Nikephoros Bryennios
Encyclopedia
Nikephoros Bryennios (Greek
: Νικηφόρος Βρυέννιος, Nikēphoros Bryennios) (1062–1137), Byzantine
general, statesman and historian
, was born at Orestias (Orestiada
, Adrianople) in the theme of Macedonia
, but had been defeated by the future Emperor Alexios I Komnenos
and was blinded. The son, who was distinguished for his learning, personal beauty, and engaging qualities, gained the favour of Alexios I and the hand of his daughter Anna Komnene
, receiving the titles of Caesar
and panhypersebastos (one of the new dignities introduced by Alexios).
Bryennios successfully defended the walls of Constantinople
against the attacks of Godfrey of Bouillon
during the First Crusade
(1097); conducted the peace negotiations between Alexios and Prince Bohemond I of Antioch (the Treaty of Devol
, 1108); and played an important part in the defeat of Melikshah
, the Seljuq sultan of Rûm
(1116).
After the death of Alexios, he refused to enter into the conspiracy set afoot by his mother-in-law Irene Doukaina
and his wife Anna to depose John II Komnenos
, the son of Alexios, and raise himself to the throne. His wife attributed his refusal to cowardice, but it seems from certain passages in his own work that he really regarded it as a crime to revolt against the rightful heir; the only reproach that can be brought against him is that he did not nip the conspiracy in the bud. He was on very friendly terms with the new emperor John II, whom he accompanied on his Syria
n campaign (1137), but was forced by illness to return to Constantinople, where he died in the same year.
over Michael VI
to the dethronement of Nikephoros III Botaneiates by Alexios I. The work has been described as a family chronicle rather than a history, the object of which was the glorification of the house of Komnenos. Part of the introduction is probably a later addition.
In addition to information derived from older contemporaries (such as his father and father-in-law) Bryennios made use of the works of Michael Psellos
, John Skylitzes
and Michael Attaleiates
. As might be expected, his views are biased by personal considerations and his intimacy with the royal family, which at the same time, however, afforded him unusual facilities for obtaining material. His model was Xenophon
, whom he has imitated with a tolerable measure of success; he abstains from an excessive use of simile
and metaphor
, and his style is concise and simple.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Νικηφόρος Βρυέννιος, Nikēphoros Bryennios) (1062–1137), Byzantine
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
general, statesman and historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, was born at Orestias (Orestiada
Orestiada
Orestiada is the northeasternmost and northernmost city of Greece and the second largest city of the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace. The population is around 25,000. Orestiada is only 2 km west of the banks of the Evros, which forms a natural border between Greece and Turkey...
, Adrianople) in the theme of Macedonia
Life
His father (or possibly grandfather), of the same name, the governor of the theme of Dyrrhachium, had revolted against the feeble Michael VIIMichael VII
Michael VII Doukas or Ducas , nicknamed Parapinakēs , was Byzantine emperor from 1071 to 1078.- Life :...
, but had been defeated by the future Emperor Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
and was blinded. The son, who was distinguished for his learning, personal beauty, and engaging qualities, gained the favour of Alexios I and the hand of his daughter Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene, Latinized as Comnena was a Greek princess and scholar and the daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos of Byzantium and Irene Doukaina...
, receiving the titles of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
and panhypersebastos (one of the new dignities introduced by Alexios).
Bryennios successfully defended the walls of Constantinople
Walls of Constantinople
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople since its founding as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire by Constantine the Great...
against the attacks of Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon
Godfrey of Bouillon was a medieval Frankish knight who was one of the leaders of the First Crusade from 1096 until his death. He was the Lord of Bouillon, from which he took his byname, from 1076 and the Duke of Lower Lorraine from 1087...
during the First Crusade
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
(1097); conducted the peace negotiations between Alexios and Prince Bohemond I of Antioch (the Treaty of Devol
Treaty of Devol
The Treaty of Devol was an agreement made in 1108 between Bohemond I of Antioch and Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, in the wake of the First Crusade. It is named after the Byzantine fortress of Devol in Macedonia...
, 1108); and played an important part in the defeat of Melikshah
Melikshah
Malik Shah or Malek Shah or Melik Shah was the sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rûm between the years 1110 and 1116. Prior to Melikshah's accession, the throne had remained vacant for three years following the death of Kilij Arslan I in 1107. Melikshah was held prisoner in Isfahan until 1110 when...
, the Seljuq sultan of Rûm
Sultanate of Rûm
The Sultanate of Rum , also known as the Anatolian Seljuk State , was a Turkic state centered in in Anatolia, with capitals first at İznik and then at Konya. Since the court of the sultanate was highly mobile, cities like Kayseri and Sivas also functioned at times as capitals...
(1116).
After the death of Alexios, he refused to enter into the conspiracy set afoot by his mother-in-law Irene Doukaina
Irene Doukaina
Irene Doukaina or Ducaena was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, and the mother of the emperor John II Komnenos and of the historian Anna Komnene.-Succession of Alexios and Irene:...
and his wife Anna to depose 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...
, the son of Alexios, and raise himself to the throne. His wife attributed his refusal to cowardice, but it seems from certain passages in his own work that he really regarded it as a crime to revolt against the rightful heir; the only reproach that can be brought against him is that he did not nip the conspiracy in the bud. He was on very friendly terms with the new emperor John II, whom he accompanied on his 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....
n campaign (1137), but was forced by illness to return to Constantinople, where he died in the same year.
Family
By his wife Anna Komnene, the kaisar Nikephoros Bryennios had several children, including:- Alexios Komnenos, megas douxMegas DouxThe megas doux was one of the highest positions in the hierarchy of the later Byzantine Empire, denoting the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy. It is sometimes also given by the half-Latinizations megaduke or megadux...
, c. 1102–c. 1161/1167 - John Doukas, c. 1103–after 1173
- Eirene Doukaina, c. 1105–?
- Maria Bryennaina Komnene, c. 1107–?
Writings
At the suggestion of his mother-in-law he wrote a history ("Materials for a History") of the period from 1057 to 1081, from the victory of Isaac I KomnenosIsaac I Komnenos
Isaac I Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1057 to 1059, and the first reigning member of the Komnenos dynasty...
over Michael VI
Michael VI
Michael VI Bringas , called Stratiotikos or Stratioticus or Gerontas , was Byzantine emperor from 1056 to 1057.-Career:...
to the dethronement of Nikephoros III Botaneiates by Alexios I. The work has been described as a family chronicle rather than a history, the object of which was the glorification of the house of Komnenos. Part of the introduction is probably a later addition.
In addition to information derived from older contemporaries (such as his father and father-in-law) Bryennios made use of the works of Michael Psellos
Michael Psellos
Michael Psellos or Psellus was a Byzantine monk, writer, philosopher, politician and historian...
, 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...
and Michael Attaleiates
Michael Attaliates
Michael Attaleiates or Attaliates was a Greek public servant and historian at Constantinople.Michael was probably a native of Attalia...
. As might be expected, his views are biased by personal considerations and his intimacy with the royal family, which at the same time, however, afforded him unusual facilities for obtaining material. His model was Xenophon
Xenophon
Xenophon , son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, philosopher and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates...
, whom he has imitated with a tolerable measure of success; he abstains from an excessive use of simile
Simile
A simile is a figure of speech that directly compares two different things, usually by employing the words "like", "as". Even though both similes and metaphors are forms of comparison, similes indirectly compare the two ideas and allow them to remain distinct in spite of their similarities, whereas...
and metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
, and his style is concise and simple.
Editions
- Editio princepsEditio princepsIn classical scholarship, editio princeps is a term of art. It means, roughly, the first printed edition of a work that previously had existed only in manuscripts, which could be circulated only after being copied by hand....
published by Petrus Possinus in 1661. - MigneJacques Paul MigneJacques Paul Migne was a French priest who published inexpensive and widely-distributed editions of theological works, encyclopedias and the texts of the Church Fathers, with the goal of providing a universal library for the Catholic priesthood.He was born at Saint-Flour, Cantal and studied...
, Patrologia GraecaPatrologia GraecaThe Patrologia Graeca is an edited collection of writings by the Christian Church Fathers and various secular writers, in the ancient Koine or medieval variants of the Greek language. It consists of 161 volumes produced in 1857–1866 by J. P. Migne's Imprimerie Catholique...
, cxxvii. - A. Meineke (with du CangeCharles du Fresne, sieur du CangeCharles du Fresne, sieur du Cange or Ducange was a distinguished philologist and historian of the Middle Ages and Byzantium....
's commentary), Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae, Bonn, 1836. (available online) - P. Gautier (with French translation), Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 9, Brussels, 1975.