Alexios Mosele (general)
Encyclopedia
Alexios Mosele or Mousoulem/Mousele (Μουσουλέμ/Μουσελέ) 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 (the first known occupant of the office). In September of that year he was sent by the Empress-regent Irene of Athens to deal with the soldiers of the Armeniac theme
, who refused to swear an oath of loyalty which placed her before her son, Constantine VI (r. 780–797). The Armeniacs however imprisoned their general Nikephoros, declared Mosele their new commander, and acclaimed Constantine as the sole emperor. At the news of this, the other themata of Asia Minor
followed suit in deposing their commanders and affirming Constantine as sole emperor.
The thematic troops then assembled in Bithynia
, where they demanded from Irene to release Constantine from his de facto house arrest. Bowing to the pressure from the troops, Irene released her son. Constantine shortly after assumed the reins of government, dismissing Irene's counselors and confining her to a palace in Constantinople
. Mosele was confirmed as the Armeniacs' commander by Constantine, and later summoned to Constantinople and raised to the rank of patrikios. Constantine however soon proved incapable to rule the Empire effectively, and the military successes, which the soldiers who supported him had hoped for, did not materialize. In January 792 however, he recalled his mother from her banishment, restored her to her titles and position of co-ruler, and demanded from the army to acclaim her along with him. The Armeniacs once again refused to comply, and demanded the return of Mosele from Constantinople. Despite having guaranteed his personal safety, Constantine, who suspected him of designs on the throne, had him flogged, tonsure
d and imprisoned.
This was followed soon after by the disastrous defeat of the Byzantine army, led by the emperor himself, at the Battle of Marcellae against the Bulgars
. As the imperial army grumbled and even the usually loyal tagmata
plotted to replace him, Constantine, on the advice of his mother and her eunuch advisor Staurakios
, had Mosele blinded
. Constantine's uncle Nikephoros
, whom the tagmatic soldiers had planned to make emperor, was also blinded, while four other uncles had their tongues cut. At the news of this, the Armeniacs rose in open rebellion. They defeated a loyalist army in November, and were defeated only in May 793 by an expedition under Constantine VI himself.
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...
general of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
origin.
Alexios is the first known member of the Mosele/Mousele family of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
origin. In 790, he was the droungarios of the Vigla
Vigla (tagma)
The Vigla , also known as the Arithmos and in English as the Watch, was one of the elite tagmata of the Byzantine army. It was established in the latter half of the 8th century, and survived until the late 11th century...
guard regiment (the first known occupant of the office). In September of that year he was sent by the Empress-regent Irene of Athens to deal with the soldiers of the Armeniac theme
Armeniac Theme
The Armeniac Theme , more properly the Theme of the Armeniacs was a Byzantine theme located in northeastern Asia Minor .-History:...
, who refused to swear an oath of loyalty which placed her before her son, Constantine VI (r. 780–797). The Armeniacs however imprisoned their general Nikephoros, declared Mosele their new commander, and acclaimed Constantine as the sole emperor. At the news of this, the other themata of Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
followed suit in deposing their commanders and affirming Constantine as sole emperor.
The thematic troops then assembled in Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
, where they demanded from Irene to release Constantine from his de facto house arrest. Bowing to the pressure from the troops, Irene released her son. Constantine shortly after assumed the reins of government, dismissing Irene's counselors and confining her to a palace in 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:...
. Mosele was confirmed as the Armeniacs' commander by Constantine, and later summoned to Constantinople and raised to the rank of patrikios. Constantine however soon proved incapable to rule the Empire effectively, and the military successes, which the soldiers who supported him had hoped for, did not materialize. In January 792 however, he recalled his mother from her banishment, restored her to her titles and position of co-ruler, and demanded from the army to acclaim her along with him. The Armeniacs once again refused to comply, and demanded the return of Mosele from Constantinople. Despite having guaranteed his personal safety, Constantine, who suspected him of designs on the throne, had him flogged, tonsure
Tonsure
Tonsure is the traditional practice of Christian churches of cutting or shaving the hair from the scalp of clerics, monastics, and, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, all baptized members...
d and imprisoned.
This was followed soon after by the disastrous defeat of the Byzantine army, led by the emperor himself, at the Battle of Marcellae against the 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...
. As the imperial army grumbled and even the usually loyal tagmata
Tagma (military)
The tagma is a term for a military unit of battalion or regiment size. The best-known and most technical use of the term however refers to the elite regiments formed by Byzantine emperor Constantine V and comprising the central army of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th–11th centuries.-History and...
plotted to replace him, Constantine, on the advice of his mother and her eunuch advisor Staurakios
Staurakios (eunuch)
Staurakios was a Byzantine eunuch official, who rose to be one of the most important and influential associates of Byzantine empress Irene of Athens . He effectively acted as chief minister during her regency for her young son, Emperor Constantine VI Staurakios (or Stauracius) (died on June 3,...
, had Mosele blinded
Political mutilation in Byzantine culture
Mutilation in the Byzantine Empire was a common method of punishment for criminals of the era but it also had a role in the Empire's political life. The mutilation of political rivals by the Emperor was deemed an effective way of sidelining from the line of succession a person who was seen as a...
. Constantine's uncle Nikephoros
Nikephoros (Caesar)
Nikephoros , also Latinized as Nicephorus or Nicephoros, was the second son of the Byzantine emperor Constantine V and Caesar of the Byzantine Empire. He was engaged in a plot against his half-brother, Leo IV Nikephoros , also Latinized as Nicephorus or Nicephoros, was the second son of the...
, whom the tagmatic soldiers had planned to make emperor, was also blinded, while four other uncles had their tongues cut. At the news of this, the Armeniacs rose in open rebellion. They defeated a loyalist army in November, and were defeated only in May 793 by an expedition under Constantine VI himself.