Certainty: 2 Konstantinos Leichoudes' talents were used by Michael V in his brief reign Certainty: 2
1043
Certainty: 1 Rise of Konstantinos Leichoudes to become the mesazon of Konstantinos IX Certainty: 1
1047
Certainty: 3 Dedication of monastery & hospital at Mangana by Konstantinos IX Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Siege of Constantinople by Leon Tornikios, who won several skirmishes Certainty: 2
1050
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos IX dismissed Konstantinos Leichoudes in favour of Ioannes logothetes Certainty: 2
Certainty: 0 Konstantinos Leichoudes swore to rebuild the Church where his father would be buried Certainty: 0
1052
Certainty: 1 Konstantinos IX after dismissing Konstantinos Leichoudes, completed his reign in sickness & failure Certainty: 1
1054
Certainty: 2 Esaïas left the capital, but was given protection (to Psellos' joy) by Konstantinos Leichoudes Certainty: 2
1057
Certainty: 2 Psellos with 2 colleagues sent as ambassadors to Isaakios Komnenos at Nikomedia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Michael VI's envoys splendidly received Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Secret response of Isaakios (I) to the ambassadors of Michael VI Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 The first embassy of Psellos & his colleagues, they say, was ignored
Skylitzes and Aristakes mention the first embassy to Isaakios without details as a failure. This is confirmed by an early but particularly unreliable text of Psellos, his undelivered speech against Keroularios (Ketegoria) [The embassy's true status will doubtless be somewhere between this and the total success reported by Psellos in the Chronographia]
Certainty: 2 Outcome of embassy to Isaakios (I) reported to Michael VI; reply to secret response Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Second embassy to Isaakios (I) came close to agreement on settlement Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Katakalon Kekaumenos convinced many rebels of dangers of settlement, & (secretly) the imperial ambassadors Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ambassadors assured Isaakios (I) he was popular in Constantinople, which would revolt at his approach Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Second embassy to Isaakios Komnenos interrupted by news of revolt in Constantinople Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Isaakios Komnenos entered city in triumph; he was crowned & proclaimed emperor by patriarch
[Psellos provides privileged access to the private beginnings of a day of public celebration, suspect like all his claims to be close to emperors]. Everyone was ordered to prepare to move to the City. Psellos spent an anxious night, expecting to be killed. Before sunrise Isaakios suddenly rode out on horseback. The three imperial ambassadors followed him, sat with him during the preparations, and in a way legitimised his taking of power. Psellos and Isaakios discussed the conduct of the embassy, the fickleness of fortune, the best way to rule, and then he revealed his plans to all the ambassadors. Psellos received promotion to proedros. As the sun reached its zenith, the imperial galley appeared. Isaakios, strewn with flowers and amidst loud applause, embarked and crossed with the fleet to Constantinople. He entered the city acclaimed with shouts, trumpets and other instruments, and was received at the palace late in the afternoon. The city population and many from outside the city, turned out in force, with extravagant celebrations. With a large escort he made a splendid procession to Hagia Sophia, received the crown from the hands of the patriarch Michael Keroularios and left the church wearing it. [Sources differ whether the coronation took place on the same day, or on the morrow.]
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos Leichoudes was given a major administrative role by Isaakios I Certainty: 2
1058
Certainty: 2 Psellos was seriously ill, interrupting his visits to the emperor & the business he was doing for suppliants Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Konstantinos Leichoudes was the only approach to Isaakios I: Psellos wrote to him for the krites of Charsianon & a poor suppliant
Psellos' Lenten devotions were interrupted by the complaints of a poor man at his gate, demanding a brief letter from him to Konstantinos Leichoudes, which he reluctantly wrote. He begged Leichoudes' pardon, but it might be better if the man spread praises in the city, not complaints. The krites of Charsianon was not easy to help. Psellos had received another letter from him with no information from the hospice, no details on what he had written to Isaakios I, nor an oral message, since Psellos had not even seen the letter-carrier. He told the krites to write humbly to Leichoudes, the only way to approach Isaakios I
1059
Certainty: 2 Appointment of Konstantinos Leichoudes as patriarch
The proedros and protovestiarios Konstantinos Leichoudes was appointed patriarch after the death of Keroularios. Leichoudes was a good enough churchman to silence criticisms and do honour to his predecessor. Psellos predicted the appointment, for Leichoudes seemed to have prepared himself for this moment. Knowing him as a man and civilian administrator, Psellos was not surprised that he proved an excellent patriarch, sympathetic and never angry. But Leichoudes' consecration was delayed by Isaakios I while the synod investigated rumours against him. Isaakios' price for removal of this hindrance was for Leichoudes to hand over his control of the Mangana, which, after consideration, he did. From then on there was no problem
Certainty: 2 Leichoudes fell seriously ill as soon as he became patriarch - a worrying sign of possible divine disfavour Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Leichoudes sent Psellos a fish, which the latter hoped meant that the friend who had rejected him was reconciled Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Abdication of Isaakios Komnenos
Psellos had a disagreement with the emperor's chief doctor over the nature and likely duration of his patient's fever. However Isaakios decided to abdicate. Konstantinos Leichoudes came to see him (not before time), to counsel him on the better life and strengthen him with words of all kinds. A more violent fit seized the emperor and all now despaired of his life. All his family sat around him lamenting, and would have died with him if they could
Certainty: 3 Beginning of rule of Konstantinos X
[Psellos gives himself a very large role in the transition from Isaakios I to Konstantinos X, and there is no way of checking his account.] Konstantinos, summoned as Isaakios was apparently dying, stood blushing with his usual modesty. He was more saddened by Isaakios' illness than pleased at his own accession. Only Psellos dared array him in the imperial insignia, with the permission of the senate. He seated him on the imperial throne, put on the purple sandals, and other ceremonies for a new ruler followed. When Konstantinos saw Psellos leading the homage, he at once rose from the throne and embraced him. Later he asked him to make an appropriate speech. Konstantinos maintained this close relationship with Psellos
1060
Certainty: 2 Leichoudes honoured Keroularios at his tomb before Konstantinos X & Eudokia a year after his death Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Katakalon Kekaumenos as a monk was told to deal with the emperor himself over non-payment of his salary Certainty: 2
Certainty: 1 Katakalon Kekaumenos was told that his man worked hard on emperor, patriarch & Psellos before admitting defeat
Katakalon Kekaumenos was congratulated as a brave monk, fighting on many fronts, that he had lost to the emperor of this world money to be repaid many times in the next. He was also told of the noble failure of his man (in demanding his salary as kouropalates), despite his hard work. He had done his best, putting pressure in every way on Konstantinos X, Konstantinos Leichoudes the patriarch and especially Psellos himself. But circumstances were against him, and he would have left early had Psellos not kept him till the right time
1061
Certainty: 1 Provisional settlement of dispute between Vatopedi & Hagios Hypatios on Athos
Konstantinos X granted to Iakobos, hegoumenos of Hagios Hypatios, a sigillion obtained through fraudulent means, which the hegoumenos used to appropriate properties belonging to Vatopedi. Theodosios, hegoumenos of Vatopedi, complained to Konstantinos X about the properties of the monastery appropriated by Iakobos with his fraudulent sigillion. Konstantinos X passed the problem to the patriarch Konstantinos Leichoudes, and he in turn to Niketas, kouboukleisios and protosynkellos, chartophylax of the patriarchate, who decided the issue in favour of Vatopedi. But Iakobos of Hagios Hypatios ignored Niketas' decision, went to the civil courts and had the disputed property returned to his monastery. Theodosios of Vatopedi complained again to Konstantinos X and Konstantinos the patriarch, who asked Hilarion, protos of Athos, to settle the affair. He implemented the decision of Niketas the chartophylax, having himself examined the relevant historical documents, and returned the properties to Vatopedi
Certainty: 1 Trial of Konstantinos, nephew of Keroularios, for a capital offence Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 The patriarch Konstantinos Leichoudes made the rules of the convent he had founded more & more strict Certainty: 1
1062
Certainty: 1 When Psellos tried to help a krites, he made progress at first in persuading Konstantinos X; but now slander had stopped him Certainty: 1
1063
Certainty: 3 Death of Konstantinos Leichoudes caused an outpouring of grief throughout the capital; then an interregnum Certainty: 3
Certainty: 1 Psellos sent festal gifts to the families of Konstantinos X, Ioannes kaisar & the patriarch; letters often explore symbolism Certainty: 1