Byzantine Piety

The Alexiad is a historical work around the time of the first crusade. It is about the devotion of a daughter, Anna Comnena, to the principals of her father, Alexias II. This is a common theme in history that repeats itself today. She gave an eye witness account of the barbarian Normans and Franks coming to Byzantium to aid the eastern Roman Empire when they were confronted with the invasion of the Ottoman Turks. Her eye winess account could also be called a primary resource. She was a women devoted to the Christian ideals of her father the current emperor of the Byzantine Empire. The western Romans were devoted to duty. The Christian eastern version of that empire married duty with religion to create the virtue of piety. Piety is a desire and willingness to perform religious duties.

I have three daughters. I know the joy of their devotion at a young age. When my youngest daughter was 5 she wanted to marry me. Now that she is 22 she seems to have changed her mind. I have experienced the shifting of their loyalties with age to their husbands. Anna Comnena felt the same way about her father. Unlike me he was the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire. It was a natural extension of devotion to her father to the principals of Christianity that formed the virtue of piety. Her father had achieved his status of emperor by merit. He had served as a general under a previous Roman Emperor, (Emperor Diogenes), and now was promoted by merit to a position of honor. I include two excerpts from her epoch, "The Alexiad", below. Please notice how Anna is shocked by how barbarian the Normans and the Franks appear.

Starting with the emperors, Vespasian and then Trajan the Roman Emperors began to rise to the top based on their military shrewdness. They were appointed and elected based upon their military skill. Under Constantine two important changes occurred. The empire was moved east from Rome to Constantinople and Christianity became the state religion. Now, I hope that you can connect the dots. Since the culminating virtue of Western Rome was duty then the culminating virtue of Eastern Rome would be piety.
When you think of the Byzantine Empire you probably think of the Gregorian Chants. I include a link that will allow you to listen to some of these chants.

http://jbe.la.psu.edu/courses/worldreligions/music_gregorianchants.htm sounds/gregorian chants.wav

These chants are expressions of religious duty and therefore fit the expression of piety well. Icons are two dimensional etchings of saints and those worthy of honor on stained glass and paper. The Icons developed at this time were also expressions of piety. How do you reconcile the devotion expressed in Roman statues with a Christian religion's invisible God? In their desire to be devoted to god and avoid idolatry they transformed the Western Roman statues into two dimensional figures. In this way the two dimensional icons were expressions of Roman duty married to Christian piety.
Piety is a noun in the language of virtue. Its elements are duty, faith and devotion. The heritage of the Romans, Hebrews and Egyptians combined to form an empire that lasted 1,123 years with the fall of Constantinople to Mehmet the conqueror, on May 29, 1453.

From ....http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/comnena-cde.html

The Byzantines Save Peter the Hermit [Alexiad 10:6]

But relying on the multitude of those who followed him, Peter did not heed the warning and, after crossing the strait, pitched camp at a little town called Helenopolis. But since there were also Normans in his army, estimated at about ten thousand men, these, separating themselves from the rest of the body, devastated the region lying around the city of Nicaea, rioting most cruelly in every way. For they tore some of the children apart, limb from limb and, piercing others through with wooden stakes, roasted them in fire; likewise, upon those advanced in years they inflicted every kind of torture. When those in the city saw this being done, they opened the gates and went out against them. As a result, a fierce battle took place, in which, since the Normans fought ferociously, the citizens were hurled back into the fortress. The Normans, after gathering up all the plunder, again returned to Helenopolis. There a quarrel arose between themselves and the other pilgrims who had not gone off with them, a thing which usually happens in an affair of this kind, envy inflaming the wrath of those left behind, and a riotous fight followed the quarrel. The fierce Normans again separated (from the others) and captured Xerogord on their way at the first attack. When this was learned, the Sultan sent Elchanes against them with a suitable number of troops. When he reached them, he recaptured Xerogord, killed some of the Normans with the sword, and carried off the rest as captives, planning at the same time, also, an attack upon those who bad remained with KukuPeter. And he set ambushes at opportune places into which, when they left for Nicaea, they would unexpectedly fall and be killed. But knowing also of the avarice of the Gauls, he had summoned two men of bold spirit and ordered them to go to the camp of KukuPeter to announce that the Normans had captured Nicaea and were now sacking it to the utmost. This report, brought to the camp of Peter, excited all violently; for when the mention of plunder and riches was heard, they straightway set out in tumult on the road which leads to Nicaea, forgetful of their military training and of observing discipline in going out to battle. For the Latins are not only most fond of riches, as we said above, but when they give themselves to raiding any region for plunder, are also no longer obedient to reason, or any other check. Accordingly, since they were neither keeping order nor forming into lines, they fell into the ambush of the Turks around Draco and were wretchedly cut to pieces. Indeed, so great a multitude of Gauls and Normans were cut down by the Ishmaelite sword that when the dead bodies of the killed, which were lying all about in the place, were brought together, they made a very great mound , or hill, or lookout place, lofty as a mountain, and occupying a space very conspicuous for its width and depth. So high did that mound of bones tower, that some barbarians of the same race as the killed later used the bones of the slain instead of stones in constructing a wall, thus making that fortress a sort of sepulchre for them. It stands to this day, an enclosure of walls built with mixed rocks and bones. And thus, after all had been wiped out in the slaughter, Peter returned with only a few to Helenopolis. The Turks, in their desire to get him into their power, again beset him with an ambush. But when the Emperor heard of the whole affair and learned how great was the slaughter of men, he held it very wrong that Peter should also be e taken. Immediately, therefore, he summoned Catacalon Constantine Euphorbenus, of whom mention has often been made in this t history, and sent him with suitable forces on war vessels across t the sea as a succour to Peter. When the Turks saw him approach, they fled. . . .
Source: August. C. Krey, The First Crusade: The Accounts of Eyewitnesses and Participants, (Princeton: 1921), 76-78 The Bad Manners of a Crusading Prince [Alexiad 10:10]

When the Franks bad all come together and had taken an oath to the emperor, there was one count who had the boldness to sit down upon the throne. The emperor, well knowing the pride of the Latins, kept silent, but Baldwin approached the Frankish count and taking him by the hand said, "You ought not to sit there; that is an honor which the emperor permits to no one. Now that you are in this country, why do you not observe its customs ?" The insolent count made no reply to Baldwin, but said in his barbarous language, as if talking to himself, ,This must be a rude fellow who would alone remain seated when so many brave warriors are standing up." Alexis noted the movement of the man's lips and called an interpreter in order to learn, what he had said; but when the interpreter had told him he did not complain to the Franks, although he did not forget the matter. When the counts came to take leave of the emperor he retained this haughty knight and asked him who be was. "I am a Frank," he replied, "of the most high and ancient nobility. I know but one thing, and that is that there is in my country a church built at the crossroads where all those betake themselves who hope to show their valor in single combat, and there make their prayer to God while they await an enemy; I remained there a long time without anybody daring to measure swords with me." Alexius was on his guard against accepting this challenge. "If you then waited without being able to show your bravery," he said to him, "you now have a chance to fight; and if I may give you a word of advice, it will be not to put yourself either at the head nor rear of the army but in the middle. The experience which I have had with the Turks make war has convinced me that is best place." [The knight was later killed in battle, possibly Count Robert of Paris.]

Source: James Harvey Robinson, ed., Readings in European History: Vol. I: (Boston:: Ginn and co., 1904), pp. 320-321