Reinventing the Capital: The Ideological Use of Monumental Architecture in Michael VIII Palaiologos’ Constantinople (1261–1282)

Jessica Varsallona

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Abstract

After the recapture of Constantinople (1261), Michael VIII Palaiologos (1259–82) reshaped the city through extensive building activities. Though scholars have previously considered the involvement of Emperor Michael in the urban restoration of the capital, no attention has been devoted to the links between the different aspects of this programme of renewal. This paper advocates for the presence of an ambitious and systematic urban plan behind Michael VIII’s commissions focussed on the restoration of the southern shore of Constantinople and related to the political, religious, ideological, and aesthetic policies of the emperor.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)155-177
Number of pages23
JournalEurasian Studies
Volume19
Issue number1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 7 Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Constantinople
  • architecture
  • topography
  • monuments
  • Michael VIII
  • Palaiologoi

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