Nikephoros Basilakes
Nikephoros Basilakes | |
---|---|
Usurper of the Byzantine Empire | |
![]() Follis struck by Basilakes during his brief usurpation | |
Reign | 1078 |
Predecessor | Michael VII |
Successor | Nikephoros III |
Born | ? |
Died | ? |
Father | Phloros Basilakes |
Nikephoros Basilakes (Greek: Νικηφόρος Βασιλάκης), frequently encountered simply as Basilakios (Βασιλάκιος), Latinized as Nicephorus Basilacius, was a Byzantine general and aristocrat of the late 11th century, who in 1078 tried to overthrow the Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates and was defeated by Alexios Komnenos. Nikephoros is described as the most illustrious member of his family. His father was named Phloros, and his brother was Manuel Basilakes.[1]
During the campaigns of Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes preceding the Battle of Mantzikert, Nikephoros Basilakes served as doux of Theodosioupolis, and was captured by the enemy after pursuing a retreating Turkish band too far, in 1068.[2] Under Michael VII Doukas, Nikephoros Basilakes was posted to Paphlagonia and subsequently made doux of Dyrrachion.[3] In the collapse of the regime of Michael VII Doukas, Nikephoros Basilakes, still doux of Dyrrachion, began to plan a revolt as early as the summer of 1077, initially as a supporter of Nikephoros Bryennios, but it was only in the spring of 1078 that he decided that his time had arrived.[4] Supported by his brother Manuel, Gymnos, Tessarakontapekhys, Gregory Mesemerios, all military commanders, and by Theodore, Bishop of Deabolis, Nikephoros moved into position at Thessalonica, awaiting the outcome of the clash between two other claimants to the throne, Nikephoros III Botaneiates and Nikephoros Bryennios, in order that he might quickly crush the exhausted victor.[5][6]
Following Nikephoros III's triumph, Nikephoros Basilakes prepared to oppose him with forces consisted of veteran Roman, Bulgarian, and Albanian soldiers, as well as Frankish (Italian), Varangian, and Pecheneg mercenaries,[7][8] and his confidence in his own abilities and courage convinced him that victory would easily be his. Nikephoros III sent his best general, Alexios Komnenos, to deal with the rebel. Nikephoros Basilakes attacked Alexios at night, hoping to catch him off guard, but the plan had been betrayed. Alexios managed outwitted Basilakes and ambushed him, on the banks of the Vardar River, some eighteen miles distant from Thessalonica. Defeated, Basilakes fled to Thessalonica where he attempted to defend the city, but was seized by his own soldiers and delivered to Nikephoros III who ordered that Basilakes be blinded.[9][10] The attempted usurpation of Nikephoros Basilakes was thus suppressed, in the summer of 1078.[11]
References
Sources
- Cheynet, J.-C., Pouvoir et contestations à Byzance (963-1210), Paris, 1996.
- George Finlay, History of the Byzantine and Greek Empires from 1057 - 1453, Volume 2, William Blackwood & Sons, 1854
- Kaldellis, A., Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: the Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade, Oxford, 2017.
- Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- Skoulatos, Basile (1980). Les personnages byzantins de l'Alexiade: Analyse prosopographique et synthèse [The Byzantine Personalities of the Alexiad: Prosopographical Analysis and Synthesis] (in French). Louvain-la-Neuve and Louvain: Bureau du Recueil Collège Érasme and Éditions Nauwelaerts. OCLC 8468871.
- v
- t
- e
27 BC – AD 235
235–285
- Maximinus I
- Gordian I
- Gordian II
- Pupienus
- Balbinus
- Gordian III
- Philip I (w. Philip II)
- Decius (w. Herennius Etruscus)
- Trebonianus Gallus (w. Hostilian & Volusianus)
- Aemilianus
- Silbannacus (?)
- Valerian
- Gallienus (w. Saloninus)
- Claudius II
- Quintillus
- Aurelian
- Tacitus
- Florianus
- Probus
- Carus
- Carinus
- Numerian
284–610
- Diocletian
- Maximian
- Galerius
- Constantius I
- Severus II
- Constantine I
- Maxentius
- Licinius
- Maximinus II
- Valerius Valens
- Martinian
- Constantine II
- Constantius II
- Constans I
- Magnentius
- Nepotianus
- Vetranio
- Julian
- Jovian
- Valentinian I
- Valens
- Procopius
- Gratian
- Theodosius I
- Valentinian II
- Magnus Maximus (w. Victor)
- Eugenius
Western Empire 395–480 |
|
---|---|
Eastern Empire 395–610 |
|
Byzantine Empire
610–1453
- Heraclius
- Constantine III
- Heraclonas (w. Tiberius)
- Constans II
- Constantine IV (w. Heraclius & Tiberius)
- Justinian II
- Leontius
- Tiberius III
- Justinian II (w. Tiberius)
- Philippicus
- Anastasius II
- Theodosius III
- Leo III
- Constantine V
- Artabasdos (w. Nikephoros)
- Leo IV
- Constantine VI
- Irene
- Nikephoros I
- Staurakios
- Michael I Rangabe (w. Theophylact & Staurakios)
- Leo V (w. Constantine)
- Michael II
- Theophilos (w. Constantine)
- Theodora (II) (w. Thekla)
- Michael III
- Basil I (w. Constantine)
- Leo VI
- Alexander
- Constantine VII
- Romanos I Lekapenos (w. Christopher, Stephen & Constantine Lekapenos)
- Romanos II
- Nikephoros II Phokas
- John I Tzimiskes
- Basil II
- Constantine VIII
- Zoe
- Romanos III Argyros
- Michael IV
- Michael V
- Constantine IX Monomachos
- Theodora (III)
- Michael VI Bringas
- Isaac I Komnenos
- Constantine X Doukas
- Eudokia Makrembolitissa
- Romanos IV Diogenes (w. Leo & Nikephoros)
- Michael VII Doukas (w. Andronikos, Konstantios & Constantine Doukas)
- Nikephoros III Botaneiates
- Alexios I Komnenos (w. Constantine Doukas)
- John II Komnenos (w. Alexios)
- Manuel I Komnenos
- Alexios II Komnenos
- Andronikos I Komnenos (w. John)
- Isaac II Angelos
- Alexios III Angelos
- Alexios IV Angelos
- Alexios V Doukas
- Theodore I Laskaris (w. Nicholas)
- John III Vatatzes
- Theodore II Laskaris
- John IV Laskaris
- Michael VIII Palaiologos
- Andronikos II Palaiologos
- Michael IX Palaiologos
- Andronikos III Palaiologos
- John V Palaiologos
- John VI Kantakouzenos (w. Matthew)
- Andronikos IV Palaiologos
- John VII Palaiologos (w. Andronikos V)
- Manuel II Palaiologos
- John VIII Palaiologos
- Constantine XI Palaiologos
- Gallic emperors (260–274)
- Palmyrene emperors (267–273)
- Britannic emperors (286–296)
- Trapezuntine emperors (1204–1461)
- Thessalonian emperors (1224–1242)
- Empresses
- Augustae
- Usurpers