The remains of Gemistus Pletho were stolen from Mystras in 1466 by his Italian disciples, who transported them to Rimini to be interred in the Tempio Malatestiano. This act ensured that the philosopher, who bridged the divide between late Byzantine thought and the burgeoning Italian Renaissance, rested in a city of free men.
Life and Academic Service
Born in Constantinople around 1355, Pletho received an education in both his home city and Adrianople. He established a career as a teacher of philosophy and served as a senator in the capital. Before 1410, Emperor Manuel II Paleologos dispatched him to Mystras in the Peloponnese, where he functioned as a magistrate for Theodore II. Throughout his residency, he compiled digests of classical writers and instructed students including Bessarion and George Scholarius, even as he faced persistent accusations of heresy.
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In 1438, Pletho accompanied Emperor John VIII Palaiologos to the Council of Florence, which intended to bridge the schism between the Orthodox and Catholic churches. Though he was not a theologian, his reputation for wisdom necessitated his inclusion. During his time in Italy, he introduced Plato's works to a Latin West that had been dominated by Aristotelian thought. He authored De Differentiis to address perceived errors regarding Plato, triggering a protracted debate with Scholarius that continued among later humanists.
Political and Philosophical Revisionism
Pletho advocated for a revival of Hellenic civilization, viewing the Peloponnesians as descendants of the ancient Greeks. In pamphlets written in 1415 and 1418, he proposed that the peninsula adopt a centralized monarchy supported by professional Greek soldiers and a state-funded system of public land management. His final work, the Nomoi, circulated only among close associates, documented his rejection of Christianity in favor of a belief system derived from Zoroaster and classical Hellenic deities.
Fast facts
- Born: 1355, Constantinople
- Died: 1452, Mystras
- Occupation: Philosopher
- Citizenship: Byzantine Empire
- Buried at: Tempio Malatestiano
- Language: Medieval Greek
Questions readers ask
What is the significance of the year 1453 for Pletho?
While Pletho died in 1452, the fall of Constantinople occurred in 1453; scholars debate whether he lived long enough to witness the collapse of the city.
Why is he associated with the Italian Renaissance?
He reintroduced Platonic texts to Western Europe, influencing figures like Marsilio Ficino, who referred to him as the second Plato.
Achievements
- Fields: philosophy
