Gregory Taronites ( governor of Chaldia ) Gregory Taronites ( ) was a Byzantine governor of the theme of Chaldia ( modern north - eastern Black Sea coast of Turkey ) who rebelled against Emperor Alexios I Komnenos in 1103 / 4 and governed his province as a virtually independent ruler until his defeat in battle in 1106 / 7 . He was then imprisoned for some time in the Prison of Anemas , before obtaining an imperial pardon . Some scholars have proposed an identification with Gregory Gabras , but this is disputed . Origin and early life . Gregory belonged to the aristocratic family of the Taronitai , a clan of princely Armenian origin from Taron . His parents are unknown , but he was the nephew of the " panhypersebastos " Michael Taronites , who married Maria , the daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos ( r . 1081 – 1118 ) . Some scholars , beginning with Karl Hopf and including Alexander Vasiliev and Claude Cahen , argued that Gregory Taronites was the same as Gregory Gabras , attested for the last time c . 1091 . This was the son of Theodore Gabras , who had governed the theme of Chaldia as a practically independent ruler from c . 1075 until his death in battle against the Turkomans in 1098 . However , this identification is problematic ; as B . Skoulatos argues , Anna Komnene , whose " Alexiad " is the main source on the period , would scarcely have confused the two men , who were both her relatives . From a series of letters by Archbishop Theophylact of Ohrid , it appears that Gregory Taronites originally held some civilian office in the Balkans , before being entrusted with a mission to the Pontus c . 1101 – 1103 . There , according to Theophylact , he triumphed against the Seljuk Turks and the Franks , the latter probably a reference to his role in ransoming Bohemond I of Antioch , who had been a captive of the Turks at Neokaisareia since his defeat in the Battle of Melitene in 1100 . After completing his mission with success , Gregory returned to Constantinople , where Alexios I named him " doux " ( military governor ) of the theme of Chaldia . Governorship and rebellion in Chaldia . On his arrival at Trebizond , the capital of the province , Gregory resolved to rebel against Alexios , and imprisoned his predecessor , Dabatenos , and various notables of the city . Alexios at first tried to convince him to submit peacefully , offering a full pardon , but Gregory replied with poems insulting the emperor , his family and the senior military and civilian leadership . Consequently , in 1105 / 6 Alexios dispatched an army under Gregory ' s cousin John Taronites , the son of Michael , against him . Gregory marched inland to Koloneia , from where he tried to conclude an alliance with the Danishmends of Sebasteia , but John managed to reach the town , attack it and capture his uncle before this effort bore fruit . As his earlier offers had been so rudely rejected , Alexios at first intended to have Gregory blinded — the customary punishment for rebellion — but was dissuaded by John , who pleaded for clemency for his cousin ; instead , Gregory ' s hair and beard were shaved , and he was paraded around the streets of Constantinople before being thrown into the Prison of Anemas . At first , Gregory remained obstinate and continued to hurl abuse on the emperor from his cell , but after the intercession of Gregory ' s friend Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger , the husband of Anna Komnene , he was persuaded to recant and beseech the emperor ' s pardon . In the end , he was not only released and pardoned , but accorded even higher honours . B . Skoulatos considers him the same as the namesake " protovestiarios " who was one of the chief ministers in the early reign of John II Komnenos ( r . 1118 – 1143 ) , but he is usually considered a different person . Character . In his letters , Theophylact of Ohrid , with apparent sincerity , lavished praise on Gregory and his military and administrative ability , and hoped for him to restore the Empire ' s lost glory . On the other hand , Anna Komnene presents a more sober picture of the man : despite his rebellion , she is not hostile towards him , but emphasizes his headstrong character .