255:, led a fleet against Trebizond which failed to accomplish anything; that May Emperor Alexios led his own fleet against Kerasunt and captured that city. Niketas was, however, away at Kenchrina which was the rebels' last stronghold, which Alexios promptly besieged. Niketas held out in Kenchrina until October, and the surrender of that city ended the revolt.
211:
proved unpopular with the populace of
Trebizond, who revolted against their oligarchy. In November 1345 Niketas was arrested and imprisoned, along with his associate Gregory Meitzomates and others of their party. However, the Emperor Michael, old and sick, released Niketas from prison and restored to
228:
From that moment, Niketas' power started to erode. The young age of the
Emperor invited the restless aristocracy to attempt to overthrow him and replace him with one of their own. The first year and a half of Alexios' reign was wracked with civil strife, which was marked by Niketas being stripped of
161:
The aristocrats who elevated John apparently grew dissatisfied with him, for
Niketas freed his father Michael from captivity at Limnia and put him on the throne on May 1344, and had John banished to the monastery of St. Sabas. In return, Michael granted Niketas the title of
87:. While it is plausible that refugees from Constantinople relocated in Trebizond, where they restored their fortunes and had heirs, it is more likely a coincidence that Niketas Scholares bore the name of this unit, than that his immediate ancestors held a commission in it.
216:
on
December 13, 1349. Niketas strengthened his position by marrying the daughter of Michael Sampson, the Intendant of the Palace. Then on December 22, Niketas led a coup that deposed Michael and place on the throne John, the son of Emperor
129:
to return to
Trebizond with them and become Emperor. Escorted by two or three vessels manned with mercenaries, Niketas and Michael Komnenos arrived in Trebizond on 30 July 1341. However, that night aristocratic backers of
134:
separated
Michael from his supporters while their armed followers slaughtered the sailors Niketas and Gregory brought with them to support Michael's candidacy. The next day Michael was sent to captivity at
245:, where he and his supporters prepared to resist Alexios. For three months the rebels and Alexios negotiated, apparently hoping to avoid an open revolt. In March of the next year, Niketas, his son the
237:
in July 1352, allowing
Niketas to return to power. By that time, young Alexios had strengthened his own position, and no longer needed Niketas. In June 1354 the
122:
108:, who had seized the throne after her husband's death. Following a pitched battle fought in the streets of Trebizond, which was ended when the
486:
481:
150:, his son John, and Gregory Meitzomates' brother Michael, reaching that city on 10 September 1341. There they recruited
79:
concluded that his family had its origins with the members of the imperial bodyguard in
Constantinople at the time of
258:
Although
Niketas spent the rest of his life in confinement in Trebizond, Alexios showed his regard for the former
158:
and with two of their own departed
Constantinople on 17 August 1342 and took control of Trebizond on 4 September.
105:
80:
491:
452:
321:
Original-Fragmente, Chroniken, Inschiften und anderes Materiale zur Geschichte des Kaiserthums Trapezunt
262:
by walking in white robes during Niketas' funeral procession, which were the garb of Imperial mourning.
290:
230:
114:
222:
496:
391:
Francois Bredenkamp, "The Dronatines Family of the 14th Century Byzantine Empire of Trebizond,"
139:, and a few days later the dethroned Irene was put on a Frankish ship bound for Constantinople.
146:
states that both fled the city and sailed on a Venetian ship to Constantinople, accompanied by
233:, known as Pileles. But Pileles, his son, and his son-in-law were strangled in the castle of
151:
147:
96:
476:
126:
8:
32:
218:
62:
196:
143:
131:
71:
58:
180:
251:
118:
28:
186:
84:
20:
470:
168:
76:
154:
to be Emperor. John agreed to their proposal, the group hired three Genoese
325:
Abhandlungen der historischen Classe der königlich bayerischen Akademie
110:
37:
234:
174:
69:, which was reminiscent of the former Byzantine military unit of the
142:
Niketas and Gregory escaped serious injury in the counter-coup, for
242:
61:
named one of the factions that emerged after the death of Emperor
136:
46:
225:. This was the moment of Niketas' greatest power in the Empire.
155:
279:
The History of Greece and the Empire of Trebizond, (1204-1461)
331:(1844), abth. 1, p. 20; German translation, p. 48. Miller,
104:, who supported the first wife of Emperor Basil, Empress
295:
Trebizond: The Last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era
121:
and joined the faction supporting Irene, Niketas and
281:(Edinburgh: William Blackwood, 1851), pp. 360f
31:aristocrat and one of the leading officials of the
204:achieved overwhelming control of the government.
468:
194:, and Stephan Tzanichites received the title of
460:Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor
49:during the civil wars of the mid-14th century.
125:fled to Constantinople. There they convinced
450:
453:"Great Online Encyclopaedia of Asia Minor"
57:Niketas' parents are not recorded. Because
94:, who were led by Sebastos Tzaniches the
469:
229:his rank and becoming the prisoner of
487:People from the Empire of Trebizond
166:, Gregory Meitzomates the title of
13:
444:
297:(Chicago: Argonaut, 1926), pp. 47f
14:
508:
387:(Bruxelles, 1969), pp. 112f
319:Panaretos, ch. 11; Greek text in
451:Vougiouklaki, Pinelopi (2003),
428:
415:
172:, while Gregory's son was made
402:
377:
364:
351:
338:
313:
300:
284:
271:
41:. Niketas was a leader of the
1:
482:14th-century Byzantine people
383:So argued by Emile Janssens,
7:
10:
513:
265:
249:, and Basil Choupakes the
184:, Niketas Scholaris's son
212:him his former office of
24:
454:
223:Alexios III of Trebizond
27:, fl. 1341–1361), was a
221:, who took the name of
52:
385:Trebizonde en Colchide
190:, Michael Meitzomates
127:Michael Megas Komnenos
100:, were opposed to the
35:, eventually becoming
148:Constantine Doranites
97:megas stratopedarches
399:(1999), p. 247
152:John Megas Komnenos
123:Gregory Meitzomates
65:(6 April 1340) the
33:Empire of Trebizond
492:Byzantine generals
231:Theodore Doranites
106:Irene Palaiologina
207:The power of the
197:megas konostaulos
178:, John Kabazites
144:Michael Panaretos
59:John Lazaropoulos
17:Niketas Scholares
504:
463:
455:Νικήτας Σχολάρης
439:
432:
426:
419:
413:
406:
400:
381:
375:
368:
362:
355:
349:
342:
336:
317:
311:
304:
298:
288:
282:
275:
181:megas logothetes
26:
25:Νικήτας Σχολάρης
512:
511:
507:
506:
505:
503:
502:
501:
467:
466:
456:
447:
445:Further reading
442:
433:
429:
420:
416:
407:
403:
382:
378:
369:
365:
356:
352:
343:
339:
318:
314:
305:
301:
289:
285:
276:
272:
268:
252:protovestiarios
169:stratopedarches
115:John the Eunuch
55:
29:Byzantine Greek
12:
11:
5:
510:
500:
499:
497:Megaloi doukes
494:
489:
484:
479:
465:
464:
446:
443:
441:
440:
427:
414:
401:
376:
363:
350:
348:, pp. 52f
337:
312:
310:, pp. 50f
299:
291:William Miller
283:
269:
267:
264:
247:parakoimomenos
187:parakoimomenos
85:Fourth Crusade
54:
51:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
509:
498:
495:
493:
490:
488:
485:
483:
480:
478:
475:
474:
472:
461:
457:
449:
448:
437:
431:
424:
418:
411:
405:
398:
394:
390:
386:
380:
373:
367:
360:
354:
347:
341:
334:
330:
326:
322:
316:
309:
303:
296:
292:
287:
280:
274:
270:
263:
261:
256:
254:
253:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
226:
224:
220:
215:
210:
205:
203:
199:
198:
193:
192:amytzantarios
189:
188:
183:
182:
177:
176:
171:
170:
165:
159:
157:
153:
149:
145:
140:
138:
133:
128:
124:
120:
117:marched from
116:
113:
112:
107:
103:
99:
98:
93:
88:
86:
82:
78:
77:George Finlay
74:
73:
68:
64:
60:
50:
48:
44:
40:
39:
34:
30:
22:
18:
459:
435:
430:
422:
417:
409:
404:
396:
392:
388:
384:
379:
371:
366:
358:
353:
345:
340:
335:, p. 51
332:
328:
324:
320:
315:
307:
302:
294:
286:
278:
273:
259:
257:
250:
246:
238:
227:
213:
208:
206:
201:
195:
191:
185:
179:
173:
167:
163:
160:
141:
109:
102:Amytzarantai
101:
95:
91:
89:
70:
66:
56:
42:
36:
16:
15:
477:1361 deaths
200:. Thus the
45:faction in
471:Categories
462:(in Greek)
260:megas doux
239:megas doux
214:megas doux
209:Scholarioi
202:Scholarioi
164:megas doux
111:megas doux
92:Scholarioi
67:Scholarioi
43:Scholarioi
38:megas doux
436:Trebizond
423:Trebizond
410:Trebizond
393:Byzantaka
372:Trebizond
359:Trebizond
346:Trebizond
333:Trebizond
308:Trebizond
235:Kenchrina
175:epikernes
47:Trebizond
434:Miller,
421:Miller,
408:Miller,
370:Miller,
357:Miller,
344:Miller,
306:Miller,
277:Finlay,
243:Kerasunt
241:fled to
81:its fall
438:, p. 59
425:, p. 58
412:, p. 57
374:, p. 55
361:, p. 53
266:Sources
156:galleys
137:Oinaion
83:to the
72:Scholai
119:Limnia
219:Basil
63:Basil
21:Greek
389:apud
132:Anna
90:The
53:Life
323:in
473::
458:,
397:19
395:,
327:,
293:,
75:,
23::
329:4
19:(
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