Alexios Mosele (Caesar)
Encyclopedia
Alexios Mosele or Musele/Mousele (Μουσελέ) was a Byzantine
aristocrat and general, chosen by Emperor Theophilos
(r. 829–842) for a time as his heir, betrothed to his daughter Maria and raised to the supreme dignity of Caesar
. He campaigned in the Balkans, recovering territory from the Slavs, and fought with some success in Sicily
against the Arabs. Recalled to Constantinople
on suspicion of plotting to usurp the throne, he was imprisoned but later pardoned and allowed to retire to a monastery, where he spent the remainder of his days.
, who had been active under Constantine VI (r. 780–797), although Byzantine chroniclers record that he was descended from the Krenites family. A brother named Theodosios, who held the high court title of patrikios, is also recorded.
Sometime between 836 and 839, Alexios was engaged to the princess Maria, Emperor Theophilos' youngest and favourite daughter, despite the fact that she was an infant. Theophilos had no male heir at the time, and this move was evidently intended as marking out Alexios as his heir apparent. He was progressively promoted to patrikios and anthypatos
, then to magistros and eventually to Caesar
. He was the only person known to have been promoted to the rank during Theophilos' reign, and may indeed have been raised to it as early as 831, when the presence of an unnamed Caesar is attested at an imperial triumph. Alternatively, it may be a reference to another, otherwise unknown, holder of the title, who probably died shortly after.
In summer 836, Mosele, recently promoted to Caesar, was dispatched with an army against Bulgars
in Thrace
. Instead of confronting them however, he focused on recovering for the Empire the coastal strip between the rivers Nestos and Strymon, which had been abandoned to the local Slavs by the Byzantine-Bulgarian Treaty of 816. In this way, he restored the direct land connection between Thrace and Thessalonica, the Empire's major Balkan city. After founding a new city, named Caesaropolis
after himself, he returned to Constantinople.
Alexios may have participated in Theophilos' successful campaign against Melitene in 837, as he is recorded to have participated in the triumph that followed the emperor's return. This however is disputed by some scholars. In 838, Mosele was sent on an expedition against the Arabs in Sicily
. There he achieved a number of successes, forcing the Arabs to raise their siege of Cephaloedium, and inflicted several defeats upon their forces. His forces however were insufficient to evict the Arabs altogether from their holdings in the western part of the island, and in late 838 he suffered a defeat at the hands of fresh Arab reinforcements.
At the same time, Alexios' betrothed Maria died, aged four, and his connection to Theophilos became tenuous. He was also accused by some Sicilians of colluding with the Arabs and planning to become emperor himself. To avoid forcing his Caesar into a corner, Theophilos sent Theodore Crithinus, Archbishop of Syracuse, to recall him under guarantees of personal safety. Nevertheless, upon his arrival in the capital, Alexios was stripped of his titles, beaten and imprisoned. Theodore Crithinus publicly confronted the emperor for his breach of his word at the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae
, but the enraged Theophilos had him beaten and exiled as well. Soon however the Patriarch
John the Grammarian
too publicly berated Theophilos. The emperor relented, released both Theodore and Alexios, and restored the latter to his rank and property.
His relations with the emperor however cooled considerably, particularly after the death of Maria and the birth, in 840, of Theophilos' son, Michael III
(r. 842–867). By 842, Mosele had retired to a monastery at the quarter of ta Anthemiou in Chrysopolis, which he himself had founded. Nothing is known of him thereafter.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
aristocrat and general, chosen by Emperor Theophilos
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
(r. 829–842) for a time as his heir, betrothed to his daughter Maria and raised to the supreme dignity of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
. He campaigned in the Balkans, recovering territory from the Slavs, and fought with some success in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
against the Arabs. Recalled to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
on suspicion of plotting to usurp the throne, he was imprisoned but later pardoned and allowed to retire to a monastery, where he spent the remainder of his days.
Life
Alexios was possibly the son or the grandson of the general Alexios MoseleAlexios Mosele (general)
Alexios Mosele or Mousoulem/Mousele was a late 8th-century Byzantine general of Armenian origin.Alexios is the first known member of the Mosele/Mousele family of Armenian origin. In 790, he was the droungarios of the Vigla guard regiment...
, who had been active under Constantine VI (r. 780–797), although Byzantine chroniclers record that he was descended from the Krenites family. A brother named Theodosios, who held the high court title of patrikios, is also recorded.
Sometime between 836 and 839, Alexios was engaged to the princess Maria, Emperor Theophilos' youngest and favourite daughter, despite the fact that she was an infant. Theophilos had no male heir at the time, and this move was evidently intended as marking out Alexios as his heir apparent. He was progressively promoted to patrikios and anthypatos
Anthypatos
Anthypatos is the translation in Greek of the Latin proconsul. In the Greek-speaking East, it was used to denote this office in Roman and early Byzantine times, surviving as an administrative office until the 9th century...
, then to magistros and eventually to Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
. He was the only person known to have been promoted to the rank during Theophilos' reign, and may indeed have been raised to it as early as 831, when the presence of an unnamed Caesar is attested at an imperial triumph. Alternatively, it may be a reference to another, otherwise unknown, holder of the title, who probably died shortly after.
In summer 836, Mosele, recently promoted to Caesar, was dispatched with an army against Bulgars
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
. Instead of confronting them however, he focused on recovering for the Empire the coastal strip between the rivers Nestos and Strymon, which had been abandoned to the local Slavs by the Byzantine-Bulgarian Treaty of 816. In this way, he restored the direct land connection between Thrace and Thessalonica, the Empire's major Balkan city. After founding a new city, named Caesaropolis
Caesaropolis
Caesaropolis is a Byzantine city and a Catholic titular see on the coast of eastern Macedonia.It was founded in 836 by the Caesar Alexios Mosele to consolidate Byzantine control over the Slavic tribes of the area....
after himself, he returned to Constantinople.
Alexios may have participated in Theophilos' successful campaign against Melitene in 837, as he is recorded to have participated in the triumph that followed the emperor's return. This however is disputed by some scholars. In 838, Mosele was sent on an expedition against the Arabs in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. There he achieved a number of successes, forcing the Arabs to raise their siege of Cephaloedium, and inflicted several defeats upon their forces. His forces however were insufficient to evict the Arabs altogether from their holdings in the western part of the island, and in late 838 he suffered a defeat at the hands of fresh Arab reinforcements.
At the same time, Alexios' betrothed Maria died, aged four, and his connection to Theophilos became tenuous. He was also accused by some Sicilians of colluding with the Arabs and planning to become emperor himself. To avoid forcing his Caesar into a corner, Theophilos sent Theodore Crithinus, Archbishop of Syracuse, to recall him under guarantees of personal safety. Nevertheless, upon his arrival in the capital, Alexios was stripped of his titles, beaten and imprisoned. Theodore Crithinus publicly confronted the emperor for his breach of his word at the Church of St. Mary of Blachernae
Church of St. Mary of Blachernae (Istanbul)
Saint Mary of Blachernae is an Eastern Orthodox church in Istanbul...
, but the enraged Theophilos had him beaten and exiled as well. Soon however the Patriarch
Patriarch of Constantinople
The Ecumenical Patriarch is the Archbishop of Constantinople – New Rome – ranking as primus inter pares in the Eastern Orthodox communion, which is seen by followers as the One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church....
John the Grammarian
Patriarch John VII of Constantinople
John VII Grammatikos or Grammaticus, i.e., "the Grammarian" , Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople from January 21, 837 to March 4, 843, died before 867. He is not to be confused with the much earlier philosopher John Philoponos.-Life:John was born to an aristocratic family of Armenian origin...
too publicly berated Theophilos. The emperor relented, released both Theodore and Alexios, and restored the latter to his rank and property.
His relations with the emperor however cooled considerably, particularly after the death of Maria and the birth, in 840, of Theophilos' son, Michael III
Michael III
Michael III , , Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian-Phrygian Dynasty...
(r. 842–867). By 842, Mosele had retired to a monastery at the quarter of ta Anthemiou in Chrysopolis, which he himself had founded. Nothing is known of him thereafter.