Costas M. Stamatopoulos – författare

What follows the Fall of Constantinople?  How does the Ottoman capital develop? How do its residents survive and how do the Greek-Orthodox people organize their life? How deep is the effect of the Fall? Is there continuity from the pre-fall period? The book draws information from Constantinople chronicles, travellers’ narratives, diaries of Westerners who lived among the Greek-Orthodox people, preacher sermons revealing the existing social problems, from the heroic new martyrs commemorated in the Synaxaria, as well as from older texts of Greek historians and articles of contemporary Ottomanists. The reader follows the travellers in their exploration of Constantinople at the time –in its historic centre and its outskirts. Eventually, the city’s ancient and byzantine monuments cease to exist; the Byzantine Poli (City) becomes “blurry.” A new, Ottoman capital arises and begins to flourish, though its heyday is besmirched by chronic scourges: fires, earthquakes, epidemics, famine, and sufferings, against which everyone is powerless. The life of the Greek-Orthodox people, and others, develops around their “mahallah” (neighbourhood), their parish, their guilds, the market. This is also the period when Greek Orthodox begin their first contacts with both the West, mostly with Protestants, and the orthodox Russia.Greek language text

For perhaps the first time, a holistic account of the institution of the monarchy in modern Greece.Looks at the political behaviour of the Greek people and their relationship with authority in every form, to explore why this specific type of constitution was chosen in 1832 at the end of the Greek ‘Struggle for Independence’. The development of the monarchy is explored in parallel with the quest for popular legitimization and the constitutional dimension, including the contradictions in the constitutional legislation and the fragility of a democratic constitutional monarchy. In a second section, three individual members of the Dynasty are discussed in detail. In the cases of Constantine the First and Queen consort Frederika, an attempt is made to separate myth from historical reality. Finally, in a third section, the philanthropic attitude of members of the two dynasties is discussed together with the socio-political dimension of the monarchy. In an Epilogue, the author examines the causes of the unravelling of the strong, but uneasy bond between people and monarchy.107 black and white photographs. French language text. Also available in English and Greek language editions from Kapon

The first holistic account of the institution of the monarchy in modern Greece, this book looks at the political behaviour of the Greek people and their relationship with authority in every form, to explore why this specific type of constitution was chosen in 1832 at the end of the Greek ‘Struggle for Independence’.The development of the monarchy is explored in parallel with the quest for popular legitimization and the constitutional dimension, taking into account the state of affairs in Europe, the need to put an end to the vicious circle of civil conflicts, and the views on the nature of the state derived from the Greco-Roman tradition. It also considers the contradictions in the constitutional legislation and the fragility of a democratic constitutional monarchy.In a second section, three individual members of the Dynasty are discussed in detail. In the cases of Constantine I and Frederika, an attempt is made to separate myth from historical reality. Finally, in a third section, the philanthropic attitude of members of the two dynasties is discussed together with the socio-political dimension of the monarchy. In an Epilogue, the author examines the causes of the unravelling of the strong, but uneasy bond between people and monarchy. 107 black and white photographs, English language text.