Capture & blinding of rebel Nikephoros Bryennios

Summary:
Though his brother and son escaped from the battle of the river Halmyros, Nikephoros Bryennios was captured by the Turks, who praised his bravery. He was brought to Alexios Komnenos, who, rebuked him for his folly but showed compassion and admiration for his defeated enemy. God stopped Bryennios from killing Alexios as they rested together under a tree. Alexios sent him to Nikephoros III at Constantinople, with his imperial footwear and a letter announcing victory. There he was handed over to Nikephoros' henchman Boril, who took him to the Philopation and blinded him. Nikephoros pardoned all Bryennios' associates and even awarded honours to their blinded leader 
Dates:
1078 
Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (Alexios 1)
  • Was brought the captured Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) whom he chastised for his bad judgement and folly, and sent him quickly to the emperor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates) with letters announcing his victory (:) καὶ τὰ τῆς νίκης εὐαγγέλια διὰ γραφῆς συνεξέπεμψεν Attaleiates: History 291.17-22 / 208.20-24
  • Spent three days outside Constantinople receiving those who came out to visit him and then gathered his army and left for Adrianople, taking letters from the emperor (Nikephoros 3) confirming the privileges of the officials (supporters of Bryennios) (:) ἐπὶ τρισὶν ἡμέραις μείνας ἔξω τῆς πόλεως καὶ τοὺς ἰδίους πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐξελθόντας ἰδών τε καὶ συνταξάμενος ἐχώρει πρὸς τὴν Ἀδριανούπολιν Bryennios 283.21-26
  • Was sent messengers by the barbarians (Turkish allies) to inform him of Nikephoros 62 Bryennios's capture, and when he saw him he admired his appearance and stature, worthy of a rebel, and was pleased to see that he had fought against such a general (:) ἐκεῖνος ἐθαύμασε τό τε εἶδος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τὸ μέγεθος καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὄντως ἄξιον τυραννίδος Bryennios 279.31-33, 281.10-13
  • Taking his captive (Nikephoros 62 Bryennios), he left for Constantinople and sent to the emperor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates) the purple shoes worn by the usurper, studded with pearls and precious stones, informing him of his capture (:) τὰ δὲ κοκκινοβαφῆ πέδιλα, ἃ ἐκεῖνος βασιλειῶν ἐπεδύετο, μαργάροις ὄντα καὶ λίθοις κατάστικτα πρὸς τὸν κρατοῦντα ἐξέπεμπε Bryennios 281.27-30
  • Proved compassionate and respecting of intelligence and honour in his treatment of Nikephoros 62 (:) Anna Komnene 26.63-67
  • Resting with his prisoner under a tree, God preserved him by preventing Nikephoros 62 from killing him in his sleep (:) Anna Komnene 27.75-85
  • Handed over the prisoner Nikephoros 62 to Boril 61 with his eyes undamaged (:) τὰς ὄψεις ἀβαλαβεῖς ἔχων Anna Komnene 206.91-93
(Ioannes) Bryennios the patrikios, father of the kaisar (Anonymus 61)
  • While pursuing the enemy (the Turks of Alexios 1's army) he moved away and killed one of them, found himself in the middle of the Turks unable to rejoin his father (Nikephoros 62 Bryennios) despite his efforts, but escaped from them and their arrows (:) ἐν μέσοις τοῖς Τούρκοις ἐναπελείφθη καὶ οὐκέθ᾿ οἷός τε ἦν τῷ πατρὶ ξυνελθεῖν Bryennios 279.12-15, 281.2-3
Turk who attacked Nikephoros Bryennios in battle (Anonymus 5030)
  • While Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) was busy breaking the lance with which he had been hit, he jumped off his horse and mounted behind Bryennios, who was thus unable to hit him with his sword (:) τοῦ ἵππου καταπηδήσας ἐπιβαίνει τοῖς νώτοις τοῦ Βρυεννίου Bryennios 279.22-25
Boril, protoproedros and ethnarches (Boril 61)
  • Took Nikephoros 62 Bryennios, led him to the so-called Philopation and blinded him, depriving the empire and state of the Romans of a man whose equal they did not possess, apart from the one who overpowered him (Alexios 1 Komnenos) (:) πρὸς τὸ Φιλοπάτιον λεγόμενον ἀπαγαγὼν ἐκτυφλοῖ Bryennios 283.18-21
  • Was sent by the emperor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates), who had appointed him protoproedros and ethnarches, to receive Bryennios (Nikephoros 62, led to Constantinople by Alexios 1 Komnenos) (:) ἐκπέμπει παραληψόμενον τὸν Βρυέννιον Bryennios 283.1-3
  • A favoured barbarian of Nikephoros 3, he was sent from the capital to receive the captured Nikephoros 62 from Alexios 1 (:) Anna Komnene 27.91-95
Ioannes Bryennios, brother of usurper Nikephoros (Ioannes 61)
  • Killed one of the Turks (pursuing them with Alexios 1's army) but collided with another and both horses with their riders fell to the ground, and he was taken to Adrianople by a Frank he had come across, who saw him walking and took him on his horse (:) ἑτέρῳ προσκέκρουκε καὶ ἀμφοῖν οἱ ἵπποι σὺν τοῖς ἐπιβάταις πεπτώκασιν Bryennios 279.10-12, 279.34-281.2
Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates (Nikephoros 3)
  • Was sent by Alexios 1 the captive Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) together with letters announcing his victory which he received gladly, thanked the Virgin, and ordered the captive's blinding considering this the only way to prevent him from revolting again (:) διὰ ταχέων ἐκπέμπει δημίους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ Βρυεννίου ἐκκόψοντας Attaleiates: History 291.20-292.8 / 208.23-209.8
  • Presented with Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) whose eyes were still covered in blood, he reproached him rightly and with good reason for his actions and disrespect towards God, and then sent him away to be paraded and ridiculed with his associates (:) ἀπέλυσεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν καταγέλαστον θρίαμβον Attaleiates: History 292.9-293.22 / 209.8-210.12
  • Did not punish anyone else apart from Bryennios (Nikephoros 62), but in a God-like action he forgave all the rebel's accomplices and did not seize their properties, with the exception of three or four deemed dangerous whom he nevertheless compensated (:) ἀντιπαροχαῖς ἑτέρων ἰσοτάλαντον τὴν φιλοτιμίαν εἰργάσαντο Attaleiates: History 293.23-294.7, 319.4-10 / 210.12-19, 227.15-19
  • Granted all kinds of honours to Bryennios (Nikephoros 62, whom he had blinded after his capture by Alexios 1 Komnenos) and gifts to some of his accomplices, causing amazement at the inscrutability of his compassion (:) τῷ ἀνεξιχνιάστῳ τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀγαθότητος Attaleiates: History 294.7-11, 319.4-10 / 210.19-22, 227.15-19
  • Received the news of the capture of Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) by Alexios 1 Komnenos and thanked God and His Mother (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 181.7-8
  • Sent for Bryennios (Nikephoros 62), felt pity for his misfortunes and restored all his possessions, won him over with privileges and gifts of more properties, and received kindly the officials (supporters of Bryennios) who arrived with their families (A few days after his blinding:) ὤκτειρέ τε τῆς συμφορᾶς καὶ τῶν ἰδίων ἁπάντων κατέστησε κύριον Bryennios 285.1-6
  • Was sent by Alexios 1 the purple shoes of the rebel (Nikephoros 62), was pleased at the news of his capture, and sent Boril 61, whom he had appointed protoproedros and ethnarches, to receive Bryennios, ordering Alexios 1 not to enter Constantinople (:) ἐκπέμπει παραληψόμενον τὸν Βρυέννιον Bryennios 281.30-283.6
  • When his latest envoy Straboromanos (Romanos 61) was sent back by Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) he sent an army against him under Alexios 1 Komnenos who captured and blinded him (:) διεγείρεται ὁ βασιλεύς Glykas 616.15-18
  • Alexios 1 Komnenos gouged out Nikephoros 61's eyes at his command (:) Zonaras 18.19.19
  • Forgave the Varangians who repented after defecting to Bryennios (Nikephoros 62) having tried to take revenge over the murder of Ioannes 61 Bryennios by one of the Varangians in the palace (Anonymus 129) by killing him (:) συγγνώμης ἔτυχον Skylitzes Continuatus 181.19-21
Nikephoros Bryennios usurper [1077] (Nikephoros 62)
  • Taken captive to Alexios 1 he was chastised for his bad judgement and folly and sent to the emperor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates) who ordered his blinding, and with his eyes still covered in blood he was led to the emperor the following day (:) τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχων διαβρόχους τῷ αἵματι Attaleiates: History 291.17-292.11 / 208.20-209.11
  • His retreat was easy while the pursuers (Turks in Alexios 1 Komnenos's army) were not numerous, but then a great multitude rushed, his exhausted horse was useless for fleeing, and the enemy attempted to encircle him (:) ὁ ἐκείνου ἵππος κεκοπιακὼς πρὸς δρόμον ἦν ἄχρηστος Bryennios 279.1-4
  • Was taken with great honours by the barbarians (Turks) who had first sent messengers to announce his capture to Alexios 1 Komnenos (:) μετὰ πλείστης ὅτι τιμῆς Bryennios 279.31-33
  • Pursued by the Turks (of Alexios 1 Komnenos's army) he often turned around beating back their assault, until the horse he was riding, exhausted, could advance no further and he had to continue on foot (:) ὁ ἵππος ὂν ἐκεῖνος ἐπωχεῖτο καμὼν προσωτέρω χωρεῖν οὐκ ἠδύνατο Bryennios 277.28-33
  • Since some had fallen and others had fled, Alexios 1 captured him abandoned, deprived him of the light and led him blind to the queen of cities. And his rebellion met with this end (:) Zonaras 18.19.6
  • Taken by Boril 61 to the so-called Philopation, he was blinded, depriving the empire and state of the Romans of a man whose equal they did not possess, apart from the one who overpowered him (Alexios 1 Komnenos) (:) πρὸς τὸ Φιλοπάτιον λεγόμενον ἀπαγαγὼν ἐκτυφλοῖ Bryennios 283.18-21
  • Implored by the Turks to avoid death and give in to the circumstances, he did not stop hitting and being struck as long as his arm could hold, but when he became very weary he unwillingly gave in to their request and was thus captured (:) ἐπεὶ δὲ κατάκοπος ἤδη γέγονεν, εἶξε καὶ ἄκων ταῖς τῶν ἐχθρῶν παρακλήσεσι καὶ οὕτω συνέβη τοῦτον ἁλῶναι Bryennios 279.26-30
  • Was granted sources of income by the emperor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates) (:) προνοίας ἐνδεχομένης ἠξίωσεν Skylitzes Continuatus 184.24-25
  • Summoned by the emperor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates) who felt pity for his misfortunes, he had all his possessions restored to him, and was won over with privileges and gifts of more properties (:) τῶν ἰδίων ἁπάντων κατέστησε κύριον, τιμαῖς τε αὐτὸν καὶ δωρεαῖς ἑτέρων κτήσεων ἀνεκτήσατο Bryennios 285.1-3