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Monomachos or Idiotos?
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Decebal View Drop Down
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Digital Prometheus

Joined: 20-May-2005
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Posts: 1791 		  Quote Decebal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Monomachos or Idiotos?
    Posted: 02-Jan-2007 at 16:46
In my opinion the worst emperors that Byzantium ever had was Constantine IX Monomachos. If it was not for him, the Byzantine Empire may well have survived until... well who knows, maybe today. Aside form his military defeates, his greatest act of stupidity was to disband the troops in the Armenian theme in 1053, for not better reason than simply saving some money. This decision eventually led to the Turks overrunning Anatolia and forever endangering the eastern borders of the empire, which had held (with brief interruptions) for 700 years.
What is history but a fable agreed upon?
Napoleon Bonaparte

Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is the truth.- Mohandas Gandhi

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konstantinius View Drop Down
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Posts: 762 		  Quote konstantinius Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02-Jan-2007 at 19:43
I generally agree. Constantine IX represented the "logios" camp (Constantinopolitan civic bureucracy) vs. the military aristocratic families of the anatolian dynatoi (Phokas, Komnenans, Laskaris, etc.), thus his attempts to curb the military. His invasion of Armenia was inexcusable and lead to the ultimate weakening of a brother christian nation at the forefront of the fight against the encroaching Seljuks. The years 1026-1080 are a f.....g disaster, troops get disbanded, fortifications (the core of the defense system in Anatolia) are neglected and fall to disuse, all the signs of impeding disaster are unheeded by the ruling idiots. No wonder the Seljuks had a field trip conquering Anatolia after Mantzikert.  
" I do disagree with what you say but I'll defend to my death your right to do so."
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Kastrophylax kai Tzaousios

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Posts: 1800 		  Quote Byzantine Emperor Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04-Jan-2007 at 18:08
I agree with what Decebal and Konstantinius have said.  Most people are quite willing to blame the Palaiologoi for the Empire's supposed "weaknesses" in the late period, but do not acknowledge the disasters of the ninth through early eleventh centuries.  The rivalry between the bureaucratic emperors and the military aristocracy of the provinces threatened to tear the Empire asunder.  It definitely ruined the system that was the backbone of the military.  If anything, the Palaiologoi inherited the problems that the Macedonian emperors and then the Komnenoi passed on.  They should be credited with the creation of new provincial administrative techniques and military recruitment methods in response to the problems stemming from the previous dynasties.
Late Byzantine Military
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