Un retiro para privilegiados: el Monte Athos a finales del siglo XIV. La compra de pensiones vitalicias

Abstract

During the first half of the 14th century, the Byzantine Empire culminated in a serious political crisis which led to grave consequences in the society of the moment. The loss of great part of its territory in the hands of Serbians and Turks plunged a significant number of Byzantine landowners into poverty. Some of them sought refuge or means of subsistence by purchasing allowances (adelphata) to the monasteries of the Mont Athos. At the end of the 14th century, the acquisition of such allowances has an important development amongst of the Byzantine-Slavic aristocracy, thus developing a complex system of relationship between the former power groups of the Balkan States and the Athonites monasteries. We set out to introduce the issue, far from being able to state it in all its complexity; we leave the matter open to future research