Basileios Theodorokanos was left together with Nikolaos, domestikos of the scholai and parakoimomenos by Konstantinos IX, in command of two tagmata and the hetaireiai, in order to protect the coast and prevent a landing of barbarians. Further away, Katakalon Kekaumenos met the Rus' along the coast of Varna, returning from their failed attack. He defeated them, killed many, captured 800 and sent them to the emperor in fetters