A Political-Theological Evaluation for the Narrative of Basil I’s Arrival to Constantinople in Vita Basilii

Abstract

Vita Basilii, which focuses on the life of Emperor Basileios I, is a biographical work with hagiographic elements. The work, written in the 10th century by Basileios’ grandson Konstantinos VII Porphyrogenitus or a committee of writers he commisioned, provides a detailed account of Basileios’life. The work is extremely important due to the intense symbolism it contains. However, upon closer examination, this symbolism reveals much more than being merely a literary embellishment. The motifs used in the work, such as the eagle and the apple, originating from ancient rhetoric and Christian symbolism, are some of the elements skillfully placed in the life story of the emperor. When examined in depth, these motifs emerge as instruments of sovereignty and power symbolism, all of which foreshadow Basileios’ future as a powerful emperor. In addition, the visions and dreams in the work indicate that the series of events that led Basileios to the Byzantine throne were God's divine plans. In this study, first of all, the intensely symbolic details covered in Vita Basilii will be subjected to in-depth research and various subtext readings will be subjected to in-depth analysis, and various subtextual readings will be conducted.

Keywords

• Vita Basilii
• Basileios I
• Macedonian Dynasty
• political-theological symbolism
• oneirocritic

Vita Basilii’de I. Basileios’un Konstantinopolis’e Geliş Anlatısı Üzerine Politik-Teolojik Bir Değerlendirme

Abstract

İmparator I. Basileios’un yaşamını konu edinen Vita Basilii, hagiyografik ögelere sahip bir biyografi metnidir. Basileios’un torunu VII. Konstantinos Porphyrogenitus ya da onun hazırladığı bir yazar kurulu tarafından 10. yüzyılda kaleme alınan eser, Basileios’un imparator olmadan önceki yaşamını son derece detaylı bir şekilde ele aldıktan sonra, onun Bizans tahtına yükselişini ve ardından saltanatı süresince gerçekleştirdiği faaliyetlerini konu edinir. Eser, içeriğindeki yoğun sembolizm sebebiyle son derece önemlidir. Ancak bu sembolizm, bir alt metin okumasıyla incelendiğinde imparatoru methetmek için kurulmuş söz sanatlarından çok daha fazlasına işaret etmektedir. Eserde kullanılan kartal ve elma gibi kaynağını antik dönem retoriğinden ve Hristiyan sembolizminden alan motifler, imparatorun yaşam öyküsüne ustaca yerleştirilmiş ögelerden bazılarıdır. Derinlemesine incelendiğinde bu motiflerin egemenlik ve güç sembolizminin araçları oldukları görülmektedir ki hepsi Basileios’un gelecekte kudretli bir imparator olacağını simgeler. Bunun yanı sıra eserde yer verilen vizyon ve rüyalar da Basileios’u Bizans tahtına götüren olaylar silsilesinin Tanrı’nın birer planı olduğuna işaret etmektedir. Ancak tüm bu sembolizm imparatorun yaşamına kudret ve kutsiyet atfetmekten ziyade çok daha önemli bir amaca hizmet etmektedir: I. Basileios’un tahta geçiş anlatısını kahramanca bir çerçevede sunmak ve hanedanın taht üzerindeki hakkını pekiştirmek. Bu çalışmada, öncelikle Vita Basilii’de işlenen yoğun sembolik detaylar derin bir incelemeye tabi tutularak bunlara dair çeşitli alt metin okumaları yapılacaktır. Bu alt metin okumalarından hareketle I. Basileios’un ve Makedonya Hanedanı’nın meşruiyetini pekiştirme sebepleri ve Vita Basilii’nin bu amaca ne ölçüde hizmet ettiği incelenecektir.

Keywords

• Vita Basilii
• I. Basileios
• Makedonya Hanedanı
• politik-teolojik sembolizm
• oneirokritik

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