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chrysanthos notaras the Patriarch of Jerusalem... 401
the supplementary revenues of monasteries should be given to organizing
schools, for the sake of learning.” 18 In addition, here are the words of a
renowned romanian specialist in old romanian literature referring to
the court chronicler of one of the most pregnant cultural figures of the
first half of 18 th century Walachia that was the contested prince nikolaou
Mavrokordatos, writing superlatively about the high intellectual quality of
the discussions he witnessed between the prince and the patriarch: “the
meetings of nikolaou Mavrokordatos with some appropriate partner,
like Chrysanthos notaras, the patriarch of Jerusalem, give occasion to
real intellectual treats. Found among the witnesses of such a discussion,
radu popescu declares it as irreproducible, seemingly unwilling to risk a
derogative vulgarization of it: ‘[…] of the wonderful and wise full words
that came out of the wishful thought of the patriarch and of the prince the
mind of anybody cannot reach in order to write and give an account of’”. 19
his deeds, his letters and the references people he knew gave about
him describe notaras’ personality as very strong and complex. As a fact,
Chrysanthos acted his entire carrier in the manner of a grey eminence. In
many instances, important people of the epoch consulted or confessed
to him about matters that apparently have little or nothing to do with
his clerical position. From his large correspondence, we find that beside
the ruling princes and the boyars of Walachia and Moldavia many other
relevant personalities of the eastern world frequently wrote to Chrysanthos
in matters of politics, seeking for an advice or support, or simply keeping
him up to date with the evolution of different events.
Chrysanthos’ fruitful career within the hierarchy of the Church in the
Ottoman Empire
undoubtedly, Chrysanthos notaras’ ascension within the high
hierarchy of the eastern Church benefited fully from the support of his
uncle Dositheos II notaras (1641–1707) – the praised patriarch of Jerusalem
since 1669, and most certainly his role model.
Apart from his uncle, Chrysanthos had also a number of closed friends
and supporters, holding important positions. At the beginning of his carrier,
one of these was the ruling prince of Walachia Constantin Brancoveanu 20
18 A. CAMArIAno-CIorAn 1971: 35-36.
19 D.h. MAzIlu 2006: 226.
20 the rule of Constantin Brancoveanu (1688–1714) in Walachia represented beyond
any doubt a period of cultural enlightenment and a landmark for the future of cultural
and civil development of romania. this exceedingly rich prince massively endorsed