John Kourkouas

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John Kourkouas (Greek: Ιωάννης Κουρκούας) was an Armenian-Byzantine general under Romanos I Lekapenos. He was active mostly in eastern Asia Minor and Syria. In 928, he forced the surrender of Abu Hafs, the emir of Melitene. The emir sent about 12,000 horsemen of his army to join the Byzantines. Nearly all of these men converted from Islam to Christianity. In 934, Kourkouas captured Melitene itself.

[edit] References

Digenis Akritas: The Two-Blooded Border Lord. Trans. Denison B. Hull. Athens, Ohio: Ohio University Press, 1972