Nikephoros Palaiologos (Greek:Νικηφόρος Παλαιολόγος; died 18 October 1081) was aByzantine general of the 11th century.
Nikephoros is the first known member of thePalaiologos family, which would eventually rise to become the last ruling dynasty of theByzantine Empirefrom 1259 to 1453. He had two sons, George and Nicholas.George Palaiologos also became a general and was one of the chief supporters of EmperorAlexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118). Through George and his great-great-grandsonAndronikos Palaiologos, the later Palaiologan dynasty draws its descent.[1]
Nikephoros is first attested during the short reign ofRomanos IV Diogenes (r. 1068–1071).[2] According to the 12th-centuryTimarion, he hailed from "GreatPhrygia", i.e., theAnatolic Theme, where he ranked among the most distinguished and wealthy locals.[3] A partisan of theDoukas dynasty, he was hostile to Romanos and a member of the opposition around theCaesarJohn Doukas andMichael Psellos.[2] Nikephoros opposed Diogenes' plans to campaign against theSeljuk Turks in the east, a campaign that ultimately led to the disastrousBattle of Manzikert and Diogenes' downfall.[3]
In 1075, Nikephoros was dispatched east against theNorman mercenaryRoussel de Bailleul, who had rebelled against imperial rule. After gathering some 6,000 mercenaries inGeorgia, he confronted Roussel, but his Georgian troops defected due to lack of pay and he was defeated.[2][3] In 1077, he is recorded asdoux (military governor) ofMesopotamia. Although loyal to the Doukas dynasty and EmperorMichael VII Doukas (r. 1071–1078), he did permit his son George to join the rebellion ofNikephoros Botaneiates, who became emperor as Nikephoros III (r. 1078–1081).[2][4]
In 1081, Nikephoros again remained loyal to Botaneiates when theKomnenoi underAlexios Komnenos launched their coup, even though his son George and the Doukai supported the Komnenian cause. According toAnna Komnene'sAlexiad, father and son even met during the Komnenian forces' entry intoConstantinople on 1 April 1081, in what Basile Skoulatos describes as one of the "most passionate" scenes of the work.[5][6] Even then, Nikephoros tried to induce Botaneiates to resist, urging him to give him command of theVarangian Guard and try to defend theimperial palace, but in vain. He then tried to mediate and proposed that Alexios be adopted by Botaneiates and assumede facto control over the Empire, while the latter would retain the honorary position of emperor, but at the insistence ofCaesar John Doukas, the Komnenoi rejected this proposal. Eventually, Botaneiates abdicated.[6][7]
Nikephoros accepted Alexios as his new emperor, and accompanied him in his campaign in the same year against theItalo-Normans underRobert Guiscard. He fought and was killed at theBattle of Dyrrhachium against Guiscard's forces on 18 October 1081.[6][7]