3/21/2012 15. Road to Manzikert 15th-century French miniature depicting the Battle of Manzikert Français 226 , Fol. 256 #131 HIST 302 Spring 2012 Ossification sets in • Emperor Constantine VIII – 65 year old widower – cavorts with concubines; obscene performances in the palace • dies Nov. 1028 – who will succeed him? 1 3/21/2012 The Daughters of Constantine VIII • eldest, a nun • 2nd = Zoe (~50) • 3rd = Theodora (40s) spinsterish Palace bureaucracy choses Romanus Argyrus to marry Zoe – over 60 – he pleads not to have to divorce his wife – she cuts her hair immediately (joins a convent) to save her husband from being blinded Empress Zoe falls in love Eunuch of the palace brings in his handsome brother Michael Paphlagonian for an audience • Zoe falls madly in love • rumors swirl about affair • elderly Romanus disbelieves – soon dies (hmmmm...) Hours after Emperor’s death Zoe summons Patriarch to perform wedding and consecration • dead emperor still in the room Michael IV Paphlagonian (r. 1034-41) • suffered from epileptic fits Michael sends Zoe away to the gynaeceum • he was no soldier – bolts at first engagement in Syria • turns to building churches – very despondent over death of Romanus • dying of gangrene and dropsy • convinced by brother to adopt brother-in-law’s son Michael Calaphates (caulker) – power of the eunuchs 2 3/21/2012 Michael V Calaphates (120 days) • Michael IV dies in a monastery in the capital • Zoe convinced to allow Michael V to become emperor • makes radical changes – Michael V has Zoe sent to a nunnery – kills eunuch John (one that made Michael IV Emperor) • people revolt and want their queen back – his palace looted; thousands killed • he and general crony hide in a monastic church – officials come and get them; soldiers blind them Michael Psellos We found the monastery already surrounded by huge crowds, many of whom were trying to smash down the building in their eagerness to get inside. We had appalling difficulty in forcing our way through the hysterical throng, all shouting abuse and threatening the miserable fugitives with unspeakable atrocities. When I arrived in the chapel and saw the Emperor on his knees, clutching the altar, the nobilissimus standing on his left, both of them scarcely recognizable in their sordid rags, their very faces transformed by mortal fear, my eyes filled with tears. Joint Rule of Zoe and Theodora • sisters reluctantly embrace one another Psellos gives vivid descriptions: • Zoe was short and plump, hair still golden skin white and unwrinkled • Theodora taller and thinner, disproportionally small head, cheerful, smiling but timid soon palace polarized between sister’s factions • bureaucracy looks for another husband 3 3/21/2012 Constantine IX Monomachus (1042-55) • from ancient, noble family • been exiled on Lesbos with 2nd wife’s niece – she had a voracious sexual appetite • Constantine made Emperor while Byzantine army suffered – lowest ebb of military funding in Byzantine history – lost all possessions in Italy to Normans – W and E churches in full schism Schism of 1054 Patriarch Michael Cerularius • distrusted Latins, loathed the idea of Papal supremacy – sends a letter the all the Frankish bishops: – violently condemned Roman practices as sinful and Judaistic – acrimonious correspondence ensued Ecumenical Patriarch Michael Cerularius (left) Pope Leo IX (right) 15th century Greek manuscript National Library, Palermo The Arrival of the Pope’s men • 3 prelates go to Constantinople • Cardinal Humbert – prime mover of Gregorian Reform Movement – narrow-minded and anti-Greek • Cardinal Frederick of Lorraine – future Pope Stephen IX • Archbishop Peter of Amalfi – had fought Normans at Civitate when no Byzantine help came (bitter) 4 3/21/2012 Cerularius refuses the envoys After making them wait an argument quickly ensued – Petition seal had been broken • Celarius calls it a forgery 3 months later Humbert marches into H. Sophia • lays a bull of Excommunication on altar The Leisure Class of Constantine IX • actively encouraged arts and sciences • surrounded himself with intellectuals in court – Michael Psellos: historian, politician, philosopher – John Xiphilinus: lawyer, entire legal code in his head – John Mauropous: poet and teacher • founded several universities throughout the Empire • allowed army to become a shadow of its former self Transition of Power 1055 Constantine IX dies • Zoe had died in 1050 • Theodora lives on until 1056; becomes ill • her counselors conferred: – elderly patrician Michael Bringas – civil servant 5 3/21/2012 Michael VI Stratioticus (1056-7) Rule indicates tension between civil bureaucracy and army nobility • On Easter Emperor to give largess: – gives bonuses and promotions to many magistrates and civil servants – gives army abuse • plan to return to the Imperator model Yet another plot to overthrow a malfeasant Emperor Isaac Komnenos (r. 1057-9) – general personally abused by Michael VI • conspirators ask him to lead a rebellion – refuses; retires to his estate • Patriarch sides with military; plot needs Komnenos – raised on the shield of the troops – most the army surrenders to him • Michael VI abdicates; no blinding Gold Histamenon of Isaac I Komnenos, 1057-1059 The Almost Founding the Komneni Dynasty Isaac sets about reviving army • works day of ascension; not even a bath • starts confiscating property for funds – Patriarch complains; arrested and exiled • “tireless energy” – contracts fever while hunting and gets sick – nominates a new Caesar Constantine Ducas • done at Psellos’ suggestion • what would have happened if Issac ruled 20 years??? 6 3/21/2012 Constantine X Ducas (1059-67) • intellectual with little head for leadership • becomes pawn of bureaucracy • tell him to not just curb, but destroy the might of the army • terribly underfunded • Seljuk Turks arrive on the scene Seljuk Turks • nomadic tribe from Transoxiana • Adopt Sunni Islam By 1045 had conquered Baghdad • had sights on Fatimids – Shi’a Caliphate in Egypt • Alp Arslan • fights an engagement at Manzikert (1071) Alp Arslan in the square in front of the Control Center for Emergency Situations, Turkmenistan Oxus River Transoxania 7 3/21/2012 Romanos IV Diogenes (1067-71) • Constantine X Ducas dies in 1067 – on his deathbed, wife agrees not to remarry • She does to Romanos Diogenes – handsome military man from aristocracy • plans a massive campaign against the Turks – 60-70,000 Byzantine troops • set out in Spring of 1071 – small garrison town of Manzikert Battle of Manzikert (1071) • Byzantine army in central Anatolia forces Seljuks to abandon siege of Aleppo – Sultan’s army begins to dissolve • Byz splits army – ½ besiege Manzikert (Armenians) – ½ Byzantine forces see Sultan and withdraw to Constantinople • Romanus does not know ½ his army has retreated Armenia 8 3/21/2012 • Byzantines lose 20 % of its fighting force – not critical but now cut off from Armenia • source of soldiers • Civil War between army and bureaucracy • Seljuks consolidate their victories Consequences of Manzikert 9 .