Certainty: 0 Isaakios (I) & Ioannes Komnenos as adults held high civil & military posts. The two leaders of the Komnenos family, Isaakios (I) and Ioannes, reached the age of maturity. They became members of the imperial Hetaireia, and later served in the provincial administration (?) and in high military posts
Certainty: 3 Pittakion of Konstantinos IX establishing an annual grant of 72 nomismata for Nea Mone (Chios). Konstantinos IX Monomachos established an annual grant of 72 nomismata for the monastery of Nea Mone on Chios and ordered the eidikos Eustathios to prepare a copy of the relevant pittakion for the monastery. It was signed by nine significant bureaucrats
Certainty: 2 Two regulations for hegemon & monks of monastery tou Stylou on Latros.
Certainty: 3 Chrysobull removing Nea Mone from jurisdiction of regular judges & placing it under imperial authority. Konstantinos IX Monomachos issued a chrysobull protecting Nea Mone on Chios from interference by all officials and putting it under direct imperial control
Certainty: 2 Kyrillos Phileotes started living as an ascetic. Kyrillos Phileotes, a holy man at Derkos in Thrace, returned home and announced to his wife his decision either to abandon her and their children to retire to a monastery or to remain with them but abstain from all work in order to mortify his body. She persuaded him to stay. He built a small cell for prayer in his house, lived with his family fasting, praying, and mending fishing nets without reward. He also tied his body with heavy irons causing him wounds which smelt. He went out at night to the lake (of Derkos) to pray for up to a week without food, before returning home to his wife and children. He visited the sick and dying, gave alms and encouraged his wife to do the same, discussed religious issues, and was accused of insensitivity when he stayed in his cell as his daughter lost an eye. He visited the Thotokos at Blachernai weekly and was once arrested as a spy on his way home. He was finally persuaded to replace his fetters with ropes
Certainty: 2 Earthquake in Ekeleac province.
Certainty: 2 Three Turkish generals approached Mosul, were defeated by the Arabs & went to Byzantine lands.
Certainty: 2 Embassy to Gagik II to hand over Ani & Armenia according to his father's promise. Konstantinos IX found in the palace the agreement between Ioannes/John Smbat of Armenia and Basileios II, and demanded the return of Ani and Great Armenia as the successor of Basileios, as John Smbat had now died. But Gagik II refused. Konstantinos decided to declare war and sent an army under Michael Iasites
Certainty: 2 After failure of embassy, war against Gagik II to win Armenia. When Gagik II refused to abide by the agreement to hand over Ani and Armenia to the Byzantines, he was attacked by the forces of Konstantinos IX. Michael Iasites, katepano of Iberia, tried a swift attack, but Gagik organised his defences. Later Nikolaos, domestikos of the scholai and parakoimomenos, arrived with superior forces. Nikolaos carried letters from the emperor for the ruler of Dvin Abu'l-Aswar, urging him to attack Gagik's lands. Nikolaos wrote himself too, promising gifts to Abu'l-Aswar. Attacked by Nikolaos and with his territory ravaged by Abu'l-Aswar, Gagik came to an agreement with Nikolaos to hand Ani to the emperor
Certainty: 2 To enlist Abu'l-Aswar of Dvin against Gagik, Konstantinos IX let him keep any Armenian forts he captured. Abu'l-Aswar, ruler of Dvin and Persarmenia, requested from Konstantinos IX and was granted a chrysobull confirming ownership of all the forts and villages that he would capture from Gagik II, and started besieging and occupying the latter's territory
Certainty: 2 Gagik was invited to Constantinople, & was later made magistros with estates in central Anatolia. Konstantinos IX, having failed to capture Ani, promised to recognize Gagik II as ruler of his country if only he were to see him in person. Gagik did not heed the advice of Vahram Pahlavuni and the 'azats', but was convinced by Sergios/Sarkis Haykazn to visit the emperor. He left Ani, giving the key to the katholikos Peter Getadarj, and went to the Byzantines, who did not allow him to go back to Armenia. He refused the emperor's offer of Melitene in exchange for Ani. He was made magistros, was given villages yielding a high income in Cappadocia, Charsianon and Lykandos (though not so rich as Ani?), and from then on led a quiet life
Certainty: 2 Surrender of Ani by the katholikos Peter Getadarj to Konstantinos IX: it became seat of a doux. Realising that Ani would be handed by its leaders to either Bagrat IV of Georgia or David of Dvin, brother-in-law of Gagik II, the katholikos Peter wrote to the governor of the eastern region at Samosata to enquire about his reward if he were to surrender to the emperor. He was awarded by the emperor expensive gifts and a court dignity in exchange for surrendering Ani, and was also given many honours by Asit (Michael Iasites, sent as governor). When Iasites was replaced by Kamenas (Katakalon Kekaumenos) his honours were reduced and he was accused in official letters to the emperor. He was ordered to move to Artzn by Kekaumenos who pretended he had received imperial orders to that effect. His arrival filled the inhabitants with joy, and they celebrated Epiphany by the river. However he cut his hand - a bad omen - when baptising a Muslim. He was soon arrested, taken to the fort of Xaghtoy Arhich where he remained till Easter, and then sent to Constantinople together with his nephew Gagik. Gagik's brother Ananias was also taken to the capital by a powerful eunuch. Konstantinos IX received Peter with great honours, ordered that he should be treated generously, but kept him for three years, fearing that if he returned (to Ani) he might incite the city to revolt
Certainty: 2 Surrender of Bjni by Grigor Pahlawuni to Konstantinos IX. Grigor Pahlawuni went to Konstantinos IX and, seeing that Gagik II was not allowed back to his own country (Armenia), he handed to the emperor the keys of Bjni. He rendered all his hereditary lands to the emperor and was rewarded with the dignity of magistros and with hereditary estates including villages and towns in Mesopotamia, confirmed by a chrysobull
Certainty: 2 Maraldi, son of Ioannes Hikanatos of Bari, was drowned in the Aegean; he was coming from Tarsos. Maraldi, son of Ioannes Hikanatos of Bari, was drowned in the Aegean, on his way from Tarsos
Certainty: 2 In Taranto fire descended from the sky & burned most of the city. No persons mentioned
Certainty: 2 Chages & Palatinos the katepano came to Bari. Eustathios Palatinos was conducted to Bari as katepano by Konstantinos Chage. Palatinos remained when Chage returned to the capital with Argyros and his people
Certainty: 2 Argyros, son of Melus, went with his people to Constantinople with Chages. Argyros the patrikios and his people accompanied Konstantinos Chage on his return journey from Bari to Constantinople
Certainty: 2 Byzantine attempt to recover forts from Abu'l-Aswar by capturing Dvin ended in defeat & failure . Abu'l-Aswar refused to surrender to Konstantinos IX the forts and villages of Ani he had captured from Gagik II, following the chrysobull granted by the emperor. Konstantinos ordered the parakoimomenos Nikolaos to attack him with the Roman army and the forces of Iberia and Great Armenia. Nikolaos sent forces to Dvin under Michael Iasites and his own slave Konstantinos the Alan. Abu'l-Aswar, seeing his forces were inferior to the Romans, shut himself up within the walls of Dvin, diverted the nearby river to flood the plain, and placed archers in the surrounding vineyards ordering them to wait for his trumpet signal to attack. When the Romans advanced through the vineyards to attack Dvin, he gave the trumpet signal for the assault to begin, and the enemy forces under Iasites and Konstantinos the Alan were routed. When the emperor heard of the disaster, he removed Nikolaos and Iasites from office and replaced them with Konstantinos as strategos autokrator and Katakalon Kekaumenos as doux of Iberia
Certainty: 3 Typikon of Konstantinos IX issued by Kosmas Tzintziloukes regulating monasteries of Mt Athos. Konstantinos IX received a delegation of monks from Athos who requested his help in having their typika and chrysobulls respected. They asked for the dispatch of an experienced monk: he issued a decree ordering Kosmas Tzintziloukes to go there and investigate. Kosmas arrived on the holy mountain, summoned the protos Theophylaktos, the monks and hegoumenoi at Karyes, and had the typikon of Tzimiskes and the imperial chrysobulls read before the assembly. He settled with the agreement of the monks problems concerning the possession of ships and animals, timber resources, movement of monks, wills and authority of hegoumenoi, rights of protoi, competences of assemblies, activities at Karyes and the numbers of attendants at meetings. He requested the assembly of monks to respect prohibitions on the possession of animals by the monasteries. When Neophytos of Lavra disagreed, he allowed the Lavra to keep its cows but not its sheep. Following complaints about age limits, he ordered that the minimum age for deacons should be 25 and for priests and hegoumenoi 30, according to the rules. It was agreed that eunuchs and beardless youths should be banished from Athos. 32 monks and hegoumenoi signed the document as having attended. The document was drafted by five of them: Athanasios, hegoumenos of Vatopedi; Georgios III Hagiorites/Mtacmindeli, hegoumenos of Iveron; Ioannes, hegoumenos of Zygos; Neophytos, hegoumenos of Lavra; and Theophylaktos, protos of Mount Athos
Certainty: 2 Renewal for 10 years of Byzantine-Fatimid treaty.
Certainty: 1 Illness & death of Skleraina. Maria Skleraina, who had risen to such a height was suddenly brought low by disease, which was resistant to all treatment. She had chest pains and terrible difficulty in breathing and finally died, causing inexpressible grief for the emperor Konstantinos IX. His emotion is shown in the tomb he had made for her. Konstantinos was perhaps planning to make Maria empress, though it is was not easy for Psellos to see how. Psellos recommended Zoe and Theodora as consolation for the emperor
Certainty: 1 Struggle between Pechenegs Tyrach & Kegen; Kegen, defeated, was welcomed in Byzantium. A Pecheneg leader Kegen found that the supreme leader Tyrach planned to kill him, making several unsuccessful attempts, as he realised that Kegen's military success was more popular than his own high birth. So Kegen won the backing of two tribes (Belemarnis and Pagoumanis) and rebelled. However he was vanquished by Tyrach and his eleven tribes. Kegen wandered in the marshes, decided to defect to the emperor, reached Dristra and retreated to a river island with his 20,000 supporters. He sent messages to the local governor Michael, informing him of his wish to defect and promising to be very useful. He was received by the governor, who provided everything necessary, and reached Constantinople. He was received kindly by Konstantinos IX, he promised to accept baptism and to persuade his people to follow him; he was made patrikios, with three forts on the banks of the Danube and much land, and became an ally of the Romans. He kept his promise and was baptized along with his people by Euthymios, a monk sent to perform the rite by the Danube
Certainty: 1 Fleet sent to bar crossing of Danube against Pechenegs of Tyrach.
Certainty: 1 Kyrillos Phileotes went on pilgrimage to Chonai. Kyrillos Phileotes, wishing to venerate the miracle of the archangel Michael at Chonai, stopped at an inn along the way and had 3 nomismata and 1 miliaresion as well as his garments stolen by the inn-keeper. But the man, amazed at Kyrillos' wounds, returned what he had stolen. Kyrillos reached the church of the archangel Michael (at Chonai), fell on his knees before the saint's icon praying for his protection, and returned home
Certainty: 1 Kyrillos Phileotes visited Rome with his brother Michael to venerate the tombs of the Apostles. Michael/Matthaios, brother of Kyrillos Phileotes, wished to visit Rome in order to venerate the apostles and subject his body to more hardship, and was joined by his brother. They set out with no walking sticks, luggage, second garments or sandals, eating bread, vegetables and soaked pulses, and resolved not to mix with any other travellers in order to avoid bad company. Kyrillos fell ill as a result of the hardships of travel, remained lying under an oak tree near a village for two months enduring hot weather and fever, and refused his brother's pleas to eat some cooked food and drink wine. He asked his brother to anoint him with oil from the lamp burning before his icon of Christ, and after a few days he gained strength and they continued their journey, reached Rome, venerated the tombs of the holy apostles and returned home
Certainty: 1 Foundation of monastery of Christ near Derkos on family property by brother of Kyrillos Phileotes Michael. Michael, brother of Kyrillos Phileotes. moved to the derelict church of Christ which belonged to his family, was tonsured there, changed his name to Matthaios, gathered several brothers and founded a monastery there, and was often visited by his brother Kyrillos. Kyrillos took charge of the monks' chanting, their prayers, food and monastic regime, before returning to his own cell to continue his ascetic lifestyle with his wife and children
Certainty: 0 Michael Psellos recommended some friends of his father to a krites. Psellos wrote to a krites (?) recommending friends and relations of his father, not for that reason but as good men. If Psellos' word was enough, let them be helped. If not, let them be tested, and Psellos' judgment would be vindicated
Certainty: 1 Lazaros bishop of Philippopolis tried for treason. Lazaros, bishop of Philippopolis quarreled with some people of his diocese, apparently over money. He claimed he prevented them from enriching themselves at the expense of the poor and so gained imperial favour. His opponents feared they would be reported to the emperor. They struck first, accusing him of making treasonable statements about Konstantinos IX; he was summoned to court - on the financial issue, he thought - but was amazed to face a treason trial, with witnesses recruited by his opponents, at least one of whom was a heretic; these had had contact with him and claimed to have heard him speak treasonably (the easiest accusation with which to have him deposed). His opponents put their case very convincingly, while he, dumbfounded by the unexpected charge (he was the only person present who did not know of it), was unable to answer; this made the accusation even more believable to Konstantinos IX, the president of the court. Keroularios the patriarch and other members of the Synod defended Lazaros. He was eventually convicted in this first trial, but only by the intervention of armed soldiers who howled at the members of the Synod and silenced them. He was deposed and exiled. Soon after the first trial there was a double change: Konstantinos IX (as often) showed his merciful side and recalled him, while the Synod (including Keroularios) refused to accept his reinstatement, claiming that deposition, like execution, was irreversible
Certainty: 0 Psellos may have witten three letters to Michael patrikios on a commentary on Hermogenes & a visit fom a great man. Three letters were written to Michael patrikios, perhaps by Psellos. The two of them had been long apart, then they were parted for a further two weeks, which seemed a long time. The letters are dominated by the impending visit of a magistros known to the writer of the letters, who asks repeatedly whether the magistros had arrived. A difficult winter journey was involved. Michael patrikios also received a commentary on Hermogenes written by the teacher of the letter-writer, who sent it immediately when asked. [The situation is unclear]