Eumathios Philokales

Who is Eumathios Philokales?

Eumathios Philokales was a high-ranking Byzantine military leader and administrator during the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, most notably as governor of Cyprus for twenty years, from 1093 to ca. 1112. He also served as governor of southern Greece, ambassador to Hungary and megas doux.

Philokales' career is known both through his mention in the Alexiad and through his surviving seals of office. These trace his ascent from a protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou to judge of the joint themes of Hellas and the Peloponnese, and eventually, sometime around 1090, to praetor of the latter. In about the same time, he was sent by Emperor Alexios to a mission to Hungary to arrange matters relating to the marriage of Alexios' son and heir, John II Komnenos, to Irene of Hungary.

In 1093, Alexios appointed Philokales was appointed as stratopedarches and governor of Cyprus following the suppression of the revolt of the island's previous governor, Rhapsomates. Given the island's strategic location, it was an appointment that indicated both Philokales' prominence in the imperial hierarchy and the emperor's confidence in his ability. Indeed, in the Alexiad, Alexios' daughter Anna Komnene praises his intelligence and devotion to his duty. Philokales remained in Cyprus as governor for about 20 years, with the exception of a short period in 1109–1110. In contrast to the praise he receives from Anna Komnene, local Cypriot sources of ecclesiastic origin portray him as a cruel and pitiless official and name him a wolf or a disciple of the devil, because of his imposition of heavy taxes on the island's population. In 1099, Philokales repelled Pisan raiders from Cyprus. From his position he also played a role in the affairs of the Crusader states, providing the link between Alexios and Raymond IV, Count of Toulouse, an imperial ally. This was most notably the case in 1102, when Philokales sent supplies and equipment to Raymond during his siege of Tripoli.