Michael VI Bringas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Michael VI Bringas Μιχαήλ ΣΤ΄ Βρίγγας
Emperor of the Byzantine Empire
Gold tetarteron of Michael's reign
Reign	1056–1057
Born	?
Died	1059
Predecessor	Theodora
Successor	Isaac I

"Michael VI" redirects here. For the Coptic Pope, see Pope Michael VI of Alexandria.

Michael VI Bringas (Greek: Μιχαήλ ΣΤ΄ Βρίγγας, Mikhaēl VI Bringas), called Stratiotikos or Stratioticus ("the Military One", "the Warlike" or "the Bellicose") or Gerontas ("the Old"), was Byzantine emperor from 1056 to 1057.

Career

Apparently a relative of the powerful courtier Joseph Bringas (influential during the reign of Romanos II),^[1] Michael Bringas was an elderly patrician and a member of the court bureaucracy^[2] who had served as military finance minister (and hence the epithet Stratiotikos).^[3] Michael Bringas was chosen by the empress Theodora as her successor shortly before her death in early September, 1056.^[4] The appointment had been secured through the influence of Leo Paraspondylos, Theodora's most trusted adviser.

Although Michael VI managed to survive a conspiracy organized by Theodosios, a nephew of the former emperor Constantine IX Monomachos,^[1] he was faced with the disaffection of the military aristocracy. His most costly error was to ignore the perceived rights of the general Nikephoros Bryennios, whom he restored to his former rank after his falling out with the Empress Theodora, but refused to restore his wealth and estates.^[5] After dismissing Bryennios's grievances in an audience, the emperor completely alienated the military, which remained a powerful element of society.^[2] Michael compounded his error by rebuffing Bryennios after he had already ordered the restored general to lead a division of 3,000 men to reinforce the army in Cappadocia.^[5] From here Bryennios began plotting to overthrow Michael VI, and it was his capture that precipitated the military nobility to rally around Isaac I Komnenos, who was proclaimed emperor in Paphlagonia on June 8, 1057.^[3]

Although Michael VI immediately lost heart, the bureaucrats around him attempted to defend their position and assembled an army against the rebels.^[2] On August 26, 1057, the government's army was routed at the Battle of Petroe near Nicaea,^[6] and Isaac Komnenos advanced on Constantinople. Michael VI attempted to negotiate with the rebels through the famous courtier Michael Psellos, offering to adopt Isaac as his son and to grant him the title of kaisar (Caesar),^[7] but his proposals were publicly rejected. Privately Isaac showed himself more open to negotiation, and he was promised the status of co-emperor. However, during the course of these secret negotiations, a riot in favor of Isaac broke out in Constantinople. The patriarch Michael Keroularios convinced Michael VI to abdicate in Isaac's favor on August 31, 1057.^[7] The emperor duly followed the patriarch's advice and became a monk. He retired to his private home and died there by 1059.^[2]

Sources

Primary Sources

Michael Psellus, Chronographia.
Skylitzes, Synopsis of Histories.

Secondary Sources

Norwich, John Julius (1993), Byzantium: The Apogee, Penguin, ISBN 0-14-011448-3
Canduci, Alexander (2010), Triumph & Tragedy: The Rise and Fall of Rome's Immortal Emperors, Pier 9, ISBN 978-1-74196-598-8
Kazhdan, Alexander, ed. (1991), Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Vol. II, Oxford University Press, ISBN 978-0-19-504652-6
George Finlay, History of the Byzantine Empire from 716 – 1057, William Blackwood & Sons, 1853
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 Norwich, pg. 327
↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Canduci, pg. 270
↑ 3.0 3.1 Kazhdan, pg. 1366
↑ Norwich, pg. 326
↑ 5.0 5.1 Finlay, pg. 533
↑ Finlay, pg. 536
↑ 7.0 7.1 Norwich, pg. 332

Regnal titles
Preceded by Theodora	Byzantine Emperor 1056–1057	Succeeded by Isaac I

v t e Roman emperors

Principate 27 BC – 235 AD	Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius Marcus Aurelius with Lucius Verus Commodus Pertinax Didius Julianus Septimius Severus Caracalla Geta Macrinus with Diadumenian Elagabalus Alexander Severus

Crisis 235–284	Maximinus Thrax Gordian I and Gordian II Pupienus and Balbinus Gordian III Philip the Arab Decius with Herennius Etruscus Hostilian Trebonianus Gallus with Volusianus Aemilianus Valerian Gallienus with Saloninus Claudius Gothicus Quintillus Aurelian Tacitus Florianus Probus Carus Carinus Numerian

Dominate 284–395	Diocletian Maximian Constantius Chlorus Galerius Severus Maxentius Maximinus Daia Licinius with Valerius Valens and Martinianus Constantine the Great Constantine II Constans I Constantius II with Vetranio Julian Jovian Valentinian I Valens Gratian Valentinian II Theodosius I

Western Empire 395–480	Honorius with Constantine III Constantius III Joannes Valentinian III Petronius Maximus Avitus Majorian Libius Severus Anthemius Olybrius Glycerius Julius Nepos Romulus Augustulus

Eastern/ Byzantine Empire 395–1204	Arcadius Theodosius II Marcian Leo I the Thracian Leo II Zeno Basiliscus Anastasius I Justin I Justinian I Justin II Tiberius II Constantine Maurice Phocas Heraclius Constantine III Heraklonas Constans II Constantine IV Justinian II Leontios Tiberios III Philippikos Anastasios II Theodosios III Leo III the Isaurian Constantine V Artabasdos Leo IV the Khazar Constantine VI Irene Nikephoros I Staurakios Michael I Rangabe Leo V the Armenian Michael II the Amorian Theophilos Michael III Basil I the Macedonian Leo VI the Wise Alexander Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos Romanos I Lekapenos Romanos II Nikephoros II Phokas John I Tzimiskes Basil II Constantine VIII Zoe Romanos III Argyros Michael IV the Paphlagonian Michael V Kalaphates Constantine IX Monomachos Theodora Michael VI Bringas Isaac I Komnenos Constantine X Doukas Romanos IV Diogenes Michael VII Doukas Nikephoros III Botaneiates Alexios I Komnenos John II Komnenos Manuel I Komnenos Alexios II Komnenos Andronikos I Komnenos Isaac II Angelos Alexios III Angelos Alexios IV Angelos Alexios V Doukas

Empire of Nicaea 1204–1261	Constantine Laskaris Theodore I Laskaris John III Doukas Vatatzes Theodore II Laskaris John IV Laskaris

Eastern/ Byzantine Empire 1261–1453	Michael VIII Palaiologos Andronikos II Palaiologos Michael IX Palaiologos Andronikos III Palaiologos John V Palaiologos John VI Kantakouzenos Matthew Kantakouzenos Andronikos IV Palaiologos John VII Palaiologos Andronikos V Palaiologos Manuel II Palaiologos John VIII Palaiologos Constantine XI Palaiologos

Persondata
Name	Stratiotikos, Michael Vi
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.