Michael Bourtzes

With his base on the newly built fortress of Pagras, Bourtzes and his thousand men were tasked with controlling the northern approaches to the Arab-held city of Antioch.

[2][3][6] Despite his major role in this success, Bourtzes's reward was distinctly lacking: angry at him for disobeying his orders, or, according to another account, for laying fire and destroying much of the city, Emperor Nikephoros dismissed him from his post and appointed a kinsman of his, Eustathios Maleinos, as the first governor of Antioch.

[4][12] According to Skylitzes, this move was designed by the parakoimomenos to wean him away from his close relationship with Skleros,[3] who as one of the Empire's senior generals and de facto second-in-command under his relative Tzimiskes, was a prime candidate for usurping the throne.

[11] Bourtzes was commanded by Constantinople to lead his force north, join the army of Eustathios Maleinos, now governor of Cilicia, and block the rebel from crossing the Antitaurus Mountains.

[3][14] In the ensuing battle at the fortress of Lapara in the province of Lykandos (autumn 976), however, the combined loyalist force was routed, with Bourtzes being the first to retreat according to the chroniclers.

[3][15][16] As Skylitzes pointedly comments, Bourtzes' conduct during the battle was attributed either to cowardice or to malice; certainly soon after, he deserted the imperial camp and joined Skleros.

[3][17] In the summer of 977, Boutzes was deployed, along with Romanos Taronites, in command of Skleros's forces shadowing the operations of the imperial army advancing from Kotyaion to Ikonion.

[3] Uniquely amongst the military leaders who had revolted against him, Basil II continued to rely on Bourtzes and entrusted him again with the critical position of doux of Antioch in 989, in the aftermath of another rebellion, this time of Bardas Phokas.

[3][20] From this position, over the next few years Bourtzes led the defence of the imperial frontier in a renewed bout of fighting with the Fatimids, as the two empires disputed control over the Hamdanid emirate of Aleppo.

After defeating the Hamdanids in battle near Apamea, Manjutakin laid siege to Aleppo for 33 days, after which he left part of his forces behind and led the rest to confront Bourtzes, who was marching to the city's aid.

Manjutakin followed up his success by capturing the fortress of Imm, commanded by Bourtzes' nephew, and taking him and 300 troops prisoner, before embarking on a plundering raid through Byzantine territory as far as Germanikeia (Ar.

[3] At about the same time, the Muslim population of Laodicea, Antioch's seaport, rose in revolt, but Bourtzes was able to put it down and deported the populace to the interior of Byzantine territory in Asia Minor.