Maps of Power

Isaakios Nikephoros

Description

A short notice of the capture of Berat in 1342/1343 by the sebastokrator of Serbia Isaakios Nikephoros is inserted in the colophon of the manuscript (Dionys. 216/3750) written by the scribe Iakobos, kept in the library of the monastery of Dionysiu (ἐπόνησα πρὸς ταῦτα τῷ ἑξακισχιλιοστῷ αὖθις ὀκτακοσιοστῷ πρὸς τοῖς πεντήκοντα καὶ ἑνὶ ἔτη ἰνδικτηώνος δὲ ἐνδεκάτης. Ἰστέον ὅτι τὸ παρὸν βιβλίον ἐγράφη ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ἔτω τῆς εἰς τὰ Βελλάγραδα εἰσελεύσεως τοῦ σεβαστοκράτωρος Σερβείας κῦρ Νικηφόρω τὸ Ἰσαακίω, χειρὶ δὲ Ἰακώβῳ ἱεροθύτῳ). Isaakios Nikephoros is with all probability identical with the ambassador Chiersacchio mentioned in a document from 25.05.1344 preserved in the archives of the city Dubrovnik (In consilio rogatorum captum fuit "de mittendo unum ambassiatorem Chiersacchio ad honorandum ipsum et presentandum et recommandandum mereatores in partibus illis conversantes". Item "de mittendo dona eidem Chiersacchio, cuidam alii baroni Suberto de yperferis CC"; et alia fuit de perperis CL que vicit".) The sebastokrator Kerьsakь also appears as a donator of the village of Rodokali with hamlets and all rights to the Church of Holy Mother of God Peribleptos in Ōhrid, which was confirmed by the Serbian king Stefan Uroš IV Dušan. (I kako prihodi vseōsvešteni jepiskopь Děvolьski kirь Gligori i uspomenu mi kako jestь priložilь prěljubovni vlastelinь kraljevstva mi sevastokratorь Kerьsakь selo Rodokali, i sь zaselьci i sь vsěmi pravinami sela toga crьkvi Periblepьtu, monastiru kralevstva mi i kraličinu. I kralevstvo mi zapisa i utvrьdi, jako da jestь tvrьdo i nerazorimo do věka i da jestь otь crьkve neotiemlemo do dni i do věka). The Serbian King names him in the same charter as the brother of his kingdom and as the Sebastokrator of the town Ōhrid. The Serbian king mentions his help in the conquest of the region (i sь Hristovomь pomoštiju i prědanijemь brata kraljevstva mi, sebastokratora grada Ōhrid). He is attested together with the archbishop Nikolaos as donor of the large mid-14th century icons of Christ Pantokrator and the Virgin Psychosostria destined for the templon of the Cathedral of St. Sophia at Ōhrid. An inscription is attached to the lower rim of the revetment of the Icon with Christ Pantokrator, which describes him as the sebastokrator Isaakios Dukas (ΥΜΝΟΝ ΕΠΙΝΙΚΟΝ ΩΣ ΘΕΩ ΦΕΡΕΙ ΑΥΤΟΣ Δ· ΕΝΥΛΟΣ ΚΑΙ ΧΟΙΚΟΣ ΤΥΓΧΑΝΩΝ ΔΟΥΚΑΣ ΙΣΑΑΚΙΟΣ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΟΚΡΑΤΩΡ ΙΛΑΣΤΗ ΕΙΚΟΝΑ ΗΡΥΣΟΥ ΑΡΓΥΡΟΥ ΤΕ ΤΕΧΝΟΥΡΓΗΜΕΝΗΝ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΔΕΧΟΙΟ ΠΑΜΜΕΔΟΝ ΘΕΟΥ [ΚΡΑΤΟΣ...ΕΙΣ] ΕΞΙΛΑΣΜΑ ΤΩΝ ΑΜΑΡΤΗΜΑΤΟΝ). It is not clear whether the sebastocrator Isaakios is the same person as the Caesar Dukas portrayed together with his prematurely deceased son Demetrios in the ruins of St. Panteleimon in Ōhrid, which is dated 1321 or 1331, shortly before the conquest of Ōhrid by the Serbian king Stefan Uroš IV Dušan.

Relations

Events (1)
Name Class Begin End Description
Confirmation of the Donation of the village Rodokali to the Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid Acquisition 01.09.1345 30.11.1345 The Sevastokrator called Kerьsakь donated the village of Rodokali with hamlets and all rights to the Monastery and Church of the Virgin Peribleptos in Ohrid. The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan recorded and confirmed this transaction (I kako prihodi vseosvešteny episkopь Děvolьski kir Gligori i uspomenu mi, kako jestь priložilь prěljuovni vlastelinь kralevstva mi sevastokratorь Kerьsakь selo Rodokali, i sь zaselьci i sь vsěmi pravinami sela toga crьkvi Periblepьtu, monastiru kralevstva mi i kraličinu. I kralevstvo mi zapisa i utvrьdi, jako da jestь tvrьdo i nerazorimo do věka i da jestь otь crьkve neotiemlemo do dni i do věka).
Sources (1)
Name Class Description
Stefan Uroš IV Dušan's Charter for the Church of the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos in Ohrid Source The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan issued a charter for the Holy Mother of God Peribleptos in the town of Ohrid in the period from 1342 until 1345.