Processed from: Intemeierea_i_funcia_instituiei_monar.txt

Date Compiled: 2026-04-12

Sapovici — Întemeierea și Funcția Instituției Monarhice în Învățăturile lui Neagoe Basarab

Author: Anca Mihaela Sapovici

Source: Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti", București

Type: Peer-reviewed journal article

Topic: Political theology of Neagoe Basarab's Instructions — Byzantine model of monarchy

Summary

Analyses Învățăturile lui Neagoe Basarab către fiul său Theodosie (Instructions of Neagoe Basarab to his son Theodosie), a foundational political treatise of 16th-century Wallachia. Shows how Neagoe constructs an ideal monarchic model by weaving together Old Testament kingship narratives, Byzantine imperial ideology (via Patriarch Eftimie of Tarnovo's Panegyric of Saints Constantine and Helena), and the specifically Romanian concept of a Christian frontier principality.

Key Arguments

• *Învățăturile* is the first attempt to outline a coherent political system and governance model in Romanian lands
• Neagoe presents himself as a divinely-appointed ruler on a "variable and bloodied frontier of Christendom"
• His political theology draws on: (1) Samuel/Kings model of divine-right kingship, (2) Byzantine paradigm of the Christian emperor via Eftimie of Tarnovo's Panegyric, (3) Constantinian model of the pious emperor
• The treatise is both a political testament and an Orthodox catechism

The Three Pillars of Monarchy (Byzantine Tradition)

Neagoe draws on Zonaras's warning to Alexios Komnenos:

1. **Dreptatea** — Justice: the primary duty of the ruler to judge fairly
2. **Milostenia** — Philanthropy/mill philanthropy: generosity toward the poor and church
3. **Evsevia** — Piety/right faith: correct Orthodox belief

Biblical Model: 1 Samuel

Neagoe adapts 1 Samuel 8–10 to construct a model of divinely-appointed kingship:

• God grants the people's request for a king (Saul) but warns against the excesses of royal power
• The king must not forget he is servant of God and steward of the people's welfare
• The prince is accountable to God for his judgments

Byzantine Model: Eftimie of Tarnovo

Patriarch Eftimie of Tarnovo's Panegyric of Saints Constantine and Helena (14th century) provides the Constantinian model:

• The ideal Christian emperor as warrior, lawgiver, and defender of Orthodoxy
• The emperor carries the Church with him even in battle
• His authority derives from divine appointment, not popular mandate

Key Concepts

• [[byzantine-political-ideology]] — divine right monarchy in Byzantine tradition
• [[neagoe-basarab]] — 16th-century Wallachian ruler, author of Instructions
• [[constantinian-model]] — Christian emperor as warrior-legislator-defender of Orthodoxy
• [[three-pillars-monarchy]] — justice, philanthropy, piety (Dreptatea, Milostenia, Evsevia)
• [[frontier-christianity]] — Romania as "variable and bloodied frontier of Christendom"

Political Theology

Neagoe: "Că nu te-au ales, nici te-au uns oamenii spre domnie, ci Dumnezeu te-au ales și te-au unsu" — God, not the people, appoints the ruler.

The ruler's three obligations to God:

• Judge righteously (justice)
• Practice philanthropy (care for poor, church, servants)
• Preserve Orthodox faith

Status

Source article — compiled from processed text.

Related Articles

• [[index]]
• [[neagoe-basarab-foundation-function]]
• [[sapovici-ceremon-si-exemplaritate]]