Damian Dalassenos facts for kids

Damian Dalassenos (born around 940 – died July 19, 998) was an important person in the Byzantine Empire. He was the first known member of the famous Dalassenos family. Damian is best known for being the military governor, or doux, of Antioch from 996 to 998. He fought against the Fatimids and had some victories, but he was killed during the Battle of Apamea on July 19, 998.

About Damian Dalassenos

Damian Dalassenos is the first person we know from the well-known Dalassenos family. We don't know much about his early life, but historians think he was born around 940. He became famous in 995 or 996 when Emperor Basil II made him the governor of Antioch. This happened after the previous governor, Michael Bourtzes, lost a battle.

Being the governor of Antioch was a very important job in the Byzantine Empire. The person in this role was in charge of the armies fighting against the Fatimid Caliphate and other Muslim rulers in Syria. Damian held a high title, either patrikios or magistros, which showed his importance.

Damian Dalassenos was a very active leader. In 996, his forces attacked areas near Tripoli and Arqa. At the same time, a Fatimid general named Manjutakin tried to capture Aleppo and Antartus. The Byzantines had made Antartus stronger the year before. Manjutakin had to leave when Damian Dalassenos arrived with his army to help the fortress. To make things worse for the Fatimids, their fleet (navy) that was supposed to help Manjutakin sank near Antartus.

Damian Dalassenos attacked Tripoli again in 997 and captured many people. He also attacked the towns of Rafaniya, Awj, and Al-Laqbah. He captured Al-Laqbah and took its people away.

The Battle of Apamea

In June or July 998, Damian Dalassenos led his troops to Apamea. He wanted to take the city because a big fire had destroyed its food supplies. The people from Aleppo tried to take the city first, but they left when Dalassenos arrived. He didn't want a nearby ruler to become too powerful.

The local Fatimid governor asked for help. A relief army led by Jaysh ibn Samsama was delayed because they first had to stop a rebellion in Tyre. This rebellion was supported by the Byzantines. After Tyre was under control, Jaysh moved his army to Damascus and then went to fight Dalassenos.

Reports say that Apamea was almost ready to give up because of hunger. The battle happened on July 19, 998. At first, the Byzantines were winning. But then, a Kurdish officer managed to kill Damian Dalassenos. After their leader died, the Byzantine army fell apart and ran away.

Two of Damian's sons, who were with him, were captured and taken to Cairo. They stayed there for ten years. Damian Dalassenos was replaced as the governor of Antioch by Nikephoros Ouranos.

Damian's Family

Damian Dalassenos had at least three sons:

• Constantine Dalassenos: He was also a doux (governor) of Antioch in 1025. He was a favorite of Emperor Constantine VIII.
• Theophylact Dalassenos: He also became a doux of Antioch.
• Romanos Dalassenos: He was a military commander, or katepano, in a region called Iberia.

Theophylact was probably the father of Adrianos. Adrianos was the grandfather of Anna Dalassene, who was the mother of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. Alexios I Komnenos started the Komnenian dynasty, a very important ruling family.

Sources

• Honigmann, Ernst (1935) (in German). Byzance et les Arabes, Tome III: Die Ostgrenze des Byzantinischen Reiches von 363 bis 1071 nach griechischen, arabischen, syrischen und armenischen Quellen. Corpus Bruxellense Historiae Byzantinae. Brussels: Éditions de l'Institut de philologie et d'histoire orientales. OCLC 6934222.
• "The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium".. (1991). Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. 
• Lilie, Ralph-Johannes (2013). "Prosopographie der mittelbyzantinischen Zeit Online. Berlin-Brandenburgische Akademie der Wissenschaften. Nach Vorarbeiten F. Winkelmanns erstellt".. Berlin and Boston: De Gruyter.