State and church in Byzantium during the civil war of 1321-1328: the emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos and the patriarchs Gerasimos I and Esaias

The goal of the present research work is to determine the role of church in political events during the war between Andronikos II and Andronikos III Palaiologoi (1321-1328) in the Byzantine empire. Its urgency is defined by incomplete explanation of this aspect in Russian and foreign historiography. The first part of the article is devoted to the study of relations between the state and the church during the Andronikos II Palaiologos’ earlier rule (1282-1320). The author concludes that under the church troubles patriarchs sought to rely on the ruling emperor but happened to have no support. As far as state-church relations during the civil war are concerned, they are studied in the second part of the research work. The author puts an emphasis on the patriarchs Gerasimos I (1320-1321) and Esaias’ (1323-1334) political position and clears up the degree of their participation in the conflict between the emperors. He finds out that the church role in political events at that time was high enough. The crisis of power led to a change in relations between patriarchs and Andronikos II; in other words, during the civil war period they did not support him and came down on the side of his grandson. At the same time the synod remained loyal to the ruling emperor.