Gregory Taronites | |
|---|---|
| Governor of Chaldia | |
Gregory Taronites (Greek:Γρηγόριος Ταρωνίτης,romanized: Grēgorios Tarōnitēs;Armenian:Գրիգոր Տարոնիտես) was aByzantine governor of thetheme ofChaldia (modern north-easternBlack Sea coast ofTurkey) who rebelled against EmperorAlexios I Komnenos in 1103/4 and governed his province as a virtually independent ruler until his defeat in battle in 1106/7. He was then imprisoned for some time in thePrison of Anemas, before obtaining an imperial pardon. Some scholars have proposed an identification withGregory Gabras, but this is disputed.
Gregory belonged to the aristocratic family of theTaronitai, a clan of princelyArmenian origin fromTaron.[1] His parents are unknown, but he was the nephew of thepanhypersebastosMichael Taronites, who married Maria Komnene, the sister of EmperorAlexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118).[1][2] Some scholars, beginning withKarl Hopf and includingAlexander Vasiliev andClaude Cahen, argued that Gregory Taronites was the same asGregory Gabras, attested for the last time c. 1091.[3] This was the son ofTheodore Gabras, who had governed thetheme ofChaldia as a practically independent ruler from c. 1075 until his death in battle against theTurkomans in 1098.[4] However, this identification is problematic;[3] as Basile Skoulatos argues,Anna Komnene, whoseAlexiad is the main source on the period and about the two men's lives, would scarcely have confused them, especially as both were her relatives.[5]
From a series of letters by ArchbishopTheophylact of Ohrid, it appears that Gregory Taronites originally held some civilian office in theBalkans, before being entrusted with a mission to thePontus ca. 1101–1103. There, according to Theophylact, he triumphed against theSeljuk Turks and theFranks, the latter probably a reference to his role in ransomingBohemond I of Antioch, who had been a captive of the Turks atNeokaisareia since his defeat in theBattle of Melitene in 1100.[3][2] After completing his mission with success, Gregory returned toConstantinople, where Alexios I named himdoux (military governor) of thetheme ofChaldia in the Pontus.[6]
On his arrival atTrebizond, the capital of the province, Gregory resolved to rebel against Alexios, and imprisoned his predecessor,Dabatenos, and various notables of the city. Alexios at first tried to convince him to submit peacefully, offering a full pardon, but Gregory replied with poems insulting the emperor, his family and the senior military and civilian leadership. Consequently, in 1105/6 Alexios dispatched an army under Gregory's cousinJohn Taronites, Michael's son, against him. Gregory marched inland toKoloneia, from where he intended to seek the aid of theDanishmends ofSebasteia, but John sent his Frankish mercenaries ahead and managed to capture Gregory before this effort bore fruit.[3][7]
As his earlier offers had been so rudely rejected, Alexios at first intended to have Gregory blinded—thecustomary punishment for rebellion[8]—but was dissuaded by John, who pleaded for clemency for his cousin; instead, Gregory's hair and beard were shaved, and he was paraded around the streets of Constantinople before being thrown into thePrison of Anemas. At first, Gregory remained obstinate and continued to hurl abuse on the emperor from his cell, but after the intercession of Gregory's friendNikephoros Bryennios the Younger, the husband of Anna Komnene, he was persuaded to recant and beseech the emperor's pardon. In the end, he was not only released and pardoned, but accorded even higher honours.[3][9] B. Skoulatos considers him the same as the namesakeprotovestiarios who was one of the chief ministers in the early reign ofJohn II Komnenos (r. 1118–1143),[9] but he is usually considered adifferent person.[1]
In his letters, Theophylact of Ohrid, with apparent sincerity, lavished praise on Gregory and his military and administrative ability, and hoped for him to restore the Empire's lost glory. On the other hand, Anna Komnene presents a more sober picture of the man: despite his rebellion, she is not hostile towards him, but emphasizes his headstrong character.[10]