John Ducas (general)

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John Ducas was a Greek General of the Byzantine Empire involved in the unsuccessful reconquest of Southern Italy in 1155-56. Ducas was the second in command to Michael Palaeologus. While Palaeologus lived they advanced the Byzantine cause, allying with Pope Adrian IV and Count Robert of Loritello to end the power of William the Bad in Apulia. After Palaeologus' death the whole campaign fell apart and Ducas was eventually inprisoned in Palermo.

Ducas was freed from his Italian captivity in early 1158 as part of a treaty that he had helped negotiate between Byzantium and Scicily while he was in captivity.

[edit] Sources

Norwich, John Julius. Byzantium: The Decline and Fall (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996) p. 111-116.