Eumathios Philokales Eumathios Philokales ( ) was a high - ranking Byzantine military leader and administrator during the reign of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos ( r . 1081 – 1118 ) , most notably as governor of Cyprus for twenty years , from 1093 to ca . 1112 . He also served as governor of southern Greece , ambassador to Hungary and " megas doux " ( commander - in - chief of the Byzantine navy ) . Philokales ' career is known both through his mention in the " Alexiad " and through his surviving seals of office . These trace his ascent from a " protospatharios epi tou Chrysotriklinou " to judge of the joint themes of Hellas and the Peloponnese , and eventually , sometime around 1090 , to " praetor " of the latter . In about the same time , he was sent by Emperor Alexios to a mission to Hungary to arrange matters relating to the marriage of Alexios ' son and heir , John II Komnenos , to Irene of Hungary . In 1093 , Alexios appointed Philokales was appointed as " stratopedarches " and governor of Cyprus following the suppression of the revolt of the island ' s previous governor , Rhapsomates . Given the island ' s strategic location , it was an appointment that indicated both Philokales ' prominence in the imperial hierarchy and the emperor ' s confidence in his ability . Indeed , in the " Alexiad " , Alexios ' daughter Anna Komnene praises his intelligence and devotion to his duty . Philokales remained in Cyprus as governor for about 20 years , with the exception of a short period in 1109 – 1110 . In contrast to the praise he receives from Anna Komnene , local Cypriot sources of ecclesiastic origin portray him as a cruel and pitiless official and name him a wolf or a disciple of the devil , because of his imposition of heavy taxes on the island ' s population . In 1099 , Philokales repelled Pisan raiders from Cyprus . From his position he also played a role in the affairs of the Crusader states , providing the link between Alexios and Raymond IV , Count of Toulouse , an imperial ally . This was most notably the case in 1102 , when Philokales sent supplies and equipment to Raymond during his siege of Tripoli . In 1109 , Philokales travelled to Constantinople , where he requested to be transferred to the governorship of Attaleia . Despite his inexperience in military matters , Emperor Alexios granted his wish , and gave Philokales troops . Philokales landed with his army at Abydos and proceeded to move over land through western Asia Minor to take up his post . On his way , he rebuilt and repopulated the city of Adramyttion , destroyed by Tzachas years before . In the region of Lampe his troops inflicted a heavy defeat on the local Turks , and then moved on to Philadelphia . Anticipating a retaliatory attack , Philokales repaired the city ' s walls , and placed many scouts about . In this way , the city was prepared when the Turks of Cappadocia , under a certain Asan , appeared before the walls . Asan therefore did not assail the city , but divided and sent his troops to raid and plunder westwards . Philokales dispatched his own army after them . The Byzantines first pursued the Turkish division , 10 , 000 strong according to the " Alexiad " , that had moved towards Kelbianos and routed it in a surprise attack at dawn . Then Philokales ' troops moved against the raiders who had moved towards Nymphaion and Smyrna and defeated them near the Meander River . Little is known of Philokales after that . In 1111 / 1112 , during Manuel Boutoumites ' embassy to the Kingdom of Jerusalem , he was back in his post as governor of Cyprus . In an act dating to 1118 , he is noted as holding the office of " megas doux " . A few verses also testify to his elevation to the ranks of " magistros " and " kouropalates " and , by 1118 , to the exalted dignity of " pansebastos sebastos " .