The Kourkouas or Curcuas ( grc-x-medieval, Κουρκούας, from , ''Gurgen'') family was one of the many

nakharar ''Nakharar'' ( hy, նախարար ''naxarar'', from Parthian ''naxvadār'' "holder of the primacy""նախարար" in H. Ačaṙean (1926–35), ''Hayerēn Armatakan Baṙaran'' (Yerevan: Yerevan State University), 2nd ed., 1971–79) was a here ...

families from

Armenia Armenia (), , group=pron officially the Republic of Armenia,, is a landlocked country in the Armenian Highlands of Western Asia.The UNbr>classification of world regions places Armenia in Western Asia; the CIA World Factbook , , and ' ...

that migrated to 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 ...

during the period of Arab rule over Armenia (7th–9th centuries). They rose to prominence as part of the Anatolian military aristocracy in the 10th century, providing several high-ranking generals and an emperor. They intermarried extensively with the aristocratic families of Phokas and

Skleros The Skleros ( el, Σκληρός; plural: Σκληροί, ''Skleroi''), latinized Sclerus, feminine form Skleraina (Σκλήραινα), Latinized Scleraena, was a noble Byzantine family active mostly in the 9th–11th centuries as members of ...

. In the 11th and 12th centuries, they shifted to the civilian bureaucracy.

Famous members

* John Kourkouas (9th c.), Domestic of the ''

Hikanatoi The ''Hikanatoi'' ( gr, Ἱκανάτοι, 3=The Able Ones), sometimes Latinized as ''Hicanati'', were one of the Byzantine '' tagmata'', the elite guard units based near the imperial capital of Constantinople. Founded in the early 9th century, it ...

'' regiment and conspirator against

Basil I Basil I, called the Macedonian ( el, Βασίλειος ὁ Μακεδών, ''Basíleios ō Makedṓn'', 811 – 29 August 886), was a Byzantine Emperor who reigned from 867 to 886. Born a lowly peasant in the theme of Macedonia, he rose in the ...

* John Kourkouas (10th c.), grandson of the above,

Domestic of the Schools The office of the Domestic of the Schools ( gr, δομέστικος τῶν σχολῶν, domestikos tōn scholōn) was a senior military post of the Byzantine Empire, extant from the 8th century until at least the early 14th century. Originally ...

of the East and famous general under

Romanos I Lekapenos Romanos I Lekapenos ( el, Ρωμανός Λεκαπηνός; 870 – 15 June 948), Latinized as Romanus I Lecapenus, was Byzantine emperor from 920 until his deposition in 944, serving as regent for the infant Constantine VII. Origin Romanos ...

Theophilos Kourkouas Theophilos Kourkouas ( el, Θεόφιλος Κουρκούας, fl. ca. 920–960s) was a distinguished Byzantine general in the 10th century. He was also the grandfather of the Byzantine emperor John I Tzimiskes (r. 969–976). Biography Theophil ...

, brother of John, '' strategos'' of Chaldia and later Domestic of the Schools *

Romanos Kourkouas Romanos Kourkouas ( el, Ῥωμανός Κουρκούας) was a Byzantine aristocrat and senior military leader in the mid-10th century. Biography Romanos was a scion of the Kourkouas family, a clan of Armenian origin that had established itsel ...

, son of John Kourkouas and Domestic of the Schools of the West * John Kourkouas, son of Romanos, Domestic of the Schools of the East, killed in the

Siege of Dorostolon The Battle of Dorostopol was fought in 971 between the Byzantine Empire and forces of Kievan Rus'. The Byzantines, led by John I Tzimiskes, were victorious. Background During the course of the Rus'-Bulgarian war, Svyatoslav I of Kiev overran t ...

* John I Tzimiskes (c. 925–976), grandson of Theophilos Kourkouas, Byzantine Emperor in 969–976 * John Kourkouas (11th c.),

Catepan of Italy The Catepanate (or Catapanate) of Italy ( el, ''Katepaníkion Italías'') was a province of the Byzantine Empire from 965 until 1071. At its greatest extent, it comprised mainland Italy south of a line drawn from Monte Gargano to the Gulf of Sa ...

in 1008–1010 * Gregory Kourkouas, ''doux'' of Philippopolis in 1089–1091 * Michael II Kourkouas,

Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople The ecumenical patriarch ( el, Οἰκουμενικός Πατριάρχης, translit=Oikoumenikós Patriárchēs) is the archbishop of Constantinople ( Istanbul), New Rome and '' primus inter pares'' (first among equals) among the heads of ...

in 1143–1146.

Sources

* * * * {{citation , last=Stouraitis , first=Ioannis , title=Kourkouas Family , work=Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor , publisher = Foundation of the Hellenic World , location = Athens , url=http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=9099 , year=2003