Ad utriusque imperii unitatem? Anastasius Bibliothecarius as a Broker between Two Cultures and Three Courts in the Ninth Century
Clemens Gantner
In 870, Anastasius, former (and later once again) librarian of the papal bibliotheca and chancellery, well-known erudite anti-pope, reached pinnacle his career as a diplomat. While exiled from Rome for crime committed by cousin, he was an important member mission sent to Constantinople Carolingian emperor lord Italy Louis II. He there negotiate marriage alliance between Louisâs daughter only surviving child Ermengard son upstart Byzantine Basil I, which ultimately serve bind two empires together in fight against Saracens, southern Sicily. there, Anastasius also joined delegation at Eighth Ecumenical Council, popeâs stead formally depose Patriarch Photius case Bulgaria. We thus see diplomat cultural broker Latin Greek ecclesiastic lay culture three courts. composed letter about dealings East Pope Hadrian II we have invaluable first-hand eyewitness account. most negotiations started 869 870 West failed or were rendered pointless political change, shows us that great chance all sides. And while parties involved lost something failure exchanges, himself regained kept powerful position administration again.
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