Chase, the son of Ioube ( el, Χασὲ υἱὸς τοῦ Ἰούβη), originally Hasan ibn Ayyub, was a senior Byzantine official of Arab origin.

Biography

Chase, a Hellenized form of the Arabic name "Hasan", is mentioned by the ''

De Administrando Imperio ''De Administrando Imperio'' ("On the Governance of the Empire") is the Latin title of a Greek-language work written by the 10th-century Eastern Roman Emperor Constantine VII. The Greek title of the work is ("To yown son Romanos"). It is a domes ...

'', a work compiled in the middle of the 10th century by Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos, and the chronicles of Theophanes Continuatus and

Georgius Monachus George Hamartolos or Hamartolus ( el, ) was a monk at Constantinople under Michael III (842–867) and the author of a chronicle of some importance. Hamartolus is not his name but the epithet he gives to himself in the title of his work: "A compe ...

. Along with his younger brother, who received the Christian name Niketas on his baptism, he was reportedly a slave of the '' patrikios'' Damian, the ''

parakoimomenos The ''parakoimōmenos'' ( el, παρακοιμώμενος, literally "the one who sleeps beside he emperor's chamber) was a Byzantine court position, usually reserved for eunuchs. The position's proximity to the emperors guaranteed its holders ...

'' of Emperor

Michael III Michael III ( grc-gre, Μιχαήλ; 9 January 840 – 24 September 867), also known as Michael the Drunkard, was Byzantine Emperor from 842 to 867. Michael III was the third and traditionally last member of the Amorian (or Phrygian) dynasty. ...

(), implying that they had been captured as prisoners of war during a conflict with the Arabs around the middle of the 9th century or shortly after. It is unclear whether they came alone or with their father Ioube (Ἰούβη, Hellenized form of Ayyub); it is possible that they came to Byzantium as children, and that Niketas was even born there. Unlike his brother, who converted to Christianity, Chase remained a Muslim throughout his life. Constantine VII asserts that during the reign of his uncle Alexander (), Chase was one of his closest confidantes. Constantine VII further accuses him of having a negative influence on the emperor. According to the chroniclers, he held a fiscal position in the theme of

Hellas Hellas may refer to: Places in Greece *Ἑλλάς (''Ellás''), genitive Ἑλλάδος (''Elládos''), an ancient Greek toponym used to refer to: ** Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country i ...

thereafter. He became quickly hated by the local inhabitants due to his incessant demands, until he was stoned to death before the altar of a church (most likely the converted Parthenon) in Athens. As he was a Muslim, he may have tried to seek sanctuary there, or otherwise his entering of the church may have outraged the congregation leading to his murder. His death took place probably in 915. The ''illoustrios'' John Ioubes later in the century was possibly a descendant or otherwise a relative.

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Chase 9th-century births 915 deaths Year of birth unknown 10th-century Byzantine people Byzantine officials Byzantine Greece Prisoners of war held by the Byzantine Empire Byzantine people of Arab descent Medieval Athens Deaths by stoning Byzantine Muslims