John Mystikos

John Mystikos (Greek: Ἰωάννης ὁ Μυστικός; fl. ca. 924–946) was a Byzantine official, who served as the chief minister (paradynasteuon) of the empire in the early reign of Romanos I Lekapenos. After being suspected of designs on the throne, he was deposed and sent to exile in a monastery. He eventually recovered a place at court, leading a three-year mission abroad in the 930s, and apparently regained his former high position with the rise of Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos to sole rule in 945. He is last mentioned as leading an embassy to Muhammad ibn Tughj al-Ikhshid in 946.

Nothing is known of his origin or early life. He was apparently named paradynasteuon to Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos (reigned 920–944) sometime between 922 and 924, following the fall of his predecessor, John the Rhaiktor, against whom accusations were brought before the emperor, forcing him to abandon his office and be tonsured a monk. He first appears in this capacity during the negotiations with the Bulgarian Tsar Simeon in 924: he was part of an embassy, along with Patriarch Nicholas I of Constantinople and the patrikios Michael Stypeiotes, that the Bulgarian ruler sent back to Constantinople, demanding to negotiate with Romanos in person.

John was raised to the high court rank of patrikios kai anthypatos on 19 April 924 or 925, which reportedly caused envy towards him by various courtiers. According to Steven Runciman, the event was possibly connected with the rise of John to greater prominence in the affairs of state, which had hitherto been dominated by the Patriarch Nicholas, whose health was now failing. Although he was trusted and valued by Emperor Romanos I, in October 925, he was accused to the emperor of having designs on the throne, aided by his father-in-law, the logothetes tou dromou Kosmas. Romanos initially refused to believe the accusations, but his rivals managed to collect sufficient proof that John was forced to flee to the Monokastanon Monastery and become a monk along with his friend Constantine Boilas, while his father-in-law was arrested and flogged. The chamberlain Theophanes succeeded him as paradynasteuon.

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