Vasilief, A History of the Byzantine Empire

The Empire of Nicaea (1204-1261)

Beginnings of the Empire of Nicaea and the Lascarids 

Page 6

Of the monuments of the Middle Ages to be found in the miserable present-day Turkish city of Isnik (the distorted name of Nicaea) before the First World War, one might have pointed out, in addition to the city walls, the modest small church of the Assumption. This dated probably from the ninth century, and had fine mosaics, important for the study of Byzantine art. But during World War I Nicaea was bombarded, and no single house was left untouched. The Church of the Assumption suffered particularly; during the bombardment it was destroyed, and only the western arch under the dome and the southern part of the narthex have been preserved. The other famous church of Nicaea, the cathedral of Sophia, is also in a deplorable state.

An interesting document has been preserved which shows, to a certain extent, Theodore Lascaris conception of imperial power. It is called Silentium (σελέντιον, σιλέντιον) the name given at the time of Byzantium to the public imperial speeches delivered by the Emperors in the palace in the presence of the noblest persons of the Empire at the beginning of Lent. The Silentium is regarded as the throne speech of Theodore Lascaris delivered in 1208, immediately after his coronation. It was written by his contemporary, the very well-known historian Nicetas Choniates, who, after the sack of Constantinople by the Latins, had found a secure refuge at Nicaea. This rhetorically written speech shows that Theodore, like a Byzantine basileus, considered that his power was granted to him by God. My Imperial Majesty has been placed by heaven as a father over the universal Roman state; the Will of God has laid upon me the power God had granted Theodore for his zeal, the annointment and power of David. The unity of the Empire meant also unity in the church. There shall be one fold and one shepherd, Theodore declared at the end of the Silentium. It is true that this speech does not belong to the pen of the Emperor himself, but it reflects the prevailing opinion of the best-born and best-educated people of the Empire of Nicaea, an opinion based on solid grounds, after Theodore Lascaris, united by ties of parentage with the Angeli and Comneni, became the Roman basileus at Nicaea and realized that he continued the line of the Byzantine emperors

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Reference address : https://www.ellopos.net/elpenor/vasilief/nicaea-lascarids.asp?pg=6