Patriarchs and Bishops

Abstract

This chapter investigates the period circa 740 to 842, which was particularly rich for history writing within the Jacobite church. It details how the writings in history provided a means of charting the lineage of the patriarchs of the Jacobite church and delineating the appropriate behaviour of contemporary patriarchs and bishops using models from the past. It also examines the layered narratives that Dionysius provided for the period of 'anarchy' and then turns to Dionysius' depiction of his own generation. The chapter highlights the shift in the recruitment of patriarchs from Qartmin to other monasteries, such as Qenneshre, Dionysius' alma mater. It notes the change in the criteria for patriarchal tyranny between the eighth-century historians and Dionysius.