Mouzalon or Muzalon (Greek : Μουζάλων, pl. Μουζάλωνες) was the name of a Byzantine family attested in the 11th through 15th centuries, which produced a number of officials and high dignitaries. The family reached its peak in the 1250s, when it enjoyed the patronage of Emperor Theodore II Laskaris (r. 1254–1258), but was largely purged after his death by the great aristocratic families. The female form of the name is Mouzalonissa (Μουζαλώνισσα).
The first known members of the family are attested in 11th-century seals. One of them records Theophano Mouzalonissa, " archontissa of Rhousia ". It has been suggested that she was the wife of Oleg Svyatoslavovich, lord of Tmutarakan, but it is also possible that she was simply the wife of the Byzantine archon of the port city and base of Rhosia, which was located near Tmutarakan. [1] In the late 11th century, Nicholas Mouzalon, became Archbishop of Cyprus and later, in 1147–1151, Patriarch of Constantinople. Another member of the family, Constantine Mouzalon, was a patriarchal notary. [2] [3]
The most prominent members of the family however were the Mouzalon brothers from Adramyttium. They entered palace service as pages to the young Theodore II Laskaris, and became his childhood companions. [2] [4] Although they were of humble origin, upon his accession Theodore rewarded them with the highest state offices. His close friend George Mouzalon was made first megas domestikos (commander in chief of the army) and then protovestiarios (chamberlain) and megas stratopedarches , an office specially created for him. Andronikos was made protovestiarios and then succeeded George as megas domestikos, while Theodore, the eldest brother, was made protokynegos (chief huntsman). [2] [5] This unprecedented favour towards low-born men, as well as their subsequent marriage, on the emperor's initiative, to women of prominent noble families, aroused the enmity of the traditional aristocracy. [2] [6] Theodore II died in August 1258 after a short illness, leaving George Mouzalon as regent for the young John IV Laskaris (r. 1258–1261). A few days after his death however, an aristocratic conspiracy led by the future emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282) arranged their murder by mutinous soldiers during a memorial service for the deceased emperor. [2] [7] There were also at least two sisters, one of whom was married to a Hagiotheodorites. The name of the other husband is unknown, but he too was murdered along with his brothers-in-law. [4] Other contemporary members of the family, of uncertain relation to the four brothers, included a governor of the capital of Nicaea, whose first name is unknown, and the mystikos and epi tou kanikleiou John Mouzalon. [8]
A Theodore Mouzalon appears later as logothetes tou genikou to Michael VIII. It has been suggested that he is the elder of the murdered brothers, but it is not certain. After disagreeing with the emperor's unionist religious policies, he was dismissed and flogged, but returned to favour under Andronikos II Palaiologos (r. 1282–1328). His daughter Eudokia married Constantine Palaiologos, the emperor's second son. [2] [9] Under Andronikos II, the family also regained military offices: Stephen Mouzalon was megas droungarios tou ploimou and led the negotiations with the Catalan Company, while the hetaireiarches George Mouzalon led the Byzantine forces in the Battle of Bapheus against the Ottomans in 1302. [2] [9]
The aristocrat John Mouzalon is mentioned later in the century, while the last known member of the family is the "philosopher physician" Demetrios Mouzalon in the 15th century. [9]
John IV Doukas Laskaris was emperor of Nicaea from August 16, 1258, to December 25, 1261. This empire was one of the Greek states formed from the remaining fragments of the Byzantine Empire, after the capture of Constantinople by Roman Catholics during the Fourth Crusade in 1204.
The House of Laskaris or Lascaris was a Byzantine Greek noble family which rose to prominance during the Late Byzantine period. The members of the family formed the ruling dynasty of the Empire of Nicaea, a Byzantine rump state that existed from the 1204 sack of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade until the restoration of the Empire under the Palaeologan dynasty in 1261.
Alexios Komnenos Strategopoulos was a Byzantine aristocrat and general who rose to the rank of megas domestikos and Caesar. Distantly related to the Komnenian dynasty, he appears in the sources already at an advanced age in the early 1250s, leading armies for the Empire of Nicaea against Epirus. After falling out of favour and being imprisoned by Theodore II Laskaris, Strategopoulos sided with the aristocrats around Michael VIII Palaiologos, and supported him in his rise to the throne after Theodore II's death in 1258. He participated in the Pelagonia campaign in 1259, going on to capture Epirus, but his successes were undone in the next year and he was captured by the Epirotes. Released after a few months, he led the unexpected reconquest of Constantinople from the Latin Empire in July 1261, restoring the Byzantine Empire. He was captured again by the Epirotes in the next year and spent several years in captivity in Italy, before being released. He retired from public affairs and died in the early 1270s.
John Doukas Palaiologos was a Byzantine aristocrat, brother to Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, who served as the commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army. He played a prominent part in his brother's military campaigns, most notably in the crucial victory at the Battle of Pelagonia, but also in repeated campaigns against Epirus and against the Turks in Asia Minor. He retired from active service after his defeat at Neopatras, and died shortly after.
Alexios Doukas Philanthropenos was a Byzantine nobleman and distinguished admiral, with the rank of protostrator and later megas doux, during the reign of Michael VIII Palaiologos.
George Mouzalon was a high official of the Empire of Nicaea under Theodore II Laskaris.
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Theodora Palaiologina Kantakouzene Raoulaina was a Byzantine noblewoman, the niece of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. Widowed twice, she clashed with her uncle over his unionist religious policies, and became a nun. She also restored the monastery of Saint Andrew in Krisei, to where she transferred the relics of Patriarch Arsenios Autoreianos. Highly educated, she was a prominent member of the capital's literary circles at the close of the 13th century.
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Theodore Komnenos Doukas Palaiologos Synadenos, usually simply Theodore Synadenos, was a Byzantine magnate, senior official and military leader of the early 14th century, who played an important role in the civil wars of the period. The scion of a noble lineage, he became one of the first and most prominent supporters of Andronikos III Palaiologos in his struggle against his grandfather Andronikos II. Synadenos held various provincial governorships during Andronikos III's reign, including Epirus and Thessalonica. After the outbreak of the civil war of 1341–1347, he tried to surrender Thessalonica to his old friend John Kantakouzenos, but was driven from the city by the Zealots of Thessalonica. Forced to join Kantakouzenos's enemies, he was initially honoured with the high rank of protovestiarios but soon placed under house arrest in Constantinople, where he died impoverished in 1345 or 1346.
Theodore Philes was a Byzantine nobleman and governor of Thessalonica in the mid-13th century.
Andronikos Komnenos Palaiologos, was a governor-general of Thessalonica and Grand domestic of the Empire of Nicaea. He was the father of the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, the founder of the Palaeologue dynasty.
Theodora Angelina Palaiologina was a Byzantine noblewoman and mother of the future Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty. She was the daughter of the despotes Alexios Palaiologos and Irene Komnene Angelina, the daughter of Alexios III Angelos and Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera.
Manuel Komnenos Raoul was a Byzantine aristocrat and official.
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The Tornikios or Tornikes was a Byzantine noble family, prominent during the middle and late Byzantine period. From the mid-10th century, members of the family, of Armenian and Georgian origins, acquired a role of growing importance in the political affairs of the empire, while in the following centuries they played a leading role in crucial military and political events. In the 13th century the family grew in importance after intermarring with members of other aristocratic families, mainly the Palaiologos dynasty.