Nikephoros I (Greek:Νικηφόρος,romanized: Nikēphóros; 750 – 26 July 811), also known asNicephorus I, wasByzantine emperor from 802 to 811. He wasGeneral Logothete (finance minister) under EmpressIrene, but later overthrew her to seize the throne for himself. Prior to becoming emperor, he was sometimes referred to as "theLogothete" (Greek:ὁ Λογοθέτης) and "Genikos" or "Genicus" (Greek:ὁ Γενικός), in recognition of his previous role as General Logothete.
During his reign, Nikephoros engaged in military campaigns against both the Arabs and the Bulgarians, although the outcomes were varied. While leading an invasion into Bulgaria, he suffered a defeat and was killed at theBattle of Pliska.
Nikephoros was appointed finance minister (logothetēs tou genikou) by EmpressIrene. He played a significant role in a power struggle among courtiers. During Irene's years as sole ruler (797–802), discontent grew due to her financial laxity. In 802,Charlemagne initiated marriage negotiations to "unite" the new Western and Eastern empires, thus resolving theproblem of two emperors. Irene was happy to do so, but the proposal was frightening to some Byzantine civil and military officials, includingDomestic of the SchoolsNiketas Triphyllios and relative of IreneLeon Sarantapechos, who began a conspiracy led by Nikephoros to overthrow Irene. While theFrankish ambassadors were still inConstantinople to negotiate the marriage, the conspiracy was set in motion. Irene was at her palace near theHarbour of Eleutherios. Nikephoros' co-conspirators falsely informed the guards that the courtierAetios was forcing Irene to cede the throne to his brother Leo, and that opponents of the coup wished to make Nikephoros emperor instead. The guards sided with Nikephoros, and the palace was surrounded. The next day, Irene was removed and confined to theGreat Palace of Constantinople. With the support of his co-conspirators, Nikephoros was then crowned emperor by PatriarchTarasios of Constantinople in theHagia Sophia on 31 October 802. At first Irene was banished to the nearby island ofPrinkipo, but she was suspected of plotting with Aetios, and so banished toLesbos.[4][5][6]
The 104th imperial portrait inMutinensis gr. 122, depicting Nikephoros I.
Nikephoros undertook a comprehensive reorganisation of the Byzantine Empire and made efforts to strengthen its borders. Similarly to the Isaurian emperors, Nikephoros enacted a vigorous policy of resettlement of impoverished soldiers and peasants from thethemes ofAsia Minor toThrace,Macedonia,Epirus,Thessaly and southernGreece. He expanded and consolidated the imperial military forces in various themes, managing the empire's finances with strict discipline, which led to the displeasure and hostility of his subjects. To secure political stability and succession, he crowned his sonStaurakios co-emperor on Christmas Day 803.[7][8]
According to later accounts byTheophanes Continuatus in the 10th century andSynopsis Chronike in the 13th century, the rebellion of GeneralBardanes Tourkos in 803 may have been triggered by dissatisfaction with Nikephoros' handling of army salaries. Two influential supporters of Bardanes, GeneralsLeo (later Emperor Leo V) andMichael (later Emperor Michael II), defected to Nikephoros, receiving major promotions as a reward. Bardanes surrendered on the condition of a pledge of safety for him and his followers but he was soon blinded and sent to amonastery.[9] A conspiracy led by the patricianArsaber in 808 had a similar outcome.[10]
Upon the death of PatriarchTarasios of Constantinople in February 806, Nikephoros appointed aniconodule layman,Nikephoros, causing the monks at theMonastery of Stoudios includingTheodore the Stoudite andPlato of Sakkoudion to grow hostile towards him. Nikephoros also revived theMoechian controversy by convoking a synod in whichConstantine VI's second marriage was declared lawful. Theodore persuaded his brother, Joseph, theArchbishop of Thessalonica, to refuse to celebrate the Christmas liturgy with the Patriarch and Emperor, leading to a confrontation. Nikephoros confirmed in a 809 synod that the emperor was not bound bycanon law, and demoted Joseph, Theodore and Plato, banishing them to thePrinces' Islands. Although the Stoudites were unsuccessful, Theodore's subsequent reputation benefited from his position and behaviour.[12]
Nikephoros' imposition of taxes and his attempts to exert control over the church created a rift between him and the clergy. Although he appointed the iconodule Nikephoros as thepatriarch, Emperor Nikephoros was portrayed unfavorably by ecclesiastical historians such asTheophanes the Confessor.[13]
In 802,Charlemagne recognised theRepublic of Venice as aFrankish fief under his third son,Pepin of Italy. Nikephoros responded by sending a fleet, but a compromise was reached in which the pro-FrankishDoge,Obelerio degli Antenori, would accept the additional title ofspatharios to confirm his imperial loyalty. Nikephoros concluded a treaty known as the "Pax Nicephori" with Charlemagne, but refused to acknowledge his imperial status. Relations between the two deteriorated, leading to a war over Venice between 807 and 810 when Obelerio began to show signs of disloyalty, and a second Byzantine fleet arrived. While Nikephoros managed to suppress a rebellion in Venice in 807, he suffered significant losses to the Franks. The conflict was ultimately resolved after Nikephoros' death. Local opinion was overwhelmingly in favour of Byzantium, resulting in the assignment of Venice,Istria, theDalmatian coast, andSouthern Italy to the Eastern realm, whileRome,Ravenna, and thePentapolis were included in the Western realm.[14]
Shortly after Nikephoros' accession, he sent an insulting letter toAbbasid CaliphHarun al-Rashid, demanding the return of tribute which Empress Irene had paid. He withheld further tribute, and there may have been raids against Arab settlements. Nikephoros thus committed himself to a war against Harun. Due to Bardanes' disloyalty, Nikephoros was forced to lead the military campaign himself, resulting in a severe defeat at theBattle of Krasos in Phrygia in 805. Although there was an exchange of prisoners, Harun imposed a tribute of 30,000dinars on Byzantium. In 806, a Muslim army comprising 135,000 soldiersinvaded the Empire, once again led by Harun, and capturedHeraclea Cybistra andTyana. Unable to match the Muslim forces, Nikephoros agreed to peace on the condition of an immediate payment of 50,000nomismata and an annual tribute of 30,000nomismata. Harun had taken measures to secure the Arab-Byzantine frontier including the construction of new fortified districts (al-Awasim) in order to more effectively gain control ofAsia Minor. However, with the Caliphate embroiled in asuccession struggle following Harun al-Rashid's death in 809, Nikephoros was able to focus on dealing withKrum, the Khan of Bulgaria, who was posing a threat to the empire's northern frontiers and had recently conqueredSerdica (nowSofia).[15][16]
Irene abolished several economic policies enacted by the Isaurians to sustain the Byzantine military, including the taxing of soldiers' widows to compensate for the loss of a fully-equipped soldier, if their household were to continue receiving a pension and tax exemptions. Thus, there was a manpower shortage by 809/810 which forced Nikephoros to decree that rural peasants be enlisted and equipped at the expense of their fellow villagers—a policy which drew harsh criticism fromTheophanes the Confessor who numbered it among Nikephoros' "vexations".[17] In 809, near the riverStruma, the Bulgars captured the wagon of therogai (cash renumeration for the Byzantine military), which contained 79,200nomismata. In 811, the Arabs captured therogai of theArmeniac Theme which totalled to 93,600nomismata. The payment ofrogai was vital for the military and so the wagon was a key target for enemy capture.[18]
In 811, Nikephoros launched an invasion ofBulgaria and was initially successful against Khan Krum and his armies, and sacked the Bulgarian capital,Pliska.[19] TheChronicle ofMichael the Syrian, a 12th-century patriarch of the Syrian Jacobites, describes the brutality and atrocities committed by Nikephoros: "Now Nicephorus went with a large force against the Bulghars. He reached the capital city of their kingdom and caused great destruction, to the point that he threw their little children on the ground and mercilessly drove over them with his threshing wagons."[20] As Nikephoros' forces were returning to Byzantium, the imperial army was ambushed and annihilated in theVarbitsa Pass at theBattle of Pliska by Krum. Nikephoros perished in the battle, and Krum is said to have had his head severed and used his skull asa drinking cup.[21] The defeat was disastrous for Byzantine morale and for the political stability of the Empire.[19]
Auzépy, Marie-France (2008). "State of emergency (700–850)". In Shepard, Jonathan (ed.).The Cambridge history of the Byzantine Empire (c. 500–1492). Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-83231-1.
Brown, Thomas S. (2008). "Byzantine Italy ((680–876)". In Shepard, Jonathan (ed.).The Cambridge history of the Byzantine Empire (c. 500–1492). Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-83231-1.
Brubaker, Leslie; Haldon, John (2011).Byzantium in the iconoclast era, c. 680–850. Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-43093-7.
Kaegi, Walter E. (2008). "Confronting Islam (641–c. 850)". In Shepard, Jonathan (ed.).The Cambridge history of the Byzantine Empire (c. 500–1492). Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-83231-1.
Mikaberidze, Alexander, ed. (2011).Conflict and Conquest in the Islamic World: A Historical Encyclopedia. Vol. 1. ABC-CLIO.
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