The fort of Krytzimos, at the foot of the Rhodopes where the Vacha leaves its gorge, was the first target of the imperial campaign against Ivanko in 1199 (Choniates, as summarised by Varzos).
Whether the emperor's men took and kept it before Kamytzes's capture is not pinned; after the Byzantine withdrawal it is most likely Ivanko's.
Who holds it
- Name
- Ivanko (Alexios), as far as the record shows
- Title
- Lord
- Since
- 1198 or 1199
- Born
- not pinned
- Family
- not pinned
- Confidence
- low
Manuel Kamytzes (English Wikipedia, after Varzos and Choniates pp. 281-282).
Lord in 1200
Ivanko, unless the imperial army kept it after the campaign of 1199 (not pinned).
How things stand that morning
Probably Ivanko's.
Communities
Not recorded for 1200.
Fairs and markets
Not recorded for 1200.
Militia
Not recorded.
Walls and castle
A hill fort; no detail.
Trade and crafts
None recorded.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Named once in the campaign narrative.
Primary sources for Ivanko
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- History of Niketas Choniates, Niketas Choniates (about 1185 to 1217, in stages, with a final revision in exile at Nicaea after 1204). The central narrative for the Byzantine Empire under Alexios III Angelos: the Bulgarian and Vlach war under Kaloyan, the breakaway of Ivanko in the Rhodopes and his capture by treachery in 1200, Dobromir Chrysos at Prosek and Strumica and the emperor's campaign and settlement with him, the Cuman raids into Thrace, John Komnenos the Fat's one-day revolt at Constantinople on 31 July 1200, the loosening of imperial control in the provinces and the rise of Leo Sgouros, and the court's fiscal abuses. Read online
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.