Bardas
Encyclopedia
Bardas was a Byzantine
noble and high-ranking minister. As the brother of Empress Theodora
, he rose to high office under Theophilos
(r. 829–842). Although sidelined after Theophilos' death by Theodora and Theoktistos
, in 856 he engineered Theoktistos' fall and became the regent for his nephew, Michael III
(r. 842–867). Rising to the rank of Caesar
, he was the effective ruler of the Empire for ten years, a period which saw military success, renewed diplomatic and missionary
activity and an intellectual revival that heralded the Macedonian Renaissance
. He was assassinated in 866 at the instigation of Michael III's new favourite, Basil the Macedonian, who a year later would usurp the throne for himself and install his own dynasty
on the Byzantine throne.
, the wife of Emperor Theophilos
, and of Petronas. Three other sisters, Maria, Sophia and Irene, are recorded by Theophanes Continuatus
. The family was of Armenian
origin.
In 837, Theophilos raised him to the rank of patrikios and sent him together with the general Theophobos
in a campaign into Abkhazia
, where he suffered defeat against the Muslims. With the death of Theophilos
, the young Michael III
(r. 842–867) ascended the throne. As he was still three years old, a regency was set up headed by Theodora and the logothete
Theoktistos
. Bardas and his brother, Petronas the Patrician, although uncles to the emperor and nominally members of the regency council, were largely sidelined by Theoktistos. The Empress neglected the proper education of her son, who grew dissolute. In 849, Bardas, together with Theoktistos, initiated a far-reaching educational program and founded the University of Magnaura.
In 856, as Michael came of age, the young emperor began to resent his exclusion from state affairs by his mother and Theoktistos. Bardas was able to use that resentment: Theoktistos was killed, and the Empress confined to a monastery. Michael immediately promoted his uncle to the highest state offices (chartoularios tou kanikleiou, magistros, domestikos ton scholon). For the next ten years, Bardas would be the effective ruler of the Empire, a position further solidified in 862, when he was raised to the rank of Caesar
.
His capabilities as an administrator led to one of the brightest periods in Byzantine history. Bardas secured the election of the learned Photios
to the patriarchate in 858, beginning a revival of ecclesiastic learning, while his patronage of secular learning was also pronounced, through his support of the Magnaura school and scholars like Leo the Mathematician
. He also supported the missionary activities of Cyril and Methodius to Greater Moravia, scored a number of successes against the Arabs, culminating in the Battle of Lalakaon in 863, restored the fortifications of several cities in Asia Minor
and enforced the Christianization of Bulgaria
by Byzantine missionaries.
By that time however, his influence with the emperor was declining: Michael's new favourite was the young Basil the Macedonian, who had risen to the position of parakoimomenos
to the emperor. Tiring of his uncle's control, in 866, as the army was assembling for a campaign against the Saracen
stronghold of Crete
, Basil assassinated Bardas. A month later, Basil was raised to the rank of Caesar, and in September 867, he had Michael III assassinated as well. The Amorian Dynasty had ended, and the Macedonian period begun.
Symbatios (although she may be identical with Irene).
In ca. 855, Bardas married for a second time, but divorced this wife, by the name of Theododia, in 862. He was also accused by patriarch Ignatios
of maintaining a relationship with Eudokia Ingerina
, the mistress of Michael III, who lived in his house. Of Bardas's sons, Antigonos was appointed Domestic of the Schools
while still a boy and still held the post at the time of his father's murder, while little is known about the other son, except that in 858 he was given the hand of his father's mistress (perhaps Eudokia Ingerina), whom Bardas had discarded in order to marry Theodosia, and was appointed monostrategos ("single-general") of the Empire's European themes. Bardas's second daughter was married to the patrikios and logothete Symbatios. Symbatios participated in the plot to assassinate Bardas, hoping to succeed him. He rose in revolt when Basil became co-emperor, but was defeated, mutilated and exiled.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
noble and high-ranking minister. As the brother of Empress Theodora
Theodora (9th century)
Theodora was a Byzantine Empress as the spouse of the Byzantine emperor Theophilos, and regent of her son, Michael III, from Theophilos' death in 842 to 855...
, he rose to high office under Theophilos
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
(r. 829–842). Although sidelined after Theophilos' death by Theodora and Theoktistos
Theoktistos
Theoktistos was an influential senior Byzantine official during the reigns of Michael II and his son Theophilos, and regent for the underage Michael III...
, in 856 he engineered Theoktistos' fall and became the regent for his nephew, Michael III
Michael III
Michael III , , Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian-Phrygian Dynasty...
(r. 842–867). Rising to the rank of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
, he was the effective ruler of the Empire for ten years, a period which saw military success, renewed diplomatic and missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
activity and an intellectual revival that heralded the Macedonian Renaissance
Macedonian Renaissance
Macedonian Renaissance is a label sometimes used to describe the period of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire , especially the 10th century, which some scholars have seen as a time of increased interest in classical scholarship and the assimilation of classical motifs into Christian...
. He was assassinated in 866 at the instigation of Michael III's new favourite, Basil the Macedonian, who a year later would usurp the throne for himself and install his own dynasty
Macedonian dynasty
The Macedonian dynasty ruled the Byzantine Empire from 867 to 1056, following the Amorian dynasty. During this period, the Byzantine state reached its greatest expanse since the Muslim conquests, and the Macedonian Renaissance in letters and arts began. The dynasty was named after its founder,...
on the Byzantine throne.
Life
Bardas was born to the droungarios Marinos and Theoktiste, and was the elder brother of Empress TheodoraTheodora (9th century)
Theodora was a Byzantine Empress as the spouse of the Byzantine emperor Theophilos, and regent of her son, Michael III, from Theophilos' death in 842 to 855...
, the wife of Emperor Theophilos
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
, and of Petronas. Three other sisters, Maria, Sophia and Irene, are recorded by Theophanes Continuatus
Theophanes Continuatus
Theophanes Continuatus or Scriptores post Theophanem is the Latin name commonly applied to a collection of historical writings preserved in the 11th-century Vat. gr. 167 manuscript. Its name derives from its role as the continuation, covering the years 813–961, of the chronicle of Theophanes the...
. The family was of Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
origin.
In 837, Theophilos raised him to the rank of patrikios and sent him together with the general Theophobos
Theophobos
Theophobos or Theophobus , originally Nasr, was a Persian or Kurdish commander in Byzantine service under Emperor Theophilos ....
in a campaign into Abkhazia
Abkhazia
Abkhazia is a disputed political entity on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and the south-western flank of the Caucasus.Abkhazia considers itself an independent state, called the Republic of Abkhazia or Apsny...
, where he suffered defeat against the Muslims. With the death of Theophilos
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
, the young Michael III
Michael III
Michael III , , Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian-Phrygian Dynasty...
(r. 842–867) ascended the throne. As he was still three years old, a regency was set up headed by Theodora and the logothete
Logothete
Logothete was an administrative title originating in the eastern Roman Empire. In the middle and late Byzantine Empire, it rose to become a senior administrative title, equivalent to a minister or secretary of state...
Theoktistos
Theoktistos
Theoktistos was an influential senior Byzantine official during the reigns of Michael II and his son Theophilos, and regent for the underage Michael III...
. Bardas and his brother, Petronas the Patrician, although uncles to the emperor and nominally members of the regency council, were largely sidelined by Theoktistos. The Empress neglected the proper education of her son, who grew dissolute. In 849, Bardas, together with Theoktistos, initiated a far-reaching educational program and founded the University of Magnaura.
In 856, as Michael came of age, the young emperor began to resent his exclusion from state affairs by his mother and Theoktistos. Bardas was able to use that resentment: Theoktistos was killed, and the Empress confined to a monastery. Michael immediately promoted his uncle to the highest state offices (chartoularios tou kanikleiou, magistros, domestikos ton scholon). For the next ten years, Bardas would be the effective ruler of the Empire, a position further solidified in 862, when he was raised to the rank of Caesar
Caesar (title)
Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...
.
His capabilities as an administrator led to one of the brightest periods in Byzantine history. Bardas secured the election of the learned Photios
Photios
Photios is a Greek name. Variants include the latinized Photius and the modern Fotios, Photis, Fotis.It commonly refers to Photios I of Constantinople Photios (Φώτιος) is a Greek name. Variants include the latinized Photius and the modern Fotios, Photis, Fotis.It commonly refers to Photios I of...
to the patriarchate in 858, beginning a revival of ecclesiastic learning, while his patronage of secular learning was also pronounced, through his support of the Magnaura school and scholars like Leo the Mathematician
Leo the Mathematician
Leo the Mathematician or the Philosopher was a Byzantine philosopher and logician associated with the Macedonian Renaissance and the end of Iconoclasm. His only preserved writings are some notes contained in manuscripts of Plato's dialogues. He has been called a "true Renaissance man" and "the...
. He also supported the missionary activities of Cyril and Methodius to Greater Moravia, scored a number of successes against the Arabs, culminating in the Battle of Lalakaon in 863, restored the fortifications of several cities in Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
and enforced the Christianization of Bulgaria
Christianization of Bulgaria
The Christianization of Bulgaria was the process by which 9th-century medieval Bulgaria converted to Christianity. It was influenced by the khan's shifting political alliances with the kingdom of the East Franks and the Byzantine Empire, as well as his reception by the Pope of the Roman Catholic...
by Byzantine missionaries.
By that time however, his influence with the emperor was declining: Michael's new favourite was the young Basil the Macedonian, who had risen to the position of parakoimomenos
Parakoimomenos
The parakoimōmenos was a Byzantine court position, usually reserved for eunuchs. Many of its holders, especially in the 9th and 10th centuries, functioned as the Byzantine Empire's chief ministers.-History and functions:...
to the emperor. Tiring of his uncle's control, in 866, as the army was assembling for a campaign against the Saracen
Saracen
Saracen was a term used by the ancient Romans to refer to a people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia, and who were distinguished from Arabs. In Europe during the Middle Ages the term was expanded to include Arabs, and then all who professed the religion of Islam...
stronghold of Crete
Emirate of Crete
The Emirate of Crete was a Muslim state that existed on the Mediterranean island of Crete from the late 820s to the Byzantine reconquest of the island in 961....
, Basil assassinated Bardas. A month later, Basil was raised to the rank of Caesar, and in September 867, he had Michael III assassinated as well. The Amorian Dynasty had ended, and the Macedonian period begun.
Family
Bardas was married twice. From his unknown first wife, who must have died before 855, he had a son named Antigonos, a daughter named Irene, an unnamed son and another daughter ho married the logotheteLogothete
Logothete was an administrative title originating in the eastern Roman Empire. In the middle and late Byzantine Empire, it rose to become a senior administrative title, equivalent to a minister or secretary of state...
Symbatios (although she may be identical with Irene).
In ca. 855, Bardas married for a second time, but divorced this wife, by the name of Theododia, in 862. He was also accused by patriarch Ignatios
Patriarch Ignatios of Constantinople
St. Ignatius or Ignatios , Patriarch of Constantinople from July 4, 847 to October 23, 858 and from November 23, 867 to his death on October 23, 877...
of maintaining a relationship with Eudokia Ingerina
Eudokia Ingerina
Eudokia Ingerina was the wife of the Byzantine emperor Basil I, the mistress of his predecessor Michael III, and the mother to both the Emperors Leo VI and Alexander and Patriarch Stephen I of Constantinople.-Family:...
, the mistress of Michael III, who lived in his house. Of Bardas's sons, Antigonos was appointed Domestic of the Schools
Domestic of the Schools
The Domestic of the Schools was a senior Byzantine military office, extant from the 8th century until at least the early 14th century. Originally simply the commander of the Scholai, the senior of the elite tagmata regiments, the Domestic quickly rose in prominence: by the mid-9th century, its...
while still a boy and still held the post at the time of his father's murder, while little is known about the other son, except that in 858 he was given the hand of his father's mistress (perhaps Eudokia Ingerina), whom Bardas had discarded in order to marry Theodosia, and was appointed monostrategos ("single-general") of the Empire's European themes. Bardas's second daughter was married to the patrikios and logothete Symbatios. Symbatios participated in the plot to assassinate Bardas, hoping to succeed him. He rose in revolt when Basil became co-emperor, but was defeated, mutilated and exiled.