Stephanus Hagiochristophorites (d. 11 September 1185) first appears as a courtier under the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus. His last name literally means "Holy-Christ-Bearer". September 11 is the 254th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (255th in leap years). ... Events April 25 - Genpei War - Naval battle of Dan-no-ura leads to Minamoto victory in Japan Templars settle in London and begin the building of New Temple Church End of the Heian Period and beginning of the Kamakura period in Japan. ... Fresco of Manuel I Manuel I Comnenus Megas (November 28, 1118? – September 24, 1180) was Byzantine Emperor from 1143 to 1180. ...

Stephanus had his nose cut off and was expelled from court as punishment for attempting to seduce a noblewoman. He returned to favour under Andronicus I Comnenus; according to Nicetas Choniates he was nicknamed Antichristophorites (literally meaning "bearer of Antichrist"), implying that he was a bringer of evil. Billon trachy (a cup-shaped coin) of Andronicus I Comnenus (1183-1185) Andronicus I Comnenus (c. ... Nicetas Choniates (c. ... A nickname is a short, clever, cute, derogatory, or otherwise substitute name for a person or things real name (for example, Tom is short for Thomas). ... In Christian eschatology, the Antichrist has come to mean a person, image of a person, or other entity that is the embodiment of evil and utterly opposed to truth, while convincingly disguised as wholly good and a bringer of truth. ... Evil is a term describing that which is regarded as morally bad, intrinsically corrupt, wantonly destructive, inhumane, or wicked. ...

Along with Constantine Tripsychus and Theodore Dadibrenus, Hagiochristophorites strangled Alexius II Comnenus with a bowstring in 1183, leaving Andronicus sole Emperor. In 1184, when Constantine Macroducas and Andronicus Ducas fell from favour because of their earlier support for Isaac Comnenus, who subsequently rebelled in Cyprus, Hagiochristophorites led the public stoning which preceded their impalement. On 11 September, 1185 he undertook to arrest Isaac Angelus. Isaac was lucky enough to kill him first, and went on to depose Andronicus. Alexius II Comnenus (1167-1183), Byzantine emperor (1180-1183), was the son of emperor Manuel I Comnenus and Maria, daughter of Raymund, prince of Antioch, and was born at Constantinople on September 10, 1167. ... Events Three-year old Emperor Go-Toba ascends to the throne of Japan after the forced abdication of his brother Antoku during the Genpei War William of Tyre excommunicated by the newly appointed Heraclius of Jerusalem, firmly ending their struggle for power Andronicus I Comnenus becomes the Byzantine emperor Births... Isaac Comnenus was the last ruler of Cyprus before the Frankish conquest during the Third Crusade. ... Isaac II Angelus (or Isaakios Angelos) (September 1156-1204), was the Byzantine emperor from 1185-1195, and again 1203-1204. ...

Sources

• Nicetas Choniates, Historia, ed. J.-L. Van Dieten (Berlin and New York, 1975) pp. 274, 293, 314, 336, 339-342, 353, 365; trans. as O City of Byzantium, Annals of Niketas Choniates, by H.J. Magoulias (Detroit; Wayne State University Press, 1984).

Nicetas Choniates (c. ...

Bibliography

• Alexios G. C. Savvides, 'Notes on 12th-century Byzantine prosopography' in Vyzantiaka vol. 14 (Thessaloniki, 1994) pp. 341-353.