About Nikephoros Chrysoberges
Lived 1160 – 1201 (aged 40–41). Nikephoros Chrysoberges was a Byzantine rhetorician and eastern Orthodox priest.
Nikephoros Chrysoberges (; ca. 1160 – probably after 1213) was a Byzantine rhetorician and metropolitan bishop of Sardis.
He was born most likely ca. 1160, or, according to a different view, in 1142. As a protégé of Constantine Mesopotamites, he succeeded in being appointed teacher (didaskalos) at the Patriarchal School of Hagia Sophia ca. 1186. In the 1190s, he apparently fell into disgrace, but recovered his position with his appointment to the senior post of magistros ton rhetoron ("master of the rhetoricians") in 1200, a post which he held until ca. 1204, when he succeeded his uncle as metropolitan of Sardis. He died probably after 1213.
In his capacity as magistros ton rhetoron, he produced official panegyric speeches in honour of emperors Alexios III Angelos (r. 1195–1203), Alexios IV Angelos (r. 1203–04), and the Patriarch of Constantinople John X Kamateros. According to Alexander Kazhdan, "both his political views and literary principles were traditional and conventional. He praised imperial power but [...] remained unimpressed by military prowess". The Byzantines' troubled relation with the Italian maritime republics plays an important role in Chrysoberges' rhetoric.
Don’t just read it —
keep it.
Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.
- E-book
- Audio
- Video
Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free
Important facts
People in Nikephoros Chrysoberges's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Nikephoros Chrysoberges's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Nikephoros Chrysoberges?
Byzantine rhetorician
When was Nikephoros Chrysoberges born?
Nikephoros Chrysoberges was born in 1160.
When did Nikephoros Chrysoberges die?
Nikephoros Chrysoberges died in 1201.
What was Nikephoros Chrysoberges's occupation?
Nikephoros Chrysoberges was a rhetorician and eastern Orthodox priest.
What nationality was Nikephoros Chrysoberges?
Nikephoros Chrysoberges was Byzantine.
Sources & further reading
· Wikipedia: Nikephoros Chrysoberges
· DBpedia: Nikephoros Chrysoberges
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Nikephoros Chrysoberges. https://biography.guide/nikephoros-chrysoberges/
MLA: "Nikephoros Chrysoberges." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/nikephoros-chrysoberges/.
Chicago: "Nikephoros Chrysoberges." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/nikephoros-chrysoberges/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
Page generated 2026-09-27 05:09 UTC