John Skylitzes facts for kids
John Skylitzes was an important historian from the Byzantine Empire. He lived in the late 1000s, around the early 1040s to after 1101. He wrote a famous book about the history of the Byzantine emperors.
About John Skylitzes
We don't know much about John Skylitzes' personal life. His main book tells us he held important titles. He was a kouropalatēs, which was a high court rank. He was also a droungarios of the Vigla. This was a military leader in charge of a special guard unit. Some historians believe he was the same person as a man named John Thrakesios.
His Main History Book
John Skylitzes' most important work is called the Synopsis of Histories. This title means "Summary of Histories." His book covers a long period of Byzantine history. It starts from the death of Emperor Nikephoros I in the year 811. It then continues all the way to the time when Emperor Michael VI was removed from power in 1057.
Skylitzes' book picked up where another famous historian, Theophanes the Confessor, left off. There is also a part of this work known as Scylitzes Continuatus. This part covers the years from 1057 to 1079. Some experts think that Skylitzes might have written this part too.
The Madrid Skylitzes Manuscript
One of the most famous copies of the Synopsis of Histories is called the Madrid Skylitzes. This special book was made in Sicily in the 1100s. Today, you can find it in the Biblioteca Nacional de España in Madrid, Spain.
What makes the Madrid Skylitzes so special are its amazing pictures. It has 574 small paintings, called miniatures. Sadly, about 100 of these pictures have been lost over time. This manuscript is the only surviving Byzantine history book in Greek that has so many colorful illustrations. These pictures are very valuable. They help us imagine what life was like in the Byzantine Empire during that time.
