Renewed campaign in Syria under Theoktistos & Hassan ibn al-Mufarrij

Summary:
After Symeon the Droungarios and Niketas of Mistheia failed to take al-Maniqa, Romanos III appointed the faithful Theoktistos as strategos autokrator and sent him with a large force to join Hassan ibn al-Mufarrij in Syria. After the defection of Hassan to the Byzantines, the Egyptians had sent against him al-Dizbiri, the Fatimid governor of Palestine, with a substantial army. Hassan had appealed to Romanos, who sent Theoktistos to help him and capture al-Maniqa. The combined imperial force was successful, defeating al-Dizbiri and capturing al-Maniqa and Argyrokastron. Theoktistos returned to the capital in triumph with Hassan's son 'Allaf 
Dates:
1031 
'Allaf, son of Hassan ibn al-Mufarrij (Alach 101)
  • Returned from Syria to Constantinople with Theoktistos 101 and was made patrikios by the emperor (Romanos 3) (:) Skylitzes 383.90-
Hassan ibn al-Mufarrij ibn al-Jarrah (Pinzarach) (Pinzarach 101)
  • Was joined by a considerable army under Theoktistos 101 sent by the emperor (Romanos 3), and attacked suddenly the commander of the Egyptian army Tousber 101, who had been sent by the amir of Egypt (Anonymus 145) and was forced to withdraw (:) Skylitzes 383.78-84
  • After some friction he defected from the amir of Egypt (Anonymus 145) and took arms against him, but when the latter sent his commander Tousber 101 with a worthy army to subjugate him he rushed up to the emperor (Romanos 3) seeking an alliance (:) ὁμαιχμίαν αἰτεῖ Skylitzes 382.71-383.78
Emperor Romanos III Argyros (Romanos 3)
  • Hearing of the failure of Symeon 101 and Niketas 102 to capture the fort of al-Maniqa (Menikos), he appointed Theoktistos 101 strategos autokrator and sent him with a strong army of Roman and foreign soldiers to join Pinzarach 101 in Syria (:) καὶ μὴ φέρων τὴν ὕβριν Skylitzes 382.66-71
  • Acquiesced to the request for an alliance by the amir of Tripoli Pinzarach 101 who was faced with a much stronger army under Tousber 101, and ordered Theoktistos 101 and his army to join Pinzarach and claim the fort of Menikos too on the way (:) Skylitzes 383.78-81
Theoktistos, general under Romanos III (Theoktistos 101)
  • Appointed by Romanos 3 strategos autokrator after the failure of Symeon 101 and Niketas 102 to capture the fort of Menikos, he was sent to Syria with a strong army of Roman and foreign soldiers to join Pinzarach 101 and fight the Arabs with him (:) καὶ μετ ᾿ αὐτοῦ τὰ τῶν Ἀράβων λυμαίνεσθαι Skylitzes 382.66-383.72
  • Sent by Romanos 3 to join Pinzarach 101 against Tousber 101 and to capture the fort of Menikos on the way, he achieved his goal and returned to Constantinople with Alach 101, the forts of Menikos and Argyrokastron having surrendered to his men (:) Skylitzes 383.78-90
al-Dizbiri (al-Barbari in Yahya), Fatimid governor of Palestine (Tousber 101)
  • Was sent by the amir of Egypt (Anonymus 145) with a worthy army to subjugate the amir of Tripoli Pinzarach 101 who had taken up arms against him, but returned home after Pinzarach joined the Roman army under Theoktistos 101 and attacked him suddenly (:) τῷ αἰφνιδίῳ τῆς ἐφόδου καὶ τῷ πλήθει καταπλαγείς οἴκαδε ὑπενόστησεν Skylitzes 383.74-84