Pardos

Pardos was the catepan of Italy briefly in 1042 following the short term of the brilliant George Maniaches.

In July 1042, Maniaches was disgraced and recalled by Constantine IX Monomachos at the behest of Romanus Sclerus, brother of the emperor's mistress. According to Johannes Skylitzes, Romanus had even raped Maniaches' wife. In September 1042, [The year is given as 1043 by Lupus Protospatharius, but he begins his year in September.] Pardo arrived with an army at Otranto to take over command from Maniaches. According to Lupus Protospatharius, he brought a chrysobull, but the meaning of this is uncertain. [Chalandon, p. 103 (n8).] Pardos was accompanied by Nicholas, Archbishop of Bari, who, though under the jurisdiction of the Roman see, was apparently a Byzantine loyal, and by Tubachi, a "protospatharius". It is probable that the archbishop had joined the catepan in a prior landing, during which the Greeks had negotiated with the Lombard rebel leader Argyrus. Subsequently, Argyrus abandoned the Lombard cause for the Greek. Pardos and Tubachi were arrested at Otranto, however, and executed by Maniaches, who was acclaimed emperor by his troops.

References

ource

*Chalandon, Ferdinand. "Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et en Sicilie". Paris, 1907.