Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger

Nikephoros Bryennios (Greek Νικηφόρος Βρυέννιος; * to 1081, † 1136 in Constantinople Opel ) was a Byzantine military, politician and historian. He was highly regarded for his knowledge, had a pleasant appearance and a crafty creatures, won the favor of the emperor Alexius I and the hand of his daughter Anna Comnena entitled Panhypersebastos, one of the newly created Alexios Would (see offices and titles in Byzantine Empire). To Bryennios 1111 was promoted to Kaisar, the third stage in the Byzantine ranking at that time.

Bryennios defended in 1097 successfully passed the walls of Constantinople Opel against the attacks of the Crusader Godfrey of Bouillon during the First Crusade, led the peace negotiations between Alexius and Bohemond of Taranto (Treaty of Devol, 1108 ) and also played in the defeat of the Seldschukenfürsten Malik Shah in 1116 an important role.

After Alexios ' death, he refused to join the conspiracy, who led his mother and his wife to depose John II Komnenos, the son of the late Emperor, and to bring himself on the throne. His wife called his refusal cowardice, but from some passages in his own work shows that he regarded it as a crime, to rebel against the rightful heir. The only reproach that can be made ​​about him is that he is not stifled the conspiracy in the bud.

He used a good relationship with John Paul II, whom he accompanied on his Syrian campaign of 1136. However, for health reasons, he had to return to Constantinople Opel, where he died the same year.

At the suggestion of his mother, he wrote a history of the period from 1057 to 1081 with the title Historias Hyle ( Materials for a history), of Isaac Komnenos ' victory over Michael VII to the deposition of Nikephoros III. by Alexios. The work is more of a family history with the aim of glorifying the Komnenen. Part of the introduction may be a later addition.

In addition to the information that gave him older contemporaries ( like his father and father in law ), Bryennios also used the works of Michael Psellus, John and Michael Skylitzes Attaleiates. As expected, his vision is distorted by personal references and its relations with the imperial family, who had commanded him unusual opportunities to evaluate material. His model was Xenophon, whom he imitated with some success. He abstains from excessive use of similes and metaphors, his style is concise and simple.

Expenditure

  • P. Possinus 1661 (Editio princeps).
  • E. Meineke in Bonn Corpus Scriptorum Hist. Byz. (1836 ) with a valuable commentary by Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange.
  • Jacques Paul Migne: Patrologia Graeca, CXXVII.
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