Literature Second_Bulgarian_Empire

a page of 14th century tetraevangelia of ivan alexander

the main centres of literary activity churches , monasteries, provided primary education in basic literacy throughout country. monasteries rose prominence providing more advanced education, included study of advanced grammar; biblical, theological, , ancient texts; , greek language. education available laymen; not restricted clergy. completed advanced studies called gramatik (граматик). books written on parchment, paper, imported via port of varna, introduced @ beginning of 14th century. @ first, paper more expensive parchment, end of century cost had fallen, resulting in production of larger numbers of books.

few texts 12th , 13th centuries have survived. notable examples period include book of boril , important source history of bulgarian empire, , dragan menaion, includes earliest known bulgarian hymnology , hymn tunes, liturgies bulgarian saints john of rila, cyril , methodius, , emperor peter i. 2 poems, written byzantine poet in court in tarnovo , dedicated wedding of emperor ivan asen ii , irene komnene doukaina, have survived. poet compared emperor sun , described him more lovely day, pleasant in appearance .

during 14th century, literary activities in second empire supported court, , in particular emperor ivan alexander (r. 1331–71), combined number of prolific scholars , clergymen, led remarkable literary revival known tarnovo literary school. literature patronized nobles , wealthy citizens. literature included translation of greek texts , creation of original compositions, both religious , secular. religious books included praising epistles, passionals, hagiographies, , hymns. secular literature included chronicles, poetry, novels , novellas, apocryphical tales, popular tales, such story of troy , alexandria, legal works, , works on medicine , natural science.

a page of 14th century bulgarian translation of manasses chronicle

the first notable 14th century bulgarian scholar theodosius of tarnovo (d. 1363), influenced hesychasm , spread hesyachastic ideas in bulgaria. prominent disciple euthymius of tarnovo (c. 1325 – c. 1403), patriarch of bulgaria between 1375 , 1393 , founder of tarnovo literary school. prolific writer, euthymius oversaw major linguistic reform standardized spelling , grammar of bulgarian language. until reform, texts had variations of spelling , grammar use. model of reform not contemporaneous language of first golden age of bulgarian culture in late 9th , 10th centuries during first bulgarian empire.

the ottoman conquest of bulgaria forced many scholars , disciples of euthymius emigrate, taking texts, ideas, , talents other orthodox countries—serbia, wallachia, moldavia, , russian principalities. many texts taken russian lands scholars speak second south slavonic influence on russia. close friend , associate of euthymius, cyprian, became metropolitan of kiev , rus , took bulgarian literary models , techniques. gregory tsamblak worked in serbia , moldavia before assuming position @ metropolitan of kiev. wrote number of sermons, liturgies, , hagiographies, including praising epistle euthymius . important bulgarian émigré constantine of kostenets, worked in serbia , biography of despot stefan lazarević described george ostrogorsky important historical work of old serbian literature .

apocryphal literature thrived in 13th , 14th centuries, concentrating on issues avoided in official religious works. there many fortune-telling books predicted events based on astrology , dreams. of them included political elements, such prophecy earthquake occurred @ night confuse people, treat emperor disdain. authorities condemned apocryphal literature , included such titles in index of banned books. nonetheless, apocryphs spread in russia; 16th century russian noble andrey kurbsky called them bulgarian fables .