The Monastery of Pantokratoros (‘Christ, the Almighty Ruler’) was founded by two brothers, both high-ranking officers of Byzantium, at the difficult time when the Empire was in a state of decline. Alexis held the title of Great Primikerios (Μέγας Πριμικήριος; the 11th level of authority in the imperial hierarchy), and Ioannis held the title of Πρωτοσέβαστος (‘The First Respected’) in honour of his conquest of the Serbs in the lower valley of the Strymona River including Chrysoupolis, and his annexation of 15 kilometres of coastline west of today’s Kabalas from the Ottomans of Anaktoropolis, thereby also securing the island of Thasos.
In March 1357, the Emperor Ioannis V granted the brothers’ request: He transferred the administration of the areas they had conquered to them, including the taxes derived from them, which in effect marked the beginning of the founding of the Monastery. Between April and June of the same year, both brothers were promoted by the Emperor: Alexios to the position of Commander of the Military (μέγας στρατοπεδάρχης), while Ioannis was awarded the former rank of his brother and became Great Primikerios. The local inhabitants referred to the brothers as ‘our own true saints’.
Alexis, who was probably unmarried, died between March 1368 and February 1369, and was buried on the grounds of the Monastery. Ioannis, who was married to Anna Asanina, a close relative of the Emperor, continued to support the Monastery on his own and in 1384, obviously after the death of his wife, he took up residence there as a monk.
