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Birth:          ABT 1080 
Death:          AFT 1132 

Notes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Kamateros
Gregory Kamateros (Greek: G???????? ?aµat????, Gregorios Kamateros; fl.?1088–ca. 
1126/32) was a senior Byzantine official. Of low birth but very well educated, he 
reached high office under Emperor Alexios I Komnenos and eventually became 
logothetes ton sekreton, de facto prime minister, under both Alexios and John II 
Komnenos. Through his marriage with Irene Doukaina, an imperial relative, he founded 
the bureaucratic dynasty of the Doukai-Kamateroi.
Life and career[edit]


 


 Miniature of the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118).
There are several scattered references to a "Gregory Kamateros" in documents and 
seals of the late 11th/early 12th century. Most scholars consider them to refer to the 
same person, with the notable exception of the historian Vitalien Laurent, who cast 
doubt on this identification.[1]

According to the historian Niketas Choniates, Gregory Kamateros was of lowly and 
undistinguished birth. Nevertheless, he was distinguished by his great erudition, which 
was said to encompass all fields of knowledge.[1][2] He first appears in a document of 
the year 1088, as a logariastes (accountant) of the genikon department. The same 
document also gives the name of his father as Basil. At the time of the failed 
conspiracy of Nikephoros Diogenes against Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118) in 
1094, he was a "recently appointed" secretary to the emperor, and participated in the 
interrogation of Diogenes.[1][3]

A seal attests to his having held the office of governor, with the title of praetor, of the 
joint themes of the Peloponnese and Hellas. According to Choniates, he became rich 
due to tax farming in the provinces, possibly referring to this post. The wealth he 
accumulated allowed him to marry an imperial relative, Irene Doukaina, and he was 
promoted to the high rank of sebastos.[1][3] Archbishop Theophylact of Ohrid, who 
maintained friendly relations with Gregory and addressed five letters to him, implies 
that he was very influential in the court;[1][4] in a letter written c.?1094, Theophylact 
congratulates Gregory on his promotion to the rank of nobilissimus and the position of 
protasekretis.[5]

The protasekretis was originally the head of the imperial chancery, but according to 
the historian Paul Magdalino, Gregory Kamateros may have been the first protasekretis 
to head the tribunal with which the office was chiefly associated later in the 12th 
century.[6] Later, he was promoted to the rank of sebastos, and the position of 
logothetes ton sekreton.[5] The latter post was a creation of Alexios I, originally 
tasked simply with coordinating the various government departments (sekreta), but 
which by the turn of the 12th century had established itself as a de facto prime 
minister.[7] Indeed, the monody written on the occasion of Gregory's funeral by the 
court poet Theodore Prodromos portrays him as the virtual ruler of the empire.[4]

After the accession of John II Komnenos (r. 1118–1143), it appears that Gregory was 
sidelined for a while, as the government was headed by John's favourites, the 
parakoimomenos John Komnenos and the protovestiarios Gregory Taronites. As the 
latter proved ineffective, Gregory Kamateros was recalled, but, as Magdalino remarks, 
probably not "in his full former capacity"; not only did he have to share the 
responsibility of government with the parakoimomenos, but the megas domestikos John 
Axouch now dominated the court.[8]

Towards the end of his life, both he and his wife Irene entered a monastery. The exact 
date of Gregory's death is unknown, but it is placed between 1126 and 1132 on 
account of a reference to the appearance of a comet in Prodromos' funeral monody. 
Another court poet, Nicholas Kallikles, also wrote a poem on the occasion of 
Gregory's death.[1][3]

Family[edit]

Gregory Kamateros married Irene Doukaina, probably a daughter of the protostrator 
Michael Doukas and hence niece of Alexios I. Irene Doukaina outlived her husband, 
but her date of death is unknown.[3][9] The union led to the emergence of the 
Doukas-Kamateros line,[9] which held high office under the Komnenian emperors 
throughout the 12th century.[10] Most of the couple's children are unknown. A son 
named Michael died young, and a contemporary Theodore Kamateros was also likely a 
son of the couple. The best known of Gregory's children are the high official John 
Doukas Kamateros, and the high official and theologian Andronikos Kamateros. The 
latter's son Basil Doukas Kamateros was also a high official, while his daughter 
Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera became empress to Alexios III Angelos (r. 1195–
1203).[9][10][11]

Parents
____ Kamateros (ABT 1050 - )
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Siblings
KAMETEROS Gregorios (ABT 1080 - AFT 1132)

Marriage To DOUKAINA Eirene (ABT 1080 - )
    m. 1100 

Notes

Parents
DOUKAS Michael (ABT 1061 - ABT 1108)
----- ----- ()

Children by DOUKAINA Eirene ABT 1080 - 
DOUKAS Andronikos Kamateros (ABT 1110 - AFT 1176)

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