Open AccessImperial Female Patronage in the Komnenian Era
Author(s) -
Vassiliki Dimitropoulou
Publication year - 1970
Publication title -
acta ad archaeologiam et artium historiam pertinentia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.101
H-Index - 3
eISSN - 2611-3686
pISSN - 0065-0900
DOI - 10.5617/acta.5757
Subject(s) - prestige , afterlife , foundation (evidence) , scale (ratio) , history , sociology , political science , law , art , geography , literature , philosophy , cartography , linguistics
This paper explores the question of religous imperial female patronage in the Komneian era (11th and 12th centuries Byzantium). It will examine projects of monastic foundation and the patronage of smaller scale objects such as religious artefacts, with a view to investigating the role of female patrons, the patterns of patronage and the motives behind the activities of imperial women. In addition to the spiritual and afterlife concerns, which were the most prominent motives, family, economic and other more personal considerations were also part of the motivation behind these acts of patronage. The involvement of Komnenian imperial women in religious patronage indicates that they had access to financial resources, which they carefully used not only to gain spiritual benefits but also to enhance their social standing and prestige.