Doukas (historian)

Dukas (* 1400, † after 1462 ) was a Byzantine historian.

All information on D ( o) ukas, whose Christian name is unknown, taken from his historical work. 1421 he lived in Nea Phocaea in Asia Minor, where he was in the service of the local Genoese Podestà; later he served the Gattilusi family on the island of Lesbos, to the island in 1462 fell to the Ottomans. On behalf of the Gattilusi he was also charged with diplomatic missions.

After 1462 he wrote a historical work whose title has not survived. It begins with a brief outline of world history, only to be detailed from the year 1341 and ends abruptly in the year 1462. Dukas had access to Turkish and Italian sources. It provides important information and is generally considered quite reliable. Unlike Michael Critobulus, who took over the Turkish perspective, Mehmed II is seen by Dukas significantly negative.

Translations

• Harry Margoulias (ed.): Dukas. Decline and Fall of Byzantium to the Ottoman Turks ( "Historia Byzantina "). University Press, Detroit, 1975, ISBN 0-8143-1540-2.