John Synadenos (megas stratopedarches)
Encyclopedia
John Komnenos Angelos Doukas Synadenos was a Byzantine
noble and military leader with the rank of megas stratopedarches during the reigns of Michael VIII Palaiologos
(r. 1259–1282) and Andronikos II Palaiologos
(r. 1282–1328).
, he led an army against the independent ruler of Thessaly, John I Doukas
. The Byzantine army was routed at the Battle of Pharsalus
, and Synadenos himself was captured, while Kaballarios was killed whilst trying to escape. He was released or ransomed from captivity, and in 1281 he participated in the campaign against the Angevins
in Albania
which led to the Byzantine victory at Berat
. Finally, in 1283 he participated in another campaign against John Doukas, under Michael Tarchaneiotes
.
Eventually, Synadenos retired to a monastery with the monastic name Joachim. After his death (sometime between 1310 and 1328), his wife, Theodora Palaiologina, the daughter of Constantine Palaiologos
, the half-brother of Michael VIII, became a nun with the name Theodule, and founded the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis ("Certain Hope") in Constantinople
. The convent's typikon
(the so-called "Lincoln College typikon"), authored largely by Theodora, includes lavish depictions of the family's members.
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...
noble and military leader with the rank of megas stratopedarches during the reigns of Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus reigned as Byzantine Emperor 1259–1282. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453...
(r. 1259–1282) and Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos , Latinized as Andronicus II Palaeologus, was Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. He was the eldest surviving son of Michael VIII Palaiologos and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina, grandniece of John III Doukas Vatatzes...
(r. 1282–1328).
Life
Synadenos appears in 1276/77, when, along with the megas konostaulos Michael KaballariosMichael Kaballarios
Michael Kaballarios was a Byzantine aristocrat and military leader. In ca. 1277 he was megas konostaulos . Along with the megas stratopedarches John Synadenos, he led a Byzantine army against John I Doukas of Thessaly, but was defeated in the Battle of Pharsalus and died shortly afterwards of his...
, he led an army against the independent ruler of Thessaly, John I Doukas
John I Doukas
John I Doukas was ruler of Thessaly from c. 1268 to his death in 1289....
. The Byzantine army was routed at the Battle of Pharsalus
Battle of Pharsalus (1277)
The Battle of Pharsalus was fought in late 1277 at the plain of Pharsalus in Thessaly between an invading Byzantine army led by the megas stratopedarches John Synadenos and megas konostaulos Michael Kaballarios, and the forces of John I Doukas, ruler of Thessaly...
, and Synadenos himself was captured, while Kaballarios was killed whilst trying to escape. He was released or ransomed from captivity, and in 1281 he participated in the campaign against the Angevins
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
which led to the Byzantine victory at Berat
Siege of Berat (1280–1281)
The Siege of Berat in Albania by the forces of the Angevin Kingdom of Sicily against the Byzantine garrison of the city took place in 1280–1281. Berat was a strategically important fortress, whose possession would allow the Angevins access to the heartlands of the Byzantine Empire...
. Finally, in 1283 he participated in another campaign against John Doukas, under Michael Tarchaneiotes
Michael Tarchaneiotes
Michael Tarchaneiotes was a Byzantine aristocrat and general, active against the Turks and in the Balkans from 1278 until his death from disease in 1284.- Life :...
.
Eventually, Synadenos retired to a monastery with the monastic name Joachim. After his death (sometime between 1310 and 1328), his wife, Theodora Palaiologina, the daughter of Constantine Palaiologos
Constantine Palaiologos (half-brother of Michael VIII)
Constantine Palaiologos was a son of Andronikos Palaiologos, Grand Domestic of the Empire of Nicaea and an unknown second wife...
, the half-brother of Michael VIII, became a nun with the name Theodule, and founded the Convent of the Mother of God Bebaia Elpis ("Certain Hope") 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:...
. The convent's typikon
Typikon
The Typikon, or Typicon; plural Typika is a liturgical book which contains instructions about the order of the various Eastern Orthodox Christian church services and ceremonies, in the form of a perpetual calendar...
(the so-called "Lincoln College typikon"), authored largely by Theodora, includes lavish depictions of the family's members.
Family
With Theodora, John had four children, who were reportedly all young when he died:- John Synadenos, megas konostaulos.
- Euphrosyne Synadene, who was pledged to become a nun since infancy, and was the second founder of the Bebaia Elpis along with her mother.
- an unnamed daughter, once reportedly considered as a possible bride for the BulgarianSecond Bulgarian EmpireThe Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
tsar Theodore Svetoslav. - Theodore Synadenos, protostratorProtostratorPrōtostratōr was a Byzantine court office, originating as the imperial stable master, which in the last centuries of the Empire evolved into one of the senior military offices...
, he played a major role in the civil wars of the first half of the 14th century.