Michael IV Paflagonsky

Michael was born in Paflagonia (hence the nickname) in a noble family. He had at least four brothers (among whom the court eunuch John Orfanotrof is the most famous) and sister. According to Kedrin's sources, in his youth Mikhail was engaged in the exchange and counterfeiting of money. He compensated for his ignorance by beauty and charm, clouded by bouts of epilepsy . Unfriendly to Mikhail Lastivertsi , the demon was infused into the future emperor when he turned to the witch for help in seizing power ^[1] . In any case, when John introduced him to Empress Zoe , the daughter of Constantine VIII , she made the young man his favorite.

The Paflagonians and Zoe plotted against Emperor Roman . In 1033, Roman Argir fell ill with a suspicious disease, probably caused by the action of a slow poison. In 1034, Mikhail's supporters strangled Roman Argyr in a bathhouse and drowned. Elderly Zoe on the same day gave her hand and crown to her lover.

Mikhail and John, who became his right hand, pursued a generally conservative policy. Nevertheless, feeling their precarious situation, they carried out some repressions among the nobility of Constantinople. So, the property of the rich Konstantin Dalassin was transferred to another brother - Konstantin, he also received the management of Bulgaria . Another brother, Nikita, became governor in Syria , but soon died. The autocrat’s son-in-law, Stefan, emerged from the caulkers as fleet commanders.

The new nobility indulged in revelry and quarreled with both the old courtiers and the common people, instituting ever new taxes and plundering the treasury. This continued despite natural disasters like the drought of 1037. As a result, a significant part of Michael’s reign was occupied by uprisings - from the revolt in Antioch in 1034 to the Bulgarian one, which became the biggest event of his reign.

The nobility also disliked the Paflagonites. The largest commander George Maniak , the future patriarch Mikhail Kerulariy , the father-in-law of Konstantin Duki John Makremvolit joined the opposition. To strengthen the situation, Michael, on the advice of John, adopted his nephew Michael , although he did not like him. Nevertheless, conspiracies and treason were revealed until the death of the emperor, and the provincial administrators and petty feudal lords, seeing the weakening of central authority, took up civil strife.

Historians note the patronage of Michael's church and the deduction of large amounts to charity. According to Psell , the emperor built in Constantinople a shelter for the poor and a monastery for former prostitutes. Big money was paid to Patriarch Alexy to legitimize the power of Michael. In Russia, according to some reports, Michael was appointed Metropolitan Theopempt ^[2] .

At the very beginning of the reign, Michael sent a fleet to the shores of Fatimid Egypt. This had a sufficient effect, and the Muslim rulers did not dare to violate the peace treaties throughout his reign. Soon the Pechenegs were defeated. Around the same time, the Byzantines went to Vaspurakan . According to Lastivertsi, the first campaign ended in defeat because of the low discipline of the Romance army, but on the second attempt the city of Berkri was captured and "the power of the Persians over this place was abolished."

In 1038, Maniac began an expedition to Sicily , where he managed to recapture Messina and Syracuse from the Arabs. However, after the arrest of Maniac most of Sicily was again lost.

In southern Italy, in the 1930s, Capua fought against Naples and Salerno . Michael supported Pandulf Kapuansky for a long time, but after his defeat from Guemar of Salerno, he sided with the latter and threw Pandulf into prison. In 1040, the Lombards and Normans, patronized by Guemar, devastated the Byzantine possessions. The rebellion was able to crush only at the next emperor ^[3] .

In 1040, the Byzantine fleet was destroyed by fire, which significantly tied Michael's hands.

The uprising in the Slavic provinces of the empire was a natural consequence of the failure of the domestic policy of the Paflagonists. It was headed by Peter II Delyan , the son of King Gabriel Radomir or simply an impostor. Peter won the support of ordinary Bulgarians, dissatisfied with tax oppression and Hellenization, and representatives of the nobility. A few months later, a significant part of present-day Serbia , Macedonia , Albania and Greece , as well as the imperial treasury, were in his hands.

Michael was in Soluni at that time and was seriously ill. Although according to some later sources, he was healed while on Mount Athos , Michael Psell speaks of his grave condition. Despite his illness, upon arriving in Constantinople, Mikhail gathered his army and, taking advantage of civil strife in the leadership of the Bulgarians, defeated Peter blinded by his nephew Gabriel Radomir. The uprising was crushed.

Upon his return, Michael took the tonsure and soon died. He was buried in the comfortable monastery of Cosmas and Damian in Constantinople.

The main sources of information about the reign of Michael are the chronicles of Psellus, John Skilitsa and Michael Attaliat . Among them, Skilitsa is most critical of him. From later historians, Kedrin, Konstantin Manasseh and Zonara turn to this period. His eastern policies are described by Armenian historians Aristakes Lastivertsi and Matvey of Edessa .

• History of Byzantium. - T. 2. / Ed. S. D. Skazkina - M .: Nauka , 1967.