Katakalon Kekaumenos
Encyclopedia
Katakalon Kekaumenos was a prominent Byzantine
general of the mid-11th century.
, and although apparently a member of the noble Katakalon family, according to John Skylitzes
he was not of aristocratic origin. He first distinguished himself in the Sicilian
campaign of George Maniakes. There Kekaumenos, with the rank of protospatharios
, commanded a contingent from the Armeniac Theme
and led the successful defence of Messina against an Arab attack in 1040.
In 1042, Michael V
(r. 1041–1042) charged him with quelling an uprising in Constantinople
. In the next year, he defeated the Rus' raid against the imperial capital, and was named vestes and archon
of the Danubian
cities. Under Constantine IX Monomachos
(r. 1042–1055) he had a highly successful career. He served in the East as doux
of Iberia, and became governor of Ani
after it was annexed by the Empire in 1045, and led the local forces in the first clashes with the Seljuk Turks. In the late 1040s, he had been promoted to the post of stratelates
of the East, and participated in the campaign against the Pechenegs, as second-in-command to the militarily inexperienced rhaiktor Nikephoros. During this campaign, he was seriously injured. Ca. 1055 he was raised to magistros and named to the prestigious and powerful post of doux of Antioch
.
Constantine IX's successor, Michael VI
, generally mistrusted the prominent generals and treated them badly; he refused Katakalon and Isaac Komnenos
, both of them already ranked as magistroi, promotion to the title of proedros
, and eventually dismissed Kekaumenos. In turn, Kekaumenos actively supported the uprising of Isaac Komnenos in 1057, and was rewarded with the title of kouropalates.
, but his identification with its author, known only as Kekaumenos
, is mostly rejected by modern scholars.
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 the mid-11th century.
Life
Katakalon Kekaumenos was born in KoloneiaKoloneia
Koloneia |Colonia]]) can refer to:* Koloneia on the Lykos in Pontus, a Byzantine military centre and metropolitan bishopric* Koloneia , a Byzantine province centered in and named after the above...
, and although apparently a member of the noble Katakalon family, according to John Skylitzes
John Skylitzes
John Skylitzes, latinized as Ioannes Scylitzes was a Greek historian of the late 11th century. He was born in the beginning of 1040's and died after 1101.- Life :Very little is known about his life...
he was not of aristocratic origin. He first distinguished himself in the Sicilian
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,...
campaign of George Maniakes. There Kekaumenos, with the rank of protospatharios
Protospatharios
Prōtospatharios was one of the highest court dignities of the middle Byzantine period , awarded to senior generals and provincial governors, as well as to foreign princes.-History:...
, commanded a contingent from 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:...
and led the successful defence of Messina against an Arab attack in 1040.
In 1042, Michael V
Michael V
Michael V "the Caulker" or Kalaphates , , was Byzantine emperor for 4 months in 1041–1042, as the nephew and successor of Michael IV and the adoptive son of his wife, the Empress Zoe.Michael V was the son of Stephen by Maria, a sister of Emperor Michael IV...
(r. 1041–1042) charged him with quelling an uprising 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:...
. In the next year, he defeated the Rus' raid against the imperial capital, and was named vestes and archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
of the Danubian
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
cities. Under Constantine IX Monomachos
Constantine IX Monomachos
Constantine IX Monomachos, Latinized as Constantine IX Monomachus , c. 1000 – January 11, 1055, reigned as Byzantine emperor from June 11, 1042 to January 11, 1055. He had been chosen by the Empress Zoe as a husband and co-emperor in 1042, although he had been exiled for conspiring...
(r. 1042–1055) he had a highly successful career. He served in the East as doux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
of Iberia, and became governor of Ani
Ani
Ani is a ruined and uninhabited medieval Armenian city-site situated in the Turkish province of Kars, near the border with Armenia. It was once the capital of a medieval Armenian kingdom that covered much of present day Armenia and eastern Turkey...
after it was annexed by the Empire in 1045, and led the local forces in the first clashes with the Seljuk Turks. In the late 1040s, he had been promoted to the post of stratelates
Stratelates
Stratēlatēs was a Greek term designating a general, which also became a honorary dignity in the Byzantine Empire. In the former sense, it was often applied to military saints, such as Theodore Stratelates....
of the East, and participated in the campaign against the Pechenegs, as second-in-command to the militarily inexperienced rhaiktor Nikephoros. During this campaign, he was seriously injured. Ca. 1055 he was raised to magistros and named to the prestigious and powerful post of doux of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
.
Constantine IX's successor, Michael VI
Michael VI
Michael VI Bringas , called Stratiotikos or Stratioticus or Gerontas , was Byzantine emperor from 1056 to 1057.-Career:...
, generally mistrusted the prominent generals and treated them badly; he refused Katakalon and Isaac Komnenos
Isaac I Komnenos
Isaac I Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1057 to 1059, and the first reigning member of the Komnenos dynasty...
, both of them already ranked as magistroi, promotion to the title of proedros
Proedros
Proedros was a senior Byzantine court and ecclesiastic title in the 10th to mid-12th centuries. The female form of the title is proedrissa .-Court dignity:...
, and eventually dismissed Kekaumenos. In turn, Kekaumenos actively supported the uprising of Isaac Komnenos in 1057, and was rewarded with the title of kouropalates.
Portrayal and literary activity
Kekaumenos apparently wrote an autobiography, which was then used as his primary source for the events of 1042–1057 by John Skylitzes in his own history. Hence Skylitzes' narrative focuses in detail on his career and is highly laudatory of the general and his achievements. Katakalon Kekaumenos has also been put forward as the author of the so-called Strategikon of KekaumenosStrategikon of Kekaumenos
The Strategikon of Kekaumenos is a late 11th century Byzantine manual offering advice on warfare and the handling of public and domestic affairs.The book was composed between 1075 and 1078 by its author, a Byzantine general of partly Armenian descent...
, but his identification with its author, known only as Kekaumenos
Kekaumenos
Kekaumenos is the family name of the otherwise anonymous Byzantine author of the Strategikon, a manual on military and household affairs composed c. 1078. He was apparently of Graeco-Armenian origin and the grandson of the doux of Hellas...
, is mostly rejected by modern scholars.