John the Rhaiktor

Facing accusations, he left his office and retired to a monastery, but remained a confidant of the emperor, for whom he undertook a delicate diplomatic mission to Bulgaria in 929.

He is likely to be identified as one of the conspirators who in 947 intended to depose Constantine VII and restore Romanos I's son Stephen Lekapenos to the throne.

John is first mentioned in 922, in the aftermath of a failed conspiracy against emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (reigned 920–944) and his junior colleague Constantine VII (r. 913–959).

In addition, he argued successfully for the promotion of Constantine Lorikatos, the protokarabos (captain of the imperial dromon) and loyal partisan of Romanos, to the post of protospatharios tes phiales, which had been held until then by one of the men implicated in the conspiracy.

The conspirators were variously blinded, their ears and noses cut, publicly humiliated through the streets of the capital, and exiled.