Michael Stypiotes ( el, Μιχαὴλ Στυπιώτης) was a

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

nobleman and military commander of the early 12th century. According to

Anna Komnene Anna Komnene ( gr, Ἄννα Κομνηνή, Ánna Komnēnḗ; 1 December 1083 – 1153), commonly Latinized as Anna Comnena, was a Byzantine princess and author of the '' Alexiad'', an account of the reign of her father, the Byzantine emperor, ...

's ''

Alexiad The ''Alexiad'' ( el, Ἀλεξιάς, Alexias) is a medieval historical and biographical text written around the year 1148, by the Byzantine princess Anna Komnene, daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. It was written in a form of artificial ...

'', he was a member of the high nobility of the

Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantin ...

, and famous for some time as a valiant soldier. Nevertheless he only appears in her history during the campaign of her father, Emperor

Alexios I Komnenos Alexios I Komnenos ( grc-gre, Ἀλέξιος Κομνηνός, 1057 – 15 August 1118; Latinized Alexius I Comnenus) was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118. Although he was not the first emperor of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during ...

(), against the

Seljuk Turks The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; fa, سلجوقیان ''Saljuqian'', alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans "The defeat in August 1071 of the Byzantine emperor Romanos Diogenes by the Turk ...

in 1116. During this campaign, Stypiotes and a certain Strabobasilos set an ambush and destroyed a Turkish force. Later, the emperor commanded Stypiotes to campaign in the area of

Amorion Amorium was a city in Phrygia, Asia Minor which was founded in the Hellenistic period, flourished under the Byzantine Empire, and declined after the Arab sack of 838. It was situated on the Byzantine military road from Constantinople to Cilici ...

. Soon after he managed to recapture the fortress of

Poimanenon Poemanenum or Poimanenon ( grc, Ποιμάνινον) was a Greek town of ancient Mysia, south of Cyzicus and on the southwest of Lake Aphnitis. It belonged to the territory of Cyzicus was well fortified, and possessed a celebrated temple of As ...

. His career under Alexios' successor

John II Komnenos John II Komnenos or Comnenus ( gr, Ἱωάννης ὁ Κομνηνός, Iōannēs ho Komnēnos; 13 September 1087 – 8 April 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143. Also known as "John the Beautiful" or "John the Good" (), he ...

() is unknown, but he is identified with the Stypiotes mentioned in the ''typikon'' of the Pantokrator Monastery. Since the latter was closely associated with the ruling

Komnenos Komnenos ( gr, Κομνηνός; Latinized Comnenus; plural Komnenoi or Comneni (Κομνηνοί, )) was a Byzantine Greek noble family who ruled the Byzantine Empire from 1081 to 1185, and later, as the Grand Komnenoi (Μεγαλοκομνην� ...

dynasty, it appears that Stypiotes enjoyed a distinguished position under John. He died some time before 1136, the date of the ''typikon''.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Stypiotes, Michael 11th-century births 12th-century deaths 12th-century Byzantine people Generals of Alexios I Komnenos Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Seljuk wars Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown