Constantine Gongyles

Constantine Gongyles (Greek: Κωνσταντῖνος Γογγύλης;fl. circa 913/4–949) was a Byzantine eunuch and court official who led a failed expedition against the Emirate of Crete in 949.

Nothing is known of Constantine's early life, except that he came from Paphlagonia. The Life of St. Basil the Younger hagiography indicates that he and his brother Anastasios were relatives of the eunuch Constantine Barbaros, who rose to power at court as a favourite of the powerful parakoimomenos Samonas and of Emperor Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912). Constantine first rose to prominence in 913/4, when following the death of Emperor Alexander (r. 912–913), the Empress-regent Zoe Karbonopsina selected him and his brother as her personal councillors. On this occasion, Constantine was raised to the supreme noble rank of patrikios.

Constantine Gongyles wielded great influence during the regency of Zoe (914–919), but he fell from power under Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (r. 920–944). Although Gongyles had intervened to save Lekapenos from blinding for his role in the disastrous Battle of Acheloos, the Gongyles brothers supported the general Leo Phokas the Elder in his struggle for the throne against Lekapenos. The brothers were quick to change sides when Lekapenos gained the upper hand, but they are not mentioned in the sources during the latter's reign.

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