The Athonite Monastery of Zographou and its medieval Slavic archives (1342–1572)
The Athonite Monastery of Zographou and its medieval Slavic archives (1342–1572)

Summary/Abstract: The Bulgarian Athonite monastery of Zographou possesses only one authentic medieval Bulgarian document related to its own affairs – the chrysobull of the Bulgarian Czar, John Alexander, issued in March 1342, which confirms an earlier donations of his relative, the Byzantine emperor John V Palaiologos, made in January 1342. This charter pertains to properties located not on Bulgarian but on Byzantine territory, and consequently had no legal value of its own. The second Bulgarian royal charter kept in Zographou was issued by the Bulgarian Czar John Šišman before 1382. It has nothing to do with Zographou and refers to a monastic house situated at the foot of Mount Vitoša near what is today the Bulgarian capital of Sofia. Three other Slavic acts kept in Zographou acts date from the period 1500–1572 and elucidate one minor private donation made in 1568 and the relations between the Slavic Athonite monasteries of Chilandar and Zographou in 1500–1501, and in 1572. Two undated Slavic translations of the Greek documents, issued in 1290 and 1317, were certainly made shortly before 1572 in order to facilitate an exchange of agricultural terrains between Zographou and Chilandar. In other words, in the archives of the Bulgarian Athonite monastic house of Zographou there is only one authentic medieval Slavic document pertaining to this foundation. This conclusion is quite unusual, given the fact that the neighbouring monastery of Kastamonitou has 4 Serbian donative charters of the period 1428–1433, Vatopedi has more than 12 Slavic documents dated to the period 1230–1610, Chilandar has 85 Slavic acts issued between 1193 and 1479, the monastery of St. Paul possesses 16 Serbian documents dating from 1385 to 1495 and the Russian monastery of St. Panteleimon has 15 Serbian charters dated to the period 1349–1430.

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