Michael Stryphnos

Michael Stryphnos (Greek: Μιχαὴλ Στρυφνός, fl. ca. 1190–1203) was a high-ranking Byzantine official under the Angeloi emperors.
Stryphnos is first attested in 1192 as sebastos and the head of the vestiarion (the imperial treasury), under Emperor Isaac II Angelos (reigned 1185–1195). Stryphnos then married a sister of Empress Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera, the wife of Emperor Alexios III Angelos (r. 1195–1203) and through this connection advanced to the position of megas doux, commander-in-chief of the Byzantine navy, when the latter ascended the throne. The contemporary historian Niketas Choniates portrays him as a man of "extraordinary rapacity and rare dishonesty" (Guilland), who used his position to sell off the sails, anchors and other equipment of the fleet, down to the very nails of the ships. His actions marked the effective end of the Byzantine fleet, which was hence unable to resist the Fourth Crusade a few years...