الفهرس | يوجد فقط 14 صفحة متاحة للعرض العام |
المستخلص Eunuchs had an important role in the byzantine society. That was clear through their functions, either social, political, militaries or religious. In spite of that, this role was exposed to be deformed or erased; it was the reason, which induced the researcher to study different resources to unveil and to show this role. Through studying the way the eunuchs were perceived by the byzantine society, there was a tendency to refuse their existence. That was clear in the laws of the church and the different writing of the saints. Eunuch were considered as a source of evil and seduction. Many monasteries didn’t allow the eunuchs to live there. In spite of that, they were allowed to live in some monasteries especially the ones dedicated for women. The eunuchs did all the work that women couldn’t do in these monasteries. Some other monastery in the center to accept eunuchs. The position of a monastery put many restrictions to accept eunuchs. The position of a monastery in the center of a city required a special kind of eunuch. The bearded monks didn’t have the same degree of self- control as eunuchs. According to Ataliatis who specified a whole monastery for eunuchs, he confirmed that the eunuchs were the most to exercise self-control and who could have a sincere devotion. These ideas had their echo in the secular community as a christian One, in which the the church is considered the unique arbitrator of the morals. Many byzantine historians had a severe reaction towards the eunuchs. They considered them as a factor, which threatened the morals of the society. However, if we compare this point of view with real fact, we can find that there was clear that eunuchs had a big role. They served the emperors and their families, they educated their children and they prepared and supervised the ceremonies of the palace. Since the ninth until the eleventh century, eunuchs enjoyed of high ranks and they were much closed to the emperor. They were responsible of the most secret emperor’s affairs, and they also formed the emperor’s bodyguards, beside that they assumed guarding the imperial rooms, the dressing rooms and all the treasures of the members of the family. Not only that but also they controlled the gates of the palace and the keys were in their possession. Because of these advantages, the members of the aristocracy envied them, so they tried to intervene between them and the emperor in order to prevent them from reaching the throne. Although many emperors even empresses had recourse to eunuchs to preserve their thrones. Some others gave them the authority to lead the armies. The emperors used to confide the leadership of an army to eunuchs, because they couldn’t deprive their emperor from his reign in case of victory. Besides, eunuchs also succeeded in diplomatic and political affairs. Many of them reached high ranks in the ecclesiastic system, and influenced the religious life. Anyway, we couldn’t deny the important role of eunuchs in different domains in this period of the byzantine history. |