page_title: Gregory Taronites
hierarchical_section_title: Gregory Taronites
caption_attribution_description: English: Skyllitzes Matritensis, fol. 184v, detail. Miniature: Bulgarians ambush and kill the governor of Thessalonica, Duke Gregory Taronites. Text from the Chronicle of John Skylitzes: "... Samuel was campaigning against Thessalonike. He divided the majority of his forces to man ambushes and snares but he sent a small expedition to advance right up to Thessalonike itself. When duke Gregory [Taronites] learnt of this incursion he despatched Asotios, his own son, to spy on and reconnoitre the [enemy] host and to provide him with inteligence and then he himself came along afterwards. Asiotios set out and came into conflict with the [enemy] vanguard which he put to flight, only to be taken unwittingly in an ambush. On hearing of this Gregory rushed to the help of his son, striving to deliver him from captivity, bu he too was surrounded by Bulgars; he fell fighting nobly and heroically. ..." (Translated by John Wortley, in: John Skylitzes: A Synopsis of Byzantine History, 811-1057: Translation and Notes, p. 323) References: Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis Historiarum. Editio Princeps. Rec. Ioannes Thurn, p. 341, in: Corpus Fontium Historiae Byzantinae 5 Series Berolinensis, 1973 Tsamakda V.: The illustrated chronicle of Ioannes Skylitzes in Madrid, p. 221 Божилов Ив.: Българите във Византийската империя, p. 183 Grabar A., Manoussacas M.: L'illustration du manuscript de Skylitzes de Madrid, p. 100 Божков А.: Миниатюри от Мадридския ръкопис на Йоан Скилица, p. 225 Български: Skyllitzes Matritensis, л. 184v, детайл. Миниатюра: Българи убиват солунския дук Григорий Таронит. Цитат от хрониката на Йоан Скилица: "... Самуил потеглил срещу Солун и рапределил главната част от войската си по засади и клопки, а само една малка част пратил да направи набег до самия Солун. Когато научил за нахлуването му, дукът Григорий изпратил сина си Ашот, за да види и огледа войската и да му извести за това, а самият той следвал отзад. Ашот излязъл и като влязъл в стълкновение с разузнавачите [на Самуил], разбил ги, но попаднал сред засадите и бил заловен. Като научил това, Григорий веднага отишъл на помощ на сина си, желайки да го освободи от плен. Но и той бил обграден от българите и паднал след храбра и геройска борба. ..." (Scylitzes-Cedrenus – Скилица-Кедрин. Превод на В. Тъпкова-Заимова, в: ГИБИ VI, стр. 278)
context_page_description: Gregory Taronites was an Armenian prince of Taron, who went over to Byzantine service and held senior commands and governorships under Emperor Basil II. He was killed by the Bulgarians at an ambush near Thessalonica ca. 991 or 995.
context_section_description: Gregory Taronites (Greek: Γρηγόριος Ταρωνίτης, romanized: Grēgorios Tarōnitēs) was an Armenian prince of Taron, who went over to Byzantine service and held senior commands and governorships under Emperor Basil II. He was killed by the Bulgarians at an ambush near Thessalonica ca. 991 or 995.
caption: The death of Gregory Taronites in the Bulgarian ambush, miniature from the Madrid Skylitzes
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