699:) had also usurped the throne under the Macedonian emperors, but they had reigned alongside the legitimate rulers. This was reflected in the coinage struck in his name, which uniquely showed him holding a drawn sword; while it may have simply indicated his intention to restore "capable military rule" (Kaldellis), it came to be understood as a claim to rule by right of conquest, and even as expressing an impious belief "that his accomplishments came not from God but from his own prowess". Isaac attempted to reform the bureaucracy and the empire's fiscal system, as well as to restore its military strength, but his reforms aroused much opposition; increasingly isolated politically, and probably disheartened, during an illness in November 1059 he abdicated in favour of Constantine Doukas.
292:
370:, the Emperor began abusing them at once; he then made Isaac, as the leader of the deputation, and his second, Kekaumenos, stand forth, and proceeded to denounce Isaac, claiming that he was responsible for "all but losing Antioch" and "corrupting his army", being a coward and incompetent, and of having misappropriated army funds for his own use. The effect of the Emperor's attitude on the army leadership was profound, and turned them against Michael. A second delegation, this time to Strabospondylos, was received in similar manner, and a plot was formed against the Emperor, with Isaac Komnenos as its leader.
569:
409:
670:—at that time the highest title of the Byzantine court, signifying the designated heir-apparent—if he would cease his rebellion. Although these proposals were publicly rejected, privately Komnenos showed himself more open to negotiation, and he was promised the status of co-emperor. During the course of these secret negotiations, a riot in favour of Komnenos broke out in Constantinople. By the time the envoys returned to the capital on 29 August, they had espoused the rebels' cause, and, aided by patriarch
176:
645:
subsequent pursuit, the loyalists suffered many killed, including the generals
Maurokatakalos, Pnyemios and Katzamountes. Nikephoros Botaneiates won particular renown at this point: Randolf the Frank was caught up in the rout when he saw Botaneiates leading an attacking division. Shouting a war cry, Randolf turned and attacked Botaneiates; the two engaged in single combat until Randolf's sword broke and he was captured.
343:—and while civil officials were compensated by being raised to higher dignities, the army officers were not. This exacerbated the already simmering dislike of the military aristocracy for what, in the words of the Byzantinist Anthony Kaldellis, they considered as the "regime of eunuchs and civilian politicians" that had dominated the empire during the last decades of the Macedonian dynasty.
183:
445:, and on 8 June 1057, at a place called Gounaria, proclaimed him emperor. It is unclear whether any of the rebels held command of troops; rather, according to Kaldellis, "they had to canvass for support among the officers and soldiers and forge orders of imperial appointment for themselves". Thus the near-contemporary historian
635:
In the ensuing battle, the imperial left wing under Aaron completely routed the rebel right wing. Pursuing them to the rebel camp, he captured
Romanos Skleros there and was on the cusp of seizing the rebel camp and victory along with it: Skylitzes reports that Komnenos was on the verge of fleeing to
282:
and heir-apparent, but he was quickly convinced to abdicate the throne. On the next day, 1 September 1057, Isaac
Komnenos was crowned emperor in Constantinople. His reign was marked by his unsuccessful attempts to reform the administration and strengthen the empire, but the opposition he aroused led
580:
Both sides sent soldiers out to forage and collect wood, and over several days, the soldiers from both camps, often friends or relatives, met one another and tried to persuade the other side to defect. Initially, the commanders of the two armies tried to take advantage of this, sending "men skilled
644:
the loyalist right, breaching their camp and destroying their tents. As the camp was situated on a height and was widely visible, this encouraged the rebels and dejected the loyalists, who collapsed and fled. Although
Skylitzes writes that "many more were taken prisoner than were killed" in the
319:
as her successor. A career bureaucrat, Michael was a weak and pliant ruler dominated by the eunuchs. Given his advanced years and lack of children, his reign was perceived as weak and unlikely to last from the start, and was plagued by rebellions. Michael VI engaged in massive promotions of
581:
in argument" to induce the other side to defect, but without much effect. Eventually Isaac
Komnenos ordered his men to stay closer to their camp, and to be more careful in contact with the loyalists. This was interpreted by the loyalist soldiers as a sign of weakness, and they urged the
276:, which routed the imperial right, reached and entered their camp, and destroyed their tents, causing the imperial army to break and run, leaving the way open to Constantinople. With the rebel army approaching the capital, Michael VI offered Komnenos the position of
640:" (an anachronistic term for the Russians) mercenaries tried to kill him, but failed; indeed, by attacking him simultaneously from two sides, their lances got stuck in his armour and kept him aloft, balanced in the middle. On the rebel left, Kekaumenos
271:
After confronting each other for several days, the two armies finally engaged at the plain of Hades. Although the right wing of the rebel army was beaten, Komnenos himself held firm in the centre. Victory was won by his left wing, led by
391:
John
Opsaras. Bryennios not only imprisoned Opsaras, but also appropriated the army chest that Opsaras carried with him, and began to pay the soldiers as he saw fit. This act did not go unnoticed by another local commander, the
515:, Isaac's brother-in-law; unlike previously, he now "showered the commanders and the soldiers with honours, gifts and extravagant grants of money" to secure their allegiance. The loyalist army crossed over into
674:, they began to conspire in his favour. On 31 August, Keroularios convinced Michael VI to abdicate in favour of Komnenos, who entered Constantinople on 1 September and was crowned emperor the same day.
603:, Polemon or Hades (Haides according to Skylitzes). Kekaumenos commanded the left wing; Romanos Skleros the right; and Komnenos positioned himself in the centre. On the imperial side, the
636:
Nicaea. However, Aaron hesitated, and allowed the rebel army time to reverse the situation. In the centre, Komnenos held out against heavy loyalist pressure. Psellos reports that four "
653:
While the remnants of the imperial army withdrew to the capital, Komnenos moved to occupy
Nicomedia. There he was met on 24 August by envoys of the Emperor: Michael Psellos, and the
1289:
677:
With the
Macedonian dynasty extinct, Isaac thus became the first military strongman to usurp power outright since the 9th century; other powerful generals, such as
1299:
396:
Lykanthes, who regarded it as an attempt at rebellion. Lykanthes marched against
Bryennios, arrested him and handed him over to Opsaras, who had Bryennios
244:
Disgruntled by the neglect of army finances and the
Emperor's unwillingness to consider their grievances, Komnenos and other leading commanders, including
397:
381:
army, and he apparently agreed to support them. Soon after, Bryennios left with his troops for Asia Minor, to campaign against the Turks. Once in the
1279:
425:
Fearing that their plot was about to be discovered, the eastern generals felt forced to act. The conspirators resident in the Anatolic Theme,
1191:
1165:
1125:
175:
191:
1309:
1243:
1215:
377:, who had unsuccessfully tried to usurp the throne from Theodora, but had recently been recalled by Michael VI as commander of the
374:
245:
1206:
320:
individuals, but restricted this to the civilian bureaucracy, and neglected the military. This was not a trivial matter: the
512:
133:
63:
1294:
355:
494:, remained loyal to Michael VI. The Emperor placed this force under the command of Theodora's eunuch favourite, the
1304:
599:
Finally, on 20 August, Komnenos marched out his forces and arrayed them for battle on a plain called, according to
576:
struck by Isaac I Komnenos. His martial posture, bearing a naked sword, is unique among Byzantine imperial coinage.
430:
249:
1235:
329:
339:) had affected military pay—not coincidentally presided over by none other than Michael Bringas, who was then
300:
221:
113:
252:, began plotting against Michael VI, and on 8 June 1057, Komnenos was proclaimed emperor at his estates in
657:
608:
502:
619:
137:
1284:
761:
759:
615:
543:. Finding the imperial army blocking the direct route to the capital, Komnenos turned south and seized
568:
689:
661:
426:
363:
359:
351:
273:
150:
146:
678:
671:
600:
532:
1136:
585:
Theodore to fight. Reluctantly, the latter agreed to leave Sophon and encamp at Petroes, some 15
484:
340:
325:
316:
304:
264:, and encountered the loyalist army, composed largely of regiments from Europe, near the city of
1184:
Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade
291:
1258:
1239:
1211:
1201:
1187:
1161:
1142:
1121:
378:
312:
218:
527:, controlling the direct route to the capital. Advance detachments were sent to demolish the
464:
1225:
528:
476:
451:
347:
238:
214:
142:
119:
490:
At the same time, the western regiments, and the eastern ones of the Anatolic Theme and of
408:
367:
366:, appeared before the Emperor to request similar promotions. According to the eyewitness
628:
of the western armies) was positioned on the right; and the centre was commanded by the
535:). Leaving his family with his brother at the fortress of Pemolissa on the banks of the
666:
549:
540:
472:
460:
456:
446:
382:
278:
261:
1273:
637:
434:
520:
1229:
449:
reports that Kekaumenos had to forge imperial letters to mobilize the regiments (
624:
536:
442:
307:, died in 1056, the court circle around the Empress, dominated by her household
17:
547:
as his base of operations. He then established his own fortified camp some 12
491:
414:
321:
253:
1262:
1155:
1146:
78:
65:
1255:
The Cambridge Medieval History, Vol. IV: The Eastern Roman Empire (717–1453)
524:
508:
438:
419:
387:
516:
496:
257:
233:
480:
308:
531:, while the army established a fortified camp at Mount Sophon (modern
1253:
Vogt, Albert (1923). "The Macedonian Dynasty from 976 to 1057 A.D.".
544:
468:
265:
57:
567:
407:
290:
944:
942:
641:
1098:, "Isaac I Komnenos" (C. M. Brand, A. Cutler), pp. 1011–1012.
929:
927:
851:
849:
467:. Of these regiments, three were composed of mercenaries—two
418:
showing Michael VI in imperial regalia, being crowned by the
788:
786:
1043:
1041:
902:
900:
346:
During Easter 1057, a delegation of leading generals under
1257:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 83–118.
1157:
John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811–1057
713:
711:
295:
The Byzantine Empire at the time of the Battle of Petroe.
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
1120:. Cambridge, MA and London: Harvard University Press.
437:, hastened to find Isaac Komnenos at his estates near
607:
Aaron was stationed on the left wing with Lykanthes,
1116:
Kaldellis, Anthony; Krallis, Dimitris, eds. (2012).
768:, "Michael VI Stratiotikos" (C. M. Brand), p. 1366.
237:Theodore, and the supporters of the rebel general
1141:. New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press.
213:, was fought on 20 August 1057 between two rival
27:Battle between two rival Byzantine armies in 1057
1210:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.
996:
948:
611:(commander of the forces of Charsianon) and the
539:, Komnenos in turn slowly advanced west towards
373:The conspirators contacted the veteran general
34:
256:. After his supporters rallied regiments from
385:, he quarrelled with the army treasurer, the
8:
1231:A History of the Byzantine State and Society
487:, Kekaumenos marched west to join Komnenos.
260:to his cause, his army marched west towards
506:(commander-in-chief) of the east, and the
31:
1160:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
1135:Sewter, Edgar Robert Ashton, ed. (1953).
1083:
1071:
1059:
1047:
906:
879:
867:
816:
804:
750:
483:. Gathering these forces on the plain of
195:Approximate location within modern Turkey
475:—and two were native Byzantine—those of
283:to his own abdication in November 1059.
182:
1020:
984:
972:
933:
918:
891:
855:
792:
738:
707:
1290:Battles involving the Byzantine Empire
960:
840:
828:
777:
1186:. New York: Oxford University Press.
7:
1138:The Chronographia of Michael Psellus
1032:
717:
217:armies: the loyalist forces of the
1300:Civil wars of the Byzantine Empire
1207:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
459:, ostensibly to march against the
25:
1118:Michael Attaleiates: The History
1011:, "Caesar" (A. Kazhdan), p. 363.
181:
174:
1095:
1008:
765:
694:
683:
664:, who offered him the title of
594: 2.8 km, 1.7 mi
558: 2.2 km, 1.4 mi
334:
226:
1:
1280:1050s in the Byzantine Empire
590:
554:
997:Kaldellis & Krallis 2012
949:Kaldellis & Krallis 2012
1182:Kaldellis, Anthony (2017).
1154:Wortley, John, ed. (2010).
1326:
1310:History of Bursa Province
1236:Stanford University Press
330:Constantine IX Monomachos
303:, the last member of the
169:
156:
125:
106:
39:
1234:. Stanford, California:
596:) from the rebel camp.
222:Michael VI Stratiotikos
114:Michael VI Stratiotikos
658:Constantine Leichoudes
577:
503:domestikos ton scholon
500:Theodore, who was the
431:Nikephoros Botaneiates
422:
296:
250:Nikephoros Botaneiates
126:Commanders and leaders
571:
560:) north of the city.
411:
294:
157:Casualties and losses
79:40.48694°N 29.69056°E
56:Plain of Hades, near
690:Nikephoros II Phokas
618:as his lieutenants;
609:Pnyemios the Iberian
429:, Michael Bourtzes,
375:Nikephoros Bryennios
352:Katakalon Kekaumenos
274:Katakalon Kekaumenos
246:Nikephoros Bryennios
209:, also known as the
192:class=notpageimage|
147:Katakalon Kekaumenos
1086:, pp. 220–223.
1074:, pp. 599–600.
1023:, pp. 461–465.
975:, pp. 460–461.
936:, pp. 458–459.
921:, pp. 456–458.
894:, pp. 455–456.
882:, pp. 217–218.
858:, pp. 454–455.
843:, pp. 210–211.
795:, pp. 450–451.
780:, pp. 209–210.
753:, pp. 215–216.
720:, pp. 117–118.
679:Romanos I Lekapenos
672:Michael Keroularios
620:Basil Tarchaneiotes
601:Michael Attaleiates
138:Basil Tarchaneiotes
112:Imperial forces of
75: /
1295:Byzantine Bithynia
1202:Kazhdan, Alexander
578:
423:
360:Constantine Doukas
341:military logothete
326:Byzantine currency
317:Michael VI Bringas
305:Macedonian dynasty
297:
84:40.48694; 29.69056
1305:Conflicts in 1057
1226:Treadgold, Warren
1193:978-0-1902-5322-6
1176:Secondary sources
1167:978-0-521-76705-7
1127:978-0-674-05799-9
616:Randolf the Frank
523:and assembled at
313:Leo Paraspondylos
219:Byzantine emperor
203:
202:
102:
101:
16:(Redirected from
1317:
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1249:
1221:
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742:
736:
721:
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687:
685:
595:
592:
559:
556:
529:Sangarius Bridge
433:and the sons of
356:Michael Bourtzes
338:
337: 1042–1054
336:
230:
229: 1056–1057
228:
207:Battle of Petroe
185:
184:
178:
143:Isaac I Komnenos
120:Isaac I Komnenos
118:Rebel forces of
90:
89:
87:
86:
85:
80:
76:
73:
72:
71:
68:
41:
40:
35:Battle of Petroe
32:
21:
1325:
1324:
1320:
1319:
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1316:
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1314:
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1252:
1246:
1224:
1218:
1200:
1194:
1181:
1178:
1168:
1153:
1134:
1128:
1115:
1112:
1110:Primary sources
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1054:
1046:
1039:
1031:
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815:
811:
803:
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724:
716:
709:
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693:
682:
662:Theodore Alopos
651:
593:
566:
557:
427:Romanos Skleros
406:
368:Michael Psellos
333:
289:
225:
211:Battle of Hades
199:
198:
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188:
187:
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151:Romanos Skleros
149:
145:
136:
132:
83:
81:
77:
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69:
66:
64:
62:
61:
60:
28:
23:
22:
18:Battle of Hades
15:
12:
11:
5:
1323:
1321:
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1307:
1302:
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1292:
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1272:
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1268:
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1250:
1244:
1222:
1216:
1204:, ed. (1991).
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1177:
1174:
1173:
1172:
1166:
1151:
1132:
1126:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1103:
1101:
1100:
1088:
1084:Kaldellis 2017
1076:
1072:Treadgold 1997
1064:
1062:, p. 219.
1060:Kaldellis 2017
1052:
1050:, p. 598.
1048:Treadgold 1997
1037:
1035:, p. 118.
1025:
1013:
1001:
999:, p. 101.
989:
987:, p. 461.
977:
965:
963:, p. 215.
953:
938:
923:
911:
909:, p. 218.
907:Kaldellis 2017
896:
884:
880:Kaldellis 2017
872:
870:, p. 215.
868:Kaldellis 2017
860:
845:
833:
831:, p. 210.
821:
819:, p. 217.
817:Kaldellis 2017
809:
807:, p. 597.
805:Treadgold 1997
797:
782:
770:
755:
751:Kaldellis 2017
743:
741:, p. 460.
722:
706:
704:
701:
697: 963–969
686: 920–944
650:
647:
565:
562:
541:Constantinople
457:Armeniac Theme
447:John Skylitzes
405:
402:
383:Anatolic Theme
348:Isaac Komnenos
288:
285:
262:Constantinople
239:Isaac Komnenos
201:
200:
190:
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159:
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128:
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116:
109:
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100:
99:
96:
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91:
55:
53:
49:
48:
47:20 August 1057
45:
37:
36:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1322:
1311:
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1247:
1245:0-8047-2630-2
1241:
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1233:
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1227:
1223:
1219:
1217:0-19-504652-8
1213:
1209:
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1203:
1199:
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1038:
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1029:
1026:
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1005:
1002:
998:
993:
990:
986:
981:
978:
974:
969:
966:
962:
957:
954:
951:, p. 99.
950:
945:
943:
939:
935:
930:
928:
924:
920:
915:
912:
908:
903:
901:
897:
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723:
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691:
680:
675:
673:
669:
668:
663:
659:
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648:
646:
643:
639:
638:Tauroscythian
633:
631:
627:
626:
621:
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614:
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606:
602:
597:
588:
584:
575:
570:
563:
561:
552:
551:
546:
542:
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534:
530:
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522:
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510:
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486:
482:
478:
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458:
454:
453:
448:
444:
440:
436:
435:Basil Argyros
432:
428:
421:
417:
416:
410:
404:Initial moves
403:
401:
399:
395:
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389:
384:
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376:
371:
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365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
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331:
327:
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318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
299:When Empress
293:
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98:Rebel victory
97:
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1285:1057 in Asia
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231:) under the
210:
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107:Belligerents
29:
961:Sewter 1953
841:Sewter 1953
829:Sewter 1953
778:Sewter 1953
632:Theodore.
625:stratelates
537:Halys River
521:Chrysopolis
443:Paphlagonia
364:John Doukas
315:, selected
165:Significant
82: /
1274:Categories
703:References
574:histamenon
492:Charsianon
463:chieftain
415:histamenon
379:Macedonian
322:debasement
287:Background
254:Cappadocia
70:29°41′26″E
67:40°29′13″N
1263:895446365
1147:422765673
1033:Vogt 1923
718:Vogt 1923
649:Aftermath
613:patrikios
605:magistros
525:Nicomedia
509:magistros
485:Nikopolis
455:) of the
420:Theotokos
394:patrikios
388:patrikios
215:Byzantine
1228:(1997).
655:proedroi
630:proedros
583:proedros
517:Anatolia
497:proedros
477:Koloneia
471:and one
469:Frankish
439:Kastamon
301:Theodora
258:Anatolia
234:proedros
131:Theodore
52:Location
1105:Sources
481:Chaldia
473:Russian
465:Samouch
452:tagmata
412:A gold
398:blinded
324:of the
309:eunuchs
1261:
1242:
1214:
1190:
1164:
1145:
1124:
667:Caesar
642:routed
587:stadia
564:Battle
550:stadia
545:Nicaea
461:Seljuk
328:under
311:under
279:Caesar
266:Nicaea
95:Result
58:Nicaea
688:) or
622:(the
572:Gold
513:Aaron
162:Heavy
134:Aaron
1259:OCLC
1240:ISBN
1212:ISBN
1188:ISBN
1162:ISBN
1143:OCLC
1122:ISBN
660:and
479:and
362:and
248:and
205:The
44:Date
1096:ODB
1009:ODB
766:ODB
519:at
441:in
268:.
241:.
1276::
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1040:^
941:^
926:^
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695:r.
684:r.
591:c.
555:c.
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