Michael VI gave very generous promotions to civil aristocracy & promises to people

Summary:
Michael VI promoted the senators indiscriminately to higher ranks and made unsuitable promises to the people. Psellos satirises his chaotic generosity by saying that he did not appoint people to the next rank up but raised them to the one above and the one above that; if someone came and sought a fourth, he met a ready ear; someone nudging him on the other side might get a fifth promotion 
Dates:
1056 
retinue and household of Theodora who guided her rule (Anonymi 7011)
  • Those who flattered and courted them and became their dependents had many benefits, whereas generals and men skilled in military matters and of glorious and heroic background were thrown aside like earthenware pots (:) ὡς ἄγγος τι κεραμεοῦν ἄτιμον Manasses, Chronicle 6254-6260
Emperor Michael VI Stratiotikos (Michael 6)
  • Promoted the senators to higher ranks, made promises to the people, revived many redundant and useless practices, ordered the cleaning of the Strategion for which he was derided, and appointed shorthand writers instead of senators to public posts (:) Skylitzes 482.79-483.91
  • Advanced each of the senators on the ladder of dignities and allotted unsuitable honours on the masses (:) Zonaras 18.1.1
  • Someone else would respond by nudging him on the other side and would get a fifth promotion; his generosity was absolutely chaotic (:) ἦν ἀτεχνῶς σύγχυσις τὸ φιλότιμον Psellos: Chronographia VII 2.6-8
  • He distributed honours more ostentatiously than was fit: he did not appoint individuals to the next rank up but raised them to the one above and the one above that; if someone at his side sought a fourth, he met a ready ear (:) οὐ τῷ προσεχεῖ ἕκαστον συνίστα βαθμῷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐφεξῆς καὶ τὸν ἐπέκεινα ἀνεβίβαζεν Psellos: Chronographia VII 2.1-6