Theodore Gabras Theodore Gabras ( ) was a Byzantine governor in the Pontus who was involved in a minor unsuccessful rebellion against the Emperor Alexios I Komnenos around the year 1091 . Theodore Gabras is an Eastern Orthodox martyr , celebrated in October 2 . Early life . Theodore originally hailed from the Theme of Chaldia , and he had spent most of his adult life serving in the Byzantine army . A violent and energetic man , he had gained considerable fame as a gifted soldier , both courageous and cunning , with an outstanding record of success . It was reported that he rarely failed in any military task , and invariably got the better of his enemies . Already by 1067 , when he commissioned a gospel preserved in St Petersburg , he had risen to the ranks of " patrikios " , " topoteretes " and " hypatos " . His crowning glory was the recapture of Trebizond from the Seljuk Turks during the 1080s , which he ruled for a time as if it were his own personal fiefdom . By the late 1080s , Theodore was once again residing at Constantinople , where Alexios I was keeping a concerned eye on him . In order to avoid any unnecessary temptations , he formally appointed Theodore Dux of Trebizond and ordered him to take up his post . Leaving his eldest son Gregory at the court with the " sebastokrator " Isaac Komnenos , to whose daughter Gregory was engaged , he returned to Trebizond . Soon afterwards his first wife died , so Theodore married , apparently in 1091 , a " most noble " lady from " Alania " , and the first cousin of Isaac Komnenos ' s wife . According to Professor Cyril Toumanoff , the lady was the Georgian Bagratid princess Mariam , daughter of the Georgian king Bagrat IV and sister of the Byzantine princess Maria . When this became known the engagement between Gregory and the Komnenos daughter was broken off , as they were now considered close relatives and their marriage was prohibited by civil and ecclesiastic law . Alexios however was worried about Theodore ’ s reaction , so he kept Gregory at the court as a hostage in order to ensure Theodore ’ s continued good behavior . Defiance against Alexios I . By 1091 , Theodore had returned to the capital and was demanding the return of his son . Alexios refused , claiming he was contemplating marrying the boy to one of his own daughters . Disbelieving the emperor , Theodore hatched a plot to rescue his son and get him to safety at Trebizond in secret . He initially agreed to hand over his son ; then on the eve of his departure he had dinner with the Sebastokrator , with whom he was now related through his second marriage . He begged to be allowed a further twenty - four hours with his son , which Isaac agreed to . The next day , he asked if Gregory could accompany him on the first stage of his journey to Sosthenium , where he intended to pitch his camp . His minders agreed , but when Theodore then proposed that Gregory accompany him further , they initially said no before Theodore managed to convince them . They made it to the port of Pharus when Theodore secretly boarded a merchant ship along with Gregory and fled onto the Euxine . This act of rebellion stirred Alexios into action , and he sent a squadron of ships to overtake Theodore with orders to bring Gregory back to the capital no matter what . They overtook the ship near the town of Aeginus and advised Theodore that were he to refuse to hand over his son , he would be arrested as a rebel . Theodore , still distant from his seat of power and outnumbered , backed down and allowed Alexios ’ emissaries to take Gregory back with them , while he continued on his way back to Trebizond . Gregory then formed another plot to escape but it too was discovered and he was imprisoned at Philippopolis for his troubles . Career after 1091 . A man of Theodore ’ s military talents was too good to waste , and by 1097 he was once again at the front line , this time fighting the Turks as part of the initial alliance with the Crusaders . While the Franks were engaged at the Siege of Antioch , Theodore was marching with Alexios and helping him recapture towns in western Asia Minor . He was prominent in the capture of Bayburt , which was subsequently besieged by the Turks who hoped to reclaim it . Turning around , Theodore contemplated a night attack against the enemy , but changed his mind . In 1099 during a campaign in the region of Erzerum , he was captured by the Danishmends and martyred . His younger son Constantine Gabras succeeded him as Dux of Chaldia . The feast day of Saint Theodoros Gabras is on October 2 .