| Michael I Rangabe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emperor of the Romans | |||||
 Michael I, as depicted in the 12th-centuryMadrid Skylitzes. | |||||
| Byzantine emperor | |||||
| Reign | 2 October 811 – 11 July 813 | ||||
| Coronation | 2 October 811 Hagia Sophia | ||||
| Predecessor | Staurakios | ||||
| Successor | Leo V | ||||
| Co-emperors | Theophylact (811–813) Staurakios (811–811/2/3) | ||||
| Born | c. 770 | ||||
| Died | 11 January 844 (aged 73) Prote Island (nowKınalıada, Turkey) | ||||
| Burial | Church onProte Island, transferred to the Monastery of Satyros[1] | ||||
| Spouse | Prokopia | ||||
| Issue | Georgo Theophylaktos Niketas Staurakios Theophano | ||||
| |||||
| Dynasty | Nikephorian | ||||
| Father | Theophylact Rhangabe | ||||
| Nikephorian dynasty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Chronology | ||
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| Succession | ||
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Michael I Rangabe (also spelledRhangabe;Greek:Μιχαὴλ Αʹ Ῥαγκαβές,romanized: Mikhaḗl 1 Rhangkabés; c. 770 – 11 January 844) wasByzantine emperor from 811 to 813. A courtier of EmperorNikephoros I (r. 802–811), he survived the disastrous campaign against theBulgars and was preferred as imperial successor overStaurakios (r. 811–811), who was severely injured. He was proclaimed emperor by PatriarchNicephorus I of Constantinople on 2 October 811.
Michael's policies were generally conciliatory, and he was overwhelmingly influenced by theiconodule clerics Nikephoros andTheodore the Stoudite. He improved relations with theFranks, even to the point of recognisingCharlemagne as an emperor – although not "of the Romans" – and requestingpapal arbitration in theMoechian controversy. His half-hearted leadership of the campaign against theBulgars resulted in defeat in theBattle of Versinikia. Thestratēgos of theAnatolic Theme,Leo the Armenian, a popular and successful general, abandoned Michael on the battlefield but was proclaimed emperor by the military, in what was the last military overthrow of an emperor in Byzantine history. Michael was pressured to abdicate, and he retired to amonastery. His sons werecastrated to prevent the continuation of his dynasty.
Michael was the son of the patricianTheophylact Rhangabe, the admiral of theAegean fleet.[4] The Rangabe family was ofGreek origin.[5] He marriedProkopia, the daughter of the former EmperorNikephoros I,[6] and received the highcourt dignity ofKouropalates after his father-in-law's accession in 802.
Michael survived Nikephoros I's disastrous campaign against KhanKrum of Bulgaria, and was considered a more appropriate candidate for the throne than his severely injured brother-in-lawStaurakios, who was proclaimed emperor by the military in the hope that he would recover. When Michael's wife Prokopia failed to persuade her brother Staurakios, who wanted to have himblinded, to name Michael as his successor, a group of senior officials (themagistrosTheoktistos,Domestic of the Schools Stephen, and PatriarchNicephorus I of Constantinople) forced Staurakios to abdicate in his favour on 2 October 811. Michael was proclaimed emperor before the senate and thetagmata.[7][6][8]
Michael I attempted to carry out a policy of reconciliation, abandoning the exacting taxation instituted by Nikephoros I. While reducing imperial income, Michael generously distributed money to the army, the bureaucracy, and the church.[9] Ruling with the support of theiconodule party in the Church, Michael I diligently persecuted theiconoclasts and forced Patriarch Nicephorus I to back down in his dispute withTheodore the Stoudite, the influential abbot of themonastery of Stoudios. He revoked the exile of Theodore the Stoudites effected by Emperor Nikephoros I, and Theodore became his close confidant.[7] Michael I's piety won him a very positive estimation in the work of the chroniclerTheophanes the Confessor. Theophanes also mentions the existence of a group ofheretics known asAthinganoi inPhrygia, who were most likely the successors of theMontanists, who EmperorLeo III the Isaurian (r. 717–741) attempted to convert by force, as well as of thePaulicians. Patriarch Nicephorus I pressed Michael I to organise the persecution and execution of theAthinganoi, Paulicians andiconoclast abbots.[10] But when Nicephorus I insisted the heretics be given time to repent, Michael I halted the killings.[3]
In 812, Michael reopened negotiations with theFranks, and recognizedCharlemagne asimperator andbasileus ("emperor"), but not "Emperor of the Romans".[a] In exchange for that recognition,Venice andIstria were returned to the Empire. Michael I sent ambassadors to negotiate a marriage alliance between Michael's son Theophylact and a Frankish princess. They also brought a letter from Patriarch Nicephorus I requestingpapal arbitration on the issue of theMoechian controversy.Pope Leo III resolved the issue in favour of Theodore the Stoudites, who claimed that, as emperors were bound bycanon law,Constantine VI's second marriage was illicit, which was the view of EmpressIrene against Emperor Nikephoros. The Pope's judgment was treated as the formal closing of the affair.[11][12][13]
There were also minor successes against theArabs in theAnatolic Theme under itsstratēgosLeo the Armenian, another figure exiled by Nikephoros and recalled by Michael. However, Michael dealt with the Bulgars poorly during his reign. In 812, Khan Krum besieged the frontier town ofDeveltos inThrace, and Michael was too late to prevent its surrender. His soldiers mutinied, and people in western Thrace began to flee their homes. Some soldiers of thetagmata tried to proclaim the blinded sons ofConstantine V as emperors, but Michael dismissed them in disgrace. The Bulgars nevertheless managed to capture almost all of the fortified towns on the Byzantine-Bulgarian border that were built and consolidated by EmpressIrene and EmperorsConstantine VI and Nikephoros in the previous decades. Michael was convinced by Nikephoros and Theodore to reject the peace terms offered by Krum, which involved the return of Christians who fled from Bulgarian territory, provoking the capture of Mesembria (Nesebar) by the Bulgars, the last border stronghold, executing all captives who refused to renounceChristianity. Michael I's army prepared for a major engagement atVersinikia nearAdrianople, but delayed his attack, leading to further discontent in the military. In June, he began the attack but appeared hesitant;Leo the Armenian fled halfway through the battle, causing a rout. This prompted suspicion of treachery, however, Leo was acclaimed emperor with the support of his soldiers. Once he arrived inConstantinople, Michael I was pressured to retire to amonastery. Leo was crowned by Patriarch Nicephorus I on 12 July 813.[6][14][15]
With conspiracy in the air, Michael I preempted events by abdicating on 11 July 813 in favour of Leo the Armenian and becoming a monk (under the name Athanasios).[16][6] His sons were castrated to end the dynasty and were relegated to monasteries,[16] with one of them, Niketas (renamedIgnatios), eventually becomingEcumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.[17] Michael I died on 11 January 844.[18]
The numismatic record of Michael's reign begins after his son's coronation as co-emperor in 811, with newnomismata struck, bearing Michael I on the obverse and Theophylact (son of Michael I) on the reverse. Themiliarēsion, which had not been struck since the reign ofConstantine VI (r. 780–797), was revived by Michael I with a notable alteration. The imperial titlebasileis was expanded tobasileis romaion ("emperors of the Romans"), seemingly in response toPope Leo III's coronation ofCharlemagne as emperor in 800.[19]
The reigns of theiconoclast emperorsLeo III the Isaurian (r. 717–741) andConstantine V (r. 741–775) were militarily successful and saw the abatement of the Arab and Bulgar threat. According to the iconodule PatriarchNicephorus I of Constantinople, Leo III the Isaurian propaganda ascribed both their military successes and longevity to their iconoclasm. The validity of iconoclasm was only confirmed by the military disasters under the iconodule emperors Michael I and his predecessorNikephoros I (r. 802–811) as well as the success of the iconoclastLeo V the Armenian (r. 813–820) against the Bulgars.[20] Michael I was in general a weak emperor whose policies were formed in mere reaction to outside pressures.[21]Warren Treadgold describes him as "amiable to a fault, lacking in judgment and easily led", "dithering", seeming "to have done whatever he had been told most recently".[22] He was also the last Byzantine emperor to be overthrown by the military, which is ironic given its increased strength in succeeding centuries.[23]
In 813,Carolingian EmperorCharlemagne crowned his sonLouis the Pious co-emperor in a manner resembling Michael I's crowning of his own son,Theophylact, in 811. This was likely because of the Byzantine practice of inviting foreign ambassadors to witness state rituals. Accepting one such invitation,Hugh of Tours,Count of Tours, andHaito,Bishop of Basel, were present for Michael I's crowning of his son, and so probably returned to theFrankish court with knowledge of Byzantine ceremonies.[24]
By his wifeProkopia, Michael I had at least five children:
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Michael I Rangabe Born: c. 770 Died: 11 January 844 | ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Byzantine emperor 2 October 811 – 11 July 813 withTheophylact andStaurakios (son of Michael I) | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by Nikephoros I in 803, then lapsed | Roman consul 803 | Succeeded by Lapsed, Leo V in 814 |
