Title:
Alternate names/spellings:
Dates: 1163 - 1164 (Dates are approximate. )
Nicholas Mesarites was born c. 1163-4 in Constantinople. At the time he wrote the Ekphrasis he was skeuophylax of the churches of the Great Palace. After the sack of Constantinople in 1204, he remained in the city and became a spokeman for the Greek-speaking population, participating in discussion directed at achieving Church union. From 1206 to 1208 he was resident in Nicaea, maintaining links with Constantinople. He was appointed Metropolitan of Ephesus c. 1213, with the title "Exarch of all Asia." In 1214 he served as representative of the Nicaean Empire at a conference convened by Cardinal Pelagius, aimed at obtaining submission of Orthodox clergy to Rome. The date of Mesarites’ death is unknown.