The earliest written evidence of the monastery's existence dates from 980. During the
Middle Ages, the monastery was generously supported by the Bulgarian rulers, such as
Ivan Asen II and
Ivan Alexander, since it was a matter of pride for the Bulgarian Orthodox Church to maintain a monastery on Athos. The Zograf Monastery has also received land endowments by
Byzantine (the first donor being
Leo VI the Wise) and
Serbian rulers. The Zograf Monastery was plundered and burnt down by
Crusaders, working under orders from the
Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, in 1275, resulting in the death of 26 monks. These included the
igumen (
abbot) Thomas, as well as the monks Barsanuphius, Cyril, Micah, Simon, Hilarion, James, Job, Cyprian, Sabbas, James, Martinian, Cosmas, Sergius, Paul, Menas, Ioasaph, Ioanicius, Anthony, Euthymius, Dometian, Parthenius, and four laymen. The reason for this attack was the opposition of the Athonite monks to the
Union of Lyons, which the Emperor had supported for political reasons. Having hanged the
Protos (the elected president of Mount Athos), and having killed many monks in
Vatopedi,
Iveron and other monasteries, the Latins attacked Zographou. Their
martyrdom is commemorated annually on October 10 (October 23 on the
Gregorian Calendar) throughout the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Mercenaries of the
Catalan Grand Company raided the Holy Mountain for two years (1307–9), sacking many monasteries, plundering the treasures of Christendom, and terrorising the monks. Of the 300 monasteries on Athos at the beginning of the 14th century, only 35 were left by the end. ==Library==