John Doukas (megas doux)
Encyclopedia
John Doukas was a member of the Doukas
family, a relative of the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos
(r. 1081–1118) and a senior military figure of his reign. As governor of Dyrrhachium he secured the imperial possessions in the western Balkans against the Serbs. Appointed megas doux
, he scoured the Aegean of the fleets of the Turkish emir Tzachas, suppressed rebellions in Crete
and Cyprus
, and then recovered much of the western coast of Anatolia
for Byzantium.
John Doukas, and his wife, Maria of Bulgaria
, the granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
. John was thus the brother-in-law of Alexios I Komnenos
, who had married his sister Irene Doukaina
. In 1074, during the rebellion of the Norman
mercenary Roussel de Bailleul
, John, along with his elder brother Michael
, was at his grandfather the Caesars estates in Bithynia
. Roussel demanded that the Caesar give up the two as hostages in return for releasing their wounded father, whom he held captive. The elder John Doukas agreed, and the two were imprisoned by Roussel; Michael managed to escape, but the younger John remained with Roussel until the latter's defeat and capture by the Turks of Artuk later in the year.
After his father died in 1077, John remained in his grandfather's estates in Thrace, and was raised by him. It was there that he learned of the rebellion of Alexios Komnenos against Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 1078–1081) in 1081, and it was he who informed the Caesar of it. Together they departed and joined Alexios' forces at Schiza, where the latter was officially proclaimed emperor.
In 1085, when Alexios recovered the strategically important Adriatic port city of Dyrrhachium from the Normans, John Doukas was installed as the military governor (doux
) of the local province
. John remained there until 1092, when he was replaced by John Komnenos
, the son of the emperor's brother, the sebastokrator
Isaac. His tenure was apparently very successful. John repelled the Serbian incursions from Duklja
and Raška
, and even, according to Anna Komnene
, captured the Dukljan king Constantine Bodin (r. 1081–1101), before restoring him to power as a client of the Empire. Thus John managed to restore order in the region of Albania
and Dalmatia
, which had suffered greatly during the Byzantine–Norman wars of the previous years. Surviving correspondence from the bishop Theophylact of Bulgaria
is a testimony to his success; after John's departure from the post, Theophylact expressed nostalgia for the time of his governorship and asked for his advice.
, i.e. commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy
. Although he is the first known megas doux and hence usually credited as the first to hold the post, there is evidence of its existence already in late 1085, although its holder is not named. As megas doux, John was tasked with countering the naval threat posed by the Turkish emir Tzachas of Smyrna
. Tzachas, formerly a Byzantine vassal, had built a fleet of his own and had seized several Aegean islands
, raided others, and even had himself proclaimed Byzantine emperor. After participating in a synod
that condemned Leo of Chalcedon
, John set forth to take back the island of Mytilene. His troops marched along the Anatolia
n coast to the point opposite the island, whence they crossed over. The fleet, which under Constantine Dalassenos
had already recovered Chios
, was to meet him there. The combined Byzantine force laid siege to Mytilene for three months, when Tzachas offered to cede the island in exchange for safe passage back to Smyrna. John agreed, but as the Turks set sail, Dalassenos, who with his ships had just arrived, attacked them. Tzachas managed to escape, but most of his fleet was captured or sunk. After this victory, John Doukas reinforced the defences of Mytilene and then led his fleet to recover the islands Tzachas had conquered, before returning to Constantinople.
Upon his return to Constantinople, he was tasked (late 1092/early 1093), along with Manuel Boutoumites
, with the suppression of the revolts in Crete
by Karykes and in Cyprus
by Rhapsomates. The rebellion of Karykes was subdued easily, as the news of the imperial fleet's approach caused a counter-coup that overthrew him. At Cyprus, Rhapsomates' initial resistance was overcome, and he himself was captured soon after. Eumathios Philokales
was installed as the island's new governor, and the fleet returned to Constantinople.
In 1097, after the surrender
of Nicaea to the Byzantines, Alexios named John as commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army in Anatolia, and tasked with recovering the Aegean littoral from the Turks. To avoid conflict and facilitate negotiations, he was given custody of the wife of the sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum Kilij Arslan I
(r. 1092–1107) and the daughter of Tzachas, who had been captured at Nicaea. John gave command of the fleet to Kaspax, and marched against Smyrna. After a short siege, Tzachas agreed to surrender the city in exchange for his safe departure and guarantees of the inhabitants' safety. The megas doux readily accepted and took possession of the city, naming Kaspax as its governor. Even before Kaspax could assume his duties however, he was murdered by a Muslim, and the enraged sailors of the fleet massacred the people of the city. John Doukas was unable to restrain them, and restored order only after the massacre had run its course. He then left the experienced general Hyaleas behind as doux of the city along with the entire fleet to secure the city, and continued his campaign. From Smyrna, John marched south to Ephesus
. There he defeated the Turkish garrison after a long battle, and took 2,000 captives, who were resettled in the Aegean islands. Petzeas was installed as doux of Ephesus, and John with his army turned inland. He took the cities of Sardeis and Philadelphia
, which he entrusted to Michael Kekaumenos, and reached Laodicea
, which opened its gates to him. From there he marched to the fortresses of Choma
and Lampe, installing Eustathios Kamytzes as governor, and reached Polybotos, where most of the Turks who had survived at Ephesus had fled. Having caught them by surprise, Doukas' army defeated them and took much booty.
after his 1097 campaign. It is however known from monastic documents that at some point he retired to a monastery and assumed the monastic name Antony. The date of his death is also not known, but in a typikon
dated to 1110–1116 he is mentioned as being alive, while in another typikon of 1136, he is explicitly mentioned as having died.
Doukas
Doukas, latinized as Ducas , from the Latin tile dux , is the name of a Byzantine Greek noble family, whose branches provided several notable generals and rulers to the Byzantine Empire...
family, a relative of the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
(r. 1081–1118) and a senior military figure of his reign. As governor of Dyrrhachium he secured the imperial possessions in the western Balkans against the Serbs. Appointed megas doux
Megas Doux
The megas doux was one of the highest positions in the hierarchy of the later Byzantine Empire, denoting the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy. It is sometimes also given by the half-Latinizations megaduke or megadux...
, he scoured the Aegean of the fleets of the Turkish emir Tzachas, suppressed rebellions in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, and then recovered much of the western coast of Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
for Byzantium.
Early life
John Doukas was born ca. 1064, the second son of the domestikos ton scholon Andronikos Doukas, son of the CaesarCaesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
John Doukas, and his wife, Maria of Bulgaria
Maria of Bulgaria
Maria of Bulgaria , protovestiaria, was the wife of protovestiarios Andronikos Doukas and mother of Irene Doukaina.-Life:...
, the granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
Ivan Vladislav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from August or September 1015 to February 1018. The year of his birth is unknown, but he was born at least a decade before 987, but probably not much earlier than that....
. John was thus the brother-in-law of Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
, who had married his sister Irene Doukaina
Irene Doukaina
Irene Doukaina or Ducaena was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos, and the mother of the emperor John II Komnenos and of the historian Anna Komnene.-Succession of Alexios and Irene:...
. In 1074, during the rebellion of the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
mercenary Roussel de Bailleul
Roussel de Bailleul
Roussel de Bailleul , also known as Phrangopoulos , was a Norman adventurer who travelled to Byzantium and there received employ as a soldier and leader of men from the Emperor Romanus IV Roussel de Bailleul (also Ursellus de Ballione in Latin or Roscelin or Roskelin de Baieul, called Urselius by...
, John, along with his elder brother Michael
Michael Doukas (protostrator)
Michael Doukas was a member of the Doukas family, a relative of the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and a senior military figure, with the rank of protostrator, during Alexios' reign. His life is only known through the Alexiad of Anna Komnene and the history of her husband, Nikephoros Bryennios.- Life...
, was at his grandfather the Caesars estates in Bithynia
Bithynia
Bithynia was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor, adjoining the Propontis, the Thracian Bosporus and the Euxine .-Description:...
. Roussel demanded that the Caesar give up the two as hostages in return for releasing their wounded father, whom he held captive. The elder John Doukas agreed, and the two were imprisoned by Roussel; Michael managed to escape, but the younger John remained with Roussel until the latter's defeat and capture by the Turks of Artuk later in the year.
After his father died in 1077, John remained in his grandfather's estates in Thrace, and was raised by him. It was there that he learned of the rebellion of Alexios Komnenos against Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 1078–1081) in 1081, and it was he who informed the Caesar of it. Together they departed and joined Alexios' forces at Schiza, where the latter was officially proclaimed emperor.
Governor of Dyrrhachium
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
) of the local province
Dyrrhachium (theme)
The Theme of Dyrrhachium was a Byzantine military-civilian province located in modern Albania, covering the Adriatic coast of the country...
. John remained there until 1092, when he was replaced by John Komnenos
John Komnenos (governor of Dyrrhachium)
John Komnenos was a Byzantine aristocrat, the nephew of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and long-time governor of the strategically important city and theme of Dyrrhachium.-Early life:...
, the son of the emperor's brother, the sebastokrator
Sebastokrator
Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers whose states bordered the Empire or were within its sphere of influence. The word is a compound of "sebastos" Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used...
Isaac. His tenure was apparently very successful. John repelled the Serbian incursions from Duklja
Duklja
Doclea or Duklja was a medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro, from Kotor on the west to the river Bojana on the east and to the sources of Zeta and Morača rivers on the north....
and Raška
Raška (state)
Principality of Serbia or Serbian Principality was an early medieval state of the Serbs ruled by the Vlastimirović dynasty, that existed from ca 768 to 969 in Southeastern Europe. It was established through an unification of several provincial chiefs under the supreme rule of a certain Višeslav,...
, and even, according to Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene, Latinized as Comnena was a Greek princess and scholar and the daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos of Byzantium and Irene Doukaina...
, captured the Dukljan king Constantine Bodin (r. 1081–1101), before restoring him to power as a client of the Empire. Thus John managed to restore order in the region of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, which had suffered greatly during the Byzantine–Norman wars of the previous years. Surviving correspondence from the bishop Theophylact of Bulgaria
Theophylact of Bulgaria
Theophylact of Ohrid was a Greek archbishop of Ohrid and commentator on the Bible.-Life:...
is a testimony to his success; after John's departure from the post, Theophylact expressed nostalgia for the time of his governorship and asked for his advice.
Appointment as megas doux, campaigns against the Turks
After being recalled to Constantinople in 1092, John was appointed to the post of megas douxMegas Doux
The megas doux was one of the highest positions in the hierarchy of the later Byzantine Empire, denoting the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy. It is sometimes also given by the half-Latinizations megaduke or megadux...
, i.e. commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy
Byzantine navy
The Byzantine navy was the naval force of the East Roman or Byzantine Empire. Like the empire it served, it was a direct continuation from its imperial Roman predecessor, but played a far greater role in the defense and survival of the state then its earlier iterations...
. Although he is the first known megas doux and hence usually credited as the first to hold the post, there is evidence of its existence already in late 1085, although its holder is not named. As megas doux, John was tasked with countering the naval threat posed by the Turkish emir Tzachas of Smyrna
Smyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
. Tzachas, formerly a Byzantine vassal, had built a fleet of his own and had seized several Aegean islands
Aegean Islands
The Aegean Islands are the group of islands in the Aegean Sea, with mainland Greece to the west and north and Turkey to the east; the island of Crete delimits the sea to the south, those of Rhodes, Karpathos and Kasos to the southeast...
, raided others, and even had himself proclaimed Byzantine emperor. After participating in a synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
that condemned Leo of Chalcedon
Leo of Chalcedon
Leo of Chalcedon was an 11th-century Eastern Orthodox bishop at Chalcedon who opposed the appropriation of church treasures by Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos between 1081 and 1091.Alexios I was in a desperate situation upon ascending the throne in 1081...
, John set forth to take back the island of Mytilene. His troops marched along the Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n coast to the point opposite the island, whence they crossed over. The fleet, which under Constantine Dalassenos
Constantine Dalassenos (thalassokrator)
Constantine Dalassenos was a prominent Byzantine military leader on land and sea during the early reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos . Information on his life is only known from the Alexiad of Anna Komnene.- Life :...
had already recovered Chios
Chios
Chios is the fifth largest of the Greek islands, situated in the Aegean Sea, seven kilometres off the Asia Minor coast. The island is separated from Turkey by the Chios Strait. The island is noted for its strong merchant shipping community, its unique mastic gum and its medieval villages...
, was to meet him there. The combined Byzantine force laid siege to Mytilene for three months, when Tzachas offered to cede the island in exchange for safe passage back to Smyrna. John agreed, but as the Turks set sail, Dalassenos, who with his ships had just arrived, attacked them. Tzachas managed to escape, but most of his fleet was captured or sunk. After this victory, John Doukas reinforced the defences of Mytilene and then led his fleet to recover the islands Tzachas had conquered, before returning to Constantinople.
Upon his return to Constantinople, he was tasked (late 1092/early 1093), along with Manuel Boutoumites
Manuel Boutoumites
Manuel Boutoumites or Butumites was a leading Byzantine general and diplomat during the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos , and one of that emperor's most trusted aides...
, with the suppression of the revolts in Crete
Crete
Crete is the largest and most populous of the Greek islands, the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, and one of the thirteen administrative regions of Greece. It forms a significant part of the economy and cultural heritage of Greece while retaining its own local cultural traits...
by Karykes and in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
by Rhapsomates. The rebellion of Karykes was subdued easily, as the news of the imperial fleet's approach caused a counter-coup that overthrew him. At Cyprus, Rhapsomates' initial resistance was overcome, and he himself was captured soon after. Eumathios Philokales
Eumathios Philokales
Eumathios Philokales was a high-ranking Byzantine military leader and administrator during the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos , most notably as governor of Cyprus for twenty years, from 1093 to ca. 1112...
was installed as the island's new governor, and the fleet returned to Constantinople.
In 1097, after the surrender
Siege of Nicaea
The Siege of Nicaea took place from May 14 to June 19, 1097, during the First Crusade.-Background:Nicaea , located on the eastern shore of Lake İznik, had been captured from the Byzantine Empire by the Seljuk Turks in 1081, and formed the capital of the Sultanate of Rüm...
of Nicaea to the Byzantines, Alexios named John as commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army in Anatolia, and tasked with recovering the Aegean littoral from the Turks. To avoid conflict and facilitate negotiations, he was given custody of the wife of the sultan of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum Kilij Arslan I
Kilij Arslan I
Kilij Arslan was the Seljuq Sultan of Rûm from 1092 until his death in 1107. He ruled the Sultanate during the time of the First Crusade and thus faced the brunt of the entire attack...
(r. 1092–1107) and the daughter of Tzachas, who had been captured at Nicaea. John gave command of the fleet to Kaspax, and marched against Smyrna. After a short siege, Tzachas agreed to surrender the city in exchange for his safe departure and guarantees of the inhabitants' safety. The megas doux readily accepted and took possession of the city, naming Kaspax as its governor. Even before Kaspax could assume his duties however, he was murdered by a Muslim, and the enraged sailors of the fleet massacred the people of the city. John Doukas was unable to restrain them, and restored order only after the massacre had run its course. He then left the experienced general Hyaleas behind as doux of the city along with the entire fleet to secure the city, and continued his campaign. From Smyrna, John marched south to Ephesus
Ephesus
Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era...
. There he defeated the Turkish garrison after a long battle, and took 2,000 captives, who were resettled in the Aegean islands. Petzeas was installed as doux of Ephesus, and John with his army turned inland. He took the cities of Sardeis and Philadelphia
Alasehir
Alaşehir, in Antiquity and the Middle Ages known as Philadelphia , i.e. " brotherly love" is a town and district of Manisa Province in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is situated in the valley of the Kuzuçay , at the foot of the Bozdağ...
, which he entrusted to Michael Kekaumenos, and reached Laodicea
Laodicea on the Lycus
Laodicea on the Lycus was the ancient metropolis of Phrygia Pacatiana , built on the river Lycus , in Anatolia near the modern village of Eskihisar , Denizli Province,...
, which opened its gates to him. From there he marched to the fortresses of Choma
Choma (fortress)
Choma was a Byzantine fortress in central Anatolia, which played an important role in the fight against the Seljuk Turks in the late 11th and 12th centuries....
and Lampe, installing Eustathios Kamytzes as governor, and reached Polybotos, where most of the Turks who had survived at Ephesus had fled. Having caught them by surprise, Doukas' army defeated them and took much booty.
Later life
John Doukas is no longer mentioned in the AlexiadAlexiad
The Alexiad is a medieval biographical text written around the year 1148 by the Byzantine historian Anna Comnena, daughter of Emperor Alexius I....
after his 1097 campaign. It is however known from monastic documents that at some point he retired to a monastery and assumed the monastic name Antony. The date of his death is also not known, but in a typikon
Typikon
The Typikon, or Typicon; plural Typika is a liturgical book which contains instructions about the order of the various Eastern Orthodox Christian church services and ceremonies, in the form of a perpetual calendar...
dated to 1110–1116 he is mentioned as being alive, while in another typikon of 1136, he is explicitly mentioned as having died.