Ms. Rukavichnikova is a PhD candidate in the History Program at Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. She holds BA in Russian Language and Literature from Ural Federal University and MSt in Late Antique and Byzantine Studies from the University of Oxford.
Maria’s PhD project focuses on narratological structures and discursive instruments that late Byzantine authors Nikephoros Gregoras (c. 1295–1360) and John Kantakouzenos
(c. 1292–1383) use to talk about wars in their histories. Among other things, she tries to establish how the authors created characters, systems of characters and/or narrators and how these actors behave with respect to destiny. She argues that the landscape plays a significant role in Kantakouzenos’ military narrative. The land is almost another character in the story of the former emperor of Byzantium, one that usually helps Byzantine troops to avoid full-blown confrontations.
Within the time limits of the ANAMED PhD fellowship, Maria is going to do an on-location analysis of military landscapes that Kantakouzenos refers to in his text (characterizes as treacherous, for instance). She also plans on visiting these landscapes, the primary two being Edirne (Adrianople) and Misinli (Mesene) in the vicinity of Lüleburgaz.