Andronikos Lapardas
Andronikos Lapardas or Andronicus Lampardas (Greek: Ἀνδρόνικος Λαπαρδάς) was a Byzantine general during the late Komnenian period. Lampardas was awarded the title of sebastos, and held the court offices of oikeios vestiarites and chartoularios.
The right division of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Sirmium in 1167 was commanded by Andronikos Lampardas. This battle was a decisive victory over the Hungarian Kingdom and it ensured Byzantine control of the western Balkans.[1]
In 1182, King Bela of Hungary attacked the Byzantine fortresses of Belgrade and Braničevo. The war continued in 1183, when the Serbs joined forces with the Hungarians.
The Byzantine border armies were under the command of two experienced commanders: Alexios Branas and Andronikos Lapardas.
The news that Andronikos I Komnenos had taken power in Constantinople divided the two commanders, so they retreated towards Trajan's Gate.
Once Andronikos I had established himself, he sent Andronikos Lampardas with a large force against John Komnenos Vatatzes, a nephew of the late emperor Manuel I Komnenos, who had raised a revolt in western Anatolia. Vatatzes, who had become seriously ill, met Lampardas' army near Philadelphia. Vatatzes' forces were victorious and Lampardas' broken troops were pursued for some distance. However, a few days later, on 16 May 1182, Vatatzes died. Without his leadership the rebellion quickly broke apart.[2]
References
Bibliography
- Choniates, Niketas (1984). O City of Byzantium: Annals of Niketas Choniates. transl. by H. Magoulias. Detroit. ISBN 0-8143-1764-2.
- Kinnamos, John; Brand, Charles M. (trans.) (1976). Deeds of John and Manuel Comnenus. New York, New York: Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-04080-6.