![]() The “Breaking News” in Sir Thomas Phillipps’s collection ( Catalogus librorum manuscriptorum in bibliotheca D. “Breaking News” is already listed in the hand-written catalogue of his Greek manuscripts. He collected an extraordinary amount of primary sources in Greek and Turkish alike for the history of the Greek Orthodox Church under the Ottomans, of which this manuscript was a part. His main interest was not only in ancient and Byzantine culture but even more in contemporary Greek literature, politics and religion. He was the founder of the Ionian Academy in 1817 and later converted to Greek orthodoxy. Sir Frederick was an obsessed philihellenic: he read, collected and lived the Hellenic culture. Early in the 19th century, the manuscript was already in the collection of one of the most famous English collectors of Greek books and manuscripts, Frederick North, later Earl of Guilford. Doubtless Patriarch Paisius II of Constantinople himself enjoyed flipping through this booklet in 1740, but so did others. “Breaking News” contains a fresh Greek translation of the medical report on the Empress’s death and a copy of the new Emperor’s manifest, followed by a short evaluation of the current political situation of the Empire.Īrmorial bookplate of Sir Frederick North on the inner side of the front board with "No 20" inscribed in ink The patriarch of Constantinople was obviously interested in these events. “Copy of the report of the Longobard Imperial Surgeon" on the Death of Empress Anna of Russia: Add MS 89320, f. Ivan was enthroned in October of the same year as this manuscript was made. The ruler, the Tsaritsa Anna, had died in 1740, leaving a two-month-old baby, Ivan VI, as her legitimate heir. The Russian political situation at this time was rather complicated. It is no wonder that the “breaking news” collected in this little volume includes detailed reports from St Petersburg. Its main attention was directed towards Russia, from where they hoped to gain financial and military support to liberate Constantinople from the Ottomans, by relying on their shared orthodox faith.Ī report from St Petersburg: Add MS 89320, f. Having been under Ottoman Rule for almost 300 years, the patriarchal court in 18th-century Constantinople was very keen to secure foreign support for its endeavours against the Ottoman Empire. The main focus is reports on Russia and the Hapsburg Empire, but the volume contains material from many parts of the world, including Germany, London and India.Ī report from London, 15 September 1740: Add MS 89320, f. This manuscript is a collection of political reports from various parts of Europe, submitted possibly to the patriarch of Constantinople, Paisius II, perhaps by his agents and spies. Title page of “Breaking News”: Add MS 89320, f. Written in a neat hand on paper, this thin volume bears its title on the first page: “Breaking news from Europe – October 1740”. ![]() It is always exciting to announce acquisitions of new manuscripts by the British Library, but in this case the relevance is doubled: the title of the newly-acquired piece is itself “Breaking News”.Īt a recent auction, the British Library was successful in acquiring an 18th-century Greek manuscript.
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