Leo of Tripoli

Born a Byzantine and transformed into one of the empire's most feared enemies, Leo of Tripoli rose from the violent frontier of the medieval Mediterranean to command fleets that terrorized Byzantine waters. In 904, he led a devastating expedition deep into imperial territory, outmaneuvered Byzantine commanders, and captured Thessalonica, one of the richest and most important cities of the empire. His career was built on conversion, piracy, naval warfare, political ambition, and an intimate knowledge of the world he had once belonged to. Following Leo from his mysterious origins near Attaleia to the sack of Thessalonica, his battles with Byzantine admirals, and his eventual disappearance from history, this book reconstructs the extraordinary life of a renegade commander who understood both sides of the Mediterranean frontier and used that knowledge to become one of Byzantium's most dangerous enemies.