Patronage in constantinople after 1453

Abstract

The conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans signaled a new phase for the city’s religious monuments: a number of churches and monasteries were converted to Islamic foundations within a few years. However, the second half of the 15th century was characterized by the efforts of Christians to maintain their churches and reorganize their religious life. The Patriarchate was installed in the Pammakaristos monastery thanks to the support of the Greek elite that was consolidated within the new Ottoman regime. Other groups of patrons, such as the descendants of the Serbian nobility, were also active in patronage of churches and monasteries.