Certainty: 0 A young Nikephoros (Nikephoritzes) taken into the palace by Konstantinos IX Certainty: 0
1063
Certainty: 1 Nikephoritzes was made doux of Antioch for slandering empress Eudokia: he provoked barbarian attacks Certainty: 1
1067
Certainty: 2 Nikephoritzes removed from government of Antioch & put in prison there Certainty: 2
1068
Certainty: 2 Nikephoritzes freed from prison at Antioch & sent as krites to Hellas & Peloponnesos Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Psellos recommended Elias Krystalas to Nikephoritzes Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Psellos asked Nikephoritzes to see if Besaine was a rich see, as its bishop was likely to be taxed as a rich man Certainty: 2
1071
Certainty: 0 Nikoulitzas Delphinas, advised by Nikephoritzes, visited Michael VII in the capital Certainty: 0
1072
Certainty: 2 Nikephoritzes replaced Ioannes of Side as chief minister, & even supplanted the kaisar Ioannes Certainty: 2
1073
Certainty: 2 Defeat & capture of Isaakios Komnenos by Turks at Caesarea Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1 Creation of tagma of Athanatoi by Michael VII & Nikephoritzes Certainty: 1
1074
Certainty: 2 Fresh campaign against Turks (&/or Roussel) under kaisar Ioannes Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Michael VII began to feel responsible for Byzantine disasters, but still followed evil counsellors
After the rebellion of Roussel de Bailleul and the defeat of the kaisar Ioannes Doukas at the bridge of Zompos, Michael VII began to feel responsible for these disasters. In a speech he claimed to be desperately worried, and compared himself to Jonah, expecting to be thrown overboard. He nevertheless persisted in the policy which was causing the problems, continuing to rely on the advice of Nikephoritzes, who isolated the emperor from his entourage and concentrated more and more money and power in his own hands, extorting bribes from military and civil officials, especially tax collectors
Certainty: 2 Michael VII bribed Turks against Roussel, who released kaisar Ioannes, proclaiming him emperor
Roussel refused attempts at appeasement by Michael VII, but released the kaisar Ioannes Doukas from his bonds and, despite his reluctance, proclaimed him emperor with acclamations and imperial insignia. Once the proclamation was made, Ioannes bacame more positive about the idea and contacted his friends in the capital. Michael VII and Nikephoritzes, despairing of using their own forces, persuaded the Seljuk general Artuk with large bribes to march against them. Artuk came from the east with huge forces to Metabole, then crossed passes to Mt. Maroxos and found his quarry camped near Trisea
Certainty: 2 Roussel, after ransom, returned to his old base in Armeniakon Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Raids of Roussel de Bailleul on cities of Pontos Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1 Expulsion of patriarch Aimilianos from Antioch by doux Isaakios Komnenos
Isaakios Komnenos (brother of the future Alexios I) was appointed doux of Antioch with instructions from Michael VII and Nikephoritzes to expel from the city its patriarch Aimilianos, held responsible for the unrest that broke out there. Isaakios was received with much honour and initially pretended to be favourably disposed towards the patriarch in order to avoid trouble in the divided city. Later, pretending to be unwell, he was invited to the patriarch's country estate to hunt hare. But once there, he used the excuse of going hunting to return to the city, and sent the imperial order to the patriarch ordering him to leave at once. Aimilianos, though very angry, could only go to Laodikeia, spend a few days there until his luggage was brought from Antioch, and then sail to Constantinople
Certainty: 1 A case of forgery in the signature of a report on the bishop of Korone Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 Dispute at court over proposed appointment of Nikephoros Bryennios as kaisar Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 Granary built near Raidestos by Nikephoritzes to establish wheat monopoly & brutally enforce it Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 The Danubian cities (including Dristra/Dorostolon) were infiltrated by Pechenegs & revolted Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 Nestor, trusted lieutenant of Michael VII, sent to restore order on Danube, joined the rebels Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 Nestor's demand for surrender of Nikephoritzes rejected: he finally retreated because he feared a plot Certainty: 1
1075
Certainty: 1 Nikephoritzes collected his treasure at the monastery of Hebdomon, promising to make it an imperial palace Certainty: 1
1077
Certainty: 2 Rebellion of Ioannes Bryennios & Nikephoros Basilakes, joined reluctantly by Nikephoros Bryennios Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Rebellion of Nikephoros Bryennios, joined by Adrianople, Raidestos & other cities
The rebel Nikephoros Bryennios, dressed in imperial garb, was welcomed to his native Adrianople by the people and its katepano Tarchaneiotes. He also secured the support of Raidestos through Batatzina, a relation of his, who won over many citizens by gifts and promises. Traianoupolis and Panion also went over to Bryennios. The rebel appointed his supporters to various posts and made his brother Ioannes a kouropalates. Nikephoritzes failed to contain the situation, either through lack of resources or laziness. He attempted unsuccessfuly to have Ioannes Bryennios killed at Adrianople by a Varangian, who got drunk, confessed and had his nose slit
Certainty: 2 Michael Attaleiates had personal experience of the rebellion at Raidestos Certainty: 2
1078
Certainty: 3 The people in Hagia Sophia proclaimed Nikephoros Botaneiates (still at Lampe) emperor Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Synod of prelates decided to support rebel Nikephoros Botaneiates Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Turks sent against Nikephoros Botaneiates by Michael VII were bribed by the rebel
Michael VII with embassies and numerous gifts bribed Kutulmush and his sons to hold the roads against Botaneiates' advance on the capital. Sulayman and Mansur ibn Kutulmush were camped at Chrysopolis and primed for war. However Botaneiates sent his ally Chrysoskoulos/Erisgen who won them over with larger bribes to his cause. The Turks received huge gifts daily from the imperial treasury, and so left the way to Nicaea open
Certainty: 2 Arrest, imprisonment & death of Nikephoritzes
After his arrest by Roussel de Bailleul (whom he may have poisoned), Nikephoritzes was sent by Roussel's relatives to Nikephoros III who banished him (to Prote or Oxeia). He was then questioned about the whereabouts of public money and tortured by Romanos Straboromanos dying as a result of his treatment