1. Biography

Theodore Doranites, born into the namesake aristocratic family of Trebizond, was brother of protovestiarios Constantine Doranites and had two children. He was born in the first half of the 14th century in Trebizond and was put to death in July 1352 at Keghrina. He was active during the period of Alexios III Grand Komnenos's (1349-1390) reign and was intimately involved in the internal conflict that tantalized the Empire of Trebizond during that period. He is also known as Pileles.

2. Political activity

Theodore Doranites first comes to the fore in June 1350. During that time Alexios III Grand Komnenos, unable to enforce his rule over the combating forces of the Trebizond nobility, which had caused civil conflict in the empire since the reign of Eirene Palaiologina (1340-1341), was each time forced to ally himself, depending on the circumstances, with one of the aristocratic families, sometimes ordering the arrest of members of one of the antagonist families. In the context of this policy, Theodore, who then held the office of megas stratopedarches, was arrested on the emperor’s order early in July of 1350;¹ together with his brother, the protovestiarios Constantine Doranties, and other undesignated members of his family, he was incarcerated in a prison specially prepared for noblemen (archontes). He remained imprisoned for a short period of time, however, and was released on the 7th of September.

It appears that the relations between Alexios III and Theodore were later restored, for the emperor, after the occurence of the conspiracy of the protovestiarios Leon Kabasites, offered the rebel’s former office to Theodore (January 1351). In that same year, however, the protovestiarios Theodore Doranites (Pileles) appeared again to turn against Alexios III Komnenos. He captured the castle of Koulas (or Koulas i.e. the acropolis of Trebizond) and took hostage the megas doukas, Niketas Scholares. This new venture came to a bitter end, for Theodore lacked popular support.

3. Theodore Doranites’ demise

The castle of Koulas was recaptured by the imperial forces and Theodore Doranites, his son, his son-in-law and Xenites’ children, who had participated in the conspiracy, were arrested and led to the Keghrina castle. In July of the following year (1352) Theodore Doranites and the members of his family were put to death by strangulation.