600: Pope Gregory the Great Intervenes in Favour of the Exiled Ǧafnid Prince al-Munḏir b. al-Ḥāriṯ: Difference between revisions

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600: Pope Gregory the Great Intervenes in Favour of the Exiled Ǧafnid Prince al-Munḏir b. al-Ḥāriṯ (view source)

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Irfan Shahîd explains the pope’s commitment with the latter’s critical attitude towards the Emperor Maurikios, which was related, among other things, to the emperor’s lack of support against the Lombards.<ref name="ftn19">See, for example, Gregory's letter to Emperor Maurikios of June 595: Gregorius I papa, ''Registrum epistolarum'', vol. 1 (libri I-VII), ed. Ewald and Hartmann, ep. V,36, pp. 318-320; Dal Santo, Gregory, pp. 73-75.</ref> Shahîd justifies the fact that the Pope took a stand for a Monophysite Arab ruler with Gregory’s desire to win over al-Munḏir for the Chalcedonenian creed and the dogmatic compromise position advocated by Rome.<ref name="ftn20">Shahîd, ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century'', vol. I,1, p. 604.</ref> In the cited letter, al-Munḏir appears as a person known to the pope, who had already previously corresponded about the latter’s case with the prefect from North Africa. The letter shows that Gregory had empathy for the fate of the afflicted (''afflictis'') and also supported them, but that his efforts with the imperial leadership had so far been unsuccessful. A turning point was reached with the deposition of Maurikios and the usurpation of Phocas (r. 602-610). The latter had the already ageing Ǧafnid prince return immediately from exile in 602, possibly in order to find allies in the Ǧafnids after his usurpation, which he could also use in the subsequent conflict with Sassanid Persia.<ref name="ftn21">Shahîd, ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century'', vol. I,1, pp. 619, 622.</ref>  
Irfan Shahîd explains the pope’s commitment with the latter’s critical attitude towards the Emperor Maurikios, which was related, among other things, to the emperor’s lack of support against the Lombards.<ref name="ftn19">See, for example, Gregory's letter to Emperor Maurikios of June 595: Gregorius I papa, ''Registrum epistolarum'', vol. 1 (libri I-VII), ed. Ewald and Hartmann, ep. V,36, pp. 318-320; Dal Santo, Gregory, pp. 73-75.</ref> Shahîd justifies the fact that the Pope took a stand for a Monophysite Arab ruler with Gregory’s desire to win over al-Munḏir for the Chalcedonenian creed and the dogmatic compromise position advocated by Rome.<ref name="ftn20">Shahîd, ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century'', vol. I,1, p. 604.</ref> In the cited letter, al-Munḏir appears as a person known to the pope, who had already previously corresponded about the latter’s case with the prefect from North Africa. The letter shows that Gregory had empathy for the fate of the afflicted (''afflictis'') and also supported them, but that his efforts with the imperial leadership had so far been unsuccessful. A turning point was reached with the deposition of Maurikios and the usurpation of Phocas (r. 602-610). The latter had the already ageing Ǧafnid prince return immediately from exile in 602, possibly in order to find allies in the Ǧafnids after his usurpation, which he could also use in the subsequent conflict with Sassanid Persia.<ref name="ftn21">Shahîd, ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century'', vol. I,1, pp. 619, 622.</ref>  


Gregory's letter is relevant for the Latin-Arabian entanglements because it shows that the Roman Church of the late 6th and early 7th centuries, thanks to its intensive interrelationships, had a great deal of influence on the Roman Empire. It shows that the Roman Church of the late sixth and early seventh centuries, thanks to its intensive relations with Constantinople, was well aware of the Arab world, observed its Christianisation and was also informed about the political relations between the Eastern Roman imperial government and the Arab periphery. In this context, it should be noted that Gregory maintained relations with, among others, Bishop Marianus of Arabia, to whom he sent relics in 601.<ref name="ftn22">Gregorius Magnus, ''Registrum'', ed. Norberg (CCL 140a), lib. XI, cap. 20 (Febr. 601), p. 889; ed. Hartmann, p. 281. Also see Rotter, ''Abendland und Sarazenen'', p. 246; König, ''Arabic-Islamic Views, ''p. 231.</ref>|6=Gregorius Magnus, ''Registrum Epistularum'', ed. Ludwig Hartmann (MGH Epp. in Quart 2: Gregorii papae registrum epistolarum, tomus II, libri VIII-XIV), Berlin: Weidmann, 1899, lib. X, cap. 16 (a. 600), pp. 250-252.
Gregory's letter is relevant for the history of Latin-Arabic entanglement and trans-Mediterranean relations: thanks to its intensive relations to Constantinople, the Roman Church of the late sixth and early seventh centuries was well aware of the Arab world, observed its Christianization and was also informed about the political relations between the Eastern Roman imperial government and the Arab periphery. In this context, it should be noted that Gregory maintained relations with, among others, Bishop Marianus of Arabia, to whom he sent relics in 601.<ref name="ftn22">Gregorius Magnus, ''Registrum'', ed. Norberg (CCL 140a), lib. XI, cap. 20 (Febr. 601), p. 889; ed. Hartmann, p. 281. Also see Rotter, ''Abendland und Sarazenen'', p. 246; König, ''Arabic-Islamic Views, ''p. 231.</ref>|6=Gregorius Magnus, ''Registrum Epistularum'', ed. Ludwig Hartmann (MGH Epp. in Quart 2: Gregorii papae registrum epistolarum, tomus II, libri VIII-XIV), Berlin: Weidmann, 1899, lib. X, cap. 16 (a. 600), pp. 250-252.


Gregorius Magnus, ''Registrum Epistularum'', ed. Dag Norberg (CCL 140A), Turnhout: Brepols, 1982, pp. 844-845.|7=''The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon, Volume 1: General Introduction, Documents Before the Council, Session 1'', trans. Richard Price, Michael Gaddis, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2007.
Gregorius Magnus, ''Registrum Epistularum'', ed. Dag Norberg (CCL 140A), Turnhout: Brepols, 1982, pp. 844-845.|7=''The Acts of the Council of Chalcedon, Volume 1: General Introduction, Documents Before the Council, Session 1'', trans. Richard Price, Michael Gaddis, Liverpool: Liverpool University Press, 2007.
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Shahîd, Irfan: ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century, Volume I, Part 1: Political and Military History'', Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, 1995.  
Shahîd, Irfan: ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century, Volume I, Part 1: Political and Military History'', Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks Research Library, 1995.  


Shahîd, Irfan: ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century, Volume II, Part 2'', Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 2009.|8=al-Munḏir, Arabs as part of the Imperium Romanum, Byzantium, Christian Arabs, Christianity, confession, dogma, Ǧafnids, Gregory I, images of the Other, Maurikios, Monophysites, Papacy, Phokas, religion, Romans and Latin Christians in the Eastern Mediterranean, Sicily, Tiberios}}
Shahîd, Irfan: ''Byzantium and the Arabs in the Sixth Century, Volume II, Part 2'', Washington D.C.: Dumbarton Oaks, 2009.|8=al-Munḏir, Arabs as part of the Imperium Romanum, Byzantium, Chalcedonian creed, Christian Arabs, Christianity, confession, dogma, Ǧafnids, Gregory I, images of the Other, Maurikios, Monophysites, Papacy, Phokas, religion, Romans and Latin Christians in the Eastern Mediterranean, Sicily, Tiberios}}
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