Gregory Pakourianos

Gregor Pakourianos (Greek Γρηγόριος Πακουριανός, Armenian Գրիգոր Բակուրյան, Grigor Bakurian, georgian გრიგორი ბაკურიანი, Bulgarian Григорий Бакуриани, † 1086 ), a politician and military commander of the Armenian- Georgian origin was in Byzantine service. He is known primarily as the founder of the Georgian Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria Bachkovo and as an author of a statute ( Typikon ).

Life

Gregor Pakourianos was born into a noble family in the area known Tao / Tayk, which was annexed by Byzantium since 1001 as the theme Iberia. He at least since the beginning of the 1060er years was in military service and served in the Byzantine -controlled Georgian, Armenian and Syrian territories and countries of the Balkan Peninsula. He took part in the unsuccessful defense of Ani against the Seljuk leader Alp Arslan in 1064. He later served under Michael VII Doukas and Nikephoros III. in various positions of responsibility at the eastern and western borders of the empire. Since the rise of the Seljuk Turks forced the Byzantines to evacuate the fortresses in eastern Anatolia and the Theme Iberia, he surrendered the city Kars 1072/73 of the Georgian King Giorgi II, but not held the invaders from getting to conquer the city.

Later he was involved in a coup d'état that overthrew Nikephoros III. The new emperor, Alexius I, appointed him " Megas domestikos " ( army commander ) of the entire West, and gave him many other lands in the Balkans. He owned numerous properties in various parts of the Empire and enjoyed a variety of privileges of the Emperor, including the exemption from certain taxes.

In 1081 he commanded the left flank in the battle against the Normans at Dyrrachium. A year later, he pushed the Normans from Moglena, today's Greece. He died in 1086 at the Battle of Belaitoba against the Pechenegs. He should be so greatly advanced storm that he bumped into a tree.

He was also known as a patron and supporter of Christian culture. He along with his brother Apasios 1074 the Iviron on Mount Athos a significant donation. In 1083 he founded the Orthodox Monastery Petritzos (now Bachkovo Monastery ) and wrote for this monastic rules ( Typikon ). He signed it in Armenian letters, not Greek.