Rebellion of Konstantios Doukas at Chrysopolis; he was arrested, tonsured & banished

Summary:
Konstantios Doukas, son of the deposed emperor Michael VII, was assigned to an army sent to pacify the east, which was suffering from Turkish attacks. While the commander was away, Konstantios plotted against Nikephoros III and attempted to have the troops proclaim him as emperor, causing severe disturbances. Some of the worst elements in the army supported his attempt, but Constantinople was loyal to Botaneiates, who prepard for war. When the emperor enquired into the origins of the revolt, he found it easy to bribe Konstantios' supporters to betray him. He was handed over and imprisoned, then sent back to Constantinople, where he was forcibly tonsured and exiled to an island 
Dates:
1079 
supporters of Konstantios in the army against Nikephoros III (Anonymi 5019)
  • Were approached for support and were then joined by Konstantios 61 in their camp at Chrysopolis (where they had been sent by Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates in order to march against the Turks) (:) συμβούλοις τοῖς πονηροτάτοις ἐκ τούτων καὶ δήμου ἀνάπταις χρησάμενος Attaleiates: History 307.15-18 / 219.22-24
  • When sent envoys by the emperor (Nikephoros 3) to enquire about the reasons of their revolt, they admitted their folly, asked to be forgiven and allowed back, promising to hand in the instigator of the plot (Konstantios 61), and they were pardoned (:) καὶ τῆς συμπαθείας ταύτης ἐνέχυρον τὴν εἰς τοὐπίσω περαίωσιν ἐπεζήτησαν Attaleiates: History 308.18-309.3 / 220.15-22
leader of the army sent against the Turks in 1079 (Anonymus 5085)
  • Sent at the head of an army against the Turks, he was away at Constantinople when clashes erupted among the soldiers encamped at Chrysopolis after Konstantios 61 attempted to persuade them to proclaim him emperor (:) μήτε τοῦ δεδομένου τούτοις ἀρχηγοῦ παρατυχόντος ἐκεῖσε διὰ τὸ τῇ βασιλευούσῃ ἔτι ἐπιδημεῖν Attaleiates: History 307.18-308.1 / 219.24-220.1
Konstantios Doukas, brother of Michael VII (Konstantios 61)
  • Assisted with his actions the enemy (Turks) and caused much confusion in the empire of the Romans, because after his revolt the loyalty of all the troops was questioned and they were recalled, leaving the enemy to ravage the East (:) τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τοσαύτην ῥοπὴν ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀντίρροπος δέδωκε Attaleiates: History 309.13-310.5 / 221.4-15
  • Organised an evil plot against the emperor (Nikephoros 3) involving the soldiers sent against the Turks, without fearing either failure or divine retribution following the evil he would cause to the people, the emperor, and the latter's subjects (:) καὶ μηδὲ τὴν ἀποτυχίαν ὑποπτύξας τοῦ ἐγχειρήματος Attaleiates: History 307.9-15 / 219.17-22
  • Approached the most wicked in the army (Anonymi 5019), joined them at their camp at Chrysopolis, and sought to convince the soldiers to proclaim him emperor, causing confusion which led to clashes in the absence of their leader (Anonymus 5085) (:) τὸ πλῆθος ἐνσείσας βασιλέα τοῦτον ἀναγορεῦσαι δι ᾿ ἀποστατικῆς μεθοδείας περιεργάζεται Attaleiates: History 307.15-308.1 / 219.22-220.1
  • Handed over to the emperor (Nikephoros 3) by his repentant supporters (Anonymi 5019), he was not delivered to the hands of the executioner nor was he physically punished, but was given to righteous men who tonsured and freed him from wordly matters (:) τῆς κοσμικῆς ἰλύος ἐλευθεροῦσι δι ᾿ ἀποκάρσεως Attaleiates: History 309.3-6 / 220.22-25
  • Embraced the monastic life and was banished to an island, thus learning a lesson for his ingratitude towards his benefactor (Nikephoros 3 Botaneiates) (:) καὶ φυγῇ ἐζημιώθη, νησιώτης γενόμενος Attaleiates: History 309.7-9 / 220.25-27
  • Sent by the emperor (Nikephoros 3) at the head of an army against the Turks in the East, he sailed across and rose in rebellion, was proclaimed emperor by the troops at Chrysopolis, but was then handed over to the emperor by his own supporters (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 185.1-7
  • Betrayed by his own supporters who had been bribed by the emperor (Nikephoros 3) he was tonsured and banished to an island (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 185.7-9
  • Was tonsured and exiled to an island; rumour has it that he was also anointed as a priest (:) Zonaras 18.19.24
  • After crossing over to the place called Chrysopolis, he immediately rebelled and was proclaimed emperor by the mass of soldiers who were there (:) Zonaras 18.19.22
  • Since the Turks were overrunning the East, Nikephoros 3 sent him against them with a sizeable force, after appointing him commander of the army opposing the Turks (:) Zonaras 18.19.21
  • Nikephoros 3 seduced some of the soldiers with gifts, others he won over with honorific ranks, others he dealt with in different ways. And he was apprehended by them and handed over to Nikephoros 3 (:) Zonaras 18.19.23
Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates (Nikephoros 3)
  • Considered the news of his army's support for Konstantios 61 at Chrysopolis mere rumours and childish games, and was assured by the senate of their loyalty and readiness to risk their lives for him in order to crush the rebels (:) δημοτικὴν δὲ φλυαρίαν και μειρακιῶδες ἄθυρμα λογισαμένου τοῦ βασιλέως τὸ γεγονός Attaleiates: History 308.4-9 / 220.4-8
  • Praised the senators, imperial guards and those of conscription age who offered to defend him (against Konstantios 61) realising how grateful his subjects were, deployed ships to secure the straits (Bosporos), and prepared for war against the rebels (:) ναυσὶ μὲν πολεμικαῖς τὸν τούτου πορθμὸν κατωχύρωσε Attaleiates: History 308.11-18 / 220.9-15
  • When he sent envoys to the rebels (Anonymi 5019) to enquire about the reasons of their revolt, they asked to be forgiven promising to hand in the instigator (Konstantios 61), and he overlooked their erroneous actions and pardoned their crimes (:) τῶν ἐγκλημάτων τούτους διὰ πλήθους ἐλέους ἀπέλουσε Attaleiates: History 308.18-309.3 / 220.15-22
  • When he was handed over the rebel (Konstantios 61) he did not deliver him to the hands of the executioner nor did he physically punish him, but gave him to righteous men who tonsured and freed him from wordly matters (:) καὶ πάσης σωματικῆς τιμωρίας ἀλλότριον διετήρησε Attaleiates: History 309.3-6 / 220.22-25
  • Put Konstantios 61 at the head of an army which he sent against the Turks in the East, and when Konstantios rose in rebellion he persuaded with gifts and dignities the rebel's supporters to hand him in, had him tonsured and banished him to an island (:) λαμβάνει τοῦτον ἀναιμωτί Skylitzes Continuatus 184.26-185.8
  • [After Konstantios 61's usurpation] he seduced some of the soldiers with gifts, others he won over with honorific ranks, others he dealt with in different ways. And Konstantios 61 was apprehended by them and handed over to him (:) Zonaras 18.19.23
  • Since the Turks were overrunning the East, he sent against them with a sizeable force Konstantinos (Konstantios 61) the son of the former emperor Konstantinos 10 Doukas, appointing Konstantios 61 commander of the army opposing the Turks (:) Zonaras 18.19.21