Byzantine Emperor (c.912 – 969)
His name means “Bringer of Victory”. He reigned as Emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 963 to 969. During those 6 years he managed to prove himself as one of the most competent, skilful and eminent Emperors who ever held the throne of the Byzantine Empire. He is chiefly remembered for his political, military and religious reforms that led to the enforcement of the Byzantine Empire, rendering it the most powerful of all the empires at the time.
His work began before he was crowned king, when he pursued a military career early in his life. He distinguished himself in battles and eventually succeeded his father Bardas Phocas as commander of the Byzantine army of the East division. In 961 he liberated the island of Crete, which was occupied by the Arabs for 137 years and established Christianity.
Having achieved widespread popularity by the public and having earned the trust of the high-ranked authorities, Nicephorus Phocas was crowned Byzantine Emperor in 963. His primary concern was Islam, which had started becoming a formidable enemy of the Byzantine Empire. Thus, in spring 964 he led a campaign against the Arabs. The successful reclaiming of Cilicia, Palestine and Cyprus from the Arabs opened to way for the liberation of Syria. In the absence of the emperor in Constantinople, the Byzantine forces entered Antioch and then reclaimed Aleppo, ultimately terminating the Arab Empire.
Next, he turned his attention towards the Bulgarians, who had signed a peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire, forcing it to pay heavy taxation as a means of subordinance to them. Phocas commenced negotiations with the king of the Russians, Tsar Sviatoslav in attempt to rid of the Bulgarians. The outcome, however, was much more different than what had happened to the Arabians, with Tsar Sviatoslav becoming more menacing for the Byzantines than the Bulgarians. The problem with the Bulgarians and the Russians would be resolved when John Tzimiskes would ascend to throne right after Nicephorus Phocas’s assassination in 969.
His Spartan way of life was reflected on his domestic policies for the administration of the Empire. His first priority was enforcement of the military; hence, he increased taxation and made cuts of funding in favour of the army. He forbade the Church from increasing its fortune and supported the restoration of old churches, monasteries and nursing homes instead of building new ones. Phocas himself had restored older churches in Crete and Cappadocia. Finally, he wrote two treatises on war, De velitatione bellica and Praecepta militaria, although some historians attribute them to others.
In the end, Nicephorus Phocas was assassinated by his consort and John Tzimiskes, who immediately assumed throne. Some saw Nicephorus Phocas as a military giant who, although rarely left his headquarters in Constantinople, organized an army so powerful that destroyed the Arabs and imposed itself in the East. Others saw him as an oppressive tyrant due to his interventions in the Church and his heavy taxation. Nevertheless, he was an undefeatable warlord whose death caused joy among the enemies of the Empire. He was beatified by the Church and is celebrated in Mt. Athos to this day as a saint every year on December 11th.
Bibliography
- Helene Ahrweiler. ”Nicephorus II, Phocas” Encyclopaedia Britannica. Web. 8 December. 2016.
- Νικηφόρος Β’, Φωκάς. Εγκυκλοπαίδεια Μείζωνος Ελληνισμού, Μικρά Ασία. Asiaminor.ehw.gr. Web. Retrieved on December 8, 2016.
- “Nikoforos II, Phokas”. Helios New Encyclopaedic Dictionary. Passas, I. Athens, 1946. Print.