Gabriel of Melitene

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Gabriel of Melitene (1055 – 1103) [1] was the ruler of Melitene (modern Malatya). Along with Thoros of Edessa, Gabriel was a former officer of Philaretos Brachamios. Philaretos had installed Gabriel as the ruler of Melitene. Following the death of Philaretos in 1086 Melitene became completely independent of Byzantine control with the aid of the Danishmendids. Eventually the Danishmendids began harassing Melitene. Gabriel appealed to Bohemund I of Antioch for assistance.

In 1100 Bohemund came to Gabriel's aid along with his cousin Richard of Salerno and the Armenian Bishops of Marash and Antioch but they were both captured and the Bishops slain by Malik Ghazi Gumushtekin, the Danishmendid Emir of Sebastea, in the Battle of Melitene. Malik was now constantly raiding Gabriel's territories. Fearing an imminent attack on the city itself, Gabriel asked for help from Baldwin of Boulogne despite concerns that Baldwin might take over Melitene, as he did Edessa.

Baldwin relieved the siege of Melitene and rescued Bohemund after which Gabriel recognized him as overlord of the city. He married a daughter, of unknown name, of King Constantine I of Armenia. In 1101 Baldwin of Bourcq married their daughter Morphia of Melitene. Gabriel, who was very wealthy, gave 50,000 gold bezants as a dowry. William of Tyre described Gabriel as Greek by religion, Armenian by race, language and custom. Byzantine seals bearing his name testify him as Gabriel, protonobelissimos and doux of Melitene.

[edit] References

• The Rupenides, Hethumides, and Lusignans, W. H. Ruedt-Collenberg (Paris: Klincksieck, 1963), p. 78
• A history of the Crusades, Steven Runciman, Cambridge University Press, 1951, p. 320
• Syrian Christians Under Islam: The 1st 1000 Years, David Thomas, Brill Academic Publishers, 2001, p. 169