Historica Olomucensia

The last century of Byzantine history, from the 1350s to the 1450s, was marked by political turmoil and the loss of territories and imperial authority. While much has been written about the broader political and religious aspects of this period, the personal experiences of those individuals caught in these events have received little focus. This article aims to explore the representations of exile and displacement during late Byzantine history by examining the accounts of individuals who left or were forced to leave their homeland. These experiences not only shaped their identities, but also influenced their perception of wider European political issues. The article analyzes the factors that contributed to the representations of exile, such as diplomatic journeys, internal conflicts, and beliefs about Constantinople’s centrality. It also highlights the increased contacts between the Byzantium and the Italian maritime states, Venice and Genoa, which played a significant role in shaping the experiences of displacement. The study acknowledges the limitations of available sources, analyzes the modes of representing displacement, and suggests that only a specific group of individuals, mainly scholars and aristocrats, left the Byzantine Empire after its fall in 1453.

Keywords: Exile; Displacement; Byzantium; Late Medieval; Mobility