George Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Γεώργιος Παλαιολόγος; fl. 1078–1110) was a Byzantine aristocrat and general. One of the earliest known ancestors of the Palaiologos dynasty, he was a capable military commander who played a critical role in helping his brother-in-law Alexios I Komnenos seize the throne in 1081. In subsequent year he played an important role in Alexios' campaigns, especially the Battle of Dyrrhachium against the Italo-Normans or the Battle of Levounion against the Pechenegs, and was a major source used by Anna Komnene in her Alexiad.
George Palaiologos was the son of the first known member of the Palaiologos family, Nikephoros Palaiologos.[1][2] He was also linked to the Kourtikes family, as the general Basil Kourtikes was his cousin.[3] Sometime before 1081, he married Anna Doukaina, the sister of Irene Doukaina, the wife of Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118), making him the brother-in-law to the future emperor.[4][5]
George Palaiologos is first mentioned in 1078, alongside his father, who was serving as the governor of the Theme of Mesopotamia at the time; the two supported the rise to the throne of Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 1078–1081), although his father had been a Doukas loyalist.[3][6] In 1080, Palaiologos participated in a campaign against the rebel general Nikephoros Melissenos. Along with his cousin, Basil Kourtikes, he was placed under the command of the incompetent court eunuch John, who refused to follow Palaiologos' advice. Soon, however, John became frightened of the constant attacks of the Turks, and left the army in Palaiologos' hands. Although the latter managed to save the army from disaster, John complained about him at court, and on his return to Constantinople Palaiologos was prohibited from entering the imperial palace.[3][7]
Although related to the Komnenoi by marriage, Palaiologos only joined their plot to usurp the throne reluctantly, and at the last moment;[7][8][9] the historian Basile Skoulatos suggests that he rather preferred his wife's grandfather, the Caesar John Doukas, to seize the throne instead.[7] The Komnenoi met Palaiologos as they were departing Constantinople to lead the revolt at Kosmidion, on the night of 14 February 1081; Palaiologos had taken the precaution of bringing with him his fortune from the Blachernae Monastery where he had deposited it. According to the sources, it was the pleading of his mother-in-law, Maria of Bulgaria, which convinced him to cast his lot with the Komnenoi, joining their forces at Tzouroulos.[8][10] At the family council at Skiza, Palaiologos supported the candidature of Alexios for the throne, against Alexios' elder brother, Isaac Komnenos.[11][12]
When the Komnenian army marched on Constantinople, Palaiologos was put in charge of negotiating with the German commander Gilpract, who commanded the garrison at the Gate of Charisios; Palaiologos managed to persuade Gilpract to defect, allowing the Komnenian forces unopposed entry to the capital on 1 April. Immediately after, Palaiologos boarded a boat and secured the allegiance of the imperial fleet for Alexios. This proved crucial, as Botaneiates attempted to use the fleet to ferry across the troops of Melissenos, who had been encamped at the Asian shore of the Bosporus at Damalis.[8][13]
At the same time, when the Komnenoi and some of their partisans, now sure of their victory, contemplated sidelining the Doukai and having Alexios discard Irene Doukaina, Palaiologos angrily protested that he had only joined them in support of her interests.[8][14] Palaiologos' control of the fleet was vital to the yet insecure Komnenian regime, as only the fleet prevented Melissenos from crossing the strait; and Palaiologos had the sailors of the fleet acclaim jointly Alexios and Irene.[14][15] along with the Caesar John Doukas, Palaiologos successfully pressured Patriarch Cosmas I of Constantinople to not resign before he had crowned Irene as empress.[8]
Palaiologos' father had remained loyal to Botaneiates, and their meeting in Constantinople after the coup is described by Skoulatos as one of the "most passionate" scenes of the Alexiad, the great historical biography written by Alexios Komnenos' daughter Anna Komnene.[16]
Soon after the Komnenian coup, Palaiologos was tasked by Alexios with defending the city of Dyrrhachium against an imminent attack by the Italo-Normans of Robert Guiscard. Palaiologos arrived in the city to find its previous governor gone, but hastened to organize its defence, before the Normans landed on 17 June.[17] He led the city's resistance in the ensuing siege, despite being wounded in a sally in July, in support of a Venetian attack on the Normans.[17] On 15 October, as Alexios arrived at the city at the head of a relief army, Palaiologos left the city to join him. In the ensuing war council, Palaiologos opposed a pitched battle with the Normans, but was overruled; and in the Battle of Dyrrhachium on 18 October the Byzantines were heavily defeated. His father Nikephoros was killed, and the city, left without hope of rescue, surrendered soon after.[8][18]
In October or November 1083, Palaiologos led the Byzantine army that recaptured Kastoria from Norman control.[8][19] In 1087, he participated in Alexios' campaign against the Pechenegs. There he advised the emperor to pursue the Pechenegs into the Paristrion, and later to seek the protection of the walls of Great Preslav. Alexios however listened to other advice, and in the ensuing Battle of Dristra in August 1087, the Byzantines suffered another heavy defeat; Palaiologos himself was nearly captured in the melee.[19][20] In February 1091 he led a force out from Constantinople to reinforce Alexios, who was fighting the Pechenegs, only to encounter the emperor returning victorious to the capital. Two months later, on 29 April, Palaiologos commanded the Byzantine right wing at the Battle of Levounion, which ended the Pecheneg threat for good.[19][21]
In 1094 Palaiologos, with the rank of sebastos, took part in the Council of Blachernae.[21] In early 1095, he was placed in charge of the defence of Berrhoe (modern Stara Zagora) against Cuman attacks, alongside Nikephoros Melissenos.[21][22] In July 1097, after the Siege of Nicaea by the First Crusade, Palaiologos engaged in a violent quarrel with Tancred, who refused to swear allegiance to Alexios.[21][23]
Likely his last mention was a visit to the hermit saint Cyril Phileotes, shortly before the latter's death in December 1110.[21][23] George Palaiologos died sometime between 1118 and 1136.[21][23]
George Palaiologos was the chief source used by Anna Komnene in her Alexiad on her father's battles, and is very favourably portrayed by her in her book as both capable and loyal.[23][24] The Alexiad is in turn the main source about Palaiologos' life.[23] Anna's positive assessment is also shared by her husband, the general and historian Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger, who calls Palaiologos a "brave warrior, of high military ability".[23]
George Palaiologos had a younger brother, Nicholas.[25] Through his marriage to Anna Doukaina, George had four sons:[25]