Customer Reviews

The Immortal Emperor: The Life and Legend of Constantine Palaiologos, Last Emperor of the Romans

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Constantine XI was the last Byzantine emperor, the last Christian ruler of what had been the Eastern Roman Empire, killed trying to defend his city against the final, successful Ottoman attack in May 1453. (Sultan Mehmed II subsequently had his head cut off, peeled off the skin, and stuffed it with straw as a trophy.) He had succeeded his childless brother to the throne less than five years before, after a career as a provincial governor -- the eighth member of his family to hold the title of emperor since Michael Palaiologos in 1253. Like Arthur in Britain and other rulers in trying times, his hero's death led inevitably to legends that he wasn't really dead, that he had escaped the fall of Constantinople, that he would be resurrected to restore the empire. It seems strange that no book has been published about Constantine XI since 1892, but Nicol, who is director of the Gennadius Library in Athens, goes far in rectifying that lack. Because the last emperor was very much a product of his family's inheritance as well as of his Graeco-Roman culture, the first half of this slender volume provides considerable information on the operation of the empire as a family business, as well as on the administrative differences between East and West in the medieval period. The later chapters relate the spread of the Palaiologi as far as Cornwall and Barbados, though these may or may not be descendants of the imperial branch of the family.

Donald Nicol is a blessing to Byzantine History in the 20th century. One of his greatest pieces of work is THE IMMORTAL EMPEROR. This is only the second biography on the life of the last Roman Emperor of Byzantium, Constantine Palaiologos, and the first to appear in one hundred years. This book is not the history of the fall of Constantinople. For that, you should see Runciman, "The Fall of Constantinople." It is, however, an extraordinary treatment on the life of Constantine XI as well as the incredible legends that surround his death to this present day. Some people have critisized Nicol for providing almost too much information on the legends and myths that surround Constantine. But I think it all goes to show just what this one man means to even modern Greeks, as well as people everywhere. Nicol's research is unmatched. You may feel that there is too much packed in such a small book, but because it is all very exciting and well organized, you will want to read it over and over.

Matt

Aside from the fact that The Byzantine Empire, while largely ignored in the Western Historical tradition, is among the most important phenomena in the development of the Western Enlightenment, reading about a figure such as Constantine XI Palaiologus is an excellent way of showing that leaders need not be anemic bankers with no sense of honor or dignity. Nicol shows the end result of Western Christendom's abandonment of the East, and the East's continuing glory in the face of the inevitable. He treats his subjects fairly and attempts to understand and convey their motivations/actions while not indulging in an apologia. Overall an excellent and thoroughly readable text about an extraordinary figure. I also enjoyed his study of the posthumous mythology which has arisen around the Emperor, even among the Turkish people. Can anyone imagine Bill Clinton or Tony Blair behaving so valiantly? So selflessly? Neither can I. Constantine was a hero in the classical sense-except that, unlike Achilles or Aeneas, he really lived. An excellent role model for the young and an inspiring figure for the mature, treated respectfully yet objectively (insofar as anyone can be objective) by Nicol. I would certainly read anything he writes. My only complaint is that I wish the book were longer.

I would, for the most part, simply echo what others have said here. This book is a finely researched (and told) story of the last emperor of the Romans. It reads very quickly, does a nice job of navigating the many stories and legends surrounding the ultimate fate of Constantine. Of particular interest to me were the anecdotes relating to Turkish legends about the Golden Gate as the future entry point of the awakened emperor. Having visited the Golden Gate in Istanbul I can attest that it has a certain forlorn and eerie quality to the visitor who has an understanding of Byzantine history. Nicol includes interesting material on the Paleaologos family since 1453.

The book contains a good family tree and numerous interesting illustrations but, curiously, no map. Books of historical interest dealing with a welter of locations, as this one does, which do not include a decent map or two are a mystery to me.

It's a shame how certain pieces of history are left out in American high schools. It seems that Greece's only contribution to the world was 5th century Athens. Byzantium was a world power for over a 1,000 years and the problems it had are still heard today (Bosnian War). Nichol's book tells the tragic story of the once great Byzantine Empire and its last brave Emperor. The book is excellent for anyone wanting to read more about the last days of the Empire.

This is a very good book dealing with the life and postmortem reputation of Constantine Palaiologos, the last emperor of Byzantium. The information is well presented and covers the material pretty thoroughly given how little there is to go on. Considering how little there is to go on it is also short. Very short. So short in fact, that it won't take more than a couple hours to read everything that this book has to say about Constantine. As a book it gets four stars but it seems that, given how little there is on Constantine, there should be some other subtopics for this book to go into. More data on the world of Constantinople at the time of its fall would have been useful. As would more information on the Turkish threat. Still, it covers what it sets out to.

Nicol's other book Last Centuries of Byzantium, 1261-1453 covers everything here in only slightly less detail. If the price here is too much for you I'd advise getting that book instead.

I highly recommend this book to those interested in Byzantine History. Constantine XI's death marks the end of the great Roman/Greek empire. The book reads like a thriller of sorts, and even though the reader knows how the book ends the suspense is still there. Nicol makes the reader feel the tragedy of both Constantine's death and the once great empire's fall to the Turks. Highly readable, well worth your time.

This is a good little novel. Easy to read and very informative. Gives you an idea of how the eastern portion of the greatest empire and remnant of by far, the most influential society on earth finally succumbed to the relentless sands of time.

I came away with the disturbing realization that the loss of the empire was a mirror image of the western fall. Both became decadent and petty. Incorporating the barbarians (germanic peoples and the turks) that would eventually become their conquerors into their societies long before the final denouement. I guess I was hoping for a more tragic end, as the legends sorrounding the fall make you feel.

Nicols includes a study of the familial line of the Palaiologos and where they stand today. Interestingly, none of the pretenders to the imperial title hold any weight because the family sold the rights to renaissance monarchs or died heir-less.

Very interesting read!

History is filled with tragic tales of heroic last stands and hopeful legends. None seem more poignant than the story of Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI. Donald Nicol brings his skill as a story teller to bear on the scant details we have of Constantine's early life and death. Building on those varied and oftentimes conflicting sources, he provides a coherent and most probable reality along with the probable origins of legends that surround the last emperor and the root of Greek nationalist movements. The result is a gripping yet sad tale of a man in the clutches of unstoppable events. The political and theological forces by way of key persons in the events are also well-covered to complete the big picture.

This little volume is yet one more of the quality books provided in the Canto series. Very well done.

Nicol writes with an excellent flow, and tells the story in a most capticating and sober minded way. Well annotated and well indexed too. A good overview over the events during the Fall of Constantinople.