Theophilos ( gr, Θεόφιλος; sometimes
Latinized or
Anglicized
Anglicisation is the process by which a place or person becomes influenced by English culture or British culture, or a process of cultural and/or linguistic change in which something non-English becomes English. It can also refer to the influenc ...
as Theophilus or Theophilo; c. 812 20 January 842) was the
Byzantine Emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the
Amorian dynasty and the last emperor to support
iconoclasm.
[Timothy E. Gregory (2010). ''A History of Byzantium''. Blackwell Publishing Ltd. p. 227.] Theophilos personally led the armies in his long war against the Arabs, beginning in 831.
Life
Early
Theophilos was the son of the
Byzantine Phrygian Greek Emperor
Michael II and his wife
Thekla, and the godson of Emperor
Leo V the Armenian. Michael II
crowned Theophilos co-emperor in 821. The date is almost universally given as 12 May 821 (
Whitsunday
Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the H ...
), although this is not really corroborated by any source (another possible date is 24 March,
Easter). Unlike his father, Theophilos received an extensive education from
John Hylilas, the grammarian, and was a great admirer of music and art.
On 2 October 829, Theophilos succeeded his father as sole emperor.
Theophilos continued in his predecessors'
iconoclasm, though without his father's more conciliatory tone,
issuing an edict in 832 forbidding the veneration of
icons. He also saw himself as the champion of justice, which he served most ostentatiously by executing his father's co-conspirators against Leo V immediately after his accession.
War against the Arabs
At the time of his accession, Theophilos was obliged to wage wars against the
Arabs on two fronts.
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
was once again invaded by the Arabs, who took
Palermo after a year-long siege in 831, established the
Emirate of Sicily, and gradually continued to expand across the island. The defence after the invasion of
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
by
Al-Ma'mun the
Abbasid Caliph in 830 was led by the Emperor himself, but the Byzantines were defeated and lost several fortresses. In 831 Theophilos retaliated by leading a large army into
Cilicia and capturing
Tarsus. The Emperor returned to
Constantinople in triumph, but in the autumn he was defeated in
Cappadocia. Another defeat in the same province in 833 forced Theophilos to sue for peace (Theophilos offered 100,000 gold
dinars
The dinar () is the principal currency unit in several countries near the Mediterranean Sea, and its historical use is even more widespread.
The modern dinar's historical antecedents are the gold dinar and the silver dirham, the main coin o ...
and the return of 7,000 prisoners),
[J. Norwich, ''Byzantium: The Apogee'', 47] which he obtained the next year, after the death of Al-Ma'mun.
During the respite from the war against the Abbasids, Theophilos arranged for the abduction of the Byzantine captives settled north of the
Danube by
Krum of Bulgaria. The rescue operation was carried out with success in c. 836, and the peace between
Bulgaria and the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinopl ...
was quickly restored. However, it proved impossible to maintain peace in the East. Theophilos had given asylum to a number of refugees from the east in 834, including Nasr, a
Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
. He baptized one of the refugees,
Theophobos, who married the Emperor's aunt Irene and became one of his generals. As relations with the Abbasids deteriorated, Theophilos prepared for a new war.
In 837 Theophilos led a vast army of 70,000 men towards
Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia ''Mesopotamíā''; ar, بِلَاد ٱلرَّافِدَيْن or ; syc, ܐܪܡ ܢܗܪ̈ܝܢ, or , ) is a historical region of Western Asia situated within the Tigris–Euphrates river system, in the northern part of the ...
and captured
Melitene and
Arsamosata.
[W. Treadgold, ''A History of the Byzantine State and Society'', 440] The Emperor also took and destroyed
Zapetra (Zibatra, Sozopetra), which some sources claim as the birthplace of Caliph
al-Mu'tasim
Abū Isḥāq Muḥammad ibn Hārūn al-Rashīd ( ar, أبو إسحاق محمد بن هارون الرشيد; October 796 – 5 January 842), better known by his regnal name al-Muʿtaṣim biʾllāh (, ), was the eighth Abbasid caliph, ruling ...
. Theophilos returned to Constantinople in triumph. Eager for revenge, Al-Mu'tasim assembled a vast army and launched a two-pronged invasion of
Anatolia
Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The ...
in 838. Theophilos decided to strike one division of the caliph's army before they could combine. On 21 July 838 at the
Battle of Anzen
The Battle of Anzen or Dazimon was fought on 22 July 838 at Anzen or Dazimon (now Dazmana (Akçatarla), Turkey) between the Byzantine Empire and the forces of the Abbasid Caliphate. The Abbasids had launched a massive expedition with two separat ...
in Dazimon, Theophilos personally led a Byzantine army of 25,000 to 40,000 men against the troops commanded by
al-Afshin.
[J. Haldon, ''The Byzantine Wars'', 83][W. Treadgold, ''A History of the Byzantine State and Society'', 441] Afshin withstood the Byzantine attack, counter-attacked, and won the battle. The Byzantine survivors fell back in disorder and did not interfere in the caliph's continuing campaign.
Al-Mu'tasim took
Ancyra
Ankara ( , ; ), historically known as Ancyra and Angora, is the capital of Turkey. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5.1 million in its urban center and over 5.7 million in Ankara Province, mak ...
, and al-Afshin joined him there. The full Abbasid army advanced against
Amorium
Amorium was a city in Phrygia, Asia Minor which was founded in the Hellenistic period, flourished under the Byzantine Empire, and declined after the Arab sack of 838. It was situated on the Byzantine military road from Constantinople to Cil ...
, the cradle of the dynasty. Initially there was determined resistance. Then a Muslim captive escaped and informed the caliph where there was a section of the wall that had only a front facade. Al-Mu'tasim concentrated his bombardment on this section, and the wall was breached. Having heroically held for fifty-five days,
the city fell to al-Mu'tasim on 12 or 15 August 838.
In 838, in order to impress the Caliph of
Baghdad, Theophilus had John the Grammarian distribute 36,000 ''
nomismata
''Nomisma'' ( el, νόμισμα) was the ancient Greek word for "money" and is derived from nomos (νόμος) anything assigned, a usage, custom, law, ordinance".The King James Version New Testament Greek Lexicon; Strong's Number:3546
The te ...
'' to the citizens of Baghdad.
[J. Norwich, ''Byzantium: The Apogee'', 43] In 839 or 840, he initiated diplomatic contact with the
Umayyad Emirate of Córdoba. The name of his ambassador is somewhat garbled in the Arabic accounts of
Ibn Hayyan
Abū Marwān Ḥayyān ibn Khalaf ibn Ḥusayn ibn Ḥayyān al-Qurṭubī () (987–1075), usually known as Ibn Hayyan, was a Muslim historian from Al-Andalus.
Born at Córdoba, his father was an important official at the court of the Andalusi ...
, but it seems to have been the admiral Karteros. He was accompanied on his return by the Córdoban poet
al-Ghazal, who signed a pact of friendship with Theophilos directed against the Abbasids.
Around 841, the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice ( vec, Repùblega de Venèsia) or Venetian Republic ( vec, Repùblega Vèneta, links=no), traditionally known as La Serenissima ( en, Most Serene Republic of Venice, italics=yes; vec, Serenìsima Repùblega de Venèsia, ...
sent a fleet of 60 galleys (each carrying 200 men) to assist the Byzantines in driving the Arabs from
Crotone, but it failed.
[J. Norwich, ''A History of Venice'', 32] During this campaign Al-Mu'tasim discovered that some of his top generals were plotting against him. Many of these leading commanders were arrested and some executed before he arrived home. Al-Afshin seems not to have been involved in this, but he was detected in other intrigues and died in prison in the spring of 841. Caliph al-Mu'tasim fell sick in October 841 and died on 5 January 842.
It is said that Theophilos, even though fighting the
Arabs
The Arabs (singular: Arab; singular ar, عَرَبِيٌّ, DIN 31635: , , plural ar, عَرَب, DIN 31635: , Arabic pronunciation: ), also known as the Arab people, are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in Western Asia, ...
built a Baghdad-style palace near the
Bosporus. In those days people went about ''a l'arabe'' in kaftans and turbans. Even as far as in the normal streets of
Ghuangzhou during the era of
Tang, the Arab-style
kaftan
A kaftan or caftan (; fa, خفتان, ) is a variant of the robe or tunic. Originating in Asia, it has been worn by a number of cultures around the world for thousands of years. In Russian usage, ''kaftan'' instead refers to a style of men's ...
was in fashion.
Relations with Bulgaria and Serbia
In 836, following the expiration of the
20-year peace treaty between the Empire and Bulgaria, Theophilos ravaged the Bulgarian frontier. The Bulgarians retaliated, and under the leadership of
Isbul
Isbul ( bg, Исбул) (fl. 820s–830s) was the '' kavhan'', or first minister, of the First Bulgarian Empire during the reigns of Omurtag, Malamir and Presian I. Appointed to the ''kavhan'' office under Omurtag, Isbul was a regent or co-rul ...
they reached
Adrianople. At this time, if not earlier, the Bulgarians annexed Philippopolis (
Plovdiv) and its environs.
Khan Malamir died in 836.
The peace between the
Serbs, Byzantine
foederati, and the
Bulgars lasted until 839.
[ ]Vlastimir of Serbia
Vlastimir ( sr-cyrl, Властимир, ; c. 805 – 851) was the Serbian prince from c. 830 until c. 851. Little is known of his reign. He held Serbia during the growing threat posed by the neighbouring, hitherto peaceful, First Bulgarian Empi ...
united several tribes, and Theophilos granted the Serbs independence; Vlastimir acknowledged nominal overlordship of the Emperor.[ The annexation of western Macedonia by the Bulgars changed the political situation. Malamir or his successor may have seen a threat in the Serb consolidation and opted to subjugate them in the midst of the conquest of Slav lands.][ Another cause might have been that the Byzantines wanted to divert attention so that they could cope with the Slavic uprising in the Peloponnese, meaning they sent the Serbs to instigate the war.][''Известия за българите'', pp. 42—43] It is thought that the rapid extension of Bulgars over Slavs prompted the Serbs to unite into a state.
Khan Presian I (r. 836–852) invaded Serbian territory in 839 (see Bulgarian–Serbian Wars). The invasion led to a three-year war, in which Vlastimir was victorious; Presian was heavily defeated, made no territorial gains, and lost many of his men. The Serbs had a tactical advantage in the hills, and the Bulgars were driven out by the army of Vlastimir.[ The war ended with the death of Theophilos, which released Vlastimir from his obligations to the Byzantine Empire.]
Death and legacy
The health of Theophilos gradually failed, and he died on 20 January 842. His reputation as a judge endured, and in the literary composition '' Timarion'' Theophilos is featured as one of the judges in the Netherworld.[ Theophilos strengthened the Walls of Constantinople,] built the fortress of Sarkel on the Don river
The Don ( rus, Дон, p=don) is the fifth-longest river in Europe. Flowing from Central Russia to the Sea of Azov in Southern Russia, it is one of Russia's largest rivers and played an important role for traders from the Byzantine Empire.
Its ...
in Khazar
The Khazars ; he, כּוּזָרִים, Kūzārīm; la, Gazari, or ; zh, 突厥曷薩 ; 突厥可薩 ''Tūjué Kěsà'', () were a semi-nomadic Turkic people that in the late 6th-century CE established a major commercial empire coverin ...
territories, created the Cherson, Paphlagonia
Paphlagonia (; el, Παφλαγονία, Paphlagonía, modern translit. ''Paflagonía''; tr, Paflagonya) was an ancient region on the Black Sea coast of north-central Anatolia, situated between Bithynia to the west and Pontus (region), Pontus t ...
and Chaldia themes,[ and built a hospital, which continued to exist until the twilight of the Byzantine Empire.
]
Family
By his marriage with Theodora
Theodora is a given name of Greek origin, meaning "God's gift".
Theodora may also refer to:
Historical figures known as Theodora
Byzantine empresses
* Theodora (wife of Justinian I) ( 500 – 548), saint by the Orthodox Church
* Theodora o ...
, Theophilos had seven children:
* Constantine, co-emperor from c. 833 to c. 835.
* Thekla (c. 831after 867). She was named '' Augusta'' and her image appears in coinage during the regency
A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state '' pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy ...
of her mother. Later exiled to a monastery by her brother Michael.
* Anna (born c. 832). Exiled into the monastery of Gastria. Never recalled.
* Anastasia (born c. 833). Exiled into the monastery of Gastria. Never recalled.
* Pulcheria (born c. 836). Exiled into the monastery of Gastria. Never recalled.
* Maria (c. 838c. 842). Betrothed the Caesar Alexios Mosele. Died at the age of four.
* Michael III (19 January 84024 September 867), who succeeded as emperor.
See also
* List of Byzantine emperors
Notes
References
*
*
*
*
* John Bagot Glubb
Lieutenant-General Sir John Bagot Glubb, KCB, CMG, DSO, OBE, MC, KStJ, KPM (16 April 1897 – 17 March 1986), known as Glubb Pasha, was a British soldier, scholar, and author, who led and trained Transjordan's Arab Legion between 1939 a ...
The Empire of the Arabs, Hodder and Stoughton, London, 1963
*
*
*
*
*
External links
{{Authority control
9th-century Byzantine emperors
Phrygian dynasty
Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars
9th-century births
842 deaths
Byzantine Iconoclasm
820s in the Byzantine Empire
830s in the Byzantine Empire
840s in the Byzantine Empire
Sons of Byzantine emperors