Narses
Narses
(när`sēz), c.478–c.573, Byzantine official and general, one of the eunuchs of the palace. He assisted in the suppression of the Nika riot (532) by bribing the Blues of the Circus (see Blues and GreensBlues and Greens,political factions in the Byzantine Empire in the 6th cent. They took their names from two of the four colors worn by the circus charioteers. Their clashes were intensified by religious differences.
..... Click the link for more information. ) to return their allegiance to Justinian IJustinian I
, 483–565, Byzantine emperor (527–65), nephew and successor of Justin I. He was responsible for much imperial policy during his uncle's reign. Soon after becoming emperor, Justinian instituted major administrative changes and tried to increase state
..... Click the link for more information. . In 538 he was sent to Italy to cooperate with BelisariusBelisarius
, c.505–565, Byzantine general under Justinian I. After helping to suppress (532) the dangerous Nika riot (see Blues and Greens), he defeated (533–34) the Vandals of Africa, and captured their king.
..... Click the link for more information. ; their dissensions delayed the campaign, and he was recalled. After the recall of Belisarius, Narses returned to Italy and completed the conquest, defeating (552) TotilaTotila
or Baduila
, d. 552, last king of the Ostrogoths (541–52). By defeating the Byzantines at Faenza and Mugello (542) and by taking Naples (543) and Rome (546), he became master of central and S Italy.
..... Click the link for more information. . He defeated (554) an army of Franks and Alemanni at Capua. He was subsequently appointed prefect of Italy, but his administration was extremely unpopular and finally Justinian's successor, Justin IIJustin II,
d. 578, Byzantine emperor (565–78), nephew and successor to Justinian I. He allied himself with the Turks and resumed the wars with Persia. During his reign Slavs and Avars attacked the empire, and Italy was invaded by the Lombards under Alboin.
..... Click the link for more information. , recalled him.
Narses
Born circa A.D. 478; died 568 in Rome. Byzantine military leader and political figure. Of Armenian descent.
Narses was a eunuch and a retainer of Emperor Justinian I. He helped suppress the Nika revolt in 532. In 538 he was sent to Italy to assist the Byzantine commander Belisarius, who was fighting the Ostrogoths, but in 539, Narses was recalled. He was sent to Italy again in 551 as commander of the Byzantine Army and in the summer of 552 crushed the forces of the Ostrogoth king Totila in the Apennines near the little town of Taginae (now Gualdo Tadino). He conquered central Italy, took Rome, and in late 552 routed the Ostrogoths near the Sarno River. In 554 he repulsed an attack on Italy by hordes of Franks and Alemanni. In 555, Narses was appointed ruler of the part of Italy conquered by the Byzantines; he followed a policy of restoring slave ownership and the Roman tax system. Court intrigues on the one hand and growing discontent among the Italian population on the other led to Narses’ retirement in 567.