Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης after 1131, place unknown. Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου end of spring 1182, Philadelphia. Κύρια Ιδιότητα military officer

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1 Περίληψη : John Komnenos Vatatzes, nephew of the emperor Manuel I Komnenos, initially served as a military commander. After the battle of Myriokephalon (1176) he became megas domestikos and doukas of Thrakesion. His victories against the Seljuks made him very popular amongst the local population. In 1182 he rebelled in Philadelphia against Andronikos I Komnenos in order to protect the rights of the under-age emperor Alexios II. He died at the end of spring of the same year in Philadelphia. Τόπος και Χρόνος Γέννησης after 1131, place unknown Τόπος και Χρόνος Θανάτου end of spring 1182, Philadelphia Κύρια Ιδιότητα military officer 1. Biographical information John Komnenos Vatatzes was born after On his mother Eudokia s side, sister of the emperor Manuel I, he was related to the house of the Komnenoi, while on his father Theodoros side he was connected with the old and powerful Vatatzes family from Andrianople. His parents were married around 1131 and, apart from John, they had three more children: Andronikos, Alexios and Isaac. John was third in the row, after Andronikos and Alexios. Around 1150 he married Maria, of the Doukas family and had two sons, Manuel and Alexios. 2. Military career It is very possible, although not mentioned in the sources, that John Komnenos Vatatzes participated in the battle of Myriokephalon (17 September 1176). 1 After the humiliating defeat suffered there by the Byzantine army and as Manuel I had not accomplished one of the most important terms of the treaty he had reached with the sultan of Ikonion Kilitz Arslan II, concerning the destruction of the fortification works at Dorylaeum, the latter sent a force of around men to the valley of Meander. Vatatzes, together with Constantine Doukas and Michael Aspietes, was called upon to face this Seljuk force. Although we do not know what rank he held at this precise moment, the important position he held during this military operation is suggested by the fact that he contributed to the tactics followed and through which the Seljuks were defeated. As they had already ransacked the valley of the Meander reaching the Asia Minor coast, Vatatzes chose to face them during their return by cutting off their departure. In an ambush near the towns of Υέλιο and Λειμμόχειρα on the Meander River, he managed to destroy practically the entire force which had penetrated into Byzantine territory. After the successful outcome of the operation, Manuel I appointed Vatatzes megas domestikos and doukas of the Theme of Thrakesion. In this office he held command over most of the troops in Asia Minor, while Philadelphia was his command centre and permanent residence. Vatatzes held the office of megas domestikos even after the death of Manuel I (1180), as there do not seem to have been changes to the administration of the theme during the regency of the protosebastos Alexios and his mother Maria ( ). 3. Revolutionary action In the spring of 1182, John Komnenos Vatatzes rebelled in Philadelphia, appearing as a defender of legitimacy and refusing to side with Andronikos Komnenos. After abandoning Paphlagonia for Constantinople, the latter sent a representative to Vatatzes in order to win him over to his side. The megas domestikos refused to adhere to Andonikos orders because he thought of him as an ambitious ususrper whose ulterior aim was to threaten the under-age Alexios ( ) rights to the throne. The high office he held as well Δημιουργήθηκε στις 1/10/2017 Σελίδα 1/5

2 as his immediate and persistent refusal to adhere to Andronikos Komnenos orders suggests that Vatatzes had enough power to attempt to play a regulatory role in the capital s political life. He was, moreover, an extremely popular governor, if one judges by the way Philadelphia s aristocracy and people rallied around him as soon as he expressed his hostility towards Andronikos Komnenos. The dedication of the army of the theme of Thrakesion and the population of Philadelphia to him can be explained easily, as Vatatzes had not only managed to protect the valley of Meander from the Seljuk incursions after the defeat at Myriokephalon, but he had also helped the town s poor by sharing out the spoils he had gathered. Indicative of the his authority and the trust he inspired in the army and the inhabitants of the town is the fact that when the moment of confrontation between the revolutionary army and the imperial forces came, and as a heavy illness kept him bedridden and forced him to place his sons in command, he considered his own presence on the battlefield essential in order to strengthen his army s morale. Moreover, the speedy reversion of the inhabitants of Philadephia to legality immediately after his death (end of Spring 1182), despite the victory against the imperial forces, shows that for them the void left behind by Vatatzes was not easy to be filled. Thus, his sons, who had led the revolutionary army, abandoned Philadelphia in order to find refuge initially with the sultan of Ikonion, while they later unsuccessfully attempted to escape to Sicily. 4. Assesment and judgement In the sources Vatatzes is presented as a brave and charismatic commander, endowed with military virtues. 2 He also appears extremely popular in his dominion, as suggested by the support offered to him by the aristocracy and people of Philadelphia during his conflict with Andronikos Komnenos, as well as by his wish, despite the serious illness which had affected him, to be present at the battle against the imperial forces. However, Vatatzes ambition to interfere with political processes in Constantinople was detrimental for the empire, as it ended in a civil conflict in which a large section of the Byzantine army involved. The upheaval caused in the area was great and contributed to the paralysis of the empire s defence system. 1. Varzos, K., Η γενεολογία των Κομνηνών 2 (Βυζαντινά Κείμενα και Μελέται 20, Θεσσαλονίκη 1984), p Νικήτας Χωνιάτης, Χρονική Διήγησις, van Dieten, J.A. (ed.), Nicetae Choniatae Historia (Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 11, Berlin New York 1975), : «Καὶ ὁ μέγας δὲ δομέστικος Ἰ ωάννης ὁ ἐ κ Κομνηνϖ ν, ᾧ τὸ ἐ πώνυμον Βατάτζης, ἀνήρ οὐ φαῦ λος τὰ τακτικά, πολλ ὰς δὲ νίκας ἐ πανηρημένος κατὰ Περσϖ ν». Βιβλιογραφία : Heisenberg A., "Kaiser Johannes Batatzes der Barmherzige. Eine mittelgriechische Legende", Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 14, 1905, Νικήτας Χωνιάτης, Χρονική Διήγησις, van Dieten, J.A. (ed.), Nicetae Choniatae Historia, Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 11, Berlin New York 1975 Βρυώνης Σ., Η παρακμή του μεσαιωνικού ελληνισμού στη Μικρά Ασία και η διαδικασία του εξισλαμισμού, ΜΙΕΤ, Αθήνα 1996, Γαλαταριώτου, Κ. (μτφρ.) Cheynet J.-C., Pouvoir et contestations à Byzance ( ), Paris 1990, Byzantina Sorbonensia 9 Brand C.M., Byzantium confronts the West, , Cambridge 1968 Βαρζός Κ., Η γενεαλογία των Κομνηνών 1-2, Θεσσαλονίκη 1984, Βυζαντινά Κείμενα και Μελέται 20 Σύνοψις Χρονική, Σάθας, Κ.Ν. (επιμ.), Ανωνύμου Σύνοψις Χρονική, Μεσαιωνική Βιβλιοθήκη 7, Βενετία Δημιουργήθηκε στις 1/10/2017 Σελίδα 2/5

3 1894 Chalandon F., Les Comnènes, 1. Alexios I Comnène ( ), 2. Jean II Comnène ( ) et Manuel Comnène ( ), Paris Cheynet J.-C., "Philadelphie, un quart de siècle de dissidence, ", Philadelphie et autres études, Paris 1984, Byzantina Sorbonensia 4 Γλωσσάριo : doukas (lat. dux) Antiquity: Roman military commander who, in some provinces, combined military and civil functions. Buzantium: a higher military officer. From the second half of the 10th c. the title indicates the military comander of a larger district. After the 12th c., doukes were called the governors of small themes. megas domestikos Supreme military commander of the imperial army. High-ranking title which was generally given to close relatives of the emperor. protosebastos Ηigh-ranking title usually bestowed upon close relatives of the emperor. The title was introduced by Alexios I Komnenos. In the 12th century it was awarded to close associates of the emperor and to members of aristocratic families, such as the Palaiologos, Tarchaneiotes, Raoul and Metochites families. Πηγές 11, Berlin New York 1975), pp , , , Παραθέματα 1. The byzantine historian Nicetas Choniates narrates the participation of John Komnenos Vatatzes in the campaigns against the Seljuks ( ): καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν τὴν εἰς τοὺς πολεμίους ἀπᾶραι οὐδαμῶς ἐδικαίωσε, στέλλει δὲ τὸν ἀνεψιὸν Ἰωάννην τὸν Βατάτζην, τῷ δραστηρίῳ ἐν δέοντι χρώμενον, τὸν Δούκαν Κωνσταντῖνον, νεανίαν ἄρτι ὑπηνήτην καὶ κατὰ τῶν φυτῶν τὰ εὐγενῆ καρπογονεῖν πρὸ ὥρας ἐπαγγελλόμενον, ἔτι δὲ τὸν Ἀσπιέτην Μιχαήλ, πολλὰ παραινέσας αὐτοῖς σὺν εὐβουλίᾳ καὶ τάξει τὸ πραχθησόμενον ἅπαν ποιεῖν, πρὸ δὲ τούτων μὴ προσπελάσαι παντάπασι τοῖς βαρβάροις, εἰ μὴ πείρᾳ γνοῖεν ἀκριβεῖ πρότερον, ὁπόσοι εἶεν τὸ πλῆθος καὶ ὡς νικῷεν αὐτοὺς μαχεσάμενοι. Καὶ Πέρσαι μὲν πέρας τῆς ἐφόδου τὴν θάλατταν θέμενοι μετὰ πλείστης ὅτι λείας ἀνέλυον κἀκεῖνα κείροντες, οἷς κατὰ τὴν κάθοδον οὐ προσέβαλον οἱ δ ἀμφὶ τὸν Βατάτζην τὰς δυνάμεις ἀναλαβόντες, ὅσαις τε αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐφωδίασε καὶ ὅσαι κατὰ πάροδον ξυνελέγησαν, ἤλαυνον εὐθὺ τοῦ Ὑελίου καὶ τοῦ Λειμμόχειρος τῶν πολιχνίων, καθ ἃ περὶ ποταμῷ τῷ Μαιάνδρῳ πάλαι ποτὲ γέφυρα περιήγετο. ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ σκοποί, οὓς ἄρα ὁ Βατάτζης κατέστησε κατὰ πάσας τὰς ὁποιοῦν φερούσας ὁδούς, ἀπήγγελλον τὴν τῶν Τούρκων ἀνάζευξιν καὶ ὡς οὐ πρόσω ἤδη εἰσὶν ἐφορμῶντες, εἰς δύο ἀποτμηματίσας τὴν στρατιὰν τὸ μὲν πλέον ταύτης εἰς λόχους καθίστησι κατὰ τὰς ὁδούς, ἃς τέμνειν ἤμελλε τὸ πολέμιον, τὸ δὲ λοιπὸν ἐς τὰς μετὰ τὴν παλαιὰν γέφυραν ἐκβάσεις τοῦ ποταμοῦ διασπείρας προσμένειν ἐκέλευε μερίδος τινὸς ἀπὸ τῶν Τούρκων περαίωσιν, καὶ τηνικαῦτα μηδ ὅλως κατορρωδεῖν, ἀλλὰ θαρραλέως προσυπαντᾶν. Καὶ ὁ μέν, ὡς ἄμεινόν οἱ ἐδέδοκτο, οὕτω δὴ τὸ οἰκεῖον διεσκεύασε στράτευμα οἱ δὲ Τοῦρκοι ὡς εἴχοντο τοῦ διαβαίνειν, ἐξ ὑπερδεξίων βαλλόμενοι τῷ ποταμῷ ἐπωθοῦντο καὶ ἀπεπνίγοντο. ὁ δέ γε ἀτάπακας μετὰ τῶν ἀμφ αὐτὸν εὐοπλοτάτων εἰς λόχον συσπειραθεὶς καὶ συστραφεὶς ἀγχωμάλως Ρωμαίοις συμπλέκεται, καὶ τὸ ἀντίμαχον ἐντεῦθεν κακῶσαι βουλόμενος καὶ τοῖς ὁμογενέσιν ἐκεχειρίαν διδόναι τῆς τοῦ ποταμοῦ περαιώσεως, ὡς μὴ φθάνειν ἑκάστου προθυμουμένου βραδεῖα μὲν ἡ διάβασις γίνοιτο, δεινὴ δὲ ἡ τῶν σφαλλομένων ἀπώλεια. ἐφ ἱκανὸν μὲν οὖν ἀντισχὼν ἐκθύμως ἐμάχετο ἀνδρείου φρονήματος καὶ χειρὸς γενναίας ἔργα δεικνύς. ὡς δὲ μάθοι καὶ κατὰ τὴν περαίαν τοῦ ποταμοῦ Ρωμαίους ἐφεστάναι καὶ ἀναιρεῖν τὸ διαβαῖνον τοῦ Περσικοῦ Δημιουργήθηκε στις 1/10/2017 Σελίδα 3/5

4 στρατεύματος, κατακλᾶται τὸ πρόθυμον καὶ τοῦ ἀκμαίου ἐκείνου μεθαρμοσθεὶς λήματος τὴν σωτηρίαν ἑαυτῷ διατίθησι. καὶ δὴ τὴν προκειμένην παραλλάξας πορείαν ἀνωτέρω μεταχωρεῖ, ἀναδιφῶν ἑτέραν περαίωσιν. ὡς δὲ ἄπορος ἦν ὁ ποταμὸς παντόθεν, τοὺς διώκοντας δεδιὼς τὴν ἀσπίδα ὑποθεὶς τῷ ὕδατι ὡς κελητίῳ ταύτῃ ἐχρῆτο, ἀρίστως ἀντικαταστὰς τῷ της ἀνάγκης ὀξεῖ. καὶ τοίνυν τῇ μὲν λαιᾷ τὸν ἵππον κατέχων περινηχόμενον, τῇ δεξιᾷ δὲ τὴν σπάθην γυμνὴν δεδωκὼς καὶ προσποιῶν ἐν τῷ παραυτίκα ταύτην εἰς οἴακα, ἐσάλευεν οὕτω κατὰ βραχὺ τοῦ ποταμοῦ διαπλέων τὸ πέλαγος. οὐ μὴν ἐς τέλος ἐξέπλευσε τὸ θανεῖν εἰς γὰρ τὸ ἀντιπέραν ἤδη γενόμενος ἐπί τι γήλοφον ἄνεισιν, ἑαυτὸν ὅστις ἐστὶν εὐφημῶν καὶ μεγάλης γλώττης κόμπῳ χρώμενος, οὐδενὸς δ ἐκ τῶν ἐπισήμων καὶ αὐτὸν εἰδότων Ρωμαίων προσπελάσαντος, ἀλλά τινος τῶν ἐπικούρων Ἀλανῶν ἐπιδραμόντος ὅπου τὴν καινὴν ἐκείνην εἰρεσίαν σχάσειν ἔμελλεν, ἀναιρεῖται ἀμφιστόμῳ κνώδοντι. ἐκ δὲ τούτου ἀκόσμως τε Πέρσης ἕκαστος ἀπεδίδρασκε καὶ Μαίανδρος τοὺς πλείονας εἰσεδέχετο, ὡς βραχεῖς ἐκ τῶν τοσούτων χιλιάδων διασωθῆναι. Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔργον, εἴπερ τι ἄλλο, ἀνέρρωσε μὲν τὰ Ρωμαίων πράγματα, καθεῖλε δὲ τὰ Περσῶν φρυάγματα. 11, Berlin New York 1975), pp John Vatatzes' resistance towards Andronikos Komnenos: ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ μέγας δομέστικος Ἰωάννης ὁ Κομνηνὸς τὴν ἐπαρχίαν διέπων τῶν Θρᾳκησίων οὐ μόνον ἔβυε τὰ ὦτα πρὸς τὰ τοῦ Ἀνδρονίκου ἐπᾴσματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς τύραννον διετώθαζεν, οἷα κατόπτρῳ τοῖς γραφομένοις προκύπτον λείῳ καὶ ἀποστίλβοντι καὶ διαφαινόμενον ἐν τούτοις ὁρῶν τὸν πολύμορφον Πρωτέα καὶ τυραννικὸν τὸν τρόπον Ἀνδρόνικον. 11, Berlin New York 1975), p Nicetas Choniates describes the rebellion of John Vatatzes in Philadelphia (1182): Καὶ ὁ μέγας δὲ δομέστικος Ἰωάννης ὁ ἐκ Κομνηνῶν, ᾧ τὸ ἐπώνυμον Βατάτζης, ἀνὴρ οὐ φαῦλος τὰ τακτικά, πολλὰς δὲ νίκας πολλάκις ἐπανῃρημένος κατὰ Περσῶν, τῇ Φιλαδελφείᾳ ἐνδιατρίβων ἀντεκάθητο γενναίως τῷ Ἀνδρονίκῳ καὶ ὀλιγώρως τῶν τούτου εἶχεν ἐπιταγῶν καὶ ἀπειλοῦντι δεινὰ ἀντενεβριμᾶτο δεινότερα καὶ κακῶς ἀκούων ὡς τυραννίδι ἐπιχειρῶν τῷ ἤδη τετυραννηκότι λαμπρῶς ἐπετίμα τε καὶ ἐπέπληττεν ὡς ἐνστάτῃ δαίμονι τὸ βασίλειον γένος ἐκτρίβοντι. 11, Berlin New York 1975), σελ Victory of John Vatatzes against the imperial troops: Καὶ Ἀνδρόνικος μὲν ὁπλίζειν ἔγνω κατὰ τοῦ Βατάτζη τὸν Λαπαρδᾶν Ἀνδρόνικον, ἄνδρα βραχὺν μὲν τὸ δέμας, δραστήριον δὲ τὰ πολέμια, οὐκ ὀλίγον αὐτῷ στρατολογήσας ὁπλιτικόν ὁ δὲ Κομνηνὸς Ἰωάννης νόσῳ τότε συνισχημένος καὶ περί που τὴν Φιλαδελφέων πόλιν ἐσκηνημένος ἀντεξάγει τῷ Λαπαρδᾷ τοὺς υἱεῖς, τόν τε Μανουὴλ καὶ τὸν Ἀλέξιον. τοῦ δὲ πολέμου συχνὰς μεταλαβόντος τροπάς, ὁποίας αὐτὸς ἴσησι, καὶ πολλῶν ἐξ ἑκατέρων ἀναιρουμένων ταῖς ἐμφυλίοις συμπλοκαῖς, βαρυπενθὴς ἦν ὁ Βατάτζης τῇ ἐνσκηψάσῃ καχεξίᾳ ἐπιστυγνάζων ὡς ἀμφοτέραις αὐτὸν συσχούσῃ καὶ καταβαλούσῃ δυστυχῶς ἐπὶ κλίνης, ὅτε δημοσιεύειν ἔδει καὶ παριστᾶν ὃ τρέφει περὶ τὰ πολεμικὰ γενναῖον καὶ τὰς ἐπὶ νίκῃ νενομισμένας φωνὰς πρὸς τῶν ἑῴων πόλεων δέχεσθαι, ἔτι δὲ πιστοῦσθαι τοῖς ἔργοις πρὸς οἷον ἀντιφέρεται ἀρχηγὸν ὁ βαθυγέρων Ἀνδρόνικος. πράγμασι δὲ καθυποδεικνὺς ὡς προθυμία καὶ νεκροὺς ἀνίστησι καὶ ὡς οὐδὲν καρδίας αἰσθητικῆς ἰσχυρότερον, αἴρειν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ κλινιδίου αὐτοσκεύου προτρέπεται καὶ στῆσαι φέροντας ἐν γηλόφῳ, ὅθεν ὁρατὰ οἱ τὰ κατὰ πόλεμον ἔσοιτο. οὗ δὴ γεγονότος καὶ τοὺς υἱεῖς αὐτοῦ τὴν στρατιὰν κατὰ τὸν δοκοῦντα οἱ τρόπον ἐκτάξαι κελεύσαντος, ἡ νίκη περιφανῶς πρὸς τὸ ἐκείνου μετέβη στράτευμα, τὸ δὲ τοῦ Λαπαρδᾶ τὰ νῶτα μεταβαλὸν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἦν χρόνον διωκόμενον καὶ κτεινόμενον. Δημιουργήθηκε στις 1/10/2017 Σελίδα 4/5

5 11, Berlin New York 1975), p Nicetas Choniates mentions the death of John Komnenos Vatatzes: Μετὰ βραχείας δ ἡμέρας τὸν βίον καταστρέψαντος τοῦ Βατάτζη, οἱ Φιλαδελφεῖς πικρῶς ἐπ αὐτῷ καὶ βύθιον ὀλολύξαντες προσχωρεῖν ἐγνώκεισαν Ἀνδρονίκῳ, ὡς μὴ εἶναι ὅστις οὐ τῶν ἁπάντων. 11, Berlin New York 1975), pp Χρονολόγιο after 1131: birth of John Komnenos Vatatzes c 1150: marriage of John Komnenos Vatatzes to Maria Doukaina : Byzantine army headed by John Komnenos Vatatzes defeats the Seljuk forces ransacking the Meander valley 24 September 1180: Death of Manuel I Komnenos spring 1182: Vatatzes rebels against Andronikos Komnenos end of spring 1182: Andronikos Komnenos enters Constantinople. Victory of the revolutionary army against the imperial forces in Philadelphia. Death of John Komnenos Vatatzes Δημιουργήθηκε στις 1/10/2017 Σελίδα 5/5