Awaiting the END: European Dimensions, ca. 950 — ca. 1200
Author: Tsvetelin Stepanov. Language: Bulgarian with summary in English

     The book integrates the worlds of the three monotheistic religions, reducing them to a common denominator, that of the awaiting the End of Time in the period mid. 10th — end of the 12th century. To the best knowledge of the author, this monograph is the first one of this scope at least in Bulgaria. Therefore, its goal is to reveal the far wider scope of this phenomenon with its ‘derivatives’, contrary to the tradition of being satisfied only be presentation and analysis of the Christian case, be it that of Western Europe, Byzantium, or Danube Bulgaria. The author of the monograph emphasizes on the fact that the research covers a large geographical region and multiple ‘participants’ (Bulgarians, Rhomaioi, Franks, Anglo-Saxons, Khazars, Jews, Rus’ians, etc.), thus imposing the concept that comparative analysis of evidence will be one of the leading principles in the book. In using it, its weaknesses are of course taken into consideration, together with the ‘stumble-blocks’. To reduce the last to their minimum, other methods are added and actively used throughout the research, namely, those of historical-anthropological and hermeneutic approaches, as well as that of historical reconstruction. 

Table of contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter I. European Dimensions of the Expectations: Texts. Contexts. Real Places and Symbolic Topoi

I.1. Expectations for the End of Time in Jewish Milieu, 10th—12th Centuries

I.2. Expectations for the End of Time in Western Europe

I.2.1. The Fears’ Appeasement in the 10th—11th Centuries: Adso of Montier-en-Der, Tithland, Radulfus Glaber

I.2.2. The ‘Peace of God’ and the Year 1000

I.2.3. The Year 1000 and the Victory of the Cross in the North and the Center of Europe

I.2.4. On the Borderline between 10th and 11th Century: The Ottonians — Symbolic Acts and Symbolic Topoi

I.2.5. Looking at the Cult of St Michael the Archangel from the ‘Holy Roman Empire’

I.2.6. The Apocalyptic Theme in the Visual Art of the West

I.2.7. The Twelfth Century in the West. New Trajectories and Loci of the ‘Salvation’Expectations

I.2.7.a. Millenaristic Quest during the 12th Century: The Interpretations and Promise of Joachim of Fiore

I.2.7.b. The West Looks to the Far East, or about the “Kingdom of Presbyter John’ before the Earthly Paradise

I.3. Expectations for the End of Time in Byzantium

I.3.1. The ‘Scythian’ Threat from the North before 1092

I.3.1.a. The Signs, the Horoscopes, and the Rus’ Attacks

I.3.1.b. The Pechenegs and the Other Steppe Nomads

I.3.2. The Norman Threat from the West before and after 1092

I.3.3. Symbolic Acts in Constantinople before 1200

I.3.4. Evidence of the End in Byzantine Art

I.4. Expectations for the End of Time in Kievan Rus’

I.4.1. The Rus’ People – the New ‘Elects’ of God

I.4.2. The Capital City of Kiev (End of the 10th—12th Centuries): Imitating Jerusalem and Constantinople

I.4.3. And the whole of the Rus’ Land in under God’s Protection

Chapter II. The Evil Forces’ Topography before the End of Time: European Dimensions

II.1. The Question of the Sources

II.2. Genealogy of Some of the Topoi

II.2.1. ‘The People (of) God and Mogog’ in the Old Testament

II.2.2. ‘The Apocalypse’ of St. John the Apostle and the ‘The People of the Evil Forces’ in the New Testament

II.2.3. The Barrier/Wall/Door of Alexander the Great

II.2.3.a. In the Jewish Milieu before Jesus Christ’s Birth

II.2.3.b. In the Christian World

II.2.3.c. Amongst the Muslims before the 10th Century

II.2.4. The Ideas of Constantinople at the ‘New Jerusalem’ and the Heavenly Jerusalem – as a Heavenly Constantinople

II.3. Later Developments of the Topos of the Invasions’ Direction in the 10th—12th Centuries

II.3.1. In Byzantium

II.3.2. In Western Europe

II.3.3. In Kievan Rus’

II.3.4. In the Islamic World (of Volga Bulgaria, in particular)

II.3.5. In the Jewish Diaspora, 10th—12th Centuries

II.3.6. Some Possible Conclusions

Chapter III. Bulgarian Dimensions of the Expectation for the End of Time: Texts. Contexts. Real Places and Symbolic Topoi

III.1. Danube Bulgaria: ‘Texts’ of Word and Image

III.2. Topography and Names of ‘Evil Forces’ before the End of Time in the Notions of the Danube Bulgarians

III.3. Beginning and End of Tsardom: Bulgarian ‘Responses’ to the Expectations of the End of Time

III.3.1. The Topos of the ‘First Slav’ and/or ‘Ispor Tsar’, or about the Legitimation of the Beginning of the Bulgarian Tsardom

III.3.2. ‘The Last Tsar’: ‘Awakening’ of Two Traditional Images in Bulgaria around 1092, or about the Legitimation of the End of the Bulgarian Tsardom

III.3.2.a. ‘The Chosen’ Bulgarian Tsars Michael and Peter: The Power of the ‘Salvation’ Naming

III.3.3. The Well, or about the Path to and the Place of Paradise (and Hell?): Bulgarian Visions about the Topography of Salvation

III.3.4. The Giants: Once again about the Beginning and the End (of Space and Time, and of Tsardom as well)

III.3.4.a. The Bulgarian Christian Case, the End of the 11th — Beginning of the 12th Cenntury

III.3.4.b. Specific Features of the Bulgarian Islamic Case

III.3.4.c. Specific Features of the Scandinavian Case

Conclusion

Summary

Bibliography

Illustrations Section

В очакване на Края: европейски измерения ок.950 – ок.1200 г.

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