Nikephoros Bryennios (ethnarch)
Encyclopedia
Nikephoros Bryennios Latinized
as Nicephorus Bryennius, was an important Byzantine
general who was involved in rebellions against the empress Theodora
and later the emperor Michael VI Stratiotikos.
responsible for commanding foreign mercenaries in the Macedonian Theme. He first appears in 1050, when he inflicted a heavy defeat on the Pechenegs, who had been raiding the Empire's Balkan provinces for years. This victory put an end to these raids for some time. In early 1055, as Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos
(r. 1042–1055) lay dying, he was persuaded by his councillors, chiefly the logothetes tou dromou
John, to pass the throne to the doux
of Bulgaria, Nikephoros Proteuon. However, their plans were preempted by Constantine's aged sister-in-law Theodora
, the last descendant of the Macedonian dynasty
, who was brought out of her retirement in a convent
and proclaimed "emperor" by the imperial guardshortly before Constantine's death. A purge of senior officials and the leadership of the European military units followed. Bryennios, whom the western tagma
ta apparently wanted to proclaim him emperor instead, was also dismissed and exiled.
Returning to the court after Theodora's death, he became embroiled in the military aristocratic unrest surrounding the reign of Michael VI
. Although Michael VI restored his rank, he refused to hand over the confiscated estates and fortune. Ordered in 1057 to take 3,000 men to reinforce the army at Cappadocia
, Nikephoros left the capital in a fit of rage and began plotting to overthrow Michael VI. On his arrival, he attacked and beat a representative of the emperor who countermanded Nikephoros's orders before throwing him in prison, which his officers took as a sign that Nikephoros was about to rebel. Releasing the imprisoned officer, they captured Nikephoros, blinded him and sent him to Constantinople. His capture precipitated the revolt that brought Isaac I Komnenos
to the throne.
Romanization
In linguistics, romanization or latinization is the representation of a written word or spoken speech with the Roman script, or a system for doing so, where the original word or language uses a different writing system . Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written...
as Nicephorus Bryennius, was an important Byzantine
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 who was involved in rebellions against the empress Theodora
Theodora (11th century)
Theodora was a Byzantine Empress. Born into the Macedonian dynasty that had ruled the Byzantine Empire for almost two hundred years, she was co-empress with her sister Zoe for two months in 1042 and sole empress from 11 January 1055 to after 31 August 1056...
and later the emperor Michael VI Stratiotikos.
Career
Nikephoros Bryennios hailed from Adrianople and by the middle of the 11th century had risen to become the ethnarchEthnarch
Ethnarch, pronounced , the anglicized form of ethnarches refers generally to political leadership over a common ethnic group or homogeneous kingdom. The word is derived from the Greek words and ....
responsible for commanding foreign mercenaries in the Macedonian Theme. He first appears in 1050, when he inflicted a heavy defeat on the Pechenegs, who had been raiding the Empire's Balkan provinces for years. This victory put an end to these raids for some time. In early 1055, as Emperor 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) lay dying, he was persuaded by his councillors, chiefly the logothetes tou dromou
Logothetes tou dromou
The logothetēs tou dromou , in English usually rendered as Logothete of the Course/Drome/Dromos or Postal Logothete, was the head of the department of the Dromos, the Public Post , and one of the most senior ministers of the Byzantine Empire.- History and functions :The exact origin and date of...
John, to pass the throne to the doux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
of Bulgaria, Nikephoros Proteuon. However, their plans were preempted by Constantine's aged sister-in-law Theodora
Theodora (11th century)
Theodora was a Byzantine Empress. Born into the Macedonian dynasty that had ruled the Byzantine Empire for almost two hundred years, she was co-empress with her sister Zoe for two months in 1042 and sole empress from 11 January 1055 to after 31 August 1056...
, the last descendant of the Macedonian dynasty
Macedonian dynasty
The Macedonian dynasty ruled the Byzantine Empire from 867 to 1056, following the Amorian dynasty. During this period, the Byzantine state reached its greatest expanse since the Muslim conquests, and the Macedonian Renaissance in letters and arts began. The dynasty was named after its founder,...
, who was brought out of her retirement in a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
and proclaimed "emperor" by the imperial guardshortly before Constantine's death. A purge of senior officials and the leadership of the European military units followed. Bryennios, whom the western tagma
Tagma (military)
The tagma is a term for a military unit of battalion or regiment size. The best-known and most technical use of the term however refers to the elite regiments formed by Byzantine emperor Constantine V and comprising the central army of the Byzantine Empire in the 8th–11th centuries.-History and...
ta apparently wanted to proclaim him emperor instead, was also dismissed and exiled.
Returning to the court after Theodora's death, he became embroiled in the military aristocratic unrest surrounding the reign of Michael VI
Michael VI
Michael VI Bringas , called Stratiotikos or Stratioticus or Gerontas , was Byzantine emperor from 1056 to 1057.-Career:...
. Although Michael VI restored his rank, he refused to hand over the confiscated estates and fortune. Ordered in 1057 to take 3,000 men to reinforce the army at 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...
, Nikephoros left the capital in a fit of rage and began plotting to overthrow Michael VI. On his arrival, he attacked and beat a representative of the emperor who countermanded Nikephoros's orders before throwing him in prison, which his officers took as a sign that Nikephoros was about to rebel. Releasing the imprisoned officer, they captured Nikephoros, blinded him and sent him to Constantinople. His capture precipitated the revolt that brought Isaac I Komnenos
Isaac I Komnenos
Isaac I Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1057 to 1059, and the first reigning member of the Komnenos dynasty...
to the throne.
Family
Nikephoros Bryennios had one wife, named Anna, who had the rank of kouropalatissa. They had two sons:- Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder, a general who rose in revolt against Michael VII Doukas in 1077 and continued his rebellion against Nikephoros IIINikephoros IIINikephoros III Botaneiates, Latinized as Nicephorus III Botaniates was Byzantine emperor from 1078 to 1081. He belonged to a family which claimed descent from the Byzantine Phokas family.- Early career :...
. He was defeated by Alexios KomnenosAlexios I KomnenosAlexios 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,...
at the Battle of Kalavrye and blinded. He was the father or grandfather of the historian and CaesarCaesar (title)Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger. - John, who supported his brother's grab for the throne, being named by him as his domestikos ton scholon. In the aftermath of the revolt's failure, John was captured by the Varangian GuardVarangian GuardThe Varangian Guard was an elite unit of the Byzantine Army in 10th to the 14th centuries, whose members served as personal bodyguards of the Byzantine Emperors....
and subsequently murdered.