Byzantine Empire. Michael VII Ducas.lot 411

Description: Byzantine Empire Emp Michael VII Ducas Follis Size: 25 mm Weight: 6.93 gm Certificate of Authenticity provided Michael VII Doukas Byzantine emperor from 1071 to 1078 MichaelVII DoukasorDucas(Greek: ), nicknamedParapinakes(Greek:, lit. "minus a quarter", with reference to the devaluation of the Byzantine currency under his rule), was the seniorByzantine emperorfrom 1071 to 1078. He was known as incompetent as an emperor and reliant on court officials, especially of his finance ministerNikephoritzes, who increased taxation and luxury spending while not properly financing their army (which later mutinied). Under his reign,Bariwas lost and his empire facedopen revoltin the Balkans. Along with the advancingSeljuk Turksin the eastern front, Michael also had to contend with his mercenaries openly turning against the empire. Michael stepped down as emperor in 1078 and later retired to a monastery. Life Michael VII was bornc.1050 inConstantinople, the eldest son ofConstantine X DoukasandEudokia Makrembolitissa.He was probably associated with the throne by the end of 1060, together with or shortly before his newly born brotherKonstantios Doukas.When Constantine X died on 23 May 1067,Michael VII was already 17 years old and should have been able to rule by himself. He exhibited little interest in politics, however, and his mother Eudokia and uncle John Doukas governed the empire as effectiveregents. On 1 January 1068, Eudokia married the generalRomanos IV Diogenes, who now became senior co-emperor alongside Michael VII, Konstantios, and another brother,Andronikos.When RomanosIV was defeated and captured byAlp Arslanof the Seljuk Turks at theBattle of Manzikertin August 1071,MichaelVII remained in the background, while the initiative to take power was taken by his uncleJohn Doukasand his tutorMichael Psellos.MichaelVII was proclaimed emperor on 1 October 1071, although Eudokia ruled as regent for a month before being dispatched to a monastery. Although still advised by Michael Psellos and John Doukas, MichaelVII became increasingly reliant on his finance ministerNikephoritzes.The emperor's chief interests, shaped by Psellos, were in academic pursuits, and he allowed Nikephoritzes to increase both taxation and luxury spending without properly financing the army. As an emperor he was incompetent, often surrounded by sycophantic court officials.In dire straits, imperial officials resorted to property confiscations and even expropriated some of the wealth of the church. The underpaid army tended to mutiny, and the Byzantines lostBari, their last possession inItaly, to theNormansofRobert Guiscardin 1071.Simultaneously, they faced aserious revoltunderGeorgi Voytehin the Balkans, where they faced an attempt at the restoration of theBulgarianstate.Although this revolt was suppressed by the general Nikephoros Bryennios,the Byzantine Empire was unable to recover its losses inAsia Minor. After Manzikert, the Byzantine government sent a new army to contain theSeljuk Turksunder Isaac Komnenos, a brother of the future emperorAlexiosI Komnenos, but this army was defeated and its commander captured in 1073.The problem was made worse by the desertion of the Byzantines' western mercenaries underRoussel de Bailleulwho were setting up an independent principiality in the region ofGalatiaandLycaonia.They became the object of the next military expedition in the area, led by Michael's uncle,caesarJohn Doukas.This campaign also ended in failure, and John was likewise captured by the enemy. The victorious Roussel now forced John Doukas to stand as pretender to the throne and sackedChrysopolis, just opposite emperor), reinforced by Seljuk troops sent byMalik ShahI, finally defeated the mercenaries and captured John Doukas in 1074. These misfortunes caused widespread dissatisfaction, exacerbated by the devaluation of the currency, which gave the emperor his nicknameParapinaks.In 1078 two generals Nikephoros Botaneiates, simultaneously revolted in the Balkans and Anatolia, respectively.Botaneiates gained the support of the Seljuk Turks, and he reached Constantinople first. MichaelVII resigned the throne with hardly a struggle on 24 or 31 March 1078 and retired into theMonastery of Stoudios.He later becamemetropolitan of Ephesusand died in Constantinople in c. 1090. Before his resignation from the throne, MichaelVII may have sent an embassy toSong China, following a series ofByzantine embassiesto the earlierTang Empireof China.From theWenxian Tongkao, written by Chinese historianMa Duanlin(12451322), and the 14th century work theHistory of Song,it is known that the ruler "Mie-li-yi-ling-kai-sa" () ofFu-lin(i.e.Byzantium) sent an embassy to theSong dynastywhich arrived on November 1081, during the reign ofEmperor Shenzong of Song(r. 10671085).TheHistory of Songmentions how the Byzantine diplomat and official named "Ni-si-tu-ling-si-meng-p'an" offered saddled horses, sword-blades, and real pearls as tributary gifts to the Song court.

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End Time: 2024-03-13T00:56:48.000Z

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