Diplomacy gone to seed: a history of Byzantine foreign relations, A.D. 1047-57

International Journal of Kurdish Studies, Jan, 2004 by Paul A. Blaum

In his dealing with foreign peoples, Constantine IX often showed keen diplomatic aptitude. The cordial, even reverential, welcome he gave the Armenian Catholicus Peter Getadartz ("River-Turner") in Constantinople was an oblique attempt to reconcile the recently annexed Armenians of Ani to Byzantine rule, a priority of the first order.

The first Byzantine viceroy at Ani after its capture in 1045 had been the vestis Michael Iasites, governor of the theme of Iberia; Aristakes of Lastivert tells us that he had "covered with honors the patriarch Petros [Getadartz] and received the submission of all the country." The Catholicus received quite different treatment from the vestis Nicephorus Katakalon surnamed Kekaumenos or Cecaumenus ("the Burned"), who succeeded Iasites as governor of Iberia. Kekaumenos--called Kamenas by Armenian writers--denounced Peter in letters to Constantine IX and had him abruptly removed from Ani to the ill-fated city of Arzen, then to the fortress of Khaltoyaritch, about forty kilometers west of Theodosiopolis, the modern Erzerum (Epiphany, January 6, 1046). (12) Constantine IX was determined, however, not to be so heavy-handed toward the leader of the Armenian Church. He wrote a letter to Peter, inviting him to Constantinople, and Peter agreed to come (Easter). Before setting out, Peter took the precaution of consecrating his successor, his nephew Katchik II, and secretly hiding the miwron or holy oil used by the Armenian Church for consecration. To prevent its seizure by Byzantine officials, the miwron was sequestered in massive iron urns submerged in the Akhurian River, near the main gate of Ani. (13) Peter then set out for Constantinople in great estate, being accompanied by 300 highborn men bearing arms; an ecclesiastical retinue of 100 vardapets, bishops, musicians, monks, and priests, all mounted on splendid mules; and 200 servants on foot. Upon arriving in the Byzantine capital, Peter was greeted by the entire population and escorted to Hagia Sophia, where Constantine IX and the Ecumenical Patriarch Michael Cerularius received him in splendor. On the first day of their meeting, the Emperor gave Peter a kentenarion or hundred pounds of gold; the next day, he presented him with a golden throne worth one thousand tahegans (Armenian gold dinars). Matthew of Edessa writes:

    With such honorable treatment as this, his lordship Peter remained
    in Constantinople among the Romans [i.e. Byzantines] for four years;
    from day to day more and more praise and honor were accorded him
    while he was in the midst of the Greeks. Whenever he went to the
    palace of the emperor, his crosier was carried before him; moreover,
    when the emperor saw him, he would prostrate himself before the
    catholicos and would command his nobles to go forth to present
    themselves to his lordship Peter. After four years Monomachus and
    the patriarch [Michael Cerularius] gave many gifts, consisting of
    treasures of gold and brocade, to his lordship Peter. The emperor
    also gave insignias and high positions to the noblemen of Peter's
    household and elevated his sister's son, his lordship Anane, to the
    rank of syncellus [liaison between Emperor and patriarch]. The
    Armenian patriarch was given all sorts of precious garments and then
    was sent away in peace and with very great largess. (14)