MUZALON, THEODORE. - Byzantine statesman, orator and writer of the 13th century (d. 1295). He quickly succeeded in gaining the trust of the emperors Michael VIII Palaiologos and Andronikos II. His policy was always oriented toward schism; nevertheless he pretended to work for union with the Latins under Michael and even wrote a theological treatise in defense of the Filioque. He destroyed it, however, as soon as Andronikos had the Byzantine throne (1282), whose rupture with the Holy See he favored, together with the entire episcopate.

The writings of M. preserved thus far all aim at withdrawing authority from the most prominent pro-Latin writers such as Blemmydes and Bekkos. The Τόμος Ἀγάπης of Dositheos (Jassy 1699, pp. 405-13) collected some interesting fragments, but under the name of Gregory of Cyprus, and likewise Migne (PG 142, 290-300).

Bibliography3 works

BIBL.: A. Demetracopulos, Ὀρθόδοξος Ἑλλάς, Leipzig 1872, p. 66; M. Jugie, Theol. Dogmat. Christ. Orient., I, Paris 1926, p. 427; V. Laurent, s.v. in DThC, X, II, coll. 2581-84 (with indication of the sources).

Emmanuele Candal

@incollection{ec8_muzalon_teodoro, author = {Candal, Emanuele}, title = {Muzalon, teodoro}, booktitle = {Enciclopedia Cattolica}, volume = {VIII}, pages = {1579}, note = {Cited by column}, publisher = {Ente per l’Enciclopedia Cattolica e per il Libro Cattolico}, address = {Città del Vaticano}, year = {1952}, url = {https://azioneromana.com/article/muzalon-teodoro} }

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Muzalon, Theodore

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