armenian armenian prominent byzantine general armenian origin active circa death reaching highest military ranks palace conspiracy forced seek refuge court returned byzantine service year receiving position married niece remained post reign reportedly saved emperor life according report died july wounds received battle sources record survival past date major role regency governed empire death report died time biography armenian origin brother father future byzantine empress appears reign ruled held post head imperial stables time young probably twenties urged michael confront following michael deposition leo promoted rank entrusted post theme post senior byzantine_empire thematic governors leo held office prior accession according historians early year leo appointed exceptional post single general land themes asia minor unusual concentration command authority apparently directed effective suppression resistance leo military purposes appointment likely primary source according editors der according history time responsible negotiations refugees leader baptized byzantine service michael chronology episode confused doubtful accuracy career leo successor unclear mentioned sources period certainly time outbreak great rebellion thomas joined rebellion evidently remained loyal michael probably raised rank editors der suggest recalled michael constantinople especially marriage michael son heir niece took place suggested suggested escape time according followed der shortly according accepted death michael accession defected result court foreign minister accused new emperor plotting seize throne carriages imperial post crossed asia minor offered services condition forced convert islam according 13th century historian great joy gave daily salary silver continually presented gifts turn hesitant believe accusations eventually convinced chamberlain general innocence resolved return sent baghdad diplomatic mission winter ostensibly order announce accession john able private offered emperor pardon accept time remained publicly loyal allegiance summer participated expedition rebels alongside contingent byzantine captives campaign nominally led son likely according experienced actual commander arabic sources record commanded army arabs winning modest successes army turned south apparently won confidence arab suggested army raid mountains byzantine captives escort took arms escaped companions left allowed return territory domestic schools open arms named domestic schools commander elite facto commander chief entire army remain leading general remainder reign furthermore uncle wife empress position court shown fact emperor later served godfather children sources report governor inner regions empire accompanied expedition raid arabs byzantines caught arabs near fort inflicted heavy defeat killing taking seven thousand prisoner recorded accompanying great expedition arab cities northern led sack campaign atrocities committed byzantines troops fall provoked large scale campaign accompanied emperor senior general commander large corps composed refugees participated disastrous july confronted army general battle imperial army broke fled surrounded arabs hill reportedly began planning surrender emperor arabs seized emperor horse forcibly led away officers managed break arab lines brought safety nearby village battle received heavy wounds according chronicle died days later july buried palace constantinople lay near monastery named traditionally identified possible life chronicles following report survived wounds allegedly cured behest monks sources report death appointed member regency council infant new emperor refused position emperor populace acclaimed writers report played important role restoration icons falling accused retiring public life estates according sources late saved emperor life battle died shortly traditional scholarship largely accepted account modern historians expressed doubts highlight narrative later invention possibly carried monks saint tried past considers reliable dismissed reports survival invented modern scholars continue support possibility continued life especially given existence seal dated century names imperial emperor confirm survival early years reign reported role member regency stories activities particular role restoration icons alleged second battle clearly inspired events regarded certainly fictitious story death downfall reliable probably place
Manuel the Armenian