Hervé Frankopoulos

Hervé or Erbebios ho Frangopoulos ( Herwig Franke ), as he calls himself on his seal, was a Norman mercenaries in Byzantine service.

Life

From 1038 Hervé was part of the Byzantine invasion force in Sicily, one of 300 Mounted Normans ( Amatus of Monte Cassio ) under the command of William Iron Arm, a son of Tancred of Hauteville, under the command of the Byzantine general George Maniakes. Hervé took probably at the Battle of Troina in the spring of 1040 in part, but remained after the rebellion of the Lombard Arduin, who had complained about a lack of prey and lack of monthly pay ( sitēresion ) in Byzantine service.

In 1049 he commanded as Commander of the homoethnē the left wing of romäischen phalanx, which consisted mainly of Franconia, in a battle against the Pechenegs. After the battle was lost, was accused them of having taken the first flight, from fear of the enemy Hufgetrommel ( Skylitzes 488 ). Only the Byzantine general Katakalon Kekaumenus have withstood. Hervé was no later than 1057 in the topic Armeniakon assigned through the winter, a good of its own ( Skylitzes 485, 490 ), perhaps an imperial stud ( Shepard 1993, 288 ), and he had to support his his and the horses of his followers.

1057 he rebelled against the Emperor Michael VI, apparently because he found his services in the paschal awarding of titles and benefices too bad rewarded. Michael VI. had his application for the title of magister rejected publicly in a derogatory manner. Hervé retired to his estate back, but only 300 of his mounted Frankish compatriots followed him. He allied himself out with Samuch, a Turkmen military leader, and they agreed their attacks on the imperial territory among themselves. But the allies encamped in Khliat near the Lake Van, Samuchs troops raided the Franks. While this won the field, but by Hervé was Abu Nasr, the captured by Khliat Emir. At the same time, the General Katakalon Kekaumenus were in issue Armeniakon also in rebellion, this seems to have its barbarian neighbors but not taken into confidence.

Hervé was finally released and re-entered the Imperial service. He was with the titles magistros, vestes and rewarded stratelatēs of the East, which he commanded not only Norman, but also Byzantine troops. This 16 talents of gold per year and had an outstanding position in the imperial court were to him. Allegedly, he was eventually drowned on the orders of Constantine X..

Personality

Hervé's seal shows the picture of St. Peter, who was worshiped especially in the West, so he does not seem to have completely assimilated.