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Nikephoros Phokas the Elder

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637: 328: 527: 449:, which Maxentios had previously attacked without success. According to the continuators of Georgios Monachos, he was besieging Amantia when news came of Emperor Basil's death and his own recall by Leo VI; Nikephoros kept the news a secret until he had persuaded the Arab garrison to surrender on guarantee of safe passage. During his time in Italy he also took steps to strengthen the Byzantine position by settling many 461:
furthermore reports that Nikephoros brought an end to abuse against the local population, by ending the practice of returning Byzantine soldiers carrying off local Italians to be sold off in the East as slaves. According to Skylitzes, the grateful Italians dedicated a church in his honour. By the
623:
No definite conclusion as to the date of Nikephoros' death can be reached today, but most modern scholars, such as Jean-Claude Cheynet, are doubtful of the version of Theophanes Continuatus. It would have been very unusual for a former Domestic to be appointed to the subordinate position of a
905: 652:, and he is credited with the invention of a weapon to counter cavalry during his campaign against the Bulgarians, consisting of a sharpened stake driven into the ground. Skylitzes assesses him as a "brave and prudent man, pious towards God and just towards men". 620:, making many prisoners, and confounded the Arabs by following a different course on his return, thereby avoiding the Arab army sent to block his retreat. This undated raid probably took place either in the years before or directly after the Bulgarian war. 358:, who had been defeated by the Arabs. This took place in 885, according to traditional dating. It is likely, however, that Nikephoros was originally sent to Italy already before that, at the head of a picked detachment of troops from Charsianon, which 572:. The later chronicle of Theophanes Continuatus, however, reports a different story, according to which Nikephoros was disgraced and dismissed from his post after refusing proposals for a marriage alliance with Leo's powerful chief minister, 408:
Byzantium had been absent from the affairs of southern Italy for almost a century, but the accession of Basil the Macedonian changed this: from 868 on, the imperial fleet and diplomacy were employed in an effort to secure the
398:, in late 886. Shaun Tougher however posits that Nikephoros was sent to Italy only after the accession of Leo VI, as Leo in his writings takes credit for his dispatch there, and that his recall was not until 628:, and there is reason to doubt the authenticity of the tale of Zaoutzes' seeing in Nikephoros a potential future emperor and offering the hand of an—otherwise unknown—daughter in marriage. 229:. Contemporaries and later historians lauded him for his military ability and character. Both of his sons later succeeded him as Domestics of the Schools. His grandsons Nikephoros and 541:
In 895, he was sent against the Bulgarians at the head of a large army. It is unclear whether Nikephoros engaged the Bulgarians in battle, for a Byzantine-instigated invasion by the
470:. These victories were followed up by his successors and laid the foundation of a resurgence of Byzantine power in southern Italy, culminating in the establishment of the theme of 17: 1212: 949: 775: 711: 636: 1207: 425:
in 876. According to the Byzantine sources, during his tenure in Italy Nikephoros recovered numerous towns taken by the Arabs in the previous years, including
959: 919: 915: 800: 724: 355: 233:
were likewise distinguished generals, while the former became emperor in 963–969, spearheading the recovery of several lost provinces from the Arabs.
988:]. Berliner byzantinische Arbeiten 35 (in French). Vol. I. Berlin and Amsterdam: Akademie-Verlag & Adolf M. Hakkert. pp. 426–468. 1056:
Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Nach Vorarbeiten F. Winkelmanns erstellt
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and received from the emperor his own palace in the vicinity of the Church of St. Thecla. Eventually he rose to the post of military governor (
278:. At the same time Nikephoros, still in his youth, was taken into the imperial retinue, and was soon appointed to the guard corps of the 1242: 671:
in 963–969. Both Leo and Nikephoros II scored major successes against the Arabs, with Nikephoros in particular leading the recovery of
498: 1192: 1096: 586: 351: 1222: 1040: 1019: 1144: 1010: 382:), but Theophanes Continuatus also reports that Nikephoros received further reinforcements from the themes of 362:
records as part of Maxentios' expeditionary force. His command involved the forces of several western themes (
1136: 210:, in effect commander-in-chief of the army, which he led with success against the Arabs in the east and the 641: 104: 1202: 564:
reports that he died in 895/6. His death reportedly encouraged Tsar Simeon to reopen hostilities, with
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in the region, as well as 1,000 manumitted slaves donated by Emperor Basil's old benefactor, the widow
304: 327: 247: 170: 663:, both of whom became Domestics of the Schools. So did his grandsons through Bardas, Nikephoros and 1217: 648:
By all accounts, Nikephoros Phokas was a capable soldier. Leo VI lauds his military talents in his
565: 1232: 1164: 656: 584:, spending his remaining years, until his death around 900, fighting against the Arabs. Leo VI's 512: 207: 114: 92: 82: 1227: 1141:Προσφορά εις Στίλπωνα Π. Κυριακίδην, επί τη εικοσιπενταετηρίδι της καθηγεσίας αυτού (1926-1951) 664: 502: 359: 255: 230: 211: 174: 344:
Nikephoros remained in command of Charsianon until his appointment as the commander-in-chief (
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Cheynet, Jean-Claude (1986). "Les Phocas". In Dagron, Gilbert; Mihăescu, Haralambie (eds.).
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His successes in Italy secured Nikephoros a friendly welcome and honours on his return to
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Le traité sur la guérilla (De velitatione) de l'empereur Nicéphore Phocas (963–969)
581: 337: 272:), Nikephoros' father caught the emperor's attention and was raised to the rank of 59: 616:
to deal with the Arab invasion, Nikephoros led his forces to raid the vicinity of
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Shortly after, at any rate before 878, Nikephoros was promoted to the rank of
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generals of the late 9th century, and the first important member of the
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led by Nikephoros, in retaliation of an Arab attack on the fortress of
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time of his departure, he had extended Byzantine control over most of
507: 450: 387: 299: 166: 1014:. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 1665–1666. 488: 485:
would remain firmly under Byzantine control until the 11th century.
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detachment. Nikephoros' command in Italy lasted until his recall to
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Before the Normans: Southern Italy in the Ninth and Tenth Centuries
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This is the last campaign associated with Nikephoros Phokas, and
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in the peninsula. After his return, he was raised to the post of
676: 550: 463: 173:. As a youth he was taken into the personal retinue of Emperor 701: 699: 576:. After a period out of office, Nikephoros was then appointed 417:, and extend Byzantine control once more over parts of Italy. 672: 617: 497:, but he is not mentioned again for several years, until the 331:
Byzantine troops under Nikephoros Phokas capture the town of
315:, he scored "numerous" but unspecified successes against the 876: 696: 640:
Nikephoros II enters Constantinople as emperor through the
430: 422: 284:. He possibly participated in Basil's 873 campaign against 1053:; Ludwig, Claudia; Pratsch, Thomas; Zielke, Beate (2013). 937: 925: 413:
from Saracen raids, re-establish Byzantine dominance over
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further mention a successful raid into the Arab lands of
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in 894. In the meantime, he was raised to the rank of
311:, a post from which, according to the continuators of 825: 222:. He died either in 895/6 or, less likely, sometime 1139:(1953). "La carrière du premier Nicéphore Phocas". 864: 852: 145: 1088:The Reign of Leo VI (886–912): Politics and People 1035:. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press. 557:to ask for a truce, and the Byzantines withdrew. 202:, where his victories laid the foundation for the 489:Domestic of the Schools and the war with Bulgaria 1213:Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars 1184: 18:Italian Campaigns of Nikephoros Phokas the Elder 1070:Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor 161:to distinguish him from his grandson, Emperor 246:Nikephoros was the son of the founder of the 772:, Nikephoros Phokas (“der Ältere”) (#25545). 322: 187:, whence he fought with success against the 1208:Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars 1059:(in German). Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter. 568:against Nikephoros' successor as Domestic, 1127:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher ( 981:Recherches sur les institutions byzantines 545:from the north, and the activities of the 1063: 955: 911: 796: 720: 350:, "single-general") against the Arabs in 254:. During one of the campaigns of Emperor 1135: 974: 819: 635: 631: 525: 421:was taken from the Saracens in 873, and 326: 241: 1112: 1084: 1000: 943: 931: 899: 834: 705: 14: 1185: 1028: 882: 870: 858: 846: 519:, after the death of his predecessor, 515:, in effect commander-in-chief of the 481:. The regions of Apulia, Calabria and 1117:(in French). Paris. pp. 289–315. 986:Studies on the Byzantine Institutions 978:(1967). "Le Domestique des Scholes". 667:, with the first becoming emperor as 250:, a man called Phokas, a native of 24: 1106: 1072:. Foundation of the Hellenic World 1011:The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium 27:Byzantine general (9th century AD) 25: 1254: 1243:Governors of the Thracesian Theme 265:) sometime in the 870s (probably 177:, rising quickly to the posts of 1049: 769: 165:, was one of the most prominent 580:either of Charsianon or of the 260: 1145:Society for Macedonian Studies 13: 1: 1066:"Nikephoros Phokas (the Old)" 690: 655:Nikephoros was the father of 553:, forced the Bulgarian ruler 530:The Magyars pursue Simeon to 475: 457:. The 11th-century historian 399: 335:in Italy. Miniature from the 266: 223: 198:he led a major expedition in 192: 151: 69: 46: 1193:9th-century Byzantine people 612:of the Anatolics and of the 7: 1143:(in French). Thessaloniki: 1029:Kreutz, Barbara M. (1996). 394:following the accession of 146: 10: 1259: 968: 1171: 1162: 1154: 1064:Stankovic, Vlada (2003). 511:and named to the post of 323:Command in southern Italy 135: 110: 88: 78: 65: 55: 41: 34: 1223:Domestics of the Schools 445:, Tropai and especially 105:Byzantine–Bulgarian wars 1165:Domestic of the Schools 1085:Tougher, Shaun (1997). 657:Bardas Phokas the Elder 513:Domestic of the Schools 236: 208:Domestic of the Schools 115:Bardas Phokas the Elder 83:Domestic of the Schools 665:Leo Phokas the Younger 645: 608:. While directing the 538: 360:Theophanes Continuatus 341: 256:Basil I the Macedonian 175:Basil I the Macedonian 1051:Lilie, Ralph-Johannes 1004:(1991). "Phokas". In 885:, pp. 63–66, 68. 708:, pp. 1665–1666. 639: 632:Assessment and family 534:, miniature from the 529: 330: 242:Early life and career 183:and then governor of 66:Years of service 661:Leo Phokas the Elder 204:Byzantine resurgence 163:Nikephoros II Phokas 157:), usually surnamed 119:Leo Phokas the Elder 1158:Andrew the Scythian 1147:. pp. 232–254. 946:, pp. 205–206. 934:, pp. 204–205. 566:devastating success 521:Andrew the Scythian 93:Arab–Byzantine wars 1203:Byzantine generals 1006:Kazhdan, Alexander 1002:Kazhdan, Alexander 976:Guilland, Rodolphe 646: 574:Stylianos Zaoutzes 539: 354:in replacement of 342: 1181: 1180: 1172:Succeeded by 1098:978-90-04-10811-0 849:, pp. 41–43. 562:Symeon Logothetes 356:Stephen Maxentios 313:Georgios Monachos 147:Nikēphoros Phōkas 144: 128:Nikephoros Phokas 125: 124: 36:Nikephoros Phokas 16:(Redirected from 1250: 1169:887/894 – 895/6 1155:Preceded by 1152: 1151: 1148: 1132: 1126: 1118: 1102: 1081: 1079: 1077: 1060: 1046: 1025: 997: 963: 953: 947: 941: 935: 929: 923: 909: 903: 897: 886: 880: 874: 868: 862: 856: 850: 844: 838: 832: 823: 817: 804: 794: 773: 767: 728: 718: 709: 703: 582:Thracesian Theme 536:Madrid Skylitzes 480: 477: 404: 401: 338:Madrid Skylitzes 271: 268: 264: 262: 228: 225: 197: 194: 156: 153: 150:; died 895/6 or 149: 139: 137: 74: 73: 872–895/6 71: 60:Byzantine Empire 51: 48: 32: 31: 21: 1258: 1257: 1253: 1252: 1251: 1249: 1248: 1247: 1218:Byzantine Italy 1183: 1182: 1177: 1168: 1160: 1137:Grégoire, Henri 1120: 1119: 1109: 1107:Further reading 1099: 1075: 1073: 1043: 1022: 971: 966: 954: 950: 942: 938: 930: 926: 910: 906: 898: 889: 881: 877: 869: 865: 857: 853: 845: 841: 833: 826: 818: 807: 795: 776: 768: 731: 719: 712: 704: 697: 693: 634: 499:outbreak of war 491: 478: 402: 396:Leo VI the Wise 325: 269: 259: 244: 239: 226: 195: 154: 136:Νικηφόρος Φωκᾶς 72: 49: 37: 28: 23: 22: 15: 12: 11: 5: 1256: 1246: 1245: 1240: 1235: 1233:Protostratores 1230: 1225: 1220: 1215: 1210: 1205: 1200: 1195: 1179: 1178: 1173: 1170: 1161: 1156: 1150: 1149: 1133: 1108: 1105: 1104: 1103: 1097: 1082: 1061: 1047: 1041: 1026: 1020: 998: 970: 967: 965: 964: 956:Stankovic 2003 948: 936: 924: 912:Stankovic 2003 904: 902:, p. 205. 887: 875: 863: 851: 839: 837:, p. 204. 824: 822:, p. 439. 805: 797:Stankovic 2003 774: 729: 721:Stankovic 2003 710: 694: 692: 689: 633: 630: 614:Opsician Theme 606:Anatolic Theme 593:De velitatione 590:and the later 547:Byzantine navy 517:Byzantine army 495:Constantinople 490: 487: 459:John Skylitzes 435:Santa Severina 392:Constantinople 386:, including a 352:southern Italy 324: 321: 263: 867–886 243: 240: 238: 235: 200:southern Italy 123: 122: 112: 108: 107: 101:southern Italy 90: 86: 85: 80: 76: 75: 67: 63: 62: 57: 53: 52: 43: 39: 38: 35: 26: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1255: 1244: 1241: 1239: 1236: 1234: 1231: 1229: 1228:Phokas family 1226: 1224: 1221: 1219: 1216: 1214: 1211: 1209: 1206: 1204: 1201: 1199: 1196: 1194: 1191: 1190: 1188: 1176: 1175:Leo Katakalon 1167: 1166: 1159: 1153: 1146: 1142: 1138: 1134: 1130: 1124: 1116: 1111: 1110: 1100: 1094: 1090: 1089: 1083: 1071: 1067: 1062: 1058: 1057: 1052: 1048: 1044: 1042:0-8122-1587-7 1038: 1034: 1033: 1027: 1023: 1021:0-19-504652-8 1017: 1013: 1012: 1007: 1003: 999: 995: 991: 987: 983: 982: 977: 973: 972: 961: 957: 952: 945: 940: 933: 928: 921: 917: 913: 908: 901: 896: 894: 892: 884: 879: 873:, p. 63. 872: 867: 861:, p. 57. 860: 855: 848: 843: 836: 831: 829: 821: 820:Guilland 1967 816: 814: 812: 810: 802: 798: 793: 791: 789: 787: 785: 783: 781: 779: 771: 766: 764: 762: 760: 758: 756: 754: 752: 750: 748: 746: 744: 742: 740: 738: 736: 734: 726: 722: 717: 715: 707: 702: 700: 695: 688: 686: 682: 678: 674: 670: 669:Nikephoros II 666: 662: 658: 653: 651: 643: 638: 629: 627: 621: 619: 615: 611: 607: 603: 599: 595: 594: 589: 588: 583: 579: 575: 571: 570:Leo Katakalon 567: 563: 558: 556: 552: 548: 544: 537: 533: 528: 524: 522: 518: 514: 510: 509: 504: 500: 496: 486: 484: 473: 469: 465: 460: 456: 452: 448: 444: 440: 436: 432: 428: 424: 420: 416: 412: 406: 397: 393: 389: 385: 381: 377: 373: 369: 365: 361: 357: 353: 349: 348: 347:monostrategos 340: 339: 334: 329: 320: 318: 314: 310: 306: 302: 301: 296: 295: 289: 287: 283: 282: 277: 276: 257: 253: 249: 248:Phokas family 234: 232: 221: 217: 213: 209: 205: 201: 190: 186: 182: 181: 176: 172: 171:Phokas family 168: 164: 160: 148: 142: 133: 129: 120: 116: 113: 109: 106: 102: 98: 94: 91: 87: 84: 81: 77: 68: 64: 61: 58: 54: 44: 40: 33: 30: 19: 1163: 1140: 1114: 1087: 1074:. Retrieved 1069: 1055: 1031: 1009: 985: 980: 951: 944:Tougher 1997 939: 932:Tougher 1997 927: 907: 900:Tougher 1997 878: 866: 854: 842: 835:Tougher 1997 706:Kazhdan 1991 654: 649: 647: 625: 622: 609: 591: 585: 577: 559: 540: 535: 506: 492: 411:Adriatic Sea 407: 345: 343: 336: 298: 294:protostrator 292: 290: 279: 273: 245: 180:protostrator 178: 158: 127: 126: 29: 1238:Manglabitai 1198:890s deaths 883:Kreutz 1996 871:Kreutz 1996 859:Kreutz 1996 847:Kreutz 1996 642:Golden Gate 472:Longobardia 376:Longobardia 372:Cephallenia 281:manglabitai 275:tourmarches 1187:Categories 691:References 532:Dorystolon 483:Basilicata 479: 892 403: 887 384:Asia Minor 309:Charsianon 270: 872 252:Cappadocia 227: 900 212:Bulgarians 196: 886 185:Charsianon 155: 900 97:Asia Minor 56:Allegiance 50: 900 1123:cite book 1091:. BRILL. 1076:22 August 994:878894516 960:Chapter 3 920:Chapter 3 916:Chapter 2 801:Chapter 2 725:Chapter 1 626:strategos 624:thematic 610:strategoi 578:strategos 508:patrikios 451:Armenians 388:Paulician 368:Macedonia 303:) of the 300:strategos 167:Byzantine 159:the Elder 141:romanized 111:Relations 45:895/6 or 602:Mistheia 503:Bulgaria 468:Calabria 455:Danielis 443:Taormina 415:Dalmatia 380:Calabria 286:Samosata 214:of Tsar 1008:(ed.). 969:Sources 685:Antioch 681:Cilicia 650:Tactica 604:in the 598:Cilicia 587:Tactica 549:in the 543:Magyars 447:Amantia 439:Rhegion 427:Taranto 419:Otranto 333:Amantia 220:Balkans 218:in the 143::  1095:  1039:  1018:  992:  918:& 677:Cyprus 644:in 963 555:Simeon 551:Danube 464:Apulia 364:Thrace 216:Simeon 121:(sons) 984:[ 673:Crete 618:Adana 501:with 317:Arabs 305:theme 191:. In 189:Arabs 132:Greek 1129:link 1093:ISBN 1078:2012 1037:ISBN 1016:ISBN 990:OCLC 770:PmbZ 683:and 659:and 466:and 441:and 431:Bari 423:Bari 378:and 288:. 237:Life 117:and 99:and 89:Wars 79:Rank 42:Died 474:in 307:of 231:Leo 95:in 1189:: 1125:}} 1121:{{ 1068:. 958:, 914:, 890:^ 827:^ 808:^ 799:, 777:^ 732:^ 723:, 713:^ 698:^ 687:. 679:, 675:, 523:. 476:c. 437:, 433:, 429:, 405:. 400:c. 374:, 370:, 366:, 319:. 267:c. 261:r. 224:c. 193:c. 152:c. 138:, 134:: 103:, 70:c. 47:c. 1131:) 1101:. 1080:. 1045:. 1024:. 996:. 962:. 922:. 803:. 727:. 258:( 130:( 20:)

Index

Italian Campaigns of Nikephoros Phokas the Elder
Byzantine Empire
Domestic of the Schools
Arab–Byzantine wars
Asia Minor
southern Italy
Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
Bardas Phokas the Elder
Leo Phokas the Elder
Greek
romanized
Nikephoros II Phokas
Byzantine
Phokas family
Basil I the Macedonian
protostrator
Charsianon
Arabs
southern Italy
Byzantine resurgence
Domestic of the Schools
Bulgarians
Simeon
Balkans
Leo
Phokas family
Cappadocia
Basil I the Macedonian
tourmarches
manglabitai

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