This introduction sets the stage for the different chapters of the volume by offering general considerations about the production and consumption of poetry in twelfth-century Byzantium.

It takes as its point of departure the period beginning from the moment that Alexios I Komnenos ascended the imperial throne in 1081 to the Latin sack of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade in 1204. This period saw an unprecedented growth in the production of poetry, as well as various innovative literary developments, including the emergence of vernacular poetry, the extensive use of poetry for ceremonial and didactic purposes at the imperial court and beyond, and the mixing of poetry and prose in so-called schede. While many poets were active in Constantinople, a large amount of the surviving poetry was written in places far away from the Byzantine capital, particularly in southern Italy and Sicily. The introduction discusses the social and intellectual contexts of twelfth-century poetry, addresses issues of geographical distribution and material circulation, and introduces some of the key figures and texts of the Komnenian period.

Was the stylistic exuberance and formal ambition of twelfth-century classicizing prose linked to the unprecedented study of ancient poetry during this period? Why would aspiring prose writers have been nurtured largely in verse? Long accustomed to regard Byzantine interest in ancient poetry as culturally antiquarian in nature, we have been less alert to the formal lessons available to aspiring Byzantine authors, most of whom would go on to compose in prose instead of verse. By tracing the long history of poetry as the school of prose, this chapter draws examples from Eustathios’ Parekbolai or ‘commentaries’ on Homeric epic in a bid to illustrate attempts to render Byzantine prose more ‘poetic’. The author thus hopes to underline the reciprocal and often seamless relation between prose and verse in the twelfth century and what this may teach us about both during what is widely regarded as the most innovative period in Byzantine literature.

Did the Byzantines have access to any Sappho that we do not? What interaction can we trace by them with the fragments that they did know? Chapter 23 of The Cambridge Companion to Sappho examines an often neglected aspect of this ancient author’s reception.

The chapter focuses on Manuel's travels in Western Europe (1399–1402). It discusses at length the political aspects of his presence at the English, French and Italian courts, offering new interpretations of the events. Other topics are Manuel's personal experiences in Europe, and his letters and interactions with prominent European figures of the time. Manuel's use of relics as diplomatic gifts receives further attention. The Procession of the Holy Spirit, a theological treatise penned by the emperor at time, is analysed at length with regard to its literary features, connections to the other treatises of time and Manuel's theological thought. Other shorter writings from the same period are also investigated. The chapter ends with the defeat of the Ottomans by Tamerlane and Manuel's subsequent return to Constantinople.

The chapter covers the blockade of Constantinople, 1394–1402. Topics discussed include Late Byzantine Constantinople, the socio-economic conditions during the siege of 1394–1402 and Manuel's political acts, his negotiations with Venice and his role in the Crusade of Nikopolis receive special attention. In the domestic spehere, Manuel's role in the anti-Palamite purges of 1369 and his stance towards Palamism is discussed at length. A little known work by Manuel, the Discourse to Iagoup, is analysed in light of Manuel's aversion to criticism, his views on Palamism, Orthodox and Catholic theology and the relationship between philosophy and theology. Once more, his self-representation and the political messages in the work, are taken into account. His Dialogue on Marriage is also analysed, focusing on its literary features, the representation of Manuel and John VII, and its political messages. Through the Dialogue and other works, Manuel's views on marriage are discussed. Finally, the chapter investigates Manuel's diplomatic relations with the West and his decision to travel to Europe to seek help.

The chapter covers the years 1403–16. The first part of the chapter deals with Manuel's daily life, including his life at the palace, daily routine and pastimes, followed by discussions of Manuel's court, government and his relationship with members of the elite. Through his own writings and various other primary sources, Manuel's style of governing and his perception of his imperial rank is further investigated. With regard to his political activities, Manuel's clashes with his nephew John VII, and his participation in the affairs of Thessalonike and the Morea occupy a prominent place in the chapter. The Funeral Oration is analysed from a literary point of view, while a section of the chapter offers a general assessment of Manuel as an author. Finally, Manuel's involvement in the ecclesiastical controversy of 1409 and his polemics with Makarios of Ankyra receive extensive treatment.

The introduction sets forth the goals and the methodologies of the study. It reviews the previous scholarship on Manuel II Palaiologos and explains the contributions made by this book. While setting the scholarly background of the book, previous studies on Late Byzantine political and socio-economic history, Byzantine literature, Byzantine philosophy and theology are discussed in relation to Manuel's biography. By relying on studies on historical biography writing and some select examples from historical biographies of Western medieval rulers, the metholodology for writing Manuel's biography is established. The sources used in the biography are introduced and their chief characteristics are discussed.

The chapter focuses on Manuel's early reign, 1391–94. Manuel's participation in the Ottoman campaign is discussed at length, focusing on his relationship with Bayezid I and on the literary, political and autobiographical features of his letters from the campaign. His anti-Islamic work, the Dialogue with a Persian is analysed at length with regard to its theological content, literary features and Manuel's representations of himself and the Ottomans. Manuel's marriage to Helena Dragas, his relations with his nephew and rival John VII, the birth of the future John VIII are other topics that are covered. His governing style, political strategies and preoccupation with finances is extensively discussed through exploration of Manuel's official documents and Venetian Senate resolutions. The chapter ends with Manuel and Bayezid's clash in Serres in 1394, the commencement of the blockade of Constantinople and his later narration of these events.

The final chapter of the book discusses the last years of Manuel's life. The chief topics of discussions are his advanced age and its representation in the sources, his illness and his final struggles with the Ottomans. A section of the chapter offers a final evolution of Manuel's reign and its outcomes. The emperor's four sermons and confessional works are analysed with regard to their literary style, Manuel's self-representation and his theological thought. The chapter concludes with Manuel's death and a discussion of his legacy.

This chapter chiefly deals with Manuel's ethico-political works, his Foundations of Imperial Conduct and the Seven Ethico-Political Orations. They are analysed with regard to the emperor's ethico-political thought, his reliance on Aristotelian ethics, his self-representation and the political messages he embedded into these works. Manuel's literary network, manuscripts and his collaborations with the literati are further investigated, while panegyrics and other works addressed to the emperor receiveattention. In this regard, the emperor's reactions to praise and criticism are examined, offering an insight into his personality. The chapter ends with a discussion of the political situation between the years 1416–21 and an analysis of the political differences between Manuel and his son John VIII.

Literature under Iconoclasm and the exercise of Power. Literature and social change: the role of writing production under Iconoclasm and the literary milieux.