Byzantines under Nikephoros Phokas besiege Chandax.png 1,572 × 641; 1.73 MB. (Liudprand 240). Nikephoros was killed in the battle, the second Roman emperor to suffer this fate since Valens in the Battle of Adrianople (August 9, 378). However, the implicit agreement was that Nikephoros would protect Basil and Constantine and rule in their stead, not found a new dynasty. Irene the Athenian (r. 797-802 CE) had been the first-ever woman to rule as Byzantine emperor in her own right. N. Nicephorus II; Media in category "Nikephoros II Phokas" The following 9 files are in this category, out of 9 total. Their return to prominence was certainly well established by 1022, when Nikephoros “the wry-necked” Phokas, great-nephew of Nikephoros II, led a revolt against Basil II (r. 976–1025). Nikephoros had 2 siblings: Sophia Phokaina and Unknown Phokaina . from the University of Michigan Law School. Nikephoros enjoyed tremendous influence in the army; and was very popular in … Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms. Meanwhile, Nikephoros was unraveling Byzantium’s foreign relations. Contact profile manager; View family tree; Problem with this page? F????) Indeed, Nikephoros was one of the Byzantine Empire’s greatest generals, and although he was not politically astute, his great martial skill brought the Byzantine Empire to a new height of strength. Nikēphoros Emperor of the East, II Phōkas, 912-969. This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. John Tzimiskes burned the outskirts of the major Cilician cities in 964 CE and a few months later Nikephoros arrived in person, along with Theophano, Basil, and Constantine. At the end of the year, he looted Aleppo, Sayf al-Dawla’s capital. Nikephoros, Phokas, ca. Nikephoros II Phokas soldaat uit Byzantijnse Rijk (912-969) Nikēphoros Phōkas 912-969. After a period out of office, Nikephoros was then appointed strategos either of Charsianon or of the Thracesian Theme, spending his remaining years, until his death around 900, fighting against the Arabs. On August 16, 963, Nikephoros II Phokas entered the city of Constantinople in triumph as its new emperor, acclaimed by the army, and just six years later was brutally assassinated on the evening of December 11, 969. Nikephoros increased taxes to fund his wars, although the taxes probably fell the most heavily on his own class, the Anatolian military elite. Nikephoros I ruled as emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 802 to 811 CE. During one of the campaigns of Emperor Basil I the Macedonian (r. 867–886) sometime in the 870s (probably c. 872), Nikephoros' father caught the emperor's attention and was raised to the rank of tourmarches. [3][5][11] Leo VI's Tactica and the later De velitatione further mention a successful raid into the Arab lands of Cilicia led by Nikephoros, in retaliation of an Arab attack on the fortress of Mistheia in the Anatolic Theme. Web. Both Leo and Nikephoros II scored major successes against the Arabs, with Nikephoros in particular leading the recovery of Crete, Cyprus, Cilicia and Antioch. They were not an ideal match, and it is unclear whether it was a marriage in name only. In 961 when the news about Nikephoros Phokas success in Crete arrived in Constantinople, he became very popular and festivities were organised in the hippodrome .After his success in Crete he returned to the eastern front to deal with the main rival of the Byzantines the Hamdanid emir who was based in Halepi(Aleppo).In 962 Nikephoros Phokas took the initiative to … Bringas fled, and Nikephoros entered the city to popular acclamation by the people. The Abbasid Caliphate was limited to Baghdad itself and much of the Middle East was ruled by strongmen. Nikephoros II Phokas Emperor (q.v.) An Easter brawl broke out between Armenian soldiers and the Constantinopolitan citizens, and in the aftermath, several citizens were killed. Nikephoros “the wry-necked” was proclaimed emperor in Cappadocia by an army composed of military aristocracy whose power had been weakened by Basil II. Liutprand of Cremona’s description of Nikephoros Phokas was probably conditioned more by the wounds to his amour propre inflicted by Byzantine court officials than by any disinterested analysis of the emperor’s character, but it is a judgement which has influenced much of the subsequent writing on Nikephoros’ reign. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Nikephoros II Phokas soldaat uit Byzantijnse Rijk (912-969) Nikēphoros Phōkas 912-969 . Otto also allied himself with the Lombard dukes of Southern Italy, traditional enemies of the Byzantines. Cedrenus records that, after his restoration (944), Emperor Konstantinos VII … The wife of Leo IV (r. 775-780 CE) and regent for her young son Constantine VI from 780-790 CE, Irene took sole power in 797 CE after enduring the ignominy of exile following her insistence she should rule above her son no matter what age he reached. However, the Byzantine forces were ambushed and were defeated for good in 965 CE, with the Fatimids taking the last Byzantine strongholds on the island. His brilliant military exploits contributed to the resurgence of the Byzantine Empire during the 10th century. One of Nikephoros’ soldiers praised the deceased emperor as “the general of invincible Rome, a king by nature, a bringer-of-victories in fact” (Geometres, 283). Bringas didn't give up, he considered Nikephoros Phokas a main enemy for his throne aspirations and attempted to organise a conspiracy by contacting the generals Ioannes Tzimisces and Romanos Kourkouas to get rid of Nikephoros. The encounters between Nikephoros and Otto’s ambassador, Liudprand of Cremona, in Constantinople, who seemed to despise each other, speak to the dismal relations between the Holy Roman and Byzantine Empires. Again, Theophano was rumored to have poisoned him, although she had nothing to gain and everything to lose from this action and, indeed, was still in bed only 48 hours after giving birth to Anna Porphyrogenita when the Emperor died. His reign, however, included controversy. The strategy utilized two land offensives under Nikephoros’ nephew, John Tzimiskes, and his brother, Leo Phokas, as well as the naval commander Basil Hexamilites. Sayf al-Dawlaby Cplakidas (Public Domain). Nikephoros was appointed to strategos, or governor-general, of the Anatolikon Theme, a major Byzantine province, by Constantine VII. 912-969. Nikephoros also had a contentious relationship with Holy Roman Emperor Otto I of Germany (r. King of Germany 936-973 CE, Holy Roman Emperor 962-973 CE). Get Started. Although... John Tzimiskes is appointed domestikos of the East in the. Nikephoros was a highly devout man and brought Christian relics from his conquests back to Constantinople. Nikephoros was dark and stocky, with thick hair. Nikifor Foka 912-969 . Note: this flag is a conjectural reconstruction, and not historically attested. Last modified July 06, 2018. [11] Skylitzes assesses him as a "brave and prudent man, pious towards God and just towards men". Theophanes Continuatus names "Barda et Leonis" as children of "Nicephorusàdux in Thracesiorum themate". [1][2][3] During one of the campaigns of Emperor Basil I the Macedonian (r. 867–886) sometime in the 870s (probably c. 872), Nikephoros' father caught the emperor's attention and was raised to the rank of tourmarches. In the midst of a crisis all too common in Constantinople, Empress Theophano invited Nikephoros Phokas to act as protector and regent for her sons Basil and Constantine. NIKEPHOROS Phokas (-[885/95]). Nikephoros Phokas (Νικηφόρος Φωκᾶς, Nikēphoros Phōkas; died 895/6 or ca. His reign, however, included controversy. Nikēphoros II Phōkas, Emperor of the East. Watercolors Nikephoros Phokas was a prominent general and later emperor of the Byzantine Empire, whose brilliant military exploits contributed to the resurgence of Byzantium as a great power during the 10th century. 16 Jan 2021. Otto invaded Byzantine southern Italy in 968 CE, desiring the entire peninsula. Nikephorus Byzantinisches Reich, Kaiser II. [3][4][6], In 895, he was sent against the Bulgarians at the head of a large army. Meanwhile the forces of the Emir of Tarsus, in Cilicia, had raided Byzantine lands while Nikephoros was making a bid for the throne in Constantinople and securing his rule. 912-969. Nikephoros' entry into Constantinople as Emperor through the Golden Gate in summer 963.. With the help of Theophano and the patriarch, Nikephoros Phokas received supreme command of the eastern forces and, after being proclaimed Emperor by them on 2 July 963, he marched upon the capital, where his partisans had overthrown his enemy Bringas. Nikephoros Nikephoros II Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans Phokas was born in 912, in Cappadocia, Imperium Romanum, to Bardas the Elder Phokas and Maleina Phokaina. [3][4] In the meantime, he was raised to the rank of patrikios and named to the post of Domestic of the Schools, in effect commander-in-chief of the Byzantine army, after the death of his predecessor, Andrew the Scythian. Nikephoros I or Nicephorus I, Logothetes or Genikos (died July 26, 811) was Byzantine emperor from 802 to 811, when he was killed in the Battle of Pliska. Nikephoros’ sustained success against the Arabs (also known as Saracens) led his subjects to dub him the terrifying “White Death of the Saracens.” But while Nikephoros was a military hero, as emperor he alienated several powerful segments in Byzantine society, undermining his rule and legacy. The 11th-century historian John Skylitzes furthermore reports that Nikephoros brought an end to abuse against the local population, by ending the practice of returning Byzantine soldiers carrying off local Italians to be sold off in the East as slaves. Nikephoros’ deep unpopularity made him only mourned among the military. Related Content This only fanned the flames of Bringas' unpopularity and led to riots, which were strengthened when Basil Lekapenos, the former chief administrator of Constantine VII, paid 3,000 men to join the protestors. Cyprus had been split between Byzantine and Arab rule for over two centuries, with the revenues from the island split equally between the two powers. [4], Shortly after, at any rate before 878, Nikephoros was promoted to the rank of protostrator and received from the emperor his own palace in the vicinity of the Church of St. For Kazhdan, the presentation of Nikephoros' reputation by his admirers was "the first attempt to create the image of the emperor as a noble warrior".14 One can surely go further than this. His brilliant military exploits contributed to the resurgence of the Byzantine Empire during the 10th century. Nikephoros only had one son from a previous marriage, but he had tragically died in a hunting accident. His reign, however, included controversy. He managed to reclaim the Isle of Crete from the Arabs (by crushing the Emirate of Chandax) and then proceeded to take the battle to them in Syria. Written by Michael Goodyear, published on 06 July 2018 under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Goodyear, Michael. Theophanes Continuatus names "Bardas Phokas" during the account of the war with Bulgaria (in 918). [6], Byzantium had been absent from the affairs of southern Italy for almost a century, but the accession of Basil the Macedonian changed this: from 868 on, the imperial fleet and diplomacy were employed in an effort to secure the Adriatic Sea from Saracen raids, re-establish Byzantine dominance over Dalmatia, and extend Byzantine control once more over parts of Italy. [3][13], No definite conclusion as to the date of Nikephoros' death can be reached today, but most modern scholars, such as Jean-Claude Cheynet, are doubtful of the version of Theophanes Continuatus. Send article to Kindle. Nikephoros believed in a highly ascetic form of Christianity, however, and criticized the Church for becoming wealthy. In spring 970, following the murder of his great-uncle Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas by John I Tzimiskes, Bardas Phokas tried to raise a rebellion against the new regime in the family's base at Cappadocia, but Tzimiskes dispatched Bardas Skleros against him. Following the sudden death of Emperor Romanos in 963, a number of powerful faction leaders in the Imperial court vied for supremacy. [4][5], This is the last campaign associated with Nikephoros Phokas, and Symeon Logothetes reports that he died in 895/6. "Nikephoros II Phokas." [3][4] He possibly participated in Basil's 873 campaign against Samosata. Nicephorus II Phocas, (Greek: Νικηφόρος Β΄ Φωκᾶς, Nikēphoros II Phōkas), was the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire from 963 to 969. Nikephoros’ strategy involved a multi-pronged offensive and raids on Sayf’s territories, as well as those of his allies in Cilicia. Otto’s troops continued to make deep raids into Byzantine southern Italy, but without achieving any real change in the status quo. He initially promised to allow them to practice their religion unhindered, as long as their leader, Yuhannan VII, relocated to Cappadocia. Jul 23, 2014 - Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963-969 AD). At the same time Nikephoros, still in his youth, was taken into the imperial retinue, and was soon appointed to the guard corps of the manglabitai. Liutprand of Cremona's description of Nikephoros Phokas was probably conditioned more by the wounds to his amour propre inflicted by Byzantine court officials than by any disinterested analysis of the emperor's character, but it is a judgement which has influenced much of the subsequent writing on Nikephoros' reign. In 964 CE, Nikephoros forbade endowments for new monasteries and gifts to existing ones. Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization. Sayf faced internal rebellion for the next five years while Nikephoros received news that Romanos II had died. License. [3][4] Eventually he rose to the post of military governor (strategos) of the theme of Charsianon, a post from which, according to the continuators of Georgios Monachos, he scored "numerous" but unspecified successes against the Arabs. Nikephoros besieged the Cretan capital of Chandax (modern Heraklion), and superior numbers and scare tactics (Nikephoros catapulted slain Arabs’ heads into the city) allowed Nikephoros to conquer Crete in 961 CE after breaching the walls of Chandax. Nikephoros' entry into Constantinople as Emperor through the Golden Gate in summer 963.. With the help of Theophano and the patriarch, Nikephoros Phokas received supreme command of the eastern forces and, after being proclaimed Emperor by them on 2 July 963, he marched upon the capital, where his partisans had overthrown his enemy Bringas. He won the war in the East against the Arabs and because of that, he wore the title of Commander of the Eastern troops. But there was some sort of falling out between Nikephoros and Petar, and Nikephoros paid the Rus leader, Sviatoslav (r. 945-972 CE), to raid Bulgaria. Nikephoros re-established complete Byzantine control when a fleet under Nikephoros Chalkoutzes expelled the Arabs in 965 CE. Nicephorus II Phocas, (born 912, Cappadocia—died Dec. 10/11, 969, Constantinople), Byzantine emperor (963–969), whose military achievements against the Muslim Arabs contributed to the resurgence of Byzantine power in the 10th century.. Nikēforos Focas empereur d'Orient 0912-0969. [7] Otranto was taken from the Saracens in 873, and Bari in 876. Cedrenus records that "Nicephorus, Nicephori imperatoris avus" campaigned in Sicily and for a brief time expelled "Saracenos" from Italy. Nikephoros II Phokas, 912 – 969, was a great military commander, and a Byzantine emperor 963-969. He also has a J.D. Nikephoros Phokas the Elder, an eminent Byzantine general, grand-father of emperor Nikephoros II Phokas; Nikephoros II Phokas, Byzantine Emperor from 963 to 969; Nikiforos Fokas, a municipality in Greece; This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. It was Nikephoros' military achievement which provided the major area Krum is said to have made a drinking-cup of Nikephoros' skull. Emperor Romanos II left the government entirely in the hands of Nikeforos Fokas, the latter capturing Crete in 961, and Anazarbus and Marash in Germanikaia in 962. [1][2], Domestic of the Schools and the war with Bulgaria, sfn error: no target: CITEREFGuilland1967 (, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikephoros_Phokas_the_Elder&oldid=997283825, Byzantine people of the Arab–Byzantine wars, Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars, Instances of Lang-el using second unnamed parameter, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 30 December 2020, at 20:39. Nikephoros Phokas "Der bleiche Tod der Sarazenen" und Johannes Tzimiskes : ... Nikephoros II Phokas Byzantine emperor. Build your family tree online ; Share photos and videos ; Smart Matching™ technology ; Free! Antioch fell to Byzantine forces in 969 CE. Nikephoros, Phokas, ca. Nicephorus Phocas was the son of Bardas Phocas, an important Byzantine general in Anatolia, on the borders of the empire. Nikephoros II Phokas, Emperor of Byzantium's Geni Profile. Nikephoros II Phokas or Nicephorus II Phocas (Greek: Νικηφόρος Β΄ Φωκάς, Nikēphoros II Phōkas), (c. 912 – 969), Byzantine Emperor from 963 to 969. A former finance minister who did much to improve the state economy, Nikephoros was not particularly popular with the empire’s overtaxed peasants and overregulated merchants. Nicephorus II Phocas, Emperor of the East, 912-969; Detailed View Ancient History Encyclopedia. Share your family tree and photos with the people you know and love. ???? Leo VI lauds his military talents in his Tactica,[5] and he is credited with the invention of a weapon to counter cavalry during his campaign against the Bulgarians, consisting of a sharpened stake driven into the ground. Nicephorus II Phocas, Emperor of the East, 912-969. He then built a fortress to block off Antioch, one of the former greatest cities of the Byzantine Empire, before returning to Constantinople. The government of the Byzantine Empire was headed and dominated... John I Tzimiskes was Byzantine emperor from 969 to 976 CE. Nikephorus Byzantinisches Reich, Kaiser II. Nikēphoros Phōkas 912-969. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/Nikephoros_II_Phokas/. Both of his sons later succeeded him as Domestics of the Schools. With the reconquest of Crete, Cyprus, and Cilicia, Byzantine naval power extended across a large swath of the Mediterranean Sea once again. The Rise and Fall of Nikephoros II Phokas, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. Nikephoros took Anazarbos and Adana in 964 CE. In comparison, Theophano was known as a great beauty and interested in the finer things in life. Entry of Nikephoros Phokas (r. 963-969) into Constantinople as emperor, from the Madrid Skylitzes. His death reportedly encouraged Tsar Simeon to reopen hostilities, with devastating success against Nikephoros' successor as Domestic, Leo Katakalon. Some Rights Reserved (2009-2021) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license unless otherwise noted. Goodyear, Michael. He was acclaimed Emperor NIKEFOROS II by his troops in Cæsarea. In 966 CE, Nikephoros marched his army east into Syria but achieved no real benefits. Thecla. Nikephoros enjoyed tremendous influence in the army; and was very popular in Byzantium. [3][11][12] The later chronicle of Theophanes Continuatus, however, reports a different story, according to which Nikephoros was disgraced and dismissed from his post after refusing proposals for a marriage alliance with Leo's powerful chief minister, Stylianos Zaoutzes. The regions of Apulia, Calabria and Basilicata would remain firmly under Byzantine control until the 11th century. Nikephoros II Phokas (Latinized: Nicephorus II Phocas; Νικηφόρος Β΄ Φωκᾶς, Nikēphóros II Phōkãs; c. 912 – 11 December 969) was Byzantine Emperor from 963 to 969. John Skylitzes, Romanos II the Younger, 4: "In this year (e.g. Nikēphoros II Phōkas, Emperor of the East, 912-969. [4][5] It is likely, however, that Nikephoros was originally sent to Italy already before that, at the head of a picked detachment of troops from Charsianon, which Theophanes Continuatus records as part of Maxentios' expeditionary force. This undated raid probably took place either in the years before or directly after the Bulgarian war. Nikephoros II Phokas (Latinized: Nicephorus II Phocas; Νικηφόρος Β΄ Φωκᾶς, Nikēphóros II Phōkãs; c. 912 – 11 December 969) was Byzantine Emperor from 963 to 969. By 967 CE, popular discontent in Constantinople was running high. His first campaign as an emperor was waged against the Hamdanid emirate of Aleppo between 961 and 962. The Ancient History Encyclopedia logo is a registered EU trademark. While he is known as a great military commander, he was a poor politician, and his reign was cut short by his murder. His brilliant military exploits resulted in the conquest of Cilicia and the re-conquest of the island of Cyprus from the Muslims. Ancient History Encyclopedia Limited is a non-profit company registered in the United Kingdom. Nikephoros Phokas belonged to a Cappadocian family which had produced several distinguished generals, including Nikephoros' father (Bardas Phokas), uncle (Leo Phokas), and grandfather (Nikephoros Phokas the Elder), who had all served as commanders of the field army (domestikos tōn skholōn). English: Conjectural flag supposedly used by the Eastern Roman Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas, featuring the cross and the Chi-Rho. [3] Nikephoros' command in Italy lasted until his recall to Constantinople following the accession of Leo VI the Wise, in late 886. Cite This Work BARDAS Phokas, son of NIKEPHOROS Phokas & his wife --- (-969, bur Constantinople, Monastery Ta Gastria). Tzimiskes was born sometime around 925 to an unnamed member of the Kourkouas family and the sister of future Emperor Nikephoros II Phokas. nikephoros II phokas and orthodox military martyrs Meredith Riedel Duke University abstract The Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963–69), revered by the Orthodox Church as a saint, is reviled in John Skylitzes’s eleventh-century chronicle. Edit Edit profile photo . We have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications: Ancient History Encyclopedia Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. Phokas or Phocas (Template:Lang-el), feminine form Phokaina (Greek: Φώκαινα), was the name of a Byzantine aristocratic clan from Cappadocia, which in the 9th and 10th centuries provided a series of high-ranking generals and an emperor, Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963–969). Early life. Nikephoros also engaged with the Jacobite Syrian Church, a monophysite church that disagreed with the Patriarchate of Constantinople and Orthodoxy. After securing the throne, it did not take long for Nikephoros to resume his wars against the Muslims. Books 912-969. from 963-969. Emperor: Nikephoros II Phokas (963-969) Type: Standard circulation coin: Years: 963-969: Value: Miliaresion = 1/12 Solidus (1/12) Currency: Second Solidus Nomisma (720-1092) Composition: Silver: Diameter: 24 mm: Shape: Round: Demonetized: Yes: Obverse. Liutprand of Cremona’s description of Nikephoros Phokas was probably conditioned more by the wounds to his amour propre inflicted by Byzantine court officials than by any disinterested analysis of the emperor’s character, but it is a judgement which has influenced much of the subsequent writing on Nikephoros’ reign. Nikephoros came from a leading military family, the Phokas. Nikephoros was appointed to strategos, or governor-general, of the Anatolikon Theme, a major Byzantine province, by Constantine VII. He introduced the tetarteron, a temporary devalued gold coin, to increase the state’s coffers. Michael holds degrees in History and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from the University of Chicago, where he prmarily studied Byzantine history. Nikephoros made his elderly father Bardas caesar, more an honorific than its former meaning as the heir apparent to the Byzantine Empire. From 964 to 966, he led an army of 40,000 men which conquered Cilicia and conducted raids in Mesopotamia and Syria, while the patrician Niketas Cha… Known as “White Death of the Saracens,” Nikephoros was a fearsome commander who conquered Crete, Cilicia, and much of Syria. John Tzimiskes and his co-conspirators broke into Nikephoros’ sleeping chambers and murdered the sleeping Nikephoros. Nikephoros II Phokas (Νικηφόρος Φωκᾶς; c. 912 – 11 December 969), Latinized Nicephorus II Phocas, was Byzantine Emperor from 963 to 969. Nikephoros then turned back to the east and attacked Cilicia and then Syria. Skylitzes’s criticism has been widely quoted to support many claims but never examined on its In 967 CE, Nikephoros sued for peace with the Fatimids and abandoned Sicily to Muslim rule. In the centre is the bust of Nikephoros II in a cross shaped frame. The Byzantine frontier was pushed further to the east in 967 or 968 CE when the Armenian princes of Taron ceded the small Armenian state to Nikephoros in exchange for lands and titles inside the Byzantine Empire. Both the Kourkouai and the Phokadai were distinguished Cappadocian families, and among the most prominent of the emerging military aristocracy of … [3] By the time of his departure, he had extended Byzantine control over most of Apulia and Calabria. On August 16, 963, Nikephoros II Phokas entered the city of Constantinople in triumph as its new emperor, acclaimed by the army, and just six years later was brutally assassinated on the evening of December 11, 969. After Nikephoros … Sayf suffered a series of defeats which undermined his authority, and the Byzantine army captured the major cities of Hadath and Samosata. https://www.ancient.eu/Nikephoros_II_Phokas/. His grandsons Nikephoros and Leo were likewise distinguished generals, while the former became emperor in 963–969, spearheading the recovery of several lost provinces from the Arabs. Phokas or Phocas (Φωκᾶς), feminine form Phokaina (Greek: Φώκαινα), was the name of a Byzantine aristocratic clan from Cappadocia, which in the 9th and 10th centuries provided a series of high-ranking generals and an emperor, Nikephoros II Phokas (r. 963–969). On December 10-11, 969 CE, John Tzimiskes, whom Nikephoros had placed under house arrest sometime after 965 CE, was hoisted into the palace by his co-conspirators, potentially with the support of Empress Theophano. Nikephoros' father Bardas had fought against Sayf on multiple occasions but had failed to crush Sayf's forces. Nikephoros then took over control of the Byzantine armies from his father Bardas in 955 CE. Nikephorus Byzantinisches Reich, Kaiser 912-969. He promoted the interests of soldiers, arranged the state finances to focus on funding the army, and tactlessly dealt with criticism. His forces marched on Constantinople, where Bringas became increasingly unpopular.