Ortaias Sphrantzes

Ortaias Sphrantzes was a member of the Sphrantzes political family in the Empire of Videssos some 1200 years after the empire's founding. As the Sphrantzes were not the imperial family but nonetheless a very powerful faction, Avtokrator Mavrikios Gavras was forced to pay heed to whatever "advice" Ortaias sought to give, especially in military matters. When Gavras went on campaign against the Yezda, the emperor gave command of the army's left wing to young Ortaias (though actually led by army officer Nephon Khoumnos. During a large engagement against the Yezda, Khoumnos was killed by the Yezda priest Avshar, and de facto command fell to Ortaias. Avshar sent a spell that panicked Ortaias, and the young man fled the battlefield as quickly as he could, taking almost the entire left wing with him. The battle turned out to be a massive disaster for the Videssians, and Mavrikios Gavras was killed.