Nikoulitzas Delphinas ( el|Νικουλιτζάς Δελφινάς was an 11th-century
Byzantine magnate and local lord of
Larissa, in
Thessaly. He took part in a revolt initiated by the
Vlachs of Thessaly in 1066.
He was the grandson of
Nikulitsa, the governor of
Servia and ''
archon'' of the Vlachs of
Hellas.
[Curta (2006), p. 280] The younger Nikoulitzas bore the rank of ''
protospatharios'', but is not known to have had any official position.
Nikoulitzas had his own fortress with a garrison of men, and was one of the most powerful lords of Thessaly.
[Fine (1991), p. 216] The ''Vlachs'' and Slavs of the region started planning a revolt in 1065, prompted by the taxation increases and corruption in the same area. When Nikoulitzas heard this from his spies he went to
Constantinople to warn the Emperor
Constantine X Doukas, but the Emperor dismissed him and no measures were taken.
[
Upon returning to Larissa Nikoulitzas saw the growing movement and tried to talk the rebels out of it. They insisted on Nikoulitzas becoming their leader, as he had a fort and a private army. Nikoulitzas declined, as his two sons were in Constantinople, fearing they would come in harm's way. The rebels however forced Nikoulitzas to take a leadership position and the revolt began.][
The revolt ended by negotiation, but the Emperor captured Nikoulitzas and imprisoned him in Amaseia, on the Black Sea coast of Asia Minor.][ His son-in-law was the writer Kekaumenos, whose ''Strategikon'' is the only source on him and the revolt.][Cheynet (1996), pp. 168, 392]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Delphinas, Nikoulitzas
Category:Byzantine prisoners and detainees
Category:11th-century Byzantine people
Category:Byzantine rebels
Category:Military personnel from Larissa
Category:Medieval Thessaly
Category:Protospatharioi
Category:Aromanians in Greece