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Birth:          ABT 1000 
Death:          ABT 1088 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Doukas_(Caesar)
John Doukas (or Ducas) (Greek: ??????? ????a?, Ioannes Doukas) (died c. 1088) 
was the son of Andronikos Doukas, a Paphlagonian nobleman who may have served 
as governor of the theme of Moesia, and the younger brother of Emperor Constantine 
X Doukas. John Doukas was the paternal grandfather of Irene Doukaina, wife of 
Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.
Career as Caesar[edit]

John Doukas, who was given the court dignity of Caesar by his brother Constantine 
X,[1] was one of the most influential members of the court aristocracy from the death 
of his brother into that of Alexios I Komnenos. His wealth derived of estates in Thrace 
and Bithynia, and he was a close friend of the historian Michael Psellos. Although he 
is usually documented by the sources as a member of the court, he had begun his 
career as a general.[citation needed]

After serving as a counsellor and supporter of his brother, John came to the fore after 
his brother's death in 1067 as the natural protector of the rights of his nephew Michael 
VII Doukas.[2] His position as Caesar and his family’s influence in the Senate meant 
that he was behind the opposition of the court officials to the Empress Mother Eudokia 
Makrembolitissa and her marriage to Romanos IV Diogenes.[3] Over the course of the 
next three years he became the emperor’s bitterest enemy, but his intriguing meant 
that the Caesar spent much of Romanos' reign in retirement on his estates in Bithynia.
[1] It was here that he learned that his son Andronikos Doukas had joined and then 
deserted the emperor in the disastrous campaign ending with the Battle of Manzikert in 
1071.[4]

Romanos' captivity gave John the opportunity to return to court at the request of 
Eudokia Makrembolitissa.[5] Joining forces with Michael Psellos, the Caesar made the 
Empress share power with her son, and then forced her to become a nun and retire 
from court affairs in October 1071.[5] He soon became the de facto head of the 
Government in the name of Michael VII, ordering the empire not to acknowledge 
Romanus as emperor, declaring that Romanos had been elevated to the throne to act 
for Michael, who was now able to administer the empire. The Caesar sent his sons 
Andronikos and Constantine to capture Romanos IV,[6] who had been released from 
captivity and thus ensured the sole rule of his nephew Michael VII.[7] John Doukas 
initially agreed to allow Romanos to resign the purple and retire to a monastery. But 
his hatred of Romanos was so great that he reneged on the agreement and ordered 
that Romanos be blinded, sending him a mocking message congratulating him on the 
loss of his eyes as he lay dying from the infected wound.[8][9] With the elimination of 
Romanos, John and Michael Psellos were supreme at court.[10]

The Caesar was undone, however, by one of his own creatures, the eunuch 
Nikephoritzes.[11] By 1073 the eunuch had gained the confidence of Michael VII, 
whom he turned against his uncle. The Caesar was forced to retire to his great 
estates, where he amused himself by hunting in the forests near the shores of the 
Bosphorus.[1]

Rebellion of 1074[edit]

In the meantime, the progress of the Seljuk Turks roused the Byzantine government 
into action, gathering together an army of mercenaries under the command of Isaac 
Komnenos. The Norman mercenaries, led by Roussel de Bailleul, rebelled against the 
Byzantines, crushed an imperial army, and attempted to establish an independent 
kingdom in Anatolia.[12][13]

The situation in Asia Minor was now so dire, that in 1074 Michael was forced to order 
his uncle to take command of an imperial army and defeat the Norman mercenaries.
[14] Fixing his headquarters at Dorylaeum, the two armies met near the bridge over the 
Zompi River, one of the great lines of communication between Constantinople and the 
central provinces in Asia Minor. Betrayed by his Frankish mercenaries and by the 
shameful retreat of the Asiatic reserves under the command of the future Emperor 
Nikephoros III Botaneiates, John was defeated and captured together with his son 
Andronikos.[14] The victorious mercenaries then proceeded to advance to the shores 
of the Bosphorus, as a relieving force under John's younger son Constantine 
disintegrated when its commander suddenly died.

Roussel, unsure if his mercenary force could overthrow the emperor at Constantinople, 
decided to act as the chief general for his own emperor. He proclaimed John Doukas 
emperor, easily persuading his prisoner to assume the title and dethrone his ungrateful 
nephew, and they continued on their way to Constantinople.[14]

Michael VII and Nikephoritzes were deeply concerned about their own safety. They 
formed an alliance with Suleyman, concluding a formal treaty between the Byzantines 
and the Turks, whereby Michael gave to Suleyman the government of the provinces of 
which the Seljuk Turks were in possession of.[13][14] The Turks agreed to provide an 
army to fight on Michael’s behalf, and this army moved quickly to Mount Sophon 
where John Doukas and Roussel were encamped. The mercenaries were ambushed 
and although Roussel managed to escape,[13] John was captured, ending the 
rebellion.

After some time as a Seljuk captive, John was ransomed by his nephew. Michael 
allowed him to retain his sight on condition that he renounce all imperial ambitions and 
he take the additional precaution of becoming a monk.[1]

Return to politics[edit]

The tonsured Caesar retained some influence on political events. With the collapse of 
imperial authority late in Michael VII’s reign, he advised his nephew to abdicate[1] and 
become a monk when Nikephoros III Botaneiates threatened Constantinople in 1078, 
and in 1081 he fled Constantinople to join Alexios Komnenos and to persuade him to 
revolt against Botaneiates and claim the throne. It was also John Doukas, who 
arranged for the marriage of his granddaughter Irene Doukaina to Alexios Komnenos 
over the objections of the latter's mother Anna Dalassene. In this change of 
circumstance, he abandoned the monastic habit and Alexios allowed him to resume his 
old position as Caesar. Remaining part of the court, he continued to advise the 
emperor until his death in c. 1088.[1]

Family[edit]

Neither John nor his brother Constantine X were descended from the male branch of 
the ancient family of Doukas which became extinct after a revolt during the minority of 
Constantine VII’s reign. He was descended from the female line, and his family was 
originally called Doukitzes, to mark the inferiority of the modern house which had 
assumed the name of Doukas.[15]

By his wife Irene Pegonitissa, John Doukas had at least two sons, both of whom 
predeceased him:
1.Andronikos Doukas, who was the father of Irene Doukaina
2.Constantine Doukas, who died in 1074

Parents
DOUKAS Andronikos (ABT  950 - )
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Siblings
DOUKAS Ionnes (John) (ABT 1000 - ABT 1088)

Marriage To PEGONITISSA Eirene (ABT 1000 - ABT 1060)
    m.  

Notes

Parents
PEGONITES Niketas (ABT  980 - AFT 1057)
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Children by PEGONITISSA Eirene ABT 1000 - ABT 1060
DOUKAS Andronikos (BEF 1020 - 14 Oct 1077)

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