Georgios Tornikes announced to various dignitaries his election as metropolitan of Ephesos

Summary:
Georgios Tornikes had been made a priest, on the way to becoming metropolitan of Ephesos, and he sent letters to three major imperial dignities, asking for their sympathy and help, without which his tenure could not be successful. They were Ioannes Kamateros, the logothetes of the dromos, Andronikos Doukas Kamateros, the sebastos and megas droungarios, and Theodoros Stypeiotes, the epi tou kanikleiou. He stressed that as a simple scholar he was unfit for the role he had to play, contrasting himself with his correspondents, central persons in Manuel I's administration; he was worried about the task he had undertaken but certain that he could not refuse it. He also sent his cousin Euthymios to prepare Ephesos for his arrival, entrusting him with three letters to local dignitaries: the metropolitan of Smyrna and Alexios Giphardos, the doux of Thrakesion, together with the latter's representative at Ephesos. They were all informed of his coming and asked to co-operate with Euthymios 
Dates:
1155 
Alexios Giphardos (Alexios 17006)
  • He was told by Georgios 25002 that (unlike others) he agreed to be metropolitan of Ephesos, partly because Alexios was its doux; being not yet consecrated, he sent Euthymios 25001 with the usual patriarchal letter to prepare the see (:) Tornikes, Georgios 150.1-151.27
Andronikos Doukas Kamateros, sebastos and megas droungarios (Andronikos 112)
  • He received from Georgios 25002 an announcement of his election as metropolitan of Ephesos, in succession to Anonymus 25073, Andronikos' man; Georgios needed to be as much Andronikos' man as his predecessor, if he was to succeed (:) Tornikes, Georgios 140.1-141.12
metropolitan of Ephesos preceding Georgios Tornikes (Anonymus 25073)
  • He was replaced as metropolitan by Georgios 25002, who would have to be just as much the man of Andronikos 112 as he had been, to achieve success (:) Tornikes, Georgios 140.5-7
metropolitan of Smyrna (Anonymus 25074)
  • He had predicted that Georgios 25002 would be elected metropolitan of Ephesos, and was right; he should expect Georgios, now a priest, to come soon as bishop, unless Manuel 1 returned; he was asked to help Euthymios 25001 with preparations (:) Tornikes, Georgios 145.1-147.6
man of Alexios Giphardos, doux of Thrakesion, at Ephesos (Anonymus 25075)
  • In an encomiastic letter, he was asked to help Euthymios 25001, if he needed it, in preparing Ephesos for the arrival of Georgios 25002 (:) Tornikes, Georgios 148.1-149.14
Euthymios, cousin of Georgios Tornikes (Euthymios 25001)
Georgios Tornikes, man of letters and metropolitan of Ephesos (Georgios 25002)
  • He wrote to Ioannes 25008, a simple scholar and metropolitan-elect to one close to Manuel 1; he could not refuse Ephesos, to which he had been elected, and asked Ioannes to be the practical Holy Spirit which alone could inspire him to success (:) Tornikes, Georgios 137.1-139.11
  • He announced to Andronikos 112 his election as metropolitan of Ephesos, in succession to Anonymus 25073, Andronikos' man; he needed to be as much Andronikos' man as his predecessor, if he was to succeed (:) Tornikes, Georgios 140.1-141.12
  • He called Theodoros 186 the sole refuge of the church, and then spoke of the terrible state of the church of Ephesos to which he had just been elected, enlisting himself and Ephesos under Theodoros' protection (:) Tornikes, Georgios 142.1-144.4
  • He told Anonymus 25074 his prediction had been right - Georgios would be metropolitan of Ephesos; he asked help for preparations planned by Euthymios 25001; Georgios was now a priest, and would soon come as bishop, unless Manuel 1 returned (:) Tornikes, Georgios 145.1-147.6
  • He wrote a form letter to Anonymus 25075, praising him for his similarity in character to his excellent master (Alexios 17006), asking for help for his representative Euthymios 25001 and looking forward to a meeting in Ephesos (:) Tornikes, Georgios 148.1-149.14
  • He announced to Alexios 17006 that (unlike others) he accepted to be metropolitan of Ephesos, partly because Alexios was the relevant doux; being not yet consecrated, he sent Euthymios 25001 with the usual patriarchal letter to prepare the see (:) Tornikes, Georgios 150.1-151.27
Ioannes Kamateros, logothetes of the dromos (Ioannes 25008)
  • As close confidant of Manuel 1, he received a letter from Georgios 25002, who could not refuse Ephesos, to which he had been elected; he asked Ioannes to be the practical Holy Spirit which alone could inspire him, a simple scholar, to success (:) Tornikes, Georgios 137.1-139.11
Theodoros Stypeiotes, epi tou kanikleiou (Theodoros 186)
  • He was called by Georgios 25002 the sole refuge of the church: Georgios then spoke of the terrible state of the church of Ephesos to which he had just been elected, and enlisted himself and Ephesos under Theodoros' protection (:) Tornikes, Georgios 142.1-144.4