12th century · Byzantine governor of Cilicia
Constantine Kalamanos
Byzantine noble of Hungarian origin and governor of Cilicia; in 1164 he was in the Latin–Byzantine army that fought Nur al-Din at Harim, and was captured.
BIOGRAPHICAL DOSSIER
Life and historical role
Life and political setting
Constantine Kalamanos was the son of Boris Kalamanos, of the Hungarian royal house that had taken refuge in Byzantium. As governor of Cilicia under Emperor Manuel I he managed relations with Antioch and Armenian Cilicia.
Role in the Crusades
In 1164 Nur al-Din besieged the castle of Harim. The forces of Prince Bohemond III of Antioch, Count Raymond III of Tripoli, the Armenian Thoros and Constantine Kalamanos joined to relieve it. In the battle of 12 August 1164 the allied army was defeated, and Bohemond, Raymond and Kalamanos were captured. Kalamanos was later released for ransom.
Historical significance and source problems
The defeat at Harim consolidated Nur al-Din's power in the north; but Nur al-Din did not attack Antioch itself, fearing Byzantium's reaction. Kalamanos's dates of birth and death are unknown. William of Tyre and Ibn al-Athir describe the battle.
Biographical information is linked to the sources shown on the page and to the connected event records. Disputed dates are given as approximate, gaps are not filled by conjecture, and later literary or visual depictions are not treated as contemporary portraits.