Mousele, Alexios

   Caesar (q.v.) and heir-apparent to Theophilos (q.v.) by his betrothal to Theophilos's daughter Maria in 836. He came from a distinguished Armenian family. As heir-apparent he was entrusted with the command of a relief army that Theophilos sent to Sicily (q.v.) in 838. Despite his success there, Theophilos recalled him in 839, and, in a fit of misplaced suspicion, he had Alexios beaten and briefly imprisoned. However, he quickly repented and released him from prison, restoring to him his rank and property. Nevertheless, by 840 Maria had died, and Theophilos had a male heir, the future Michael III (q.v.), so Alexios prudently retired to a monastery.

   See Constantine VI.