Dukas (noble family)

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Dukas (pl. Dukai ; female form Dukaina ) is the name of a Byzantine noble family, which also included the two Byzantine emperors Constantine X. (1059-1067) and Michael VII. (1071-1078).

origin

Reliable information about the origin of the family is not available. Extensive possessions along the Menander River, near Nicopolis in Paphlagonia - a Byzantine theme on the Black Sea , on the central north coast of Asia Minor - suggest, however, an origin from this province. It can be assumed that it is a family of Greek origin, but an Armenian origin would also be possible.

After the family had attained imperial dignity in the second half of the 11th century, some historians tried to increase the fame of the house through a genealogy going back to antiquity . The Byzantine politician, general and historian Nikephoros Bryennios (* around 1081, † 1136) - the husband of the imperial daughter and historian Anna Komnena - traced the Dukai family back to a cousin of Constantine the Great Emperor of the Roman Empire (306 - 337) who came to Constantinople with him in the fourth century and, as governor of Constantinople, would have carried the title Dux, which later became a family name.

Although this cannot theoretically be ruled out, since numerous senatorial families actually moved from Rome to the new capital Constantinople at the time, this ancestry cannot of course be proven due to a lack of documentation. But even without this legend of origin, the house of the Dukai is one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the Byzantine Empire .

history

There are three groups of people with the family name Dukas:

The oldest dukai

An Andronikos Dux (Dukas) is regarded as their ancestor, who appears in 792 as a tourmarch (commander of a tower (military district with an army strength of up to 5000 men)) in the theme (province) Armeniakon . Two generations later, another Andronikos Dukas appears, who was chosen by the Empress Theodora II during the reign for her underage son Michael III. (* 839; † 867) was commissioned as a general in 843 to convert the heretical sect of the Paulikians to Orthodoxy by force.

However, this family is likely to have died out in the male line at the beginning of the tenth century.

The Dukas-Lydos

This family is derived from the marriage of Johannes Lydos to a Dukaina (* 900/905), initially called Dukas-Lydos, later just Dukas. Andronikos Dukas-Lydos (* around 925, + after 976), who was married to Ne Skleraina (* around 930) a daughter of Pantherios Scleros (* around 900, † after 844), Domestikos ton scholon in 944, comes from her.

The imperial line of the Dukai

The strategos and protospatharios Andronikos Dukas (* around 975, † after 1010), who was the father of the Byzantine emperor Constantine X Dukas, (* 1059; † 1067) and grandfather of Michael VII Dukas (* 1071 ; † 1078) applies.

Dynasty continuity

The question of whether there is a genealogical connection between these groups of people with the same name or, if so, what it is, has already occupied the Byzantine historians. This not least because Dux was a Byzantine function designation for a high-ranking general or military governor, on which there was therefore no monopoly of a particular family and thus a parallel acceptance of the function as a family name is by no means excluded. Among the Byzantine contemporaries there were different views in this regard, as the historian Nikephoros Bryennios (* around 1081, † 1136), the Byzantine polymath and historian Michael Psellos († 1078) and also the historian Nikolaos Kallikes expressly confirmed the togetherness while they were from the historian Johannes Zonaras (lived in the 12th century) was doubted. There is also no unanimity in this regard in the more recent literature. The European family tables leave the question of the connection between the older Dukai and the imperial family open without going into the Dukas-Lydos family.

Christian Settipani , on the other hand, assumes a genealogical connection between the three groups of people.

According to this, the older dukas died out in the male line at the beginning of the 10th century, but their name came to the House of Lydos through a daughter.

The link between the Dukas-Lydos and the imperial dynasty of the Dukai is, according to Settipani, the Strategos and Protospatharios Andronikos Dukas (* around 975, † after 1010), whom he was either the son of the Byzantine general Christophoros Dukas (* around 950, + after 979) ), or as the son of his brother, Bardas Dukas sees "Mongos" (the hoarse) (* around 955, + n. 1017). This Andronikos is also given in the European family tables as the progenitor of the imperial dynasty.

The imperial house of the Dukai is believed to have died out in the male line at the beginning of the 12th century.

Later namesake

Due to the great prestige of the family, however, the family name Dukas was adopted by various families who descended from her in the female line. For example from the Dukas-Kalamanos, who are of Hungarian origin and the male line comes from the royal house of the Árpáden .

In addition, there is the confusing Byzantine practice of adding the family name of female ancestors to one's family name, prefixing it or replacing it with the more prestigious family name, especially if it comes from an imperial dynasty. A tribal equality between later families who bore the name Dukas is therefore not usually given.

A typical example is the Batatzes (Vatatzes) family, from which John III. , Emperor of Byzantium in exile in Nicaea (1222–1254), for reasons of prestige, upgraded his family name by adding "Dukas". His son Theodor II , Byzantine Emperor of Nicaea (1254–1258), renounced his own family name Batatzes and instead called himself Dukas Laskaris. This after a presumed ancestor from the house of Dukas and after his mother, who was a daughter of the Byzantine emperor Theodoros I Laskaris, but who had already embellished his own family name with the addition of Komnenos in Komnenos Laskaris. A distant great-niece, Theodora Batatzaina (* around 1240, † 1303), who had the family name Dukaina Komnene Palaiologina Batatzaina, was even more generous.

Another example of this practice is Johannes Dukas Komnenos (+ v. 1289), Archon (ruler) of Neopatras. He was an illegitimate son of an illegitimate son of an illegitimate son of the House of Angelos - the Despots of Epirus. However, he preferred to carry the female ancestor instead of his own family name, although these were four (Komnenos) or even five generations (Dukas) behind.

The imperial dynasty of palaeologists confirms this rule, as the first Byzantine emperor from this house, Michael VIII , who ruled from 1259 or 1261 to 1282, called himself Dukas Angelos Komnenos Palaiologos.

Family table

This follows the thesis advocated by Settipani of a genealogical connection between the three groups of people of the Dukai, which are listed separately for the sake of better clarity.

The oldest dukai

Christian Settipani gives the following stem series for the oldest time:

  1. Andronikos (* around 755; † 793) 792 Turmach in Armenia and follower of Alexios Musele, who was a strategist on the subject of Armenia from 790 to 792. Son:
    1. N. Dukas (* around 780) son
      1. Andronikos Dukas (* 805; † n. 855) Byzantine general, fought against the Paulicans in 855. Son:
        1. N. Dukas (* around 830), ⚭ Maria Musele (* around 838, † around 855) from the house of Mamikonian, daughter of Alexios Musele , who had the high title "Kaisar" (Caesar) in 836 and died as a monk after 842 and his wife, Maria Princess of Byzantium (* around 825, † 838) from the Amorian dynasty; Daughter of Emperor Theophilos (829-842), granddaughter of Emperor Michael II and Theodora Mamikonian, son:
          1. Andronikos Dukas (* around 855; † after 907), Patrikios, 903 Domestikos ton scholon, ⚭ Anna N. After an internal dispute with the Arabs, he allied himself with the Arabs, fled to Baghdad, where he was forced to convert to Islam.
            1. Eirene Dukaina, ⚭ Emir Abu Hafs (son of Chrysocheir , head of the Paulikians 843/44 - 872 and the Panthia, T. v. Amr Emir of Melitene 837 - 863)
              1. Basileios ibn Abu Hafs (possibly identical to the legendary hero Digenis Akritas  ?)
            2. N. Dukas (* 875/80). Son:
              1. Michael Dukas (* 895/900; † 913); rebel 913
            3. Konstantinos Dukas (* 875; † 913), pretender to the throne 913, Domestikos ton scholon 913, ⚭ Ne (* 875/80), daughter of Gregoras Iberitzes (* around 855; † after 913), 907 Domestikos ton scholon. Children:
              1. Gregoras Dukas (* around 895; † 913) rebelled in 913
              2. Stephanos Dukas (* around 900; † young after 913)
              3. Ne Dukaina (* 900/905) ⚭ Johannes Lydos (descendants: see following section)

The Dukas-Lydos

According to Christian Settipani:

  1. Ne Dukaina (* 900/905) ⚭ Johannes Lydos
    1. Andronikos Dukas-Lydos (* around 925, † after 976); ⚭ Ne Scleraina (* around 930); Daughter of Pantherios Scleros (* around 900; † after 844), 944 Domestikos ton scholon (about: commander in chief of the Byzantine troops)
      1. Christophoros Dukas (* around 950, † after 979), 976 Byzantine general
      2. Bardas Dukas, called "Mongos" (the hoarse) (* around 955; † n. 1017) commanded a campaign against the Khazars in 1017 . Son of one of the two brothers:
        1. Andronikos Dukas (* around 975, † after 1010), Strategos (governor of a military province), Protospatharios (descendants: see following section)

The imperial house of Dukas

According to the European family tables:

  1. Andronikos Dukas (* around 975, † after 1010), Strategos, Protospatharios
    1. Constantine X. Dukas (* 1007; † 1067), Emperor of Byzantium (1059-10679 ⚭ (I) Ne Dalassene, daughter of General Konstantin Dalassenos , ⚭ (II) before 1050 Eudokia Makrembolitissa (* 1021; † 1096), regent 1067 and 1071, daughter of Johannes Makrembolites, niece of Michael Kerularios (* around 1000; † 1059) Patriarch of Constantinople (1043-1059)
      1. Michael VII Dukas, co-emperor since 1060, emperor of Byzantium (1067 / 1071–1078), then monk
        1. Konstantin Dukas Porphyrogennetos , co-emperor 1074 / 75-1078 and 1081-1087 / 88
      2. Andronikos Dukas, co-emperor (1071 – approx. 1078); † after 1081, ⚭ Princess Maria of Hungary from the house of the Árpáden , daughter of Béla I , King of Hungary (1060/61 - 1063)
      3. Theodora Dukaina (* before 1059; † after 1075), ⚭ after 1071 Domenico Silvo , Doge of Venice (1074-1084)
      4. Konstantios Dukas " Porphyrogenetos " (born in purple) (* 1060; † falls on October 18, 1081 near Durazzo ( Durrës )), co-emperor (1067-1078), pretender to the throne, 1079 monk
      5. Zoe Dukaina "Porphyrogenetos" (* 1062, 1136 †), ⚭ after October 1081 Adrianos Komnenos , Megas domestikos tes Dyseos, († April 19, 1105) (descendants)
    2. Johannes Dukas , Caesar , pretender to the throne 1074 (by Roussel Frangopolos ), ⚭ around 1045 Eirene Pegonitissa, daughter of General Nikolaos Pegonites.
      1. Andronikos Dukas ⚭ before 1066 Marija of Bulgaria († as nun Xene November 21 after 1089)
        1. Michael Dukas, (1061 - January 19, 1108/1118); Sebastos; 1083 Protostrator, ⚭ Ne
          1. Konstantinos Dukas, 1118 Sebastos, ⚭ Ne Botaneiatissa,
            1. Anna Dukaina, 1157 nun Arete, ⚭ Boris Konrad Prince of Hungary ( Árpáden ), son of Koloman , King of Hungary (1095–1116); Descendants: the Dukas Kalomanos family
          2. Theodora Dukaina cl. 1125, ⚭ Theodoros N.
          3. Anna Dukaina, ⚭ Johannes Komnenos († after 1107), Protosebastus, Dux of Dyrrhachion (Durazzo) (1092–1106)
          4. Eirene Dukaina, ⚭ Gregorios Kalamateros
        2. Johannes Dukas (* 1064; † as monk Antonios before 1136); Megas Dux, Dux of the subject Dyrrhachion (Durazzo) (1090-1092)
        3. Irene Dukaina (* 1066; † as a nun around February 19, 1123) ⚭ 1077/8 Alexios I (* 1057; † 1118), Emperor of Byzantium (1081–1118). Descendants: The Komnenen dynasty , emperor of Byzantium until 1185, emperor of Trebizond from 1204 to 1461 .
        4. Anna Dukaina (* 1068; † 1110/35); ⚭ Georgios Palaiologos , imperial general (descendants)
        5. Theodora Dukaina (* around 1070; † February 20, before 1116 as a nun Eirene)
      2. Konstantinos Dukas (* before 1050; † 1075/76), Protoproedros, 1073 Protostrator, ⚭ Ne
        1. Johannes Dukas, ⚭ Anna Komnene, daughter of the Sebastokrator Isaak Komnenos
          1. Zoe Dukaina cl. 1120, ⚭ Georgios Botaneiates

literature

  • Christian Settipani: Nos Ancêtres de l´Antiquité. Editions Christian, Paris, 1991, ISBN 2-86496-050-6 .
  • Alexander Petrovich Kazhdan: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. Oxford University Press, New York / Oxford 1991, ISBN 0-19-504652-8 .
  • Demetrios I. Polemis: The Doukai: A Contribution to Byzantine Prosopography. The Athlone Press, London 1968, ISBN 0-485-13122-6 .
  • Warren Treadgold: A History of the Byzantine State and Society. Stanford University Press, Stanford, California 1997, ISBN 0-8047-2630-2 . (Preview of extracts) .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Polemis: The Doukai: A Contribution to Byzantine Prosopography. 1968, pp. 5-6.
  2. ^ Bojana Krsmanović: Doukas family. In: Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World, Asia Minor. Athens, Greece: Foundation of the Hellenic World, Athens 2003 ( online, Chapter 2 ( Memento from February 20, 2012 in the Internet Archive ))
  3. ^ Isabelle Brousselle: Recherches sur les élites dirigeantes de la societé byzantine. Dissertation. Paris 1986.
  4. ^ Prosopography of the Middle Byzantine Period. ( Andronikos # 433 ).
  5. ↑ Kazhdan: The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. 1991, p. 655.
  6. ↑ Polemis: The Doukai: A Contribution to Byzantine Prosopography. 1968, p. 2, 16.
  7. ↑ a b c d e Detlev Schwennike: European family tables. New series, Volume II, Verlag JA Stargardt, Marburg 1984, plate 178.
  8. ^ Christian Settipani: Continuité des élites à Byzance durant les siècles obscurs; Les princes Caucasiens et l'empire du VIe au IXe siècle. De Boccard, Paris 2006, ISBN 2-7018-0226-1 , p. 81.
  9. ↑ Schwennike: European family tables. 1984, plate 182
  10. ↑ Schwennike: European family tables. 1984, plate 180
  11. ↑ Schwennike: European family tables. 1984, plate 183
  12. ^ Christian Settipani: Continuité des élites à Byzance durant ... 2006, p. 158.
  13. ^ Hypothesis based on Christian Settipani: Continuité des élites à Byzance durant ... 2006, p. 155.