John Vatatzes (megas stratopedarches)

For other people with the same name, see John Vatatzes (disambiguation).

John Vatatzes or Batatzes (Greek: Ἰωάννης Βατάτζης, died 1345) was a Byzantine official and magnate active in the second quarter of the 14th century, playing a prominent role in the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347.

Biography

Born to a lowly family, Vatatztes had managed to accumulate great riches, and had purchased the positions of apographeus (chief tax official) of Thessalonica in 1333. In the same year, he was also named protokynegos (head huntsman of the court).[1][2][3] At the outbreak of the civil war in 1341, he initially sided with John VI Kantakouzenos (r. 1347–1354), commanding troops around Didymoteicho, but in early 1342 he switched to the regency under Empress-dowager Anna of Savoy.[1][3][4] He was appointed to the post of megas chartoularios in 1342 and appointed briefly governor of Thessalonica in 1343.[3] He also tied himself to the regency by bonds of marriage: his son married a daughter of Patriarch John XIV Kalekas, and one of his daughters married a son of the chief minister, Alexios Apokaukos. Despite these ties, in summer 1344, he defected back to Kantakouzenos, surrendering several fortresses to him. In gratitude, Kantakouzenos named him megas stratopedarches.[2][3][5]

Soon after, Vatatzes defeated a loyalist army under a certain Aplesphares, and had one of his daughters marry the Emir of Saruhan, one of Kantakouzenos's Turkish allies.[2][3][6] Following the death of Apokaukos in June 1345, however, he tried to reapproach the regency, by promising to turn the Turks of Saruhan against Kantakouzenos. According to the account provided in Kantakouzenos's own memoirs, Kantakouzenos twice sent envoys bidding him to abandon his treasonous designs, offering him pardon and more honours. Vatatzes refused, crossed into Thrace with a Turkish army, and tried to have them attack the towns held by Kantakouzenos. The Turks refused and killed him at Garella, taking his son and the other Byzantines of Vatatzes's entourage as slaves.[3][6][7]

References

  1. 1 2 Guilland 1967, p. 509.
  2. 1 2 3 de Vries-Van der Velden 1989, p. 108.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Trapp et al. 1977, "2518. Βατάτζης Ἰωάννης".
  4. ↑ de Vries-Van der Velden 1989, pp. 69, 108.
  5. ↑ Guilland 1967, pp. 509–510.
  6. 1 2 Guilland 1967, p. 510.
  7. ↑ de Vries-Van der Velden 1989, pp. 108–109.

Sources

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