Konstantinos Kalamanos
Encyclopedia
Constantine Kalamanos or Coloman (1137/1145-after 1173) was a Byzantine
governor of Cilicia
.
Constantine was the elder son of Boris Kalamanos
(a claimant for the throne of the Kingdom of Hungary
) and his wife, Anna Doukaina (a relative of the Byzantine Emperor John II Komnenos
). His paternal grandmother, Eufemia
was caught in adultery by her husband, King Coloman of Hungary who never recognised her son (Constantine' father) as his own.
In 1163, the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
appointed Constantine to the office of governor of Cilicia, a province of the Empire whose fortresses had just been occupied by the Armenian
Prince Thoros II of Cilicia. He went with strengthened forces to his province and Prince Thoros had to retire to the mountains. The Princess Constance of Antioch
desired to keep her power against her son, Bohemond III of Antioch, who became by then of an age to govern, appealed to Constantine for military aid. However, the rumour of her appeal provoked a riot in Antioch
and she was exiled.
Shortly afterwards, Constantine and Prince Bohemond III lead their troops together against Nur ad-Din Zangi's armies that had laid siege to Krak des Chevaliers
, a fortress in the County of Tripoli
. After a short battle, in which Constantine and his troops particularly distinguished themselves, Nur ad-Din fled in disorder to Homs
.
In the summer of 1164, Nur ad-Din laid siege the fortress of Harim in the Principality of Antioch
. Upon Prince Bohemond's call, Constantine went to his rescue with his troops, and at the news of their coming, Nur ad-Din raised the siege. While he was retiring, the Christian forces followed him, and their armies made contact on 10 August. The ensuing battle
was a disaster for the Christians: their leaders (among them Constantine) were captured and they were taken to Aleppo. However, Nur ad-Din was so anxious not to offend the Byzantine Empire that he freed Constantine almost at once (1166), in return for a hundred and fifty silken robes.
During his captivity, Cilicia was governed by Alexios Axouch
and then by Andronikos Komnenos
who seduced Philippa, the beautiful sister of Prince Bohemund III. When Constantine was freed, the Emperor Manuel I recalled Andronikos Komnenos and reinstalled him in his place. Constantine was also ordered to proceed to Antioch and to try to capture Philippa's affection, but he failed.
In 1170, the Armenian Prince Mleh of Cilicia invaded the Byzantine province of Cilicia with the assistance of Nur ad-Din and took Mopsuestia
, Adana
and Tarsus
from their garrisons. Although Constantine could reoccupy the lost territories with the help of King Amalric I of Jerusalem
and Prince Bohemund III, but a year or so later he was captured by Prince Mleh.
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...
governor of Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
.
Constantine was the elder son of Boris Kalamanos
Boris Kalamanos
Boris Kalamanos was a pretender who claimed the Hungarian throne. He desperately tried to assert his claims with the assistance of Poland, the Holy Roman Empire and the Byzantine Empire, but he failed and died in exile.-His descent:...
(a claimant for the throne of the Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
) and his wife, Anna Doukaina (a relative of the Byzantine Emperor John II Komnenos
John II Komnenos
John II Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1118 to 1143. Also known as Kaloïōannēs , he was the eldest son of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and Irene Doukaina...
). His paternal grandmother, Eufemia
Eufemia of Kiev
Euphemia of Kiev was Queen Consort of Hungary. Euphemia was the daughter of Grand Prince Vladimir II of Kiev and his second wife whose name and ancestry are unknown. She was married to King Coloman of Hungary around 1112. However, her husband, who had been suffering from a serious disease, caught...
was caught in adultery by her husband, King Coloman of Hungary who never recognised her son (Constantine' father) as his own.
In 1163, the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos was a Byzantine Emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history of Byzantium and the Mediterranean....
appointed Constantine to the office of governor of Cilicia, a province of the Empire whose fortresses had just been occupied by the 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....
Prince Thoros II of Cilicia. He went with strengthened forces to his province and Prince Thoros had to retire to the mountains. The Princess Constance of Antioch
Constance of Antioch
Constance of Antioch was the only daughter of Bohemund II of Antioch by his wife Alice, princess of Jerusalem. She was also Princess regnant of the Principality of Antioch from 1130 to her death.-Early life:...
desired to keep her power against her son, Bohemond III of Antioch, who became by then of an age to govern, appealed to Constantine for military aid. However, the rumour of her appeal provoked a riot in 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...
and she was exiled.
Shortly afterwards, Constantine and Prince Bohemond III lead their troops together against Nur ad-Din Zangi's armies that had laid siege to Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers
Krak des Chevaliers , also Crac des Chevaliers, is a Crusader castle in Syria and one of the most important preserved medieval castles in the world. The site was first inhabited in the 11th century by a settlement of Kurds; as a result it was known as Hisn al Akrad, meaning the "Castle of the...
, a fortress in the County of Tripoli
County of Tripoli
The County of Tripoli was the last Crusader state founded in the Levant, located in what today are parts of western Syria and northern Lebanon, where exists the modern city of Tripoli. The Crusader state was captured and created by Christian forces in 1109, originally held by Bertrand of Toulouse...
. After a short battle, in which Constantine and his troops particularly distinguished themselves, Nur ad-Din fled in disorder to Homs
Homs
Homs , previously known as Emesa , is a city in western Syria and the capital of the Homs Governorate. It is above sea level and is located north of Damascus...
.
In the summer of 1164, Nur ad-Din laid siege the fortress of Harim in the Principality of Antioch
Principality of Antioch
The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade.-Foundation:...
. Upon Prince Bohemond's call, Constantine went to his rescue with his troops, and at the news of their coming, Nur ad-Din raised the siege. While he was retiring, the Christian forces followed him, and their armies made contact on 10 August. The ensuing battle
Battle of Harim
The Battle of Harim was fought on 12 August 1164 between the forces of Nur ad-Din Zangi and a combined army from the County of Tripoli, the Principality of Antioch, the Byzantine Empire and Armenia...
was a disaster for the Christians: their leaders (among them Constantine) were captured and they were taken to Aleppo. However, Nur ad-Din was so anxious not to offend the Byzantine Empire that he freed Constantine almost at once (1166), in return for a hundred and fifty silken robes.
During his captivity, Cilicia was governed by Alexios Axouch
Alexios Axouch
Alexios Axouch or Axouchos, sometimes found as Axuch , was a 12th-century Byzantine nobleman and military leader of Turkish ancestry....
and then by Andronikos Komnenos
Andronikos I Komnenos
Andronikos I Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1183 to 1185). He was the son of Isaac Komnenos and grandson of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.-Early years:...
who seduced Philippa, the beautiful sister of Prince Bohemund III. When Constantine was freed, the Emperor Manuel I recalled Andronikos Komnenos and reinstalled him in his place. Constantine was also ordered to proceed to Antioch and to try to capture Philippa's affection, but he failed.
In 1170, the Armenian Prince Mleh of Cilicia invaded the Byzantine province of Cilicia with the assistance of Nur ad-Din and took Mopsuestia
Mopsuestia
Mopsuestia , later Mamistra, is the ancient city of Cilicia Campestris on the Pyramus river located approximately 20 km east of ancient Antiochia in Cilicia .The founding of this city is attributed in legend to the soothsayer, Mopsus, who lived before the Trojan war, although...
, Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
and Tarsus
Tarsus (city)
Tarsus is a historic city in south-central Turkey, 20 km inland from the Mediterranean Sea. It is part of the Adana-Mersin Metropolitan Area, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in Turkey with a population of 2.75 million...
from their garrisons. Although Constantine could reoccupy the lost territories with the help of King Amalric I of Jerusalem
Amalric I of Jerusalem
Amalric I of Jerusalem was King of Jerusalem 1163–1174, and Count of Jaffa and Ascalon before his accession. Amalric was the second son of Melisende of Jerusalem and Fulk of Jerusalem...
and Prince Bohemund III, but a year or so later he was captured by Prince Mleh.
Sources
- Kristó, Gyula (editor): Korai Magyar Történeti Lexikon - 9-14. század (Encyclopedia of the Early Hungarian History - 9-14th centuries); Akadémiai Kiadó, 1994, Budapest; ISBN 963-05-6722-9.
- Runciman, Steven: A History of the Crusades - Volume II (The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East 1100-1187); Cambridge University Press, 1988, Cambridge; ISBN 0-521-06162-8.