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Protosebastos
The title of ''protosebastos'' ( el, πρωτοσέβαστος, ''prōtosébastos'', "first ''sebastos''") was a high Byzantine court title created by Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. History Although the title first appears in a document of 1049, where Domenico I Contarini, the Doge of Venice, uses it alongside the title of ''patrikios'' to refer to himself, it is commonly accepted that it was created by Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (). It was first conferred to his brother Adrianos, while another early holder, his brother-in-law Michael Taronites, was soon after raised to the even higher title of ''panhypersebastos''. It was also conferred on Sergius VI of Naples and his son, John VI, at about the same time. Later, during the 12th century, it was given to close relatives of the Byzantine emperor, such as the eldest son of a ''sebastokratōr''. In the Palaiologan period it was conferred to leading aristocratic families, such as the Tarchaneiotai, the Raoul, etc. The ''Book on Off ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Doge Of Venice
The Doge of Venice ( ; vec, Doxe de Venexia ; it, Doge di Venezia ; all derived from Latin ', "military leader"), sometimes translated as Duke (compare the Italian '), was the chief magistrate and leader of the Republic of Venice between 726 and 1797. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the Venetian nobility. The '' doge'' was neither a duke in the modern sense, nor the equivalent of a hereditary duke. The title "doge" was the title of the senior-most elected official of Venice and Genoa; both cities were republics and elected doges. A doge was referred to variously by the titles "My Lord the Doge" ('), "Most Serene Prince" ('), and " His Serenity" ('). History of the title Byzantine era The office of doge goes back to 697. The first historical Venetian doge, Ursus, led a revolt against the Byzantine Empire in 726, but was soon recognised as the () and (a honorific title derived from the Greek word for consul) of Venice by imperial authorities. After Ursus, the Byza ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Adrianos Komnenos
Adrianos Komnenos ( el, )The first name is often Anglicized as Adrian, and the family name is frequently Latinized as Comnenus. was a Byzantine aristocrat and general, and a younger brother of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos (). Biography Born in , Adrianos Komnenos was the fourth and second-to-last son (and seventh overall child) of the '' domestikos ton scholon'' John Komnenos, the younger brother of Emperor Isaac I Komnenos () and Anna Dalassene. According to the historian Nikephoros Bryennios, after John's death, Anna entrusted Adrianos and his younger brother Nikephoros to tutors, and gave them an encyclopedic education. After Alexios's rise to power in 1081, Adrianos was raised to the new dignity of ''protosebastos'', which he shared, for a time, with his brother-in-law Michael Taronites and with the Doge of Venice. According to Zonaras, he was also entrusted with military commands in the campaigns of 1082–1083 against the Normans of Robert Guiscard and B ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sebastos
( grc-gre, σεβαστός, sebastós, venerable one, Augustus, ; plural , ) was an honorific used by the ancient Greeks to render the Roman imperial title of . The female form of the title was (). It was revived as an honorific in the 11th-century Byzantine Empire, and came to form the basis of a new system of court titles. From the Komnenian period onwards, the Byzantine hierarchy included the title ''sebastos'' and variants derived from it, like , , , and . History The term appears in the Hellenistic East as an honorific for the Roman emperors from the 1st century onwards, being a translation of the Latin . For example, the Temple of the Sebastoi in Ephesus is dedicated to the Flavian dynasty. This association also was carried over to the naming of cities in honor of the Roman emperors, such as Sebaste, Sebasteia and Sebastopolis. The epithet was revived in the mid-11th century—in the feminine form —by Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos () for his mistress Maria ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexios Komnenos (protosebastos)
Alexios Komnenos ( gr, Ἀλέξιος Κομνηνός; – after 1182) was a Byzantine aristocrat and courtier. A son of Andronikos Komnenos and nephew of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, he rose to the high rank of '' prōtostratōr'' in 1167. In 1176 he participated in the Myriokephalon campaign where, following the death of his older brother John, he was raised to the titles of '' prōtosebastos'' and '' prōtovestiarios''. Following Manuel's death in 1180, he won the favour, and reportedly became the lover, of Empress-dowager Maria of Antioch. Through her he ruled the Byzantine Empire for two years as ''de facto'' regent of the underage emperor Alexios II Komnenos. The aristocracy challenged his dominance, led by the princess Maria Komnene, who plotted to assassinate the ''prōtosebastos''. The plot was discovered and most conspirators arrested, but Maria and her husband fled to the Hagia Sophia, protected by Patriarch Theodosios Borradiotes and the common people ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
George Mouzalon
George Mouzalon ( el, Γεώργιος Μουζάλων, Geōrgios Mouzalōn; – 25 August 1258) was a high official of the Empire of Nicaea under Theodore II Laskaris (). Of humble origin, he became Theodore's companion in childhood and was raised to high state office upon the latter's assumption of power. This caused great resentment from the aristocracy, which had monopolized high offices and opposed Theodore's policies. Shortly before Theodore's death in 1258, he was appointed regent of Theodore's under-age son John IV Laskaris (). He was assassinated only a few days later by soldiers, as the result of a conspiracy led by the nobles under the soon-to-be emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (). Biography Early life and service under Theodore II The Mouzalon family is first attested in the 11th century, but produced few notable members until the mid-13th century, with exception of Nicholas IV Mouzalon, Patriarch of Constantinople in 1147–1151.. George Mouzalon was bor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sergius VI Of Naples
Sergius VI (died 1107) was the ''magister militum'' and duke of Naples from 1077 to his death. He was the son of the Neapolitan senator John, and succeeded his uncle, John's elder brother, Sergius V. His sister Inmilgia married Duke Landulf of Gaeta. Patricia Skinner (1995), ''Family Power in Southern Italy: The Duchy of Gaeta and Its Neighbours, 850–1139'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press), p. 48. His reign is very obscure because of the slight documentary evidence. In the face of the Norman conquests, Sergius reinforced the Neapolitan relationship with the Byzantine Empire and was at some point granted the Byzantine title of ''protosebastos''. He apparently gave aid to the Norman prince Jordan I of Capua when the latter broke his alliance with Pope Gregory VII and did homage for his principality to the German emperor Henry IV. The pope wrote to Prince Gisulf II of Salerno asking him to persuade Sergius to break off his support for Jordan and Henry. Around 1078, Sergiu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Alexios Branas
Alexios (or Alexius) Branas or Vranas ( el, ) (died 1187) was a Byzantine nobleman, attempted usurper, and the last Byzantine military leader of the 12th century to gain a notable success against a foreign enemy. Background Alexios Branas was a notable Greek aristocrat, who was doubly linked to the imperial Komnenos family. He was the son of Michael Branas and of Maria Komnene, who was the great-niece of Alexios I Komnenos. He himself married Anna Vatatzaina, the niece of Manuel I Komnenos. Anna's sister, Theodora Vatatzaina, was also Manuel's lover. The Branas family had been prominent in the city and region of Adrianople since the middle of the 11th century. Another prominent family in the same city were the Vatatzes, into which Alexios Branas was married. Branas was described by a contemporary as "Small in stature, but colossal in the depth and the deviousness of his understanding and by far the best general of his time". Successful Campaigns Branas was one of relatively f ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Constantine Bodin
Constantine Bodin (Bulgarian language, Bulgarian and sr, italic=no, Константин Бодин, ''Konstantin Bodin''; 1072–1101) was a medieval king and the ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from 1081 to 1101, succeeding his father, Mihailo Vojislavljević ( 1046–1081). Born in peaceful times, when the Southern Slavs were subjects of the Byzantine Empire, his father was in 1072 approached by Bulgarians, Bulgarian nobility, who sought aid in their revolt against the Byzantine Greeks, Byzantines; Mihailo sent them Bodin, who was crowned Bulgarian tsar under the name Petar III ( bg, Петър ІІІ, ''Petŭr III'') joined the Uprising of Georgi Voiteh, short-lived revolt, being captured the following year after initial success. He was freed in 1078, and upon the death of his father in 1081 he succeeded to the throne of Dioclea. Having renewed his acknowledgement of Byzantine overlordship, he soon sided with their enemies, the Norman ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
John VI Of Naples
John VI (died 1120 or 1123) was the Duke of Naples from 1097 or 1107 to his death. He was the son and successor of Sergius VI. His reign is very obscure on the basis of slight documentary evidence. He followed his father's policy of close relations with Byzantium in light of Norman attacks, and was at some point granted the Byzantine title of ''protosebastos''. Vera von Falkenhausen (2007), "The South Italian Sources," ''Proceedings of the British Academy'', 132, 107. He married Eva (or Anna), daughter of Geoffrey Ridell. Through her he was the father of the last duke of Naples, Sergius VII Sergius VII (died 30 October 1137) was the thirty-ninth and last duke (or ''magister militum'') of Naples. He succeeded his father John VI on the Neapolitan throne in 1122 at a time when Roger II of Sicily was rising rapidly in power. When Roger .... References External linksMedieval Lands Project: Southern Italy. 1120 deaths Dukes of Naples Year of birth unknown {{noble-st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hrelja
Hrelja also known as Protosebastos Hrelija ( sr, Хреља; bg, Хрельо, ''Hrelyo''), also known as Stefan Dragovol (Стефан Драговол) or Hrelja Ohmućević ( sr, Хреља Охмућевић) was a 14th-century semi-independent feudal lord in the region of northeastern Macedonia and the Rila mountains who served medieval Serbian kings Stefan Milutin, Stefan Dečanski and Stefan Dušan. He became independent autocrat with vast political autonomy and capital at Strumica, formally recognizing Byzantine authority. He is known for reconstructing the Rila Monastery of Saint Ivan of Rila, Bulgaria's largest and more important monastery, in 1334–1335. Life and Reign Hrelja was first mentioned in the 1320s as the commander of a Serbian military detachment involved in that time's Byzantine civil war. With his detachment, Hrelja assisted Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos. By that time, Hrelja was already the ruler of a large domain in the regio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pinkernes
''Pinkernes'' ( grc, πιγκέρνης, pinkernēs), sometimes also ''epinkernes'' (, ''epinkernēs''), was a high Byzantine court position. The term derives from the Greek verb (''epikeránnymi'', "to mix ine), and was used to denote the cup-bearer of the Byzantine emperor. In addition, descriptive terms such as (''ho tou basileōs oinochoos'', "the emperor's wine-pourer"), (''archioinochoos'', "chief wine-pourer"), κυλικιφόρος (''kylikiphoros'', "bearer of the '' kylix''"), and, particularly at the court of the Empire of Nicaea, (''ho epi tou kerasmatos'', "the one in charge of the drink") were often used instead. The position is attested already in the ''Klētorologion'' of 899, where a ''pinkernēs'' of the emperor (, ''pinkernēs tou despotou'') and of the '' Augusta'' (, ''pinkernēs tēs Augoustēs'') are listed among the eunuchs of the palace staff. As the name suggests, the principal charge of the ''pinkernēs'' was the pouring of wine for the emperor; he ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Michael Taronites
Michael Taronites ( el, Μιχαήλ Ταρωνίτης) was a Byzantine aristocrat and brother-in-law of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. He was involved in a conspiracy against him and was banished in 1094. Biography Michael belonged to the aristocratic family of the Taronitai, a princely clan of Armenian origin from Taron. His father, the '' patrikios'' Gregory Taronites, had been involved in a conspiracy against the '' megas domestikos'' Constantine, brother of Emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian (). In he married Maria Komnene, the oldest daughter of the ''megas domestikos'' John Komnenos and Anna Dalassene, and sister of the future emperor Alexios I Komnenos (). In 1070, Michael accompanied his brother-in-law, Manuel Komnenos, on campaign against the Seljuk Turks, and was taken prisoner with him and Nikephoros Melissenos by a Turkish warband. However, Manuel soon persuaded the Turkish leader, Chrysoskoulos, to enter Byzantine service, and the three were set free. His ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
