Michael Aspietes (, ) was a distinguished

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

general serving under Emperor

Manuel I Komnenos Manuel I Komnenos (; 28 November 1118 – 24 September 1180), Latinized as Comnenus, also called Porphyrogenitus (; " born in the purple"), was a Byzantine emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history o ...

. A member of the Aspietes family, of noble

Armenian Armenian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Armenia, a country in the South Caucasus region of Eurasia * Armenians, the national people of Armenia, or people of Armenian descent ** Armenian diaspora, Armenian communities around the ...

origin, Michael Aspietes is most likely the Aspietes whom

John Kinnamos John Kinnamos or ''Joannes Kinnamos'' or ''John Cinnamus'' ( or Κίναμος; born shortly after 1143, died after 1185), was a Byzantine historian. He was imperial secretary (Greek "grammatikos", most likely a post connected with the military ad ...

records as having distinguished himself in the wars against the

Hungarians Hungarians, also known as Magyars, are an Ethnicity, ethnic group native to Hungary (), who share a common Culture of Hungary, culture, Hungarian language, language and History of Hungary, history. They also have a notable presence in former pa ...

in 1167. He is next recorded by

Niketas Choniates Niketas or Nicetas Choniates (; – 1217), whose actual surname was Akominatos (), was a Byzantine Greek historian and politician. He accompanied his brother Michael Akominatos to Constantinople from their birthplace Chonae (from which came h ...

as being active in 1176, in the aftermath of the Byzantine defeat at the

Battle of Myriokephalon The Battle of Myriokephalon (also known as the Battle of Myriocephalum, , or ''Düzbel Muharebesi'') was a battle between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Turks in the mountains west of Iconium (Konya) in southwestern Turkey on 17 September ...

, when he and

John Komnenos Vatatzes John Komnenos Vatatzes (, ''Iōannēs Komnēnos Vatatzēs''), or simply John Komnenos or John Vatatzes (the transliteration 'Batatzes' is also employed) in the sources, was a major military and political figure in the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) E ...

campaigned against the

Seljuk Turks The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turks, Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate society, Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persi ...

raiding the Maeander River valley. At the Battle of Hyelion and Leimocheir the Seljuk army was destroyed in an ambush. During the battle a Turk wounded Aspietes' horse and the panicked animal reared up on its hind legs. The general was thrown into the Maeander River, where he drowned.

References

Sources

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Aspietes, Michael 1176 deaths 12th-century Byzantine military personnel

Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

Byzantine generals Deaths by drowning Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Seljuk wars Byzantines killed in battle Year of birth missing Generals of Manuel I Komnenos