Konstantinos IX had given him earlier the right to appoint the basilikos of Madytos. He regularly chose the same man for the position every year. This post was in natural competition with that of tourmarches of Haplokonnesos. The last tourmarches usurped some of the rights of the basilikos, and had been dismissed. The new tourmarches needed careful monitoring, in case he too overstepped his powers. Psellos wrote two letters on this situation, to the strategos of Abydos and to the krites of Thrace and Macedonia. He had already failed to help the basilikos by using imperial authority; the strategos, who had promised him frequent visits but had not come, would be pardoned if he made the basilikos his protege. He appealed to the krites, son of an excellent father, to stop any trouble justly, as it occurred