivan Stratsimir in that direction. Patriarch Theodosius of Tarnovo
Theodosius of Tarnovo
The Holy Venerable Theodosius of Tarnovo was a high-ranking 14th-century Bulgarian cleric and hermit and the person credited with establishing hesychasm in the Second Bulgarian Empire...
also had some credit to the establishment of the School.
The school was established in the capital of the Bulgarian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
Tarnovo by Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo
Patriarch Evtimiy of Bulgaria
Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo was Patriarch of Bulgaria between 1375 and 1393. Regarded as one of the most important figures of medieval Bulgaria, Evtimiy was the last head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Second Bulgarian Empire...
. With his orthographic and linguistic reform rules of the Bulgarian language
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
were established and wrongly translated texts were corrected. These corrected texts became models for the Orthodox churches of Bulgaria, Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
, Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
, Moldavia
Moldavia
Moldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
and Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
using the Church Slavonic language.
The main work of the writers of the Tarnovo Literary School included writing original literature, translation of books from Greek and creation of compilations.
Characteristics
The Tarnovo Literary School was influenced by the Byzantine literatureByzantine literature
Byzantine literature may be defined as the Greek literature of the Middle Ages, whether written in the territory of the Byzantine Empire or outside its borders...
. Its character was mainly religious. The main genre
Genre
Genre , Greek: genos, γένος) is the term for any category of literature or other forms of art or culture, e.g. music, and in general, any type of discourse, whether written or spoken, audial or visual, based on some set of stylistic criteria. Genres are formed by conventions that change over time...
was Hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
which included praising epistles, passionals, hymns and others. The main task for the authors of the passionals was to glorify the saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
s. There is stress on the element of miracles which is compulsory for that genre used by most of the writers, such as Evtimiy and Tsamblak. The attitude to the different heretic movements like Bogomilism
Bogomilism
Bogomilism was a Gnostic religiopolitical sect founded in the First Bulgarian Empire by the priest Bogomil during the reign of Tsar Petar I in the 10th century...
, Varlaamism or Adamism
Adamites
The Adamites, or Adamians, were adherents of an Early Christian sect that flourished in North Africa in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th centuries, but knew later revivals.-Ancient Adamites:...
is very hostile which mirrored the official position of the Tarnovo Patriarchate.
Stories for movement of saints' relics were very wide spread. There is no agreement whether these stories can be considered for sequels of the passionals or a separate genre. Along with the consolidation of the miraculous properties of the relics, the authors praised the rulers who took care of the movement and safe-keeping of the relics which always contain short but valuable historical information.
Representatives
The main representatives include:- Evtimiy of TarnovoPatriarch Evtimiy of BulgariaSaint Evtimiy of Tarnovo was Patriarch of Bulgaria between 1375 and 1393. Regarded as one of the most important figures of medieval Bulgaria, Evtimiy was the last head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Second Bulgarian Empire...
- a disciple of Theodosius of Tarnovo. He was a creator and head of the Tarnovo Literary School, as well as a teacher. He was author of passionals, praising epistles, breves and others. Except for his reform, Evtimiy introduced a new genre in the Orthodox literature which included features of both passionals and praising epistles. - Grigoriy Dobropisets - a disciple of Theodosius of Tarnovo, author of the passional of the Bulgarian saint Romil of Vidin.
- Dionisiy DivniyDionisiy DivniyDionisiy Divniy was a Bulgarian writer and translator of the second half of the 14th century. He was a representative of the Tarnovo Literary School....
- a disciple of Theodosius of Tarnovo. He was famous for translating books from Greek to Bulgarian and thus won his nickname Divni, meaning marvelous. - CyprianCyprian, Metropolitan of MoscowCyprian was Metropolitan of Moscow , Metropolitan of Moscow and all Russia . He lived for some time at Mount Athos...
- a disciple of Theodosius of Tarnovo. Author of passionals, hymns and other works and translator. - Gregory TsamblakGregory TsamblakGregory Tsamblak ; was a Bulgarian writer and cleric, metropolitan of Kiev between 1413 and 1420. His name is also spelled Gregorije Camblak....
- a disciple of Evtimiy. With his work in Visoki Dečani, MoldaviaMoldaviaMoldavia is a geographic and historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester river...
and the Russian principalities, he spread the ideas of his teacher and the influence of the Tarnovo Literary School. He was author of numerous works including Praising epistle for Evtimiy which contains valuable data for the Patriarch and the Bulgarian history and Book of Gregory Tsamblak which is the only collection with works of a Slavic writer from that time. - Constantine of KostenetsConstantine of KostenetsConstantine of Kostenets , also known as Konstantin Kostenechki and Constantine the Philosopher , was a medieval Bulgarian writer and chronicler...
- a disciple of Andrey who was a direct follower of Evtimiy. He lived and worked in the court of the Serbian despot Stefan LazarevićStefan LazarevicStefan Lazarević known also as Stevan the Tall was a Serbian Despot, ruler of the Serbian Despotate between 1389 and 1427. He was the son and heir to Prince Lazar, who died at the Battle of Kosovo against the Turks in 1389, and Princess Milica from the subordinate branch of the Nemanjić dynasty...
. He established in the PomoraviePomoravlje (region)Pomoravlje , is a general term which in its widest sense marks valleys of any of three Morava rivers in Serbia: West Morava , Južna Morava and Great Morava . In the narrow sense, term is applied only to the Greater Pomoravlje...
region the Resava Literary School. - Joasaph of Bdin - the teacher of the bishop of VidinVidinVidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in northwestern Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Serbia and Romania, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin...
was unknown but his work Praising epistle for the movement of St Philotea relics from Tarnovo to Vidin contained all features of the Tarnovo Literary School. The author demonstrated great respect to Evtimiy of Tarnovo. - Vladislav the GrammarianVladislav the GrammarianVladislav the Grammarian was a fifteenth-century Bulgarian monk, writer, historian and theologian.He worked in both medieval Bulgaria and Serbia and is regarded as both Serbian and Bulgarian author...
- a late representative. He was a translator, compilator, transcriber and calligrapher. His only known author work is Rila novellete which is a sequel to Passional of St John of Rila by Evtimiy. The work contains important date for the reestablishment of the Rila MonasteryRila MonasteryThe Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, better known as the Rila Monastery is the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It is situated in the southwestern Rila Mountains, south of the capital Sofia in the deep valley of the Rilska River at an elevation of above sea level...
in the second half of the 15th century and the transfer of the relics of St John of RilaJohn of RilaSaint John of Rila was the first Bulgarian hermit. He was revered as a saint while he was still alive. The legend surrounding him tells of wild animals that freely came up to him and birds that landed in his hands. His followers founded many churches in his honor, including the famous Rila...
in the monastery in 1469. - Dimitar Kantakuzin - a late representative. He was a descendant of the Kantakouzenos family. He wrote in Bulgarian and Greek language. Kantakuzin was author of many works such as Passional and short praising of John of Rila, Geographic description, Epistle to domestikos Isay, poetic works with Christian theme.
See also
|
Patriarch Evtimiy of Bulgaria Saint Evtimiy of Tarnovo was Patriarch of Bulgaria between 1375 and 1393. Regarded as one of the most important figures of medieval Bulgaria, Evtimiy was the last head of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church in the Second Bulgarian Empire... Cyrillic alphabet The Cyrillic script or azbuka is an alphabetic writing system developed in the First Bulgarian Empire during the 10th century AD at the Preslav Literary School... Medieval Bulgarian literature The Medieval Bulgarian literature may be defined as the Bulgarian literature in the Middle Ages written in the Bulgarian Empire or outside its borders.... Third Rome The term Third Rome describes the idea that some European city, state, or country is the successor to the legacy of the Roman Empire and its successor state, the Byzantine Empire .... |
Sources
- „Страници из историята на Търновската книжовна школа“, Георги Данчев, издателство „Наука и изкуство“, София, 1983 г.
- „Григорий Цамблак“, Константин Мечев, издателство „Наука и изкуство“, София, 1969 г.