Churches and donors in the Treskavac chrysobulls of King Dušan

Abstract

Based on a rereading of King Dušan’s chrysobulls to the Treskavac Monastery, the paper indicates a link between the sacred space of the Treskavac Monastery on the mountain and the urban space - i.e. the medieval city of Prilep and the nobility - at the foot of the mountain. Judging by these charters, the reasons for bestowing donations on the Treskavac Monastery by the numerous members of the aristocracy in Pelagonia and Prilep seem to suggest a religious and funerary context. At the same time, the paper aims to highlight sacred topography, i.e. the churches in the possession of the Treskavac Monastery which made up a sacred network on the territory of Prilep and were vertically, spiritually and economically tied to the monastery on the mountain.

Keywords

• Treskavac Monastery
• cult
• city of Prilep
• King Dušan’s chrysobulls
• churches
• donors
• Byzantine nobility
• sacred topography