Boril wanted to use the Varangians, but Kosmas I the patriarch took Nikephoros III to Hagia Sophia

Summary:

The Komnenoi still had very few troops with them, as the rest were dispersed throughout the city in looting. Boril realised the opportunity this presented, and drew up the Varangians, with some fresh troops from Choma, in good order from the Milion to the Forum of Constantine. But Nikephoros III had no interest in fighting. Kosmas I the patriarch advised him not to start a bloody civil war but to renounce the world and become a monk: this advice may have been inspired by Ioannes the kaisar, who was an old friend of Kosmas. In his confusion, Nikephoros forgot, as he left the palace for Hagia Sophia with downcast eyes, that he was still wearing imperial robes. He himself took off his crimson shoes, and Boril tore an embroidered panel from his arm with a mocking comment 
Dates:
1081 
Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (Alexios 1)
  • Learning of his and Isaakios 61's entry, Nikephoros 3 at once left the palace, casting off somewhere there the crimson shoes he was wearing: in association with Isaakios 61 (:) Zonaras 18.20.19
Boril, protoproedros and ethnarches (Boril 61)
  • He decided to use the Varangians on the Komnenoi, whose available me were very few, as the rest were scattered in looting; he drew up the Varangians (with fresh troops from Choma) in good order from the Milion to the Forum of Constantine (:) Anna Komnene 85.28-86.38
  • Nikephoros 3 did not remember that he was still wearing imperial robes, but Boril tore some embroidered work from his arm with a mocking comment (:) Anna Komnene 86.52-57
Ioannes Doukas, kaisar (Ioannes 62)
  • He may have inspired the advice given by his old friend Kosmas 11 to Nikephoros 3 to renounce the world and become a monk (:) Anna Komnene 86.45
Kosmas I, patriarch of Constantinople (Kosmas 11)
  • He was informed of the problems faced by Nikephoros 3 and advised him not to start a bloody civil war but to renounce the world and become a monk; this advice may have been inspired by Ioannes 62, who was an old friend (:) Anna Komnene 86.38-50
Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates (Nikephoros 3)
  • He did not accept Boril 61's suggestion to use the Varangians, but followed Kosmas 11's advice to become a monk: he went to Hagia Sophia with downcast eyes (:) Anna Komnene 85.28-86.52
  • Learning of the Komnenoi (Alexios 1 and Isaakios 61)’s entry, he at once left the palace, casting off somewhere there the crimson shoes he was wearing (:) Zonaras 18.20.19
  • In his confusion, he had forgotten, as he left the palace for Hagia Sophia, that he was still wearing imperial robes; but Boril 61 tore an embroidered panel from his arm with a mocking comment (:) Anna Komnene 86.52-57