Maps of Power

Popović (Mihailo St.) 2010b

Properties

ID	10129
System Class	Bibliography
Bibliography	Article
Case Study	Ethnonym of the Vlachs , Byzantino-Serbian Border Zones in Transition (1282–1355) , Historical Region of Macedonia TIB 16

Description

Mihailo St. Popović, Die Siedlungsstruktur der Region Melnik in spätbyzantinischer und osmanischer Zeit, in: Zbornik radova Vizantološkog instituta 47 (2010) 247-276.

Relations

Actors (56)

Name	Class	Description
Abastralites	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. His father sold this property to Basileios Borontrizedas.
Alamanina	Person	Mentioned in the decision of the Patriarch of Constantinople Ioannes XIII Glykys and the Synod about the marriage between Konstantinos Palates and the daughter of Alamanina from 1315. She and her daughter came from Melnik. Konstantinos Palates agreed to marry her daughter. After Konstantinos discovered her handicap, he fled abroad and stayed there for four years. The Patriarch of Constantinople Ioannes XIII. Glykys and the Synod granted divorce to the marriage of Konstantinos Palates and of the daughter of Alamanina in a decision decree from September or December 1315.
Angelikudes Kallistos	Person	He is to be identified with Kallistos Kataphygiotes and Kallistos Telikudes. He was active in the second half of the 14th century. He was born around 1325 according to Koutsas. He died after 1377. He appears as a κῦρ in the charters of the Patriarch of Constantinople Philotheos Kokkinos. He was a Monk, man of letters and Pro-Palamite Theologian. He founded the small monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik. The Patriarch of Constantinople Philotheos Kokkinos appointed him between March and May 1371 as father confessor for his fellow monks. The patriarch of Constantinople Philotheos Kokkinos declared at Kallistos’ request his foundation a starouropegial monastery in May 1371. He and his monks are mentioned in an unpublished document from the Batopedi Monastery, which was issued in the year 1377. He composed the treatise Hesychastic consolation (Ἡσυχιαστικὴ παράκλησις), which consisted of 30 sermons. He refuted no less than 2000 extracts from the Summa contra Gentiles of Thomas Aquinas, which he know from the greek translation made by Demetrios Kydones. He is the author of more than 220 chapters dedicated to the Palamite teaching. Most of them were later incorporated in the Philokalia collection. He also wrote hymns, prayers and of a letter probably to his disciple Makarios Kataphygiotes.
Anna	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik.Her husband sold this property to Basileios Borontrizedas.
Annesia	Person	Mentioned in the deed of donation for the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik from the late 13th or beginning of the 14th century. She was a nun. She donated in memory of her deceased husband Theodoros Komenos Kantakuzenos, who lived in the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaion near Melnik, a ground with a mill in the lower town of Melnik and a vineyard in the village Dragnitza to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik (ἐπιδίδωμι αὐτῆ τῆ θεῖα μονῆ τῶ ἐν τῶ ἐμπορίω Μελενίκου γονηκῶθεν προσὃν ἡμῖν μυλωνοτόπιον, καὶ εἰς τὸ δια θείου καὶ σεπτοῦ χρυσοβούλου χωρίον ἡμῶν τῆν Δράγνιτζαν ἀμπέλιον ἐξαλιματικὸν).
Arestes Ioakeim	Person	Mentioned in the inventory of the properties belonging to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from January 1365. The source denotes him as κῦρ. He donated a land, which he had obtained by buying, to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik before January 1365 (καὶ γὴν ὄσην ἔδωκεν ὀ κῦρ Ιωακειμ ὁ Αρέστης δι'αγωρασίας αὐτου).
Asanes	Person	Mentioned in the inventory of the properties belonging to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from January 1365. He donated a plot of land in the village Rozeinos and a field called Analepsis to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik (καὶ γὴν ἢν ἔδωκεν ὀ Ασάνης ἐκείνος εἰς τὸν Ρωζεινον καὶ τὴν Ἀνάληψιν). His endowment was recorded in the inventory of the properties belonging to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from January 1365, which was made on the occasion of the donation of the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365 by the Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa.
Basilikos Nikephoros	Person	Mentioned in the sources between 1328 and 1342. The sources denote him as κύρος. Governor of Melnik in 1328. Megas Primikerios, between 1333 -1342. He didn’t hand over Melnik to Andronikos III Palaiologos despite the siege and remained loyal to Andronikos II Palaiologos. He was ready to place Melnik in the hands of Andronikos III Palaiologos only after the decease of Andronikos II Palaiologos. He was allowed to carry on as governor of Melnik. He is mentioned in the prostagma of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos for the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist near Serres probably from the year 1333. He was one of the witnesses, who authenticated the renewal of the treaty with Venice in 1342.
Borontritzedas Basileios	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. He was a κῦρ. He purchased this property (πιπράσκομεν πρὸς σὲ κῦρ Βασιλείω τῶ Βοροντρίτζηδα).
Chachalas Basileios	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι), who together with Paulopulos, the village elder of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Chenatares	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the people from the village Hagios Georgos (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον), who together with trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Chreles Stephanos	Person	According to the later tradition and forged documents he came out from the noble family of Ohmućević. He appears for the first time in the history of John Kantakuzenos. In December 1327 he commanded a Serbian auxiliary contingent of twelwe cohorts laying between Drama and Philippoi in support of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II. against his grandson Andronikos III. (τοῦ δὲ ἐκ τῶν Τριβαλῶν συμμαχικοῦ, δυοκαίδεκα ταγμάτων ὄντων, ὁ Χρέλης ἐστρατήγει, τῶν τε παρὰ Τριβαλοῖς εὐπατριδῶν καὶ ἀνδρίας καὶ ἐμπειρίας στρατηγικῆς τὰ πρῶτα φέρων παρ’ αὐτοῖς). In 1334–1335, Hrelja reconstructed the church of the Rila Monastery and built the so-called Hrelja's Tower, the monastery's defensive tower and its oldest structure surviving today. The inscription on the tower testifies that by the time of its construction Hrelja still acknowledged Serbian suzerainty bearing the tile of protosevast ((Pri državě gospodina prěvysokago Stepana Dušana kraal sьzyda sьn pirgь gospodinь protosevastь Hrelь sь trudomь velikomь i eksodomь svetomu ōtcu Iōanu Rylskomu i materi božii naricaeměi Ōsěnovica vь lěto 6843 indiktiōnь 5). Sometimes between 1336 and the june 1341 Hrelja deserted from the Serbian king Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. In early 1342 he made contact with Kantakuzenos. It is not clear when he first met Hrelja, though he does refer to Hrelja as being a friend for the most part and that it was through his own initiative that Hrelja came to know Andronikos III. (ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Χρέλης, ὃς ἦν πρότερον πρὸς Ἀνδρόνικον τὸν βασιλέα ηὐτομοληκὼς ἐκ Τριβαλῶν, στρατιώτας τε ἔχων χιλίους καὶ πόλεις τρεῖς παραδεδωκὼς, ἃς Ῥωμαίων οὔσας ὑπηκόους κατὰ τὸν πρὸς ἀλλήλους τῶν Ἀνδρονίκων βασιλέων πόλεμον κατέσχον οἱ Τριβαλοὶ, τῶν κατεχόντων Ῥωμαίων παραδόντων· οὗτος δὴ οὖν ὁ Χρέλης χρήμασί τε ἐῤῥωμένος καὶ στρατιὰν ἔχων ἀξιόλογον ὑφ’ ἑαυτῷ καὶ πρότερον βασιλεῖ τῷ Καντακουζηνῷ ἐς τὰ μάλιστα φίλος ὢν, (δι’ αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ Ἀνδρονίκῳ προσῆλθε τῷ βασιλεῖ,) πέμψας καὶ αὐτὸς, ὅτι τε αἱροῖτο ἐδήλου τὰ ἐκείνου, καὶ παρῄνει καὶ αὐτὸς πρὸς τὴν ἑσπέραν μᾶλλον τρέπεσθαι, ὡς οὐ φαύλης τινὸς αὐτόθεν ἐσομένης ὠφελείας). The Kantakuzenos' statement and the fact that he handed over one thousand soldiers and three cities gives a picture of Hrelja's wealthiness, which is confirmed also by the forged charters concerning the Hrelja's donation of the Church of St. Archangel Michael in Štip to the Monastery of Hilandar.
Demetrios (1)	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the people from the village Hagios Georgos (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον), who together with trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Georgios (1)	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was a priest (παπάς). He was among the people from the village Hagios Georgos (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον), who together with trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Gerasimos	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304 and in the deed of gift of Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas and his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa for the Monastery of Iberon from December 1309. He was a Protosynkellos and Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. In May 1304 the unlawfully taken small possession (κτῆμα μικρὸν) Hagios Georgios near the village Hostrobos in the size of two yokes (εἰς τὸ̣ν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον, πο̣σουμενον γῆ ζευγαρίων δύο εἰς ὑπέρπυρα τέσσαρα... εἰς τὴν περιοχὴν εὑρισκόμενον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἐπιλεγώμενον) was given back to the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. The possession belonged to the monastery according to the records of the thema Melenikos (ἐν τῶ τοῦ Μελλενίκου θέματος). The boundaries of the possession were examined in the presence of Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik (καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐκεισαι εἰς τὸν λεγόμενον Ἅγιον Γεώργιον εἰς τὴν περιοχὴν τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ με̣τὰ καὶ τοῦ ἀρχημανδρίτου ἁγίου πατρὸς Γερασίμου ἱερομονάχου, ποιμένος λεγω τῆς εἰρημένης ἁγίας μονῆς, κ̣α̣ὶ̣ τῆς ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ ποίμνης). Gerasimos also signed and approved the deed of gift of Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas and his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa for the Monastery of Iberon from December 1309 (Ὁ̣ ἀρχιμανδρίτης καὶ πρωτοσίγγελο̣ς̣ τῆς σεβασμίας μο̣νῆς τῆς ὑπεράγνο̣υ̣ μου Θεομήτορο̣ς τῆς Σπηλαιωτίσσης Γερά̣σιμ̣ος ἐ̣π̣ὶ̣ τὸ παρὸν τ̣ῆς π̣αρα̣δόσεως γρ̣άμμα μαρτυρῶν ὑπ̣έγραψεν).
Grammatikos Manuel	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι), who together with Paulopulos, the village elder of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Hekatides	Person	Mentioned in the charter for the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in the Katepanikion Popolia from 1316. He was στρατιώτης. Hekatides from Melnik donated a paroikos family to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in the Katepanikion Popolia (Ὁ προσενεχθεὶς εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν μονὴν παρὰ στρατιώτου τοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ Μελενίκου τοῦ Ἑκατίδη).
Henglesis	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι), who together with Paulopulos, the village elder of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Hyperpyros	Person	Mentioned in the charter of Philotheos Kokkinos, the Patriarch of Constantinople, for the monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik from May 1371. He donated a vineyard in Bitzanklaba to the monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik (ἕτερον ἀμπέλιον περὶ τὴν Βιτζάγκλαβαν, ὅπερ ἔδωκεν ὁ Ὑπέρπυρος).
Ioannes (5)	Person	He, his house in the lower town of Melnik and his vineyard were confirmed by the chrysobull charter of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II from August 1323 as inherited property of Ioannes Sguros Orestes (ἔτι δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐμπόριον τοῦ εἰρημένου κάστρου Μελενίκου ἕτερον ὀσπήτιον καὶ ἄνθρωπον γονικὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν Ἰωάννην εὑρισκόμενον εἰς τὸ τοιοῦτον ὀσπήτιον, ἔχοντα δὲ καὶ ἀμπέλιον).
Ioannes ....ptos	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the possession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. The charter denotes him as δοῦλος. He as a representative of the commander of the thema of Melenikos signed and approved the charter concerning the return of the possession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304 (Ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ ε̣ὐ̣σεβε̣στάτο̣υ̣ μου α̣ὐ̣θέντ̣ου Ἰωάννης ὁ ....πτός).
Iskras Georgios	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304.He was among the trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι), who together with Paulopulos, the village elder of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Kalameas, Georgios Kontostephanos	Person	Mentioned in the deed of gift of Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas and his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa for the Monastery of Iberon from December 1309 and in the chrysobull charter of the Byzantine Co-emperor Michael IX. Palaiologos from August 1310 for the Monastery of Iberon on Mount Athos. The deed denotes him as δοῦλος of the Byzantine Emperor. He was a στρατιώτης. He and his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa donated several properties to the Monastery of Iberon. Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas acquired from a certain Karbunares a place called Malesta near Melnik, where he erected the church of Saint George tu Kalamea. He endowed it with vineyard, fields, courtyard, meadow and a mill and gave it together with his wife to the Monastery of Iberon as metochion (καὶ γὰρ τὸ σύνεγγυ̣ς τοῦ κάστρου Μελενίκου, τὸ ἐν τῆ τοποθεσία τῆς Μάλεστας, τὸν ἐξ αγορασίας μου τόπον ἀπὸ τοῦ Καρβουνάρη ἐκείνου, τὸ ἐκ γονικόθεν παρ’ αὐτοῦ κατεχόμενον, σὺν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος καὶ τῶν χω̣ραφίων, τῆς αὐλῆς, τοῦ ληβαδίου καὶ τοῦ μύλωνος... ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐν τῶ αὐτῶ τόπω ἀνήγειρα ἐκ βάθρου ἐξ οἰκίου κόπου καὶ ἀναλουμάτων θείον καὶ πάνσεπτον ναὸν εἰς ὅνομα τιμώμενον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ πανενδώξου μεγαλομάρτυρος καὶ τροπαιοφόρου Γεωργίου). The foundation of the metochion was enriched by their donation of the Church of Saint Panteleemon and a couple of houses in Melnik (Ἐπεὶ δὲ εὑρίσκεται καὶ ἐντὸς τοῦ κάστρου Μελενίκου ὁ Ἅγιος Πα̣ν̣τ̣ελεήμων μετὰ καὶ τῶν ὁσπητίων, ὃν ἔκτισα, ἵνα κατέχεται (καὶ) αὐτὸς παρὰ τοῖς μονῆς τοῦ τοῦ Ἁγίου Γεωργίου).
Kalochairetes Theodoros	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. He sold this property to Basileios Borontrizedas.
Kantakuzenos, Theodoros Komnenos Philes	Person	Mentioned in the deed of donation for the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik from the late 13th or beginning of the 14th century. He was a κῦρ. He held the office of the Megas Drungarios τῆς βίγλης. He was buried in the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik. His wife Annesia donated a ground with a mill in the lower town of Melnik and a vineyard in the village Dragnitza to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik in return for the commemoration of Theodoros by the monks (ἐπιδίδωμι αὐτῆ τῆ θεῖα μονῆ τῶ ἐν τῶ ἐμπορίω Μελενίκου γονηκῶθεν προσὃν ἡμῖν μυλωνοτόπιον, καὶ εἰς τὸ δια θείου καὶ σεπτοῦ χρυσοβούλου χωρίον ἡμῶν τῆν Δράγνιτζαν ἀμπέλιον ἐξαλιματικὸν). His father Michael Elaiodorites Spanopulos donated also two mills in the lower town of Melnik to the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik in memory of his son and other deceased family member (Ἐπεὶ προ χρόνων τελευτήσαντος τοῦ αυθέντου μου καὶ πατρός μου τοῦ μακαρίτου ἐκοίνου τὸ λείψανον κατετέθη ἐν τη σεβασμία βασιλικῆ μονῆ τῆς κυρίας ἠμῶν τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τῆ ἐπικεκλημένη Σπήλαιον, ὁμοίως καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου λείψανα, καὶ ἐδόθη ψυχικῆς ἐνεκεν σωτηρίας αὐτῶν πράγματά τινα, ἀρτίως δὲ τελευτήσαντος καὶ τοῦ γλυκυτάτου καὶ περὶποθείτου μου υἱοῦ ἐκείνου Κομνηνοῦ κυροῦ Θεοδόρου Φιλή τοῦ Καντακουζηνοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου δρουγγαρίου κατετέθη τὸ λίψανον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ παίδων ἐν τῆ τοῖαὔτη σεβασμία μονῆ καὶ ἐδόθη ὑπερ ψυχικῆς σωτηρίας τὸ ἐν τῶ ἐμπορίω Μελενίκου μυλωνοτόπιον αὐτῶν, ἐπιδίδωμι καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ σύνεγκυς τοῦτου μυλονοτόπιον ἐν τη τοιαύτη μονῆ μονῆ ψυχικῆς ἔνεκα σωτηρίας τῶν ἀπελθῶντων γονέων μου καὶ ἀδελφῶν καὶ τέκνων καὶ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν).
Kapantritissa, Eirene Kontostephanina	Person	Mentioned in the deed of gift of Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas and his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa for the Monastery of Iberon from December 1309. She and her husband Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas donated several properties to the Monastery of Iberon. Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas acquired from a certain Karbunares a place called Malesta near Melnik, where he erected the church of Saint George tu Kalamea. He endowed it with vineyard, fields, courtyard, meadow and a mill and gave it together with his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa to the Monastery of Iberon as metochion (καὶ γὰρ τὸ σύνεγγυ̣ς τοῦ κάστρου Μελενίκου, τὸ ἐν τῆ τοποθεσία τῆς Μάλεστας, τὸν ἐξ αγορασίας μου τόπον ἀπὸ τοῦ Καρβουνάρη ἐκείνου, τὸ ἐκ γονικόθεν παρ’ αὐτοῦ κατεχόμενον, σὺν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος καὶ τῶν χω̣ραφίων, τῆς αὐλῆς, τοῦ ληβαδίου καὶ τοῦ μύλωνος... ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐν τῶ αὐτῶ τόπω ἀνήγειρα ἐκ βάθρου ἐξ οἰκίου κόπου καὶ ἀναλουμάτων θείον καὶ πάνσεπτον ναὸν εἰς ὅνομα τιμώμενον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ πανενδώξου μεγαλομάρτυρος καὶ τροπαιοφόρου Γεωργίου). The foundation of the metochion was enriched by their donation of the Church of Saint Panteleemon and a couple of houses in Melnik (Ἐπεὶ δὲ εὑρίσκεται καὶ ἐντὸς τοῦ κάστρου Μελενίκου ὁ Ἅγιος Πα̣ν̣τ̣ελεήμων μετὰ καὶ τῶν ὁσπητίων, ὃν ἔκτισα, ἵνα κατέχεται (καὶ) αὐτὸς παρὰ τοῖς μονῆς τοῦ τοῦ Ἁγίου Γεωργίου).
Karbunares	Person	Mentioned in the deed of gift of Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas and his wife Eirene Kontostephanina Kapantritissa for the Monastery of Iberon from December 1309, in the act of the apographeus Manuel Manglabites for Ioannes Sguros Orestes from 1319/1320 or from 1304/1305 and in the chrysobull charter of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos for the pansebastos sebastos Ioannes Sguros Orestes from August 1323. He sold a place called Malesta near Melnik to Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas (καὶ γὰρ τὸ σύνεγγυ̣ς τοῦ κάστρου Μελενίκου, τὸ ἐν τῆ τοποθεσία τῆς Μάλεστας, τὸν ἐξ αγορασίας μου τόπον ἀπὸ τοῦ Καρβουνάρη ἐκείνου). He also sold a field in the katepanikion Diakastron to Ioannes Sguros Orestes before 1319/1320 (Καὶ χωράφιον πλησίον ταύτης ἐξ ἀγορᾶς ἀπ̣ὸ̣ τοῦ Καρ̣βωνάρη ἐκ̣είνου μοδίων δ̣έκ̣α). He bought an 11 modioi vineyard with a nearby wasteland in Malesta from Mitas and sold it to Ioannes Sguros Orestes (Καὶ εἰς τὴν Μάλεσ̣τ̣αν ἀ̣μ̣πέλιον ἐξ ἀγορᾶς ἀπὸ τ̣ο̣ῦ̣ δηλωθέντο̣ς Καρβωνά̣ρ̣η̣ παρὰ τοῦ ε̣ἰ̣ρ̣ημένου Μιτᾶ ἐκείνου μοδίων ἕνδεκα, καὶ χέρσον μερικὸν συμπαρακ̣είμ̣εν̣ον). He sold a part from a 100 modioi field to Ioannes Sguros Orestes (καὶ χωράφιον ἐξ ἀγορασίας ὡσαύτως ἀπὸ τοῦ Καρβωνάρη καὶ τοῦ Λιτοβόη ἐκείνου καὶ ἀπὸ ἑτέρων ὡσεὶ μοδίων ἑκατόν). He vended also a vineyard in Malesta to Ioannes Sguros Orestes, where a 20 modioi vineyard was set out by the latter (Ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἀμπέλιον εἰς τὴν Μάλεσταν ἐξ ἀγορασίας ἀπὸ τοῦ δηλωθέντος Καρβωνάρη, ἐν ὧ κατεφυτεύθη παρ’ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἕτερον ἀμπέλιον μοδίων εἴκοσι, σὺν τῆ ἐκεῖσε εὑρισκομένη χερσαία γῆ).
Koluzes Michael	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik.He testified that Basileios Borontritzedas purchased this property from Theodoros Kalochairetes.
Kritzanos	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the people from the village Hagios Georgos (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον), who together with trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Kyrillos	Person	Mentioned in the sources from June 1355 to 1379. He appears as ὑπέρτιμος or kyrь in the sources. He was the Metropolitan of Melnik (ὁ ταπεινὸς Μελενίκου καὶ ὑπέρτιμος Κύριλλος, dostolěpni i v’sečьstni prěōsvešten’ni mitropolitь bogozdan’nago grada Mel’nika). He attested the authenticity of the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. Before May 1356 he found the Church of Saint Nicholas in Melnik damaged. He restored the church, built a wall around it and a tower (kyrь Kirilь ō crьkvi svetago Nikoli čudotvor’ca Stožьskoga kako jestь naš’lь ōnuzi crьkvь svetago Nikoli Stož’koga porušenu, i ōnь ju jestь ōbnovilь i sьzidalь i ōšte i k’tomu pirьgь sьzidalь svoimь trudomь i ōtkupomь). The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V confirmed in a chrysobull in May 1356, together with his mother, the Empress Jelena-Jelisaveta, the possession of the Church of Saint Nicholas in the town of Melnik with its landed property and holdings in Psalině and Gr’dali to the Metropolitan Kirilь. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V donated also the village Smilovo to him (I za tozi uspomenutije prěōsvešten’nago ni mitropolita kyrь Kirila prije gospožda mi i mati carьstva mi carica kyra Jelisaf’ti i carьstvo mi, i darovasmo mu ōnuzi kjeliju, crьkvь svetago Nikoli Stožьs’koga i pirьgь što si estь samь zidalь sь vsěmi pravinami i s selomь što si estь drьžala tazi crьkvь, i s planinomь. I zapisa mu carьstvo mi Kondarata sь stasiōmь i s perivoljemь i s vinogradomь i s nivijemь što si estь drьžalь i prěgje u Psalině. I staьs Jullianova u Grdali na čemь jestь sědělь Svinoglavь sь v’sěmi pravinami stasi těh’zi. I ōšte se carьstvo mi zьgovori z gospoždomь caricomь materiju carьstva mi i pridados’mo selo Smilovo sь vsьmi pravinami i s megjami i sь zasel’ci kako su drьžali vlasteličiki carьstva mi v’se čisto. I ošte mu zapisa carьstvo mi vinograd Tukarevь i Luv’rov što mu su darovali vlasteličiki carьstva mi Vitomirь i Staniša. I kupeničije što si jestь kupilь samь mitropolitь Kyrilь i priložil pod ōnuzi crьkvь da mu něstь vol’nь nikto potvoriti). Kyrillos is mentioned in the patriarchal decree from 1379 concerning the property dispute of the Spelaion-Monastery.
Lalukeis	Person	Mentioned in the inventory of the properties belonging to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from January 1365. He donated a plot of land called Pesosnetza to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik (ἐτερα γὴ εἰς τὴν Πεσώσνητζα ὄσην δέδωκεν ὀ Λαλούκεις ἐκείνος). His endowment was recorded in the inventory of the properties belonging to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from January 1365, which was made on the occasion of the donation of the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365 by the Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa.
Meletios (1)	Person	Mentioned in the appointment deed from the period between 1301 and 1361. The source denotes him as a κῦρ. He was hieromonk, then Abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. A not named patriarch appointed Meletios as Abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in the upper town of Melnik (Ἡ μετριότης ἡμῶν διὰ τοῦ παρόντος αὐτῆς γράμματος παρακελεύεται εἶναι τὸν τιμιώτατον ἱερομόναχον κῦρ Μελέτιον εἰς καθηγούμενον τῆς ἐν τῷ θεοσώστω κάσ̣τ̣ρῳ τοῦ Μελενίκου διακειμένης σεβασμίας μονῆς τῆς ὑπεράγνου δεσποίνης καὶ Θεομη̣τορος καὶ ἐπικεκλημένης τοῦ Σπηλαίου).
Metochites, Michael Laskaris	Person	Appears in the History of Ioannes Kantakuzenos in 1326. Attested as Governor of Melnik in 1326. He and his brother Demetrios Angelos Metochites established contact with their brother-in-law Ioannes Palaiologos, who was revolting against the emperor. Michael Laskaris Metochites seems to be relieved of his post, since Nikephoros Basilikos was holding the office from 1328. Some of the sons of Theodoros Metochites were in prison in 1332, among them maybe also Michael Laskaris Metochites.
Metrophanes	Person	Mentioned in several sources between 1334/1347 and 1354. He was Metropolitan of Melnik from 1347 to 1352 and καθολικὸς κριτὴς τῶν ῾Ρωμαίων in 1351. He confirmed in November 1334 or 1349 the endowment of the Monastery Theotokos tu Dempelake by the Bishop Kyprianos of Pheremai to the Monastery of Saint John Baptist near Serres. He signed the Tomos of 1351. He was sent twice in 1352 by Ioannes VI Kantakuzenos on a unsuccesful mission to Ioannes V. Palaiologos, who was at that time in Didymoteichon. He was the assessor of Synod in Constantinople in September 1350, December 1353 and probably also in January and June 1354.
Mpealuses	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι), who together with Paulopulos, the village elder of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Orestes, Ioannes Sguros	Person	Addressee of the act of the apographeus Manuel Manglabites from 1319/1320 or from 1304/1305 and of the chrysobull charter of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II from August 1323. The sources denote him as κῦρις and as πανσέβαστος σ̣ε̣βαστὸς. He was the οἰκεῖος of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II. He owned a hereditary posotes in the value of six hyperpyra. The apographeus Manuel Manglabites lists several of his gonikon properties. He held a country residence with court and houses near the village Krusobon, a garden and a vineyard, all in the katepanikion Ano Balabista. He had also possessions in the katepanikion Diakastron. They consisted of the country residence with court and houses near the thicket called τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ, which he bought from Mitas. He possessed a field near the property of Turkaris. He owned a cleared meadow in the vicinity of Melnik, somewhere between the Monastery of Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa and the Church Hagios Ioannes Prodromos. He acquired also certain fields from Baldubinos. He held a 30 modioi field below Besobitza near a road and the lands of Kokkos. He received a 11 modioi field from Kokkos by exchange near the threshing floor, the property of Amnon and the road. He owned a 10 modioi field from the possessions of Kokkos in the vicinity of the properties of Turkaris, Amnon and Botrydas. He bought a vineyard in Malesta from Karbunares with the nearby wasteland, which was previously owned by Mitas. The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II confirmed in august 1323 a collection of his 16 properties by the chrysobull charter. These were the houses in the upper town and lower town of Melnik with the inherited serfs, two villeins with proprietary possession in Radovište, the country residence called τοῦ Σεβαστοῦ, 100 modioi field bought from Karbunares, the deceased Litoboes, and others, another 20 modioi field near the country residence, a cleared 10 modioi field, several exchanged and purchased fields from Baldubinos, Kokkos, Marinos, a 100 modioi field from a dowry in the thicket Brimpobos, two mills, a vineyard in Malesta bought from Karbunares, a 5 modioi vineyard from a dowry, the country residence with court and houses near the village Krusobon and two 10 modioi bought vineyards in Selianin.
Palates Konstantinos	Person	Mentioned in the decision of the Patriarch of Constantinople Ioannes XIII Glykys and the Synod about the marriage between Konstantinos Palates and the daughter of Alamanina from 1315. He was page of the Byzantine Emperor before 1311 (ἀπὸ τῶν παιδοπούλων τοῦ κρατίστου καὶ ἁγίου μου αὐτοκράτορος). He was married to the daughter of Alamanina. Konstantinos Palates came from Melnik. He agreed to marry the daughter of Alamanina, not knowing about her handicap on the face, on the eye and on the hands, which he discovered only when he signed the marriage contract. He did not want to live with her and therefore he fled abroad and stayed there for four years. The Patriarch of Constantinople Ioannes XIII. Glykys and the Synod granted divorce to the marriage of Konstantinos Palates and of the daughter of Alamanina in a decision decree from September or December 1315.
Paulopulos	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304.He was the πρωτόγερος of the inhabitants of the village Hostrobos. In May 1304 the unlawfully taken small possession (κτῆμα μικρὸν) Hagios Georgios near the village Hostrobos in the size of two yokes (εἰς τὸ̣ν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον, πο̣σουμενον γῆ ζευγαρίων δύο εἰς ὑπέρπυρα τέσσαρα... εἰς τὴν περιοχὴν εὑρισκόμενον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἐπιλεγώμενον) was given back to the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. The possession belonged to the monastery according to the records of the thema of Melenikos (ἐν τῶ τοῦ Μελλενίκου θέματος). Paulopulos as the village elder and the other trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι) together with Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Pilestiakos Georgios	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι), who together with Paulopulos, the village elder of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Pululon	Person	Mentioned in the Prostagma of the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II to the Despot Konstantinos Palaiologos from February 1321. The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II addressed in February 1321 the command to the Despot Konstantinos Palaiologos to banish his subordinate Pululon from the summer pasture Matzista, which belonged to the Monastery of Hilandar (ἡ βασιλεία μου ὥρισε προολίγου καὶ ἐδόθη διὰ χρυσοβούλλου αὐτῆς πρὸς τὴν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὄρει τοῦ Ἄθω διακειμένην σεβασμίαν μονὴν τοῦ Χελανταρίου ἡ περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον πλανηνὴ ἡ Μάτιστα· εὐρίσκει δὲ τὸ μέρος αὐτῆς καταδυναστείαν ἐπὶ ταύτῃ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου σου τοῦ Πούλουλου. περὶ τοῦ τοιούτου γοῦν Πούλουλου παρεδήλωσέ σοι ἡ βασιλεία μου διαφόρως ἵνα ἀποδιώξῃς αὐτόν, ἐπεὶ εὑρίσκεται ἔρημος καὶ ὀχληρὸς καὶ κακός. Πάλιν γοῦν τὸ αὐτὸ παραδηλοῖ σοι ᾗ βασιλεία μου δι’ αὐτόν· καὶ ἀποδίωξον αὐτὸν ὡς τοιοῦτον εὑρισκόμενον, καὶ οἰκονόμησον ἵνα ἔχῃ τὸ μέρος τῆς εἰρημένης μονῆς τοῦ Χελανταρίου τὴν δηλωθεῖσαν πλανηνὴν ἀνενοχλήτως, καθὼς ἐδόθη πρὸς αὐτὴν διὰ τοῦ δηλωθέντος χρυσοβούλλου τῆς βασιλείας μου, καὶ μέλλει γενέσθαι τοῦτο εἰς ἀποδοχὴν αὐτῆς.).
Silimures Laskarios	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. He was a κῦρ. He testified that Basileios Borontritzedas purchased this possession from Theodoros Kalochairetes. Could be the owner of land in the vicinity of the former property of Theodoros Kalochairetes (ἐκ τοῦ ἐπάνωθεν μὲν μέρους ἐπιπλησίον τοῦ χωραφίου τοῦ Σιλιμούρη).
Silimures Nikephoros	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. He was a κῦρ. He testified that Basileios Borontritzedas purchased this possession from Theodoros Kalochairetes. Could be the owner of land in the vicinity of the former property of Theodoros Kalochairetes (ἐκ τοῦ ἐπάνωθεν μὲν μέρους ἐπιπλησίον τοῦ χωραφίου τοῦ Σιλιμούρη).
Spanopulos Ioannes	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the possession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was a priest and anagnostes. He was the scribe of the charter concerning the return of the possession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304 (Ὁ γραφεὺς τοῦ παροντος παραδοτικοῦ γράμματος ἱε̣ρεὺς καὶ ἀναγνώστης Ἰωάννη̣ς̣ ὁ Σπανόπουλος).
Spanopulos, Michael Elaiodorites	Person	Mentioned in the deed of donation of Michael Elaiodorites Spanopulos for the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik from the late 13th century or the beginning of the 14th century. He was a σεβαστός. He held the office of στρατοπεδάρχης τῶν αλλαγίων. Michael Elaiodorites Spanopulos endowed the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik already after the death of his father and his brothers for the sake of their salvation. According to his will, a charter for the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik was issued, when his son Theodoros Komnenos Kantakuzenos deceased. Michael Elaiodorites Spanopulos donated two mills in the lower town of Melnik to the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik in return for the commemoration of Theodoros Komnenos Kantakuzenos and other relatives by the monks (Ἐπεὶ προ χρόνων τελευτήσαντος τοῦ αυθέντου μου καὶ πατρός μου τοῦ μακαρίτου ἐκοίνου τὸ λείψανον κατετέθη ἐν τη σεβασμία βασιλικῆ μονῆ τῆς κυρίας ἠμῶν τῆς ὑπεραγίας Θεοτόκου τῆ ἐπικεκλημένη Σπήλαιον, ὁμοίως καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου λείψανα, καὶ ἐδόθη ψυχικῆς ἐνεκεν σωτηρίας αὐτῶν πράγματά τινα, ἀρτίως δὲ τελευτήσαντος καὶ τοῦ γλυκυτάτου καὶ περὶποθείτου μου υἱοῦ ἐκείνου Κομνηνοῦ κυροῦ Θεοδόρου Φιλή τοῦ Καντακουζηνοῦ τοῦ μεγάλου δρουγγαρίου κατετέθη τὸ λίψανον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ παίδων ἐν τῆ τοῖαὔτη σεβασμία μονῆ καὶ ἐδόθη ὑπερ ψυχικῆς σωτηρίας τὸ ἐν τῶ ἐμπορίω Μελενίκου μυλωνοτόπιον αὐτῶν, ἐπιδίδωμι καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ σύνεγκυς τοῦτου μυλονοτόπιον ἐν τη τοιαύτη μονῆ μονῆ ψυχικῆς ἔνεκα σωτηρίας τῶν ἀπελθῶντων γονέων μου καὶ ἀδελφῶν καὶ τέκνων καὶ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν).
Sulumpertes, Demetrios Dukas	Person	Subject of the deed of sale from 1344. His wife was Theodora. He was the resident of the town of Melnik. He sold together with his wife Theodora an arable land at Slataritzos near Melnik to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Pantanassa in Melnik for 20 hyperpyra (ὠήθημεν τὴν ὅπερ ἐκεκτήμεθα κατὰ τὸν Σλατάριτζον ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἡμῶν ἀρώσιμον γὴν ἐπ’ ἐκκλησίας ἐκδήλως ἀπεμπολῇσαι, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ τόπου συνταχθῆσαν ἀνέκαθεν συνήθειαν. Καὶ δὴ πιπράσκομεν ταῦτην ἀρτίως πρὸς τὴν σεβασμίαν καὶ θεόμητορικὴν τῆς Παντανάσσης μονήν,...ἡμῶν γῆν εἰς ὑπέρπυρα εἴκοσιν).
Tarchaneiotes Georgios	Person	Mentioned in the decision of the Patriarch of Constantinople Ioannes XIII Glykys and the Synod about the marriage between Konstantinos Palates and the daughter of Alamanina from 1315. He was an inhabitant of Melnik. He was engaged to the daughter of Alamanina. He dissolved the engagement with her, after he became aware of her handicap.
Tauros	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. He owned a land in the vicinity of the former property of Theodoros Kalochairetes (ὅσον καὶ οἶον ἐστὶν τῆς νομῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ περιοχῆς εὑρεθὲν τοῦ Ταύρου ἐκείνου).
Tauros tu Chrysu	Person	Mentioned in the act of the apographeus Manuel Manglabites for Ioannes Sguros Orestes from 1319/1320 or from 1304/1305 and in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. Manuel Manglabites denotes him as κῦρ. He donated certain lands before 1319/1320 or 1304/1305 to Baldubinos, which were later acquired by Ioannes Sguros Orestes (Καὶ ἐξ ἀνταλλαγῆς χωραφίων τινῶν κ̣ῦ̣ρ Τα̣ύρου τοῦ του Χρύσου δοθέντων πρὸς τὸν Βαλδουβῖνον). He owned a land in the vicinity of the former property of Theodoros Kalochairetes in 1355 (ὅσον καὶ οἶον ἐστὶν τῆς νομῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ περιοχῆς εὑρεθὲν τοῦ Ταύρου ἐκείνου).
Tetragonites	Person	Mentioned in the charter from June 1355 concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos near Melnik. He was a σεβαστός. He had a son. His son testified that Basileios Borontritzedas purchased this property from Theodoros Kalochairetes.
Theodora (3)	Person	Subject of the deed of sale from 1344. Her husband was Demetrios Dukas Sulumpertes. She was a resident of the town of Melnik. She sold together with her husband an arable land at Slataritzos near Melnik to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Pantanassa in Melnik for 20 hyperpyra (ὠήθημεν τὴν ὅπερ ἐκεκτήμεθα κατὰ τὸν Σλατάριτζον ἐκ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἡμῶν ἀρώσιμον γὴν ἐπ’ ἐκκλησίας ἐκδήλως ἀπεμπολῇσαι, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ τόπου συνταχθῆσαν ἀνέκαθεν συνήθειαν. Καὶ δὴ πιπράσκομεν ταῦτην ἀρτίως πρὸς τὴν σεβασμίαν καὶ θεόμητορικὴν τῆς Παντανάσσης μονήν,...ἡμῶν γῆν εἰς ὑπέρπυρα εἴκοσιν).
Theōdosovь Petrь	Person	Mentioned in the charter of the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan III Šišman for the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila from 21 September 1378. He had brothers. The Bulgarian Tsar Ivan III Šišman donated in 1378 the village of Gradečnica together with Petrь Theōdosovь and his brothers to the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila (selo Gradečnica, sь ljudmi poimenju… i Petrь Theōdosovь sь bratiami si. i vьsja praviny města togo).
Treatzos	Person	Mentioned in the charter of Philotheos Kokkinos, the Patriarch of Constantinople, for the monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik from May 1371. He donated a vineyard in Malesta to the monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik (ἀμπέλιον, ὅπερ ἔδωκεν ὁ Τρεάτζος τῷ μονυδρίῳ περὶ τὸν τόπον εὑρισκόμενον τὸν καλούμενον Μάλεσταν).
Tudōrь	Person	Mentioned in the charter of the Bulgarian Tsar Ivan III Šišman for the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila from 21 September 1378. He was a priest. He had children and family. The Bulgarian Tsar Ivan III Šišman donated in 1378 the village of Gradečnica together with the priest Tudōrьm his children and family to the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila (selo Gradečnica, sь ljudmi poimenju. popь Tudōrь sь dětmi mu, i sь domʼmu).
Tzimpeas Theodoros	Person	Mentioned in the charter from April 1304. He was κῦρ and δοῦλος of the byzantine emperor. Theodoros Tzimpeas came before April 1304 from Melnik to Longos in Chalkidiki and donated his possessions in Longos and elsewhere to the Monastery Lavra on Mount Athos (Ἐνδιαθέτως ἡγαπημένε μοι κῦρ Θεόδωρε Τζιμπέα, ἄν ποτε ἵνα ὑγιαίνοις καὶ ἔχοις καλῶς· ἐρχομένον σου ἀπὸ τῶν Μελαινίκων, ἄπελθε εἰς τὸ χωρίον τὸν Λογκὸν καὶ παράδος πρὸς τὴν σεβασμίαν μεγάλην Λαύραν τὴν γὴν τὴν οὖσαν εἰς τὸ Βασιλικὸν Λιβάδιον, ἤγουν εἰς τὸν Κάμπον, τὴν γὴν ὡσεὶ μοδίων ὁκτακοσίων…).
Tzourkos	Person	Mentioned in the charter concerning the return of the posession in the village Hagios Georgios to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik from May 1304. He was among the people from the village Hagios Georgos (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον), who together with trustworthy inhabitants of the village Hostrobos, Ioannes, the official of the thema of Melenikos, and Gerasimos, the Archimandrite of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik, determined the boundaries of the monastic property.
Unklesis Ioannes	Person	He died on 29th June 1371 during the battle against the Ottomans at Černomen/Marica. The Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš V bestowed on 9th August 1365 the title of Despot upon him. Ioannes Unklesis enlarged the Simonos Petra-Monydrion and made from it the Simonos Petra-Monastery on the Mount Athos out of gratitude for being awarded with the title. He endowed it with many lands. Ioannes Unklesis issued between 9th August 1365 and October 1368 a chrysobull charter regarding his ktitorial activity in the Simonos Petra-Monastery on Mount Athos, which has been preserved only in the transcription of Kyrillos Lukaris, the Patriarch of Constantinople, from 1622/1623. He designates himself as δεσπότης καὶ αὐτοκράτωρ πάσης Σερβίας καὶ Ῥωμανίας in this charter. He signed the charter in favour of the Zographu-Monastery on the Mount Athos in February 1369 as Ἰωάννης ἐν Χριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ πιστὸς δεσπότης καὶ αὐτοκράτωρ, ὁ Οὔγκλεσης. He designated his reign since March 1368 as βασιλεία. He retained this self-designation till 1371. This self-designation appears in the Slavic documents in the form „carstvo“. He was the groom (ἱπποκόμος) of the Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. Ioannes Unklesis, who held the position of grand duke, confirmed in 1358 an endowment of his mother-in-law, the wife of Boichnas, for the Kutlumus Monastery (ὅπερ ἐπροσίλοσεν ἡ ἁγία μου κυρία ἡ Κεσάρισα πρὸς αὐτὴν τὴν μονὴν ἐν τι τοποθεσία τὴ ἐπικεκλημένι ἡ Προυνέα χάριν ψυχηκὴς δωρεὰς αὐτῆς ζευγαρίων τεσσάρον... ἐγὼ Οὔγλεσις μέγας βοεβόδας ἀπὸ τὴς αὐτοῦ ἐλεημοσίνης τοὺ αὐθέντου ἡμῶν τοὺ πανευτυχεστάτου δεσπότου καὶ τοὺ ἀδελφοὺ αὐτοὺ τοὺ [...τ...]ου μου στέργο καὶ βεβεῶ τὰ τιαύτα χωράφια εἰς τὴν Προυνέαν γὴν ζευγαρίων τεσάρον ὅπος νέμωσην οἱ τιαύτοι μοναχοὶ τὴς θείας βασιλεικῆς μονῆς τοὺ Κουτλουμούσι ἀκολείτος). He signed the document as velik vōevoda. His father was Margnaua (Orbini)/ Margna (Luccari), who was a poor nobleman from Livno in Hum. Ioannes Unklesis was the cousin (ἀνεψιός) of Helene, the Serbian Empress. His brother was Demetrios Blukasinos and his sister was Helene. The husband of his sister was Nikolaos Radochnas (Νικόλαος ῾Ραδόχνας, Nikola Radonja). He was married to Euphemia. Ioannes Unklesis was the son-in-law of Boichnas (Voihna). He was the father of Uglješa, who died as a child. The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan took his father and the whole family to the court. The senate of the Ragusan republic (Consilium rogatorum) granted the payment of 50 ducats to Ioannes Unklesis on 22th July 1346 (In consilio rogatorum, in quo interfuerunt 34 consiliarii, captum fuit per omnes, nemine discortante, quod Ugiesse barono huius contrate noviter misso a domino imperatore, pro confirmanda et captanda benivolentia cum ipso ei ut habeat causam bene vivendi cum terra, de avere comunis detur et donetur eidem usque florenos seu ducatos L, prout videbitur d. comiti et suo minori consilio). Ioannes Unklesis governed independently in the are of Serres, Christupolis (Kavala), Philippoi, Drama and Zichnai. He had a good connection to the monks in Mount Athos and acknowledged Sabas, the Protos at the Mount Athos, in 1369 as his spiritual father. The Batopedi Monastery on the Mount Athos obtained at the beginning of the year 1365 from Ioannes Unklesis the Monastery of Theotokos Spelaiotissa in the vicinity of the town Melnik with vineyards and gardens, the village Tzukarades, land near the gate of the Lower Town of Melnik, twelwe subjects within the fortress of Melnik, the village Katunitza, the monydrion Hagios Georgios Aliseres, the village Hagia Kyriake, the village Dempreane, the village Mpusdobos, four mills within the fortress of Melnik, two mills in Katunitza, and other lands in the vicinity of the town Melnik. The Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V Palaiologos issued in September 1365 a chrysobull charter at the request of the Despot Ioannes Unklesis, in which he donated estates in the vicinity of Serres and Kalamaria to the Hilandar Monastery (Ἐπεὶ ὁ περιπόθητος ἀνεψιὸς τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης δεσποίνης Σερβίας καὶ περιποθήτου ἀδελφῆς τῆς βασιλείας μου, εὐτυχέστατος δεσπότης τῆς Σερβίας κῦρ Ἰωάννης ὁ Οὔγκλεσις, ἐζήτησε καὶ παρεκάλεσε τὴν βασιλείαν μου ἵνα γένηται χρυσόβουλλον τοῖς μοναχοῖς τῆς κατὰ τὸ ἅγιον ὄρος τοῦ Ἄθω διακειμένης σεβασμίας μονῆς, τῆς εἰς ὄνομα τιμωμένης τῆς πανυπεράγνου δεσποίνης καὶ θεομήτορος καὶ ἐπικεκλημένης τοῦ Χελανταρίου, καὶ κατέχωσι καὶ εἰς τοεξῆς τὸ περὶ τὰς Σέρρας χωρίον, τὸ καλούμενον τοῦ Ποθολινοῦ, ἔτι τε τὸ ἐν τῇ Καλαμαρίᾳ ἕτερον χωρίον τὸ καλούμενον Λιγνὸν μετὰ τῆς σκάλλας αὐτοῦ). In January 1366 ugodni vlastelin Novakь Mrasorovikь addressed the request to the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis and also to the Serbian King Demetrios Blukasinos to approve his donation of the village Koprivljane to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos. Both of them confirmed the endowment of Novakь Mrasorovikь to the Monastery Hagios Panteleemon on the Holy Mount Athos in a separate chrysobull charter (Sьdrьžeštu mi sia vsa blagověrьnōmu i Bogomь postavlěnnōmu despotu Iōanu Ugleši despotьstvujuštu; blagōvěrьnyi despotь Iōannь Uglešь). The Despot Ioannes Unklesis sponsored the hospital at the Batopedi Monastery and the Esphigmenu Monastery as well. He erected the monydrion of Saint Nicholas at Karyes. He was the ktitor of the small church of Saint Anargyroi at the Batopedi Monastery, where he is portrayed as a patron. The Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis confirmed the donation of Kaisar Boichnas (Voihna) for the monk and spiritual father Daniil. He approved all privileges concerning the Church of the Saint Archangels Michael and Gabriel above Gabrovo for him (Kako pride kь carьstvu mi čьstni starьcь duhovьnikь kyrь Daniil…Mihaila i Gabrila više Gabrova, i prinese mi zapisanie gospodina….roditelě mi kesara, i viděhь pročtohь čto jestь zapisalь i….kesarь Voihna, i ini hristoljubivi crьkvi onoizi ljud…..zemle: bystь hotěnije carьstvu mi kudě godě mu se što nahodi……hru….ljud…..vinogradь, perivolja, ili i mlinь, ima hotěnije carьstvo mi kako da je……vь věkomь, i da jestь pace svobodna, nikiimь nepotьknovlenno….). Ioannes Unklesis donated in April 1369 the village Neōhorь on the plain of Mavrovo with all boundaries and rights to the Monastery of Kutlumus. The monastery obtained all estates, which were in possession of Theōdorь Ōduevikь. The community of monks on the Mount Athos received also pronoia helders with people, land parcels and fruit trees, which were in some way dependent upon Kalabaris (Kalavar) (selo u poli Mavrovьskom imenem Neōhorь sь vsemi megami i s pravinami sela togai, sь vsemь što e drьžalь Theōdorь Ōduevikь pri carstvě mi, i pri Kalavari proniari što su drьžali ili ljudi ili vokie sь vsem periorom sela). At the instance of the monk Theodosios and his confreres from the Monastery Batopedi Ioannes Unklesis pledged to grant in November 1369 120 hyperpyra per annum, extracted from the revenues of the lake of Porou, to the monastery. The Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis gave between 1369 and 1371 the selište located between the village Akroterion (Akrotirion) and the river Plumiska as a tax-free property to the Monastery of Batopedi with all rights. The selište was a possession of Lanzo (probably Lantzaretos), who lived at the time as Kalabaris or was bonded by a certain contract with Kalabaris (i darova crtvo mi ōbitěli prstie Bce Vatopedu selište megju Akrotiro, i megju Plumsko šte e drьžalь Lanzo pri Kalavari sь vsemi megjami i pravinami sela toga). The Protaton on Mount Athos gathered in December 1370 at the behest of the Serbian Despot Ioannes Unklesis ruled the dispute over the village of Mpresnitza in favour of the Hilandar Monastery. He endowed in 1370/1371 the Hilandar Monastery with the village Akroterion (Akrotirion) and the katun of Vlachs Zarvince. He gave also pastures and hunting grounds in the vicinity of the village Akroterion and the katun of Vlachs Zarvince to the monastery (I priložihь na jezěre, u prěděle rědinьskōmь, selo Akrotirь i s pašišti i sь lovišti i sь v’sěmi megjami i pravinami sela toga. I selo katunь vlahь imenemь Zar’vin’ce sь v’sěmi pašišti i megjami i pravinami sela togo). Ioannes Unklesis donated in or before 1371 a vineyard and a farmland in the place called Koremistes to the monastery complex Theotokos Kataphygion near Melnik (ἕτερον ἀμπέλιον καὶ ζευγηλατεῖον, εὑρισκόμενα περὶ τὸν τόπον τῆς Κορεμίστης, ἅπερ ἔδωκεν ὁ εὐτυχέστατος δεσπότης Σερβίας ὁ Οὔγκλεσης). In January 1371 Sabas, the Protos at the Mount Athos, granted the small monastery of Makrou to Ioannes Unklesis. In April 1371 Ioannes Unklesis donated the fishpond of Saint Theodore in the lake of Porou with all its possessions and rights, including the fishing privileges in the lagoon, to the Batopedi Monastery. Ioannes Unklesis established the contact with Constantinople in 1367/1368 in order to reconcile with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and to overcome the schism. He therefore received Theophanes, the Metropolitan of Nikaia and at the same time emissary of the patriarch of Constantiople, at his residence. He send im March 1368 a letter to the Patriarchate of Constantinople, which has been preserved in the Register of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. Ioannes Unklesis proposed in the letter that the metropolises in the territory of his realm, among them the Metropolises of Drama, Christupolis, Serres and Zichna should respect the authority of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Philotheos Kokkinos, the Patriarch of Constantinople, and the Ecumenil synod issued a charter in May 1371, where they officialy proclaimed the Union with the eparchies under the control of Ioannes Unklesis. Philotheos Kokkinos describes him as ὁ εὐτυχέστατος δεσπότης Σερβίας, κῦρις Ἰωάννης ὁ Οὔγκλεσης, τοῦ πλέον τοῖς ἡμετέροις μέρεσιν ἐγγίζοντος τόπου κύριος καταστὰς, ἄνθρωπος ὑπάρχων φρόνιμος καὶ καλὸς καὶ τρόπου καὶ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθῆς καὶ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ φόβον κεκτημένος, ἠθέλησεν ἐπανασώσασθαι τὰς ἐκκλησίας ταύτας τῇ ἰδίᾳ μετρὶ καὶ κεφαλῇ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν. Demetrios Blukasinos and his brother Ioannes Unklesis commanded the Serbian forces, which fought against the Ottoman army commanded by the Beglerbeg Lala Şahin Pasha and Evrenos near the village Černomen on 26th September 1371. His name is attested in the brebion (memorial book), which has been preserved at Protaton in Karyes on Mount Athos (Protaton 340 [113], 1v: Ἔτι δεόμεθα ὑπὲρ μακαρίας μνήμης καὶ ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τῶν ἀειμνήστων δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ Δημητρίου κράλη καὶ Ἰωάννου δεσπότου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναιρεθέντων ὀρθοδόξων χριστιανῶν).

Places (29)

Name	Class	Description
Analepsis	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records a plot of land in the village Rozeinos and a field called Analepsis endowed by a certain Asanes, which was in the possession of the monastery (καὶ γὴν ἢν ἔδωκεν ὀ Ασάνης ἐκείνος εἰς τὸν Ρωζεινον καὶ τὴν Ἀνάληψιν).
Birobetza	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records 500 modioi of land in a plot called Birobetza, which was in the possession of the monastery (γὴν εἰς τὴν λεγωμένην Βιρωβήτζαν μοδίων νʹ).
Dempreane	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The village Dempreane with one paroikos is mentioned there as a possession of the monastery (χωρίον ἡ Δεμπρεἄνη, ἔχωμεν ὑπάρικον ἔν). The village Dempreane is registered in the Defters for the Sanjak Küstendil between 1570 and 1573 as Debreni.
Dolěne	Place	The Bulgarian Tsar Ivan III Šišman confirmed old possessions and donated new estates to the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila. The village of Dolěne (selo Dolěne) is listed in his charter for the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila from 21 September 1378. The village of Dolěne is registered in the Defters for the Sanjak Köstendil between 1570 and 1573 as Dolani.
Dragnitza	Place	The nun Annesia donated in the late 13th or in the beginning of the 14th century in memory of her deceased husband Theodoros Komenos Kantakuzenos, who lived in the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaion near Melnik, a ground with a mill in the lower town of Melnik and a vineyard in the village Dragnitza to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaion near Melnik (ἐπιδίδωμι αὐτῆ τῆ θεῖα μονῆ τῶ ἐν τῶ ἐμπορίω Μελενίκου γονηκῶθεν προσὃν ἡμῖν μυλωνοτόπιον, καὶ εἰς τὸ δια θείου καὶ σεπτοῦ χρυσοβούλου χωρίον ἡμῶν τῆν Δράγνιτζαν ἀμπέλιον ἐξαλιματικὸν).The village of Dragnitza is probably identical with the Mezra Draganova, which is mentioned in the Defters for the Sanjak Küstendil between the year 1570 and 1573.
Gradečnica	Place	The Bulgarian Tsar Ivan III Šišman donated in 1378 the village of Gradečnica with people and rights to the Monastery of John (Ivan) of Rila (selo Gradečnica, sь ljudmi poimenju. popь Tudōrь sь dětmi mu, i sь rodomʼmu. i Petrь Theōdosovь sь bratiami si. i vьsja praviny města togo). The village of Gradečnica is registered in the Defters for the Sanjak Köstendil between 1570 and 1573. The village was later known as Gorna Gradešnica. The village Gradešnica emerged in 20th century from Gorna and Dolna Gradešnica and does not correspond with Gradečnica.
Hagia Kyriake	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The village Hagia Kyriake with two free people, two orphans, a meadow and a mill is mentioned there as a possession of the monastery (ἕτερον χωρίον ἡ Ἁγία Κυριἀκη, ἔχωμεν ἐλευθέρους δύο καὶ ορφανὰς δύο· ἔχωμεν καὶ γὴν ἐκείσαι πολλὴν μὴ γαιωμετρουμένην, μετὰ τοῦ ἐκείσαι λυβαδιου καὶ μύλονος).
Hagios Demetrios tu Krilatu	Place	The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos confirmed in June 1309 the possession of the Monastery of Saint John Prodromos on Mount Menoikeus near Serres over the Metochion Hagios Demetrios tu Krilatu in the plot Platanai in the vicinity of the town Melnik (καὶ ἕτερον εὐκτήριον οἶκον περὶ τὸν Μελένικον ἐν τῆ τοποθεσία τῶν Πλατανῶν διακείμενον καὶ εἰς ὄνομα τιμώμενον τοῦ ἁγίου μεγαλομάρτυρος Δημητρίου καὶ ἐπικεκλημένον τοῦ Κριλάτου). The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II handed over to the Monastery of Hilandar the summer pasture called Matzista and the Metochion Hagios Demetrios tou Krilatou/Pteratou (Ὡσαύτως ἔχει θέλημα καὶ διορίζεται ἡ βασιλεία μου, ἵνα κατέχηται παρὰ τῆς δηλωθείσης σεβασμίας μονῆς τοῦ Χελανταρίου καὶ ἡ περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον δημοσιακὴ πλανηνὴ ἡ Μάτζιστα σὺν τῆ τοῦ Ἁγίου Δημητρίου τοῦ Πτερωτοῦ καλουμένη). The Byzantine Co-Emperors Michael IX. Palaiologos and Andronikos III Palaiologos confirmed the owner right of the Monastery of Hilandar over the summer pasture Matzista and the Metochion Hagios Demetrios tou Krilatou/Pteratou (καὶ ἡ περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον δημοσιακὴ πλανηνὴ ἡ Μάτζιστα σὺν τῆ τοῦ Ἁγίου Δημητρίου τοῦ Πτερωτοῦ καλουμένη). Probably identical with the Monastery Ajo Demetri mentioned in the Defter for the Sanjak Küstendil in the 16th century.
Hagios Georgios	Place	In May 1304 the unlawfully taken small possession (κτῆμα μικρὸν) Hagios Georgios near the village Hostrobos in the size of two yokes (εἰς τὸ̣ν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον, πο̣σουμενον γῆ ζευγαρίων δύο εἰς ὑπέρπυρα τέσσαρα... εἰς τὴν περιοχὴν εὑρισκόμενον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἐπιλεγώμενον) was given back to the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. The possession belonged to the monastery according to the records of the thema Melenikos (ἐν τῶ τοῦ Μελλενίκου θέματος). The boundaries of the possession were examined in the presence of Gerasimos, the Abbot of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik and the inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι) and the people from Hagios Georgios (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον). The boundaries of the possession reached as far as the plot Potokos, where the river Struma flowed through and the plot Philippu (ἕως τὸν λεγόμενον Πότοκον, ἔνθα διἤρχετο ὁ Στρύμμων, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ διέ̣ρ̣χετ̣αι τὴν ἄμμον μέχρι τοῦ λεγωμένου Φιλιππου).
Hagios Georgios Aliseres	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The small monastery Hagios Georgios called Aliseres is mentioned there as a possession of the monastery (μονήδριον ὁ Ἅγιος Γεὤργιος ὀ ἐπονομαζώμενος ὀ Ἀλίσερης).
Hostrobos	Place	In May 1304 the unlawfully taken small possession (κτῆμα μικρὸν) Hagios Georgios near the village Hostrobos in the size of two yokes (εἰς τὸ̣ν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον, πο̣σουμενον γῆ ζευγαρίων δύο εἰς ὑπέρπυρα τέσσαρα... εἰς τὴν περιοχὴν εὑρισκόμενον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἐπιλεγώμενον) was given back to the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. The possession belonged to the monastery according to the records of the thema Melenikos (ἐν τῶ τοῦ Μελλενίκου θέματος). The boundaries of the possession were examined in the presence of Gerasimos, the Abbot of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik and the inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι) and the people from Hagios Georgios (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον). The boundaries of the possession reached as far as the plot Potokos, where the river Struma flowed through and the plot Philippu (ἕως τὸν λεγόμενον Πότοκον, ἔνθα διἤρχετο ὁ Στρύμμων, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ διέ̣ρ̣χετ̣αι τὴν ἄμμον μέχρι τοῦ λεγωμένου Φιλιππου).
Katunitza	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The village Katunitza with five paroikoi and 18 free people is mentioned there as a possession of the monastery (ἕτερον χωρίον ἡ Κατούνιτζα ἔχων ὑπαρίκους πέντε καὶ ἐλευθέρους ιηʹ). The inventory records also two mills in the village (εἰς τὴν Κατούνητζα μύλονες δύο).
Klesuritza	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records 3700 modioi of land in a plot called Slatina, Smelaiu and beyond the topographical entity by the name of Klesuritza, which was in the possession of the monastery (γὴν εἰς τὴν Σλάτιναν καὶ εἰς τοῦ Σμήλαιου καὶ ἔξο ἀπο τὴν λεγωμένην Κλησουρίτζαν μοδίων γ επτακοσίῳν).
Lestia, Summer Pasture Lakteba	Place	The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos donated the pasture Lakteba in Lestia near Melnik in September 1327 (ἔτι δὲ καὶ τὴν περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον εἰς τὰ Λέστια δημοσιακὴν πλανηνὴν τὴν Λάκτεβαν). The monks of the Zographou Monastery on Mount Athos requested the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos to allow them an exchange of property. The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III granted the monks the summer pasture Tzerkbistan near Melnik in March 1328 and confirmed that they will use it instead of the property Laktebas in Lestia near Melnik (Καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς κατεχομένης παρ᾿αὐτῶν τῶν μοναχῶν διὰ τῶν δηλωθέντων χρυσοβούλλων περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον δημοσιακῆς πλανηνῆς τῆς οὕτως καλουμένης Λάκτεβας, ἐπιλάβηται καὶ κατέχη τὸ μέρος αὐτῶν, τὴν περὶ τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον τοῦ Μελενίκου, δημοσιακὴν ἑτέραν πλανηνὴν τὴν λεγομένην, Τζέρκβισταν, ἡ βασιλεία μου τὴν ζήτησιν καὶ παράκλησιν τῶν εἰρημένων μοναχῶν προσδεξαμένη). The forged chrysobull charter of the Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V Palaiologos, which is dated in the text to January 1342, but was produced between the year 1357 and 1372, confirmed the possesion of Tzerkbistan near Melnik by the Zographou Monastery (καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς πλανηνῆς τῆς λεγομένης Λάκτεβας τῆς κατεχομένης παρὰ τῶν δηλωθέντων μοναχῶν, ἐπιλαβέσθαι καὶ κατέχειν τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν, τὴν περὶ τόπον τοῦ Μεληνίκου δημοσιακὴν ἑτέραν πλανηνὴν τὴν λεγομένην Τζέρκβησταν).
Malesta	Place	Georgios Kontostephanos Kalameas acquired from a certain Karbunares a place called Malesta near Melnik, where he erected the church of Saint George tu Kalamea. He endowed it with vineyard, fields, courtyard, meadow and a mill and gave it together with his wife to the Monastery of Iberon as metochion (καὶ γὰρ τὸ σύνεγγυ̣ς τοῦ κάστρου Μελενίκου, τὸ ἐν τῆ τοποθεσία τῆς Μάλεστας, τὸν ἐξ αγορασίας μου τόπον ἀπὸ τοῦ Καρβουνάρη ἐκείνου, τὸ ἐκ γονικόθεν παρ’ αὐτοῦ κατεχόμενον, σὺν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος καὶ τῶν χω̣ραφίων, τῆς αὐλῆς, τοῦ ληβαδίου καὶ τοῦ μύλωνος... ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐν τῶ αὐτῶ τόπω ἀνήγειρα ἐκ βάθρου ἐξ οἰκίου κόπου καὶ ἀναλουμάτων θείον καὶ πάνσεπτον ναὸν εἰς ὅνομα τιμώμενον τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ πανενδώξου μεγαλομάρτυρος καὶ τροπαιοφόρου Γεωργίου). Karbunares bought an 11 modioi vineyard with a nearby wasteland in Malesta from Mitas and sold it to Ioannes Sguros Orestes (Καὶ εἰς τὴν Μάλεσ̣τ̣αν ἀ̣μ̣πέλιον ἐξ ἀγορᾶς ἀπὸ τ̣ο̣ῦ̣ δηλωθέντο̣ς Καρβωνά̣ρ̣η̣ παρὰ τοῦ ε̣ἰ̣ρ̣ημένου Μιτᾶ ἐκείνου μοδίων ἕνδεκα, καὶ χέρσον μερικὸν συμπαρακ̣είμ̣εν̣ον).
Matzista	Place	The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II handed over to the Monastery of Hilandar the summer pasture called Matzista and the Metochion Hagios Demetrios tou Krilatou/Pteratou (Ὡσαύτως ἔχει θέλημα καὶ διορίζεται ἡ βασιλεία μου, ἵνα κατέχηται παρὰ τῆς δηλωθείσης σεβασμίας μονῆς τοῦ Χελανταρίου καὶ ἡ περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον δημοσιακὴ πλανηνὴ ἡ Μάτζιστα σὺν τῆ τοῦ Ἁγίου Δημητρίου τοῦ Πτερωτοῦ καλουμένη). The Byzantine Co-Emperors Michael IX. Palaiologos and Andronikos III Palaiologos confirmed the owner right of the Monastery of Hilandar over the summer pasture Matzista and the Metochion Hagios Demetrios tou Krilatou/Pteratou (καὶ ἡ περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον δημοσιακὴ πλανηνὴ ἡ Μάτζιστα σὺν τῆ τοῦ Ἁγίου Δημητρίου τοῦ Πτερωτοῦ καλουμένη). The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II addressed in February 1321 the command to the Despot Konstantinos Palaiologos to banish his subordinate Pululon from the summer pasture Matzista, which belonged to the Monastery of Hilandar (ἡ βασιλεία μου ὥρισε προολίγου καὶ ἐδόθη διὰ χρυσοβούλλου αὐτῆς πρὸς τὴν ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ ὄρει τοῦ Ἄθω διακειμένην σεβασμίαν μονὴν τοῦ Χελανταρίου ἡ περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον πλανηνὴ ἡ Μάτιστα· εὐρίσκει δὲ τὸ μέρος αὐτῆς καταδυναστείαν ἐπὶ ταύτῃ παρὰ ἀνθρώπου σου τοῦ Πούλουλου. περὶ τοῦ τοιούτου γοῦν Πούλουλου παρεδήλωσέ σοι ἡ βασιλεία μου διαφόρως ἵνα ἀποδιώξῃς αὐτόν, ἐπεὶ εὑρίσκεται ἔρημος καὶ ὀχληρὸς καὶ κακός. Πάλιν γοῦν τὸ αὐτὸ παραδηλοῖ σοι ᾗ βασιλεία μου δι’ αὐτόν· καὶ ἀποδίωξον αὐτὸν ὡς τοιοῦτον εὑρισκόμενον, καὶ οἰκονόμησον ἵνα ἔχῃ τὸ μέρος τῆς εἰρημένης μονῆς τοῦ Χελανταρίου τὴν δηλωθεῖσαν πλανηνὴν ἀνενοχλήτως, καθὼς ἐδόθη πρὸς αὐτὴν διὰ τοῦ δηλωθέντος χρυσοβούλλου τῆς βασιλείας μου, καὶ μέλλει γενέσθαι τοῦτο εἰς ἀποδοχὴν αὐτῆς.).
Maximu	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records an abandoned village Maximu, which was in the possession of the monastery (ἔτερον παλαιωχώριν ἡ Μαξιμοῦ ἐξιλιμένον).
Melnik	Place	On 8 March 1350 the Serbian Emperor Stefan Uroš IV Dušan (reigned 1331-1355) issued a charter in Melnik for the Monastery of the Holy Archangels in Jerusalem.
Melnik, Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa	Place	The nun Annesia donated in the late 13th or beginning of the 14th century in memory of her deceased husband Theodoros Komenos Kantakuzenos, who lived in the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaion near Melnik, a ground with a mill in the lower town of Melnik and a vineyard in the village Dragnitza to the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaion near Melnik (ἐπιδίδωμι αὐτῆ τῆ θεῖα μονῆ τῶ ἐν τῶ ἐμπορίω Μελενίκου γονηκῶθεν προσὃν ἡμῖν μυλωνοτόπιον, καὶ εἰς τὸ δια θείου καὶ σεπτοῦ χρυσοβούλου χωρίον ἡμῶν τῆν Δράγνιτζαν ἀμπέλιον ἐξαλιματικὸν). In the time period from 1301 to 1361 a not named patriarch appointed Meletios as Abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa near Melnik (Ἡ μετριότης ἡμῶν διὰ τοῦ παρόντος αὐτῆς γράμματος παρακελεύεται εἶναι τὸν τιμιώτατον ἱερομόναχον κῦρ Μελέτιον εἰς καθηγούμενον τῆς ἐν τῷ θεοσώστω κάσ̣τ̣ρῳ τοῦ Μελενίκου διακειμένης σεβασμίας μονῆς τῆς ὑπεράγνου δεσποίνης καὶ Θεομη̣τορος καὶ ἐπικεκλημένης τοῦ Σπηλαίου). In May 1304 the unlawfully taken small possession (κτῆμα μικρὸν) Hagios Georgios near the village Hostrobos in the size of two yokes (εἰς τὸ̣ν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον, πο̣σουμενον γῆ ζευγαρίων δύο εἰς ὑπέρπυρα τέσσαρα... εἰς τὴν περιοχὴν εὑρισκόμενον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἐπιλεγώμενον) was given back to the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik. The possession belonged to the monastery according to the records of the thema Melenikos (ἐν τῶ τοῦ Μελλενίκου θέματος). The boundaries of the possession were examined in the presence of Gerasimos, the Abbot of the Monastery of the Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik and the inhabitants of the village Hostrobos (ἀπὸ τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Ὁστροβοῦ ἄνδρες ἀξιόπιστοι ουκ ὀλίγοι) and the people from Hagios Georgios (ἀπὸ τὸν Ἅγιον Γεώργιον). The boundaries of the possession reached as far as the plot Potokos, where the river Struma flowed through and the plot Philippu (ἕως τὸν λεγόμενον Πότοκον, ἔνθα διἤρχετο ὁ Στρύμμων, καὶ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ διέ̣ρ̣χετ̣αι τὴν ἄμμον μέχρι τοῦ λεγωμένου Φιλιππου). The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion an inventory of all possession was isssued (Κατὰ τὴν πεντεκαὶδεκάτην τοῦ Ἰαννοἀρίου μηνὸς τῆς τρίτης ἰνδικτιῶνος παρέδωκεν ὁ ἐνδοξώτατος Οὔγγλεσης πρὸς τὴν θείαν καὶ σεβασμίαν καὶ βασιλικὴν μονὴν τοῦ Ἁγίου Ὄρους τῆς ἐπικεκλημένης τοῦ Βατοπεδίου τὴν θείαν μονὴν περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον τὴν ἐπικεκλημένην τῆς πανάγνου Θεοτόκον τῆς Σπηλαιωτίσης μετὰ καὶ τῶν ἐν αυτῆ πρὸἀστίων καὶ κτημάτων ὧν ἔκπαλαι καὶ πρὸ χρόνων ἐκράτησεν ἡ τοιαύτη θεία μονῆ).
Melnik, The Church/Monastery Hagios Ioannes Prodromos	Place	Ioannes Sguros Orestes owned probably in 1319/1320 a cleared meadow in the vicinity of Melnik, somewhere between the Monastery of Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa and the Church/Monastary Hagios Ioannes Prodromos (εἰς τὸ ἐκεῖσ̣ε̣ ἐκλειωματικὸν λιβά̣διον χ̣ωράφιον π̣λησίον ὂν̣ τῆς ἐντὸς τοῦ κ̣ά̣στρου Μελενίκου σεβασμίας? μονῆς τῆς Σπηλαιωτίσσης κ̣α̣ὶ̣ τῶν δικαίων τῆς ἑτέ̣ρα̣ς̣ σεβασμίας μονῆς τῆ̣ς̣ τοῦ ἁγ̣ίου προφήτου Προ̣δ̣ρόμου κ̣α̣ὶ̣ Βαπ̣τ̣ιστοῦ Ἰωάννου καὶ ....ης ἔξωθεν τοῦ αὐτοῦ κάστρου μοδ̣ίων δεκατ̣ρ̣ιῶν). The church is mentioned in the charter concerning the sale of a plot of land in Chomnos Stolos from June 1355 (ἐκ δὲ τοῦ κάτωθεν μέρους πλησίον τοῦ τιμίου Προδρόμου). The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated in January 1365 the old Church Hagios Ioannes Prodromos in the lower town of Melnik to the Monastery Batopedi on Mount Athos (καὶ ἐντὸς τοῦ ἐμπορίου παλαιωκλησιν ὀ τιμιος Πρόδρομος μετα τῆς περιοχῆς αὐτοῦ). The church of Sveti Joan Predteča in Melnik from the Ottoman period was probably erected on the same place as the Church/Monastery of Hagios Ioannes Prodromos.
Mpusdobos	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The village Mpusdobos with 16 free households and a land, whis was donated by Ioakeim Arestes, are mentioned there as possessions of the monastery (χωρίον ὀ Μπουσδώβος, ἔχωμεν καπνοῦς δεκαἔξ ἐλευθέρους καὶ γὴν ὄσην ἔδωκεν ὀ κῦρ Ιωακειμ ὁ Αρέστης δι'αγωρασίας αὐτου). The village Mpusdobos is registered in the Defters for the Sanjak Küstendil between 1570 and 1573 as Boždovo.
Pesosnetza	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records a plot of land called Pesosnetza endowed by a certain Laloukeis, which was in the possession of the monastery (ἐτερα γὴ εἰς τὴν Πεσώσνητζα ὄσην δέδωκεν ὀ Λαλούκεις ἐκείνος).
Psesta	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records 40 modioi of land in a plot called Psesta, which was in the possession of the monastery (γὴν εἰς τοῦ Ψέστα μοδίων τεσαράκοντα).
Rozeinos	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records a plot of land in the village Rozeinos and a field called Analepsis endowed by a certain Asanes, which was in the possession of the monastery (καὶ γὴν ἢν ἔδωκεν ὀ Ασάνης ἐκείνος εἰς τὸν Ρωζεινον καὶ τὴν Ἀνάληψιν). The village Rozeinos is registered in the Defters for the Sanjak Küstendil probably under the name Rugorče.
Slatina	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records 3700 modioi of land in a plot called Slatina, Smelaiu and beyond the topographical entity by the name of Klesuritza, which was in the possession of the monastery (γὴν εἰς τὴν Σλάτιναν καὶ εἰς τοῦ Σμήλαιου καὶ ἔξο ἀπο τὴν λεγωμένην Κλησουρίτζαν μοδίων γ επτακοσίῳν).
Smelaiu	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The inventory records 3700 modioi of land in a plot called Slatina, Smelaiu and beyond the topographical entity by the name of Klesuritza, which was in the possession of the monastery (γὴν εἰς τὴν Σλάτιναν καὶ εἰς τοῦ Σμήλαιου καὶ ἔξο ἀπο τὴν λεγωμένην Κλησουρίτζαν μοδίων γ επτακοσίῳν).
Tripete	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. According to the inventory the monastery owned the land between the gate of the lower town of Melnik to Tripetes, which Stefan Hrelja had given to the monastery (καὶ τὴν γὴν ῂν ἔδωκεν ὀ Χρᾴλεις εκεινος πρὸς τὴν θείαν μονὴν τοῦ Σπηλαίου, ἀπὸ τὴν πόρταν τοῦ ἐμπορίου ἔως τὴν Τριπητήν).
Tzerkbista, Summer Pasture	Place	The monks of the Zographou Monastery on Mount Athos requested the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos to allow them an exchange of property. The Byzantine Emperor Andronikos III granted the monks the summer pasture Tzerkbistan near Melnik in March 1328 and confirmed that they will use it instead of the property Laktebas in Lestia near Melnik (Καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς κατεχομένης παρ᾿αὐτῶν τῶν μοναχῶν διὰ τῶν δηλωθέντων χρυσοβούλλων περὶ τὸν Μελενίκον δημοσιακῆς πλανηνῆς τῆς οὕτως καλουμένης Λάκτεβας, ἐπιλάβηται καὶ κατέχη τὸ μέρος αὐτῶν, τὴν περὶ τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον τοῦ Μελενίκου, δημοσιακὴν ἑτέραν πλανηνὴν τὴν λεγομένην, Τζέρκβισταν, ἡ βασιλεία μου τὴν ζήτησιν καὶ παράκλησιν τῶν εἰρημένων μοναχῶν προσδεξαμένη). The forged chrysobull charter of the Byzantine Emperor Ioannes V Palaiologos, which is dated in the text to January 1342, but was produced between the year 1357 and 1372, confirmed the possesion of Tzerkbistan near Melnik by the Zographou Monastery (καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς πλανηνῆς τῆς λεγομένης Λάκτεβας τῆς κατεχομένης παρὰ τῶν δηλωθέντων μοναχῶν, ἐπιλαβέσθαι καὶ κατέχειν τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν, τὴν περὶ τόπον τοῦ Μεληνίκου δημοσιακὴν ἑτέραν πλανηνὴν τὴν λεγομένην Τζέρκβησταν).
Tzukarades	Place	The Serbian Despot Jovan Uglješa donated the Monastery of the Holy Mother of God Spelaiotissa in Melnik with its properties to the Monastery of Batopedi on Mount Athos in January 1365. On this occassion the inventory of all possessions was isssued. The village Tzukarades with paroikoi is mentioned as a possession of the monastery (Χωρίον οι Τζουκαράδες, εὑρήσκονται ὑπάρικοι).