Maleinos
Encyclopedia
Maleinos was the surname of a Byzantine Greek
family, first attested in the 9th century, which rose to be amongst the most important and powerful members of the Anatolian
aristocracy in the 10th century, providing many senior generals to the Byzantine army
. After its wealth and power became the target of Byzantine emperor Basil II
(r. 976–1025), it declined, although its members are still attested in Anatolia and the Balkans
throughout the 11th and 12th centuries.
in Bithynia
, however its main estates and power-base were in the theme of Charsianon
in Cappadocia
, which must be considered its proper homeland.
The first known member of the family was the general Nikephoros Maleinos, of whom it is only known that in 866 he suppressed the revolt of Symbatios, a relative of the recently murdered Caesar
Bardas
. The patrikios and general Eustathios Maleinos, attested later in the century, was probably a brother or son of Nikephoros. Eustathios's son, Eudokimos, married the daughter of a patrikios Adralestos, who was related by marriage to the Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944).
Eudokimos had seven children, the most prominent among them were Constantine
and Michael
Maleinos. Constantine was a general and long-time governor (strategos
) of the theme of Cappadocia
in the middle of the 10th century. From his post, Constantine participated in several campaigns against the Arabs. Michael became a monk at a young age and achieved great fame. He was the mentor of Athanasius the Athonite
and was a spiritual advisor to his nephews, the brothers Nikephoros Phokas (the future emperor Nikephoros II, r. 963–969) and Leo Phokas
, born to an unnamed sister, the wife of the general Bardas Phokas the Elder
. Leo Maleinos, presumably a son of Nikephoros Maleinos, participated in battles against the Arabs in Syria
and was killed in 953.
Thanks to these connections with the rising power of the Phokas clan, by the 950s the Maleinoi had established themselves as one of the leading Anatolian families, and amassed immense wealth. According to Arab sources, one of their estates stretched continuously from Claudiopolis in Bithynia to the Sangarios river, covering some 115 square kilometers. The leading representative of the family in the latter 10th century was Constantine's son, the magistros Eustathios Maleinos
. A leading general under John I Tzimiskes
(r. 969–976) and during the early years of Emperor Basil II's reign, he participated in the aristocratic rebellion of 987 led by Bardas Phokas the Younger. After Phokas's death in 899, Maleinos was not severely punished but confined to his estates. After a few years, Emperor Basil II had him removed to Constantinople
and confiscated his wealth after Eustathios's death.
The Maleinoi never recovered their former power after this blow. Family members are still attested in lead seals of officials (with relatively high titles such as patrikios and proedros
) and mentioned in literary or legal sources from the 11th and 12th centuries, which also document the settlement of a branch of the family in Macedonia
, most probably due to the conquest of Anatolia
by the Seljuk Turks. The nature and sparsity of these references demonstrate the effective loss of any political power by the clan: a Stephen Maleinos was a landowner near Thessalonica in 1084, and another Maleinos, who rebelled against Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos
(r. 1183–1185) in 1185, is described by Niketas Choniates as neither of noble birth nor rich. The family is not attested thereafter.
A Maleinos family is also attested in southern Italy and particularly Calabria
from the second half of the 10th century and up to the 12th century, who served as soldiers, administrators or church members. Their connection, if any, with the Anatolian Maleinos clan, is unknown.
Byzantine Greeks
Byzantine Greeks or Byzantines is a conventional term used by modern historians to refer to the medieval Greek or Hellenised citizens of the Byzantine Empire, centered mainly in Constantinople, the southern Balkans, the Greek islands, Asia Minor , Cyprus and the large urban centres of the Near East...
family, first attested in the 9th century, which rose to be amongst the most important and powerful members of the Anatolian
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
aristocracy in the 10th century, providing many senior generals to the Byzantine army
Byzantine army
The Byzantine army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine navy. A direct descendant of the Roman army, the Byzantine army maintained a similar level of discipline, strategic prowess and organization...
. After its wealth and power became the target of Byzantine emperor Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
(r. 976–1025), it declined, although its members are still attested in Anatolia and the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
throughout the 11th and 12th centuries.
History and members
The family, of Greek origin, first appears in the second half of the 9th century. It has been suggested that the surname derives from the location of MalaginaMalagina
Malagina , in later times Melangeia , was a Byzantine district in the valley of the Sangarius river in northern Bithynia, which served as a major encampment and fortified staging area for the Byzantine army...
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:...
, however its main estates and power-base were in the theme of Charsianon
Charsianon
Charsianon was the name of a Byzantine fortress and the corresponding theme in the region of Cappadocia in central Anatolia .-History:...
in Cappadocia
Cappadocia
Cappadocia is a historical region in Central Anatolia, largely in Nevşehir Province.In the time of Herodotus, the Cappadocians were reported as occupying the whole region from Mount Taurus to the vicinity of the Euxine...
, which must be considered its proper homeland.
The first known member of the family was the general Nikephoros Maleinos, of whom it is only known that in 866 he suppressed the revolt of Symbatios, a relative of the recently murdered Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
Bardas
Bardas
Bardas was a Byzantine noble and high-ranking minister. As the brother of Empress Theodora, he rose to high office under Theophilos . Although sidelined after Theophilos' death by Theodora and Theoktistos, in 856 he engineered Theoktistos' fall and became the regent for his nephew, Michael III...
. The patrikios and general Eustathios Maleinos, attested later in the century, was probably a brother or son of Nikephoros. Eustathios's son, Eudokimos, married the daughter of a patrikios Adralestos, who was related by marriage to the Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944).
Eudokimos had seven children, the most prominent among them were Constantine
Constantine Maleinos
Constantine Maleinos was a prominent Byzantine general of the mid-10th century.Constantine was born in the late 9th or 10th century, probably in his family's estates in Cappadocia. His father was Eudokimos Maleinos, a member of the powerful aristocratic Maleinos clan, and his mother Anastaso...
and Michael
Michael Maleinos
Saint Michael Maleinos was a Byzantine monk who commanded great respect among Christians of Asia Minor. He was the brother of general Constantine Maleinos and uncle of Nikephoros Phokas, who was greatly influenced by Michael and became Byzantine emperor several years after his death...
Maleinos. Constantine was a general and long-time governor (strategos
Strategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
) of the theme of Cappadocia
Cappadocia (theme)
The Theme of Cappadocia was a Byzantine theme encompassing the southern portion of the namesake region from the early 9th to the late 11th centuries.-Location:...
in the middle of the 10th century. From his post, Constantine participated in several campaigns against the Arabs. Michael became a monk at a young age and achieved great fame. He was the mentor of Athanasius the Athonite
Athanasius the Athonite
Athanasius the Athonite , also called Athanasios of Trebizond , was a Byzantine monk who founded the monastic community on Mount Athos, which has since evolved into the greatest centre of Eastern Orthodox monasticism....
and was a spiritual advisor to his nephews, the brothers Nikephoros Phokas (the future emperor Nikephoros II, r. 963–969) and Leo Phokas
Leo Phokas the Younger
Leo Phokas or Phocas was a prominent Byzantine general who scored a number of successes in the eastern frontier in the mid-10th century alongside his older brother, the Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas...
, born to an unnamed sister, the wife of the general Bardas Phokas the Elder
Bardas Phokas the Elder
Bardas Phokas was a notable Byzantine general in the first half of the 10th century, and father of Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas and the kouropalates Leo Phokas the Younger....
. Leo Maleinos, presumably a son of Nikephoros Maleinos, participated in battles against the Arabs in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and was killed in 953.
Thanks to these connections with the rising power of the Phokas clan, by the 950s the Maleinoi had established themselves as one of the leading Anatolian families, and amassed immense wealth. According to Arab sources, one of their estates stretched continuously from Claudiopolis in Bithynia to the Sangarios river, covering some 115 square kilometers. The leading representative of the family in the latter 10th century was Constantine's son, the magistros Eustathios Maleinos
Eustathios Maleinos
Eustathios Maleinos was a leading Byzantine general and one of the wealthiest and most influential members of the Anatolian military aristocracy during the late 10th century. He held senior administrative and military posts in the East, and was involved in the aristocratic rebellions against...
. A leading general under John I Tzimiskes
John I Tzimiskes
John I Tzimiskes or Tzimisces, was Byzantine Emperor from December 11, 969 to January 10, 976. A brilliant and intuitive general, John's short reign saw the expansion of the empire's borders and the strengthening of Byzantium itself.- Background :...
(r. 969–976) and during the early years of Emperor Basil II's reign, he participated in the aristocratic rebellion of 987 led by Bardas Phokas the Younger. After Phokas's death in 899, Maleinos was not severely punished but confined to his estates. After a few years, Emperor Basil II had him removed 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:...
and confiscated his wealth after Eustathios's death.
The Maleinoi never recovered their former power after this blow. Family members are still attested in lead seals of officials (with relatively high titles such as patrikios and 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 mentioned in literary or legal sources from the 11th and 12th centuries, which also document the settlement of a branch of the family in Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, most probably due to the conquest of Anatolia
Battle of Manzikert
The Battle of Manzikert , was fought between the Byzantine Empire and Seljuq Turks led by Alp Arslan on August 26, 1071 near Manzikert...
by the Seljuk Turks. The nature and sparsity of these references demonstrate the effective loss of any political power by the clan: a Stephen Maleinos was a landowner near Thessalonica in 1084, and another Maleinos, who rebelled against Emperor Andronikos I 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:...
(r. 1183–1185) in 1185, is described by Niketas Choniates as neither of noble birth nor rich. The family is not attested thereafter.
A Maleinos family is also attested in southern Italy and particularly Calabria
Calabria
Calabria , in antiquity known as Bruttium, is a region in southern Italy, south of Naples, located at the "toe" of the Italian Peninsula. The capital city of Calabria is Catanzaro....
from the second half of the 10th century and up to the 12th century, who served as soldiers, administrators or church members. Their connection, if any, with the Anatolian Maleinos clan, is unknown.