Bardas 5 was brother of the empress Theodora (Theodora 2): Theoph. Cont. IV 1 (p.148), 16 (p. 167), 22 (p. 174), Georg. Mon. Cont. 815, Ps.-Symeon 654, 677, Scyl., p. 93, Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 504A (αδελφὸς), Vita Nic. Stud. 905B, Genesius IV 15. Bardas 5 also had a brother, Petronas 5, and three other sisters, Kalomaria 1, Sophia 1 and Eirene 4: Theoph. Cont. IV 22 (pp. 174-175). Bardas 5 was the brother of Petronas 5: Theoph. Cont. IV 16 (p. 167), IV 25 (p. 180), Scyl., p. 93 (he was the older brother), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 525A (τοῦ αὐτοκράτορος θεῖος πρὸς μητρὸς ὢν; i.e. maternal uncle of Michael 11), Genesius IV 15. Bardas 5 and Petronas 5 were the unnamed siblings of Theodora 2 who were both patrikioi and like their mother (Theoktiste 1) urged her to restore the veneration of icons: Genesius IV 2 (τῶν αὐταδέλφων αὐτῆς πατρικίων).

Bardas 5 was presumably son of Marinos 10 and Theoktiste 1; see Theodora 2. Bardas 5 was the uncle of the emperor Michael III (Michael 11): Leo Gramm. 237, Georg. Mon. Cont. 824, Ps.-Symeon 658, 671, Theoph Cont. V 16 (p. 234), V 17 (p. 235), Zon. XVI 2. 22, Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 504C (θεῖος), 525A (cited above), 528A (τοῦ ἀνεψιοῦ), Vita Nic. Stud. 905B.

Bardas 5 had a wife, whom he divorced, without justification, perhaps in 858 (cf. below): Theoph. Cont. IV 30 (p. 193). He is said to have married Theodosia, sister of Eirene of Chrysobalanton (PBE II): Vita Irenae Chrys. 3. Bardas 5 was the father of Antigonos 1 and Anonymus 42: Leo Gramm. 238, Georg. Mon. Cont. 824, Ps.-Symeon 665, Theoph. Cont. IV 25 (p. 180), V 12 (p. 229), V 17 (p. 236). Bardas 5 was the father of Eirene 14: Const. Porph., Cer. II 42.

Bardas 5 was the father-in-law of Symbatios 1 (he therefore also had a daughter; cf. Anonyma 9): Leo Gramm. 242-243, Georg. Mon. Cont. 828-829, 833, Ps.-Symeon 676, 680, Theoph. Cont. IV 41 (p. 205), V 17 (p. 237). Bardas 5 was related to Theophilos 7 (Theophilitzes): Theoph. Cont. V 9 (p. 224).

Possibly in 840 Bardas 5 and Theophobos 1 led a military expedition to Abasgia; it was a disaster and they lost most of their men: Theoph. Cont. III 39 (p. 137). Cf. also Theoktistos 3. On the date, cf. Treadgold, Revival, pp.449-50, note 442.

Under Theophilos 5 Bardas 5 is said to have been caught out in some act of wrong doing and punished with a beating, receiving sixty blows at the Horologion during a procession: Theoph. Cont. IV 22 (p. 174).

A patrikios, Bardas 5 was one of the three men whom the emperor Theophilos 5 left at his death (in 842) to oversee the government on behalf of his successor, the infant Michael III (Michael 11), and his mother Theodora 2 (the other two were Theoktistos 3 and Manuel 6): Theoph. Cont. IV 1 (p. 148) (ὁ πατρίκιος Βάρδας ὁ τῆς Αὐγούστης ἀδελφός), Zon. XVI 2.22 (εἷς δ' ἦν καὶ οὗτος τῶν ἐπιτρόπων τοῦ Μιχαήλ). He therefore served under both Theophilos 5 and Michael 11.

In 842 or 843 Bardas 5 was a patrikios; when the patriarch Ioannes 5 wounded himself it was Bardas 5 who was sent to observe the wounds and who reported back to the palace that the patriarch was in no danger as the wounds were superficial: Ps.-Symeon 648, Theoph. Cont. IV 3 (p. 151). Bardas the patrikios (ὁ πατρίκιος Βάρδας) went to see Ioannes 5 in the patriarchal residence to learn why he refused to leave; Ioannes 5 told him that he had been wounded by Konstantinos 41: Genesius IV 3.

Bardas 5 was accused by Theoktistos 3 of responsibility for the defeat of the Roman army under Theoktistos 3's command at Mauropotamos and was exiled from Constantinople by the empress Theodora 2's order: Georg. Mon. Cont. 815, Ps.-Symeon 654.

When the emperor Michael III (Michael 11) grew to manhood Bardas 5 encouraged him to make war on the Arabs: Theoph. Cont. IV 17 (pp. 167-168). He is said to have had a profound desire to obtain the imperial throne for himself; a quarrel between Manuel 6 and Theoktistos 3 removed Manuel 6 from his path; he then plotted the downfall of Theoktistos 3, using a tutor of Michael 11 (Anonymus 203) to stir up hostility towards him; Theoktistos 3 was arrested through Bardas 5 and imprisoned in the Skyla in Constantinople, and Bardas 5 there had him murdered before the empress Theodora 2 could decide to order his release: Theoph. Cont. IV 18-19 (pp. 168-170), Zon. XVI 2. 23-31. The story is told differently in the chronicle tradition derived from Symeon the Logothete; Bardas 5 was in exile, but enjoyed the friendship of the patrikios and parakoimomenos Damianos 2 and with his support obtained permission to return first to Constantinople and then to the palace; he then planned to overthrow Theoktistos 3 with the aid of Theophanes 7 and Damianos 2, who secured the support of the emperor Michael III; Bardas 5 allegedly told Damianos 2 that the emperor would never be allowed to wield power so long as Theoktistos 3 was there as ally of the Augusta; Bardas 5 obtained evidence that Theoktistos 3 planned to exile him again; in the Lausiakon he struck him a blow (cf. Maniakes 1) and his action was given the emperor's approval, and then with Theophanes 7 he removed him to the Skytha (sic - for Skyla) and murdered him: Leo Gramm. 235-236, Georg. Mon. Cont. 821-822, Ps.-Symeon 657.

After the removal of Manuel 6, Bardas 5 plotted the downfall of Theoktistos 3; he insinuated to the emperor Michael 11 that Theoktistos 3 was planning a marriage of either Theodora 2 or one of her daughters so as to displace Michael 11; they then devised Theoktistos 3's downfall with the aid of some junior officers and of Kale Maria 4 (sister of Theodora 2); Bardas 5 waited in the Lausiakon with the praipositoi until Theoktistos 3 passed and then attacked and seized him; Theoktistos 3 was then, on orders from Michael 11, taken to the Skyla: Genesius IV 9.

It was Bardas 5's intention that Theoktistos 3 go into exile but the emperor gave other orders and had him murdered; after the murder Manuel 6 allegedly told Bardas 5 in riddling verses that he had thereby sealed his own fate: Genesius IV 10. Accusations against Bardas 5 of misconduct with his own daughter-in-law were among his reasons for plotting the downfall and murder of Theoktistos 3: Theoph. Cont. IV 18 (p. 169), Scyl., p. 94 (and see further below).

Bardas 5 then assumed the post of kanikleios previously held by Theoktistos 3 (τὴν τοῦ κανικλείου φροντίδα καὶ τιμὴν εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀνελάμβανεν): Theoph.Cont. IV 20 (p. 171), cf. IV 39 ( p. 202) (he succeeded Theoktistos 3 as kanikleios).

Bardas 5 was probably one of the commanders of the Roman fleet that defeated the Arabs and captured Damietta on 22 May 853; see Vasiliev, Arabes I, p. 194 (referring to the Arabic sources Tabari and Yaqubi) and cf. Grégoire, Byz. 8 (1933), p. 516. See also Ooryphas 3, Damianos 2 and Sergios 57.

In 858 Bardas 5 was patrikios and domestikos of the Scholai and he dominated the government of his nephew, Michael 11: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 504C (πατρίκιος δὲ τότε καὶ τῶν σχολῶν δομέστικος ὤν). Bardas 5 and Michael 11 had Theodora 2 removed and imprisoned with her daughters in the palace of Ta Karianou, sending Petronas 5 to arrest her at Blachernae and later confiscating their wealth: Theoph. Cont. IV 22 (p. 174) (date 858; see Theodora 2), cf. Zon. XVI 2. 33-38 (dismissal of Theodora 2), 3. 4, Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 504C-505B (he worked to free Michael 11 from his mother's influence and subject him to his own). Bardas 5 was now appointed magistros and domestikos of the Scholai (προβάλλεται Βάρδαν μάγιστρον καὶ δομέστικον τῶν σχολῶν): Leo Gramm. 237, Georg. Mon. Cont. 823, Ps.-Symeon 658.

Bardas 5 was the chief adviser of the emperor Michael 11, and is described as an evil counsellor (κακῷ συμβούλῳ); Michael 11 was emperor and Bardas 5 took the title of kaisar (τὴν αὐτοκρατορίαν ὁ ἕτερος, ὁ δὲ τὴν Καίσαρος τιμὴν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἀμφεπόμενοι) and they allegedly caused confusion by flouting divine laws: Vita Nic. Stud. 905B (and cf. below for the title of kaisar). He is said to have been assiduous in his attendance at the law courts of the Hippodrome and to have deserved credit for this, had he not by the dismissal of Ignatios 1 caused confusion in the Church and damaged his own reputation: Theoph. Cont. IV 30 (p. 193) (καὶ τοῖς τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου δὲ συνεχῶς ὁ Βάρδας ἑαυτὸν ἐδίδου κριτηρίοις, καὶ ἐραστὴς νομίζεσθαι ταύτης τῆς γνώμης φιλοτιμούμενος), cf. Zon. XVI 4.27-28 (he frequently attended the Courts and revived interest in the Law - τοὺς νόμους δὲ τοὺς πολιτικοὺς ἀνηβῆσαι πεποίηκε - but then damaged his reputation by the affair of Ignatios 1). See also below for the judgment in the Vita Ignatii.

Bardas 5 was still rumoured in 858 to be involved in an affair with his own daughter-in-law (called Eudokia in Ps.-Symeon; see Eudokia 4) (perhaps the wife of Anonymus 42); the patriarch Ignatios 1 warned him to stop and to set a better example, but was ignored by Bardas 5; Ignatios 1 then refused him communion whereupon Bardas 5 expelled him from the church and applied pressure to make him apologise; the patriarch refused and Bardas 5 had him dismissed and replaced by Photios 1 (in 858): Leo Gramm. 240, Georg. Mon. Cont. 826, Ps.-Symeon 667-668, 671, Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 504A-505B, 509A, Vita Nic. Stud. 905C-908B, cf. Theoph. Cont. IV 30 (p. 193) (he divorced his wife, without justification, and became involved with his daughter-in-law, and was barred from entering church by Ignatios 1, whom he therefore dismissed from his see and subjected to hunger, thirst and beatings), Zon. XVI 4. 31-33. Bardas 5 had Ignatios 1 imprisoned and employed Theodoros 75 (called Theodosios in Ps.-Symeon), Ioannes 93 and Nikolaos 7 to torment him: Theoph. Cont. IV 31 (pp. 193-195), Ps.-Symeon 667 (and see Ignatios 1). He planned the overthrow of the patriarch Ignatios 1, who had excommunicated him for an offence of which he refused to repent; he replaced him with Photios 1, and had Ignatios 1 physically maltreated and brought him in danger of his life by handing him over to Theodoros 75, Ioannes 93 and Nikolaos 7: Genesius IV 18.

Bardas 5 replaced Ignatios 1 with Photios 1 (in late 858): Theoph. Cont. IV 32 (p. 195), Zon. XVI 4. 35-37. Shortly afterwards the head of the Stoudite monastery, Nikolaos 26, withdrew to a convent at Prainetos; Bardas 5 wanted him to return and, picking up Michael 11 who was at the baths at Pythia, paid him a visit, but their joint efforts to persuade him to return to Constantinople were in vain; they therefore returned to Constantinople and appointed Achillas 1 as head of the monastery: Vita Nic. Stud. 908C-909B.

Later, when Constantinople was shaken by continuing earthquakes, Bardas 5 reluctantly allowed Ignatios 1 to return to his own monastery (whereupon the earth tremors ceased): Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 525A-B (the date was apparently c. 864, since at about the same time the Bulgars accepted Christianity; see Boris 1).

Among those exiled when Bardas 5 expelled Ignatios 1 was Joseph the Hymnographer (Ioseph 12): Theophanes, Vita Ioseph. Hymnog. 12, Synax. Eccl. Const. 5, cf. Ioannes, Vita Ioseph. Hymnog. 968A.

A plot to murder Bardas 5 was formed by the empress Theodora 2 with, among others, the protostrator (Anonymus 44), on his return from his estate of Kosmidion, but the conspiracy was disclosed and those involved executed; Bardas 5 was then promoted kouropalates by Michael 11 (προβάλλεται ... Μιχαὴλ ... Βάρδαν θεῖον αὐτοῦ κουροπαλάτην) while the future emperor Basil I (Basilios 7) was made protostrator: Leo Gramm. 237, Georg. Mon. Cont. 823-824, Ps.-Symeon 658. His duties as epitropos (guardian) of the emperor prevented him from exercising the office of domestikos of the Scholai and leading an expedition against the Arab and Paulician armies (perhaps as early as 856, see below); he therefore sent his brother Petronas 5, who was already strategos of the Thrakesioi, to act as domestikos in his place: Theoph. Cont. IV 16 (p. 167), Scyl., p. 93 (Πετρωνᾶς, τὴν τοῦ δομεστίκου τῶν σχολῶν ἀρχὴν διοικῶν, λόγῳ μὲν τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ ἀδελφῷ Βάρδᾳ προσήκουσαν, ἔργῳ δὲ παρ' αὐτοῦ διοικουμένην τῷ μὴ ἐκεῖνον σχολάζειν, ἀλλὰ περὶ τὴν ἐπιτροπὴν τοῦ βασιλέως προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν). This is perhaps the expedition recorded as follows in Theoph. Cont. IV 23 (pp. 176-177) (and cf. also Zon. XVI 3. 8-15): after the overthrow of the empress Theodora 2, Bardas 5 was in complete control of the government and as a relative of the emperor was his favourite (ὁ δὲ Βάρδας ἦν ὃλος τὰ τῆς βασιλείας ἐπιτροπεύων καὶ διοικῶν, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν διαφερόντως ὡς συγγενὴς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀγαπώμενος: Theoph. Cont. IV 23, p. 176); he now assumed the title of kouropalates, as if in celebration of his sister (Theodora 2)'s downfall (ἔνθεν καὶ τὴν κουροπαλάτου, οἷον ἆθλον ἐπὶ τῇ ἀδελφῇ, τιμὴν ἀναδέχεται), and prepared a military expedition, on which the emperor (Michael 11), who had just reached manhood, also went, against the Arabs under Amr 2; Bardas 5 is not mentioned again in connection with this event, which ended with the rout of the Roman forces at Samosata. Zonaras also records that after the overthrow of Theodora 2, Bardas 5 had complete control of the government and was given the title kouropalates by his nephew: Zon. XVI 3. 7 (ἡ πᾶσα τῆς βασιλείας διοίκησις ὑπὸ τὸν Βάρδαν ἐγένετο, τιμηθέντα κουροπαλάτην πρὸς τοῦ ἀνεψιοῦ), 4. 1.

Bardas 5 was the addressee of three letters from Photios 1, in 859 and 862: Photius, Ep. 3 (I 53ff. Laourdas-Westerink, c. Feb. 859), Ep. 4 (I 56f. Laourdas-Westerink, 859/April 862), Ep. 6 (I 58ff. Laourdas-Westerink, August 859) (all addressed Βάρδᾳ μαγίστρῳ πατρικίῳ καὶ κουροπαλάτῃ or similar. He is credited with promoting the revival of secular studies at Constantinople by establishing a school in the Magnaura (τῆς ἔξω σοφίας ἐπιμεληθεὶς ... καὶ διατριβὰς τῶν μαθηματικῶν κατὰ Μαγναύραν ποιήσας αὖθις ἀκμάζειν καὶ ἀνηβᾶν ταύτην ἐσπούδαζέ τε καὶ πεφιλοτίμητο); as head of the school and as teacher of philosophy he appointed Leo the Philosopher (Leo 19): Theoph. Cont. IV 26 (p. 185) (apparently dateable before he became Kaisar), cf. Zon. XVI 4. 10-12, 4. 26. Other departments recorded were headed by Theodoros 162 (geometry), Theodegios 1 (astronomy) and Komitas 4 (Greek grammar); Bardas 5 made sure that the school had adequate resources and he frequently visited it and gave encouragement to the students; within a short time it is said to have produced a notable improvement in standards of secular learning: Theoph. Cont. IV 29 (p. 192), Zon. XVI 4. 26 (a quick improvement).

Kaisar, Bardas 5 had a great interest in learning, and assembled scholars at the Magnaura to teach all comers philosophy, geometry, astronomy and grammar; he appointed leading figures to teach there, Leo 19 for philosophy, Theodoros 162 for geometry, Theodegios 1 for astronomy and Kometas 4 for grammar, and rewarded them from imperial funds; he used to frequent their lessons himself; his initiative sowed seeds which continued to be productive down to the author's own time; he feigned to be above bribery, but coveted many precious goods and acquired them for himself; he also revelled in the pomp and circumstance of office, and coveted the imperial title for himself, usurping the role of the emperor Michael 11, who was mainly interested in spectacles and the games: Genesius IV 17.

By 863 Bardas 5 had been succeeded as domestikos of the Scholai by his son Antigonos 1: Theoph. Cont. IV 25 (p. 180), cf. V 12 (p. 229). Bardas 5 was replaced as domestikos of the Scholai by his son Antigonos 1, and his other son was appointed sole strategos of the West (see Anonymus 42); shortly afterwards, on the fourth day of Easter week, he was made kaisar and, riding in his carriage, distributed largesse in the Mese (προβάλλεται Μιχαὴλ Βάρδαν θεῖον αὐτοῦ Καίσαρα, ὃς ἐπὶ ἅρματος ἐποχηθεὶς ἔδωκεν ὑπατείαν τῇ μέσῃ): Leo Gramm. 238, Georg. Mon. Cont. 824, Ps.-Symeon 665. He is said to have changed titles with the frequency of a fashionable young man changing his clothes, and finally took the title of kaisar: Theoph. Cont. IV 26 (p. 184) (μετέβαινε γοῦν καὶ πρὸς τὴν Καίσαρος ἀνῄει δόξαν τε καὶ τιμήν), cf. Zon. XVI 4.9 (he controlled the government and rose to be kaisar - εἰς τὴν τοῦ Καίσαρος ἀναβεβήκει τιμήν), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 528A (he became kouropalates, then kaisar, taking advantage of the emperor's weakness and assuming power himself - ἐφ'ἑαυτὸν τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν ἀρχὴν ὑποποιούμενος, πρῶτον μὲν κουροπαλάτης, μετὰ μικρὸν δὲ Καῖσαρ ἀναγορευθεὶς, τῆς τοῦ ἀνεψιοῦ εὐηθείας κατετρύφα).

When Michael 11 assumed sole power after the removal from the palace of his mother, Bardas 5, his relative, became his close associate; he then assumed the dignity of kaisar, accepting the advice of his close acquaintance Philotheos 1 that it was wise to do so for his own safety; he then used his position as kaisar to build up his reputation and establish a foundation for aiming at the throne itself: Genesius IV 12. He is referred to in the sources as the kaisar Bardas (Βάρδας ὁ Καῖσαρ) or just as the kaisar (ὁ Καίσαρ): Leo Gramm. 235, 238, 240-245, 246, Georg. Mon. Cont. 821, 824, 826-831, Ps.-Symeon 657, 665, 667-668, 671, 675-680, Theoph. Cont. IV 40-41, V 9, 11, 16, 17, Zon. XVI 4. 31, Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 528B, 533C-D, 536C.

After Bardas 5 became kaisar he and Michael 11 mounted a campaign by land and sea against the Bulgars, then suffering from famine, as a result of which the Bulgar ruler Boris 1 became a Christian and accepted baptism: Leo Gramm. 238, Georg. Mon. Cont. 824, Ps.-Symeon 665. The date was 863 (see Boris 1). At a banquet given by Bardas 5's son Antigonos 1 he invited many leading senators and a group of Bulgars who were in Constantinople (?perhaps in connection with the conversion; if so, c. 863/864); he also ordered Basilios 7 (the future emperor Basil I), who was still serving under Theophilos 7, to engage a Bulgarian wrestler in combat: Theoph. Cont. V 12 (p. 229). After the defeat of the Arabs at the battle of Poson in 863 by Petronas 5, Bardas 5 and Michael III (Michael 11) were in Constantinople to welcome Petronas 5 on his return: Theoph. Cont. IV 25 (p. 183). According to some sources, Bardas 5 fought with his brother Petronas 5 at the battle of Poson and afterwards received the title of kaisar, at Easter of indiction 10 (863)(τὴν τοῦ καίσαρος τότε κληροῦται ἀνάρρησιν): Genesius IV 15.

While kaisar Bardas 5 was addressee of a letter from Photios 1: Photius, Ep. 8 (22 April 862/21 April 866; addressed Βάρδᾳ καίσαρι). He may be identical with the unnamed kaisar whose daughter Maria 9 owned a seal dateable to the ninth century: Zacos and Veglery 2673. The text reads: Μαρίᾳ θυγατρὶ τοῦ καίσαρος.

Bardas 5 was accused by the parakoimomenos Damianos 2 of taking power to himself and abusing his position; as a result some of his measures were cancelled by the emperor; he therefore turned the emperor against Damianos 2 and secured his dismissal; subsequently Damianos 2 was replaced as parakoimomenos by Basilios 7 and Bardas 5 allegedly remarked that he had removed a fox but replaced him with a lion: Theoph. Cont. V 16 (p. 234-235). It is said that once, while in procession at the Horologion, he noticed that Damianos 2 failed to stand up in his honour; offended, he entered the Chrysotriklinon and complained to the emperor Michael 11 that it constituted an insult to the emperor's authority; Michael 11 then dismissed Damianos 2, but replaced him as parakoimomenos by Basilios 7 (the future emperor Basil I), which antagonised Bardas 5 and led him to plot the death of Basilios 7; Bardas 5 and Basilios 7 were now each seeking the death of the other; Basilios 7 subverted the son-in-law of Bardas 5, Symbatios 1, to accuse him before Michael 11 of plotting against the emperor; to murder Bardas 5 in Constantinople was supposedly regarded as impossible, and so a military expedition was planned to Crete allegedly for the purpose; Bardas 5 was warned by the philosopher Leo 19 to beware of Basilios 7 and not to go on the expedition, but the emperor Michael 11 and Basilios 7 swore solemn oaths at the Feast of the Annunciation that he had nothing to fear; the expedition left after Easter and Bardas 5 went on it; while they were all in camp at Kepoi in the Thrakesion theme (on the coast, at the mouth of the Maeander; see Ramsay, Historical Geography, p. 111), Bardas 5 was warned of the plot to kill him (see Prokopios 3 and Ioannes 90); the next day, following advice from his friend Philotheos 1 he went to the emperor's tent wearing his most splendid finery, where, after being admitted with every mark of respect, he requested the emperor's permission for the expedition to cross to Crete and was promptly struck down by Basilios 7 himself in front of the emperor and cut to pieces: Leo Gramm. 241-245, Georg. Mon. Cont. 827-831, Ps.-Symeon 675-679, cf. Theoph. Cont. IV 41 (pp. 204-206) (on the expedition to Crete, at Kepoi in the Thrakesion theme, Bardas 5 was murdered by conspirators who included Symbatios 1 and Basilios 7; his body was mutilated), IV 44 (p. 210) (murdered), V 14 (p. 232) (warned by Leo 19 that Basilios 7 would overthrow the imperial family), V 17 (frequent complaints against the kaisar persuaded Michael 11 to plot against him; ignoring portents and warnings Bardas 5 went to the emperor's tent and was there assassinated), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 536D (murdered at Kepoi while on an expedition to Crete - ἐκεῖ δὴ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἔτισε δίκην ..., ξίφεσι μεληδὸν ἀθλίως κατακοπτόμενος, οὕτω δυσκλεὲς τέλος ἀπηνέγκατο, ὥστε καὶ ὑπ' αὐτοῦ στηλιτευθῆναι τοῦ φιλτάτου), Vita Nic. Stud. 913A (his murder while travelling with the emperor on an expedition to Crete was allegedly foretold by Nikolaos 26), Zon. XVI 7. 5-14. The date was 21 April 866; Theoph. Cont. IV 41 (p. 206), V 17 (p. 238) (21 April, indiction 14). He was murdered: Genesius IV 19. His murder was planned during an imperial expedition against Crete, when it stopped at Kepoi; he had premonitions of it while at Constantinople: Genesius IV 20. Other premonitions and warnings are recorded by Genesius: Genesius IV 21 (his dream of the revenge of Ignatios 1), 22 (the cloak sent to him at Kepoi by his sister Theodora 2, with representation of a partridge). He was the father of Antigonos 1: Genesius IV 22. He was murdered at Kepoi after being separated from his son Antigonos 1 and his troops; the signal was given by his own son-in-law, Symbatios 1; he was with the emperor while Symbatios 1 read out reports; then Symbatios 1 gave the signal for the assassins as he left; after Bardas 5 was killed his corpse was mutilated; the date was 21 April of indiction 14: Genesius IV 23.

After Bardas 5's death Photios 1 wrote to the emperor Michael 11 congratulating him on surviving the plots of his enemies who were not content with great favours, powers and wealth, and one in particular (i.e. Bardas 5) who having shared the rule in all but name had now lost everything: Photius, Ep. 18. In Pseudo-Symeon various portents of his death are recorded, viz. the fall of a statue in an earthquake, a cloak sent by his sister Theodora 2 which was too short and also depicted a partridge (both unlucky omens), and a dream in which divine vengeance for the mistreatment of Ignatios 1 was threatened: Ps.-Symeon 677, cf. Theoph. Cont. IV 42 (pp. 206-207) (also recording the story of the cloak). Other portents are recorded in Theophanes Continuatus; while leaving the Church of the Theotokos Hodegetria after prayers prior to his departure for Crete, Bardas 5's cloak slipped from his shoulders; then, before leaving, he called his friends together and gave them various bequests, as if he were already dead: Theoph. Cont. IV 41 (p. 204), cf. Zon. XVI 7. 5-6 (story of the cloak). At the coronation of Basilios 7 by Michael 11, it was alleged that Bardas 5 had been plotting against the emperor: Leo Gramm. 246, Georg. Mon. Cont. 832, Ps.-Symeon 679.

Bardas 5 was said to have entertained imperial ambitions for himself during the time when he was acting as adviser to Michael 11 and was running the government while the emperor preferred to spend his time at the games: Theoph. Cont. IV 26 (pp. 184-185), Zon. XVI 4. 9. Bardas 5 is said to have deliberately encouraged the emperor Michael 11 in the pursuit of pleasure, to further his own ambitions; his own eventual downfall came as a punishment: Theoph. Cont. IV 39 (p. 202), cf. Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 528A (cited above: taking advantage of the emperor's weakness). Bardas 5's fate was supposedly foretold to him in a dream which he had in which the dismissed patriarch Ignatios 1 begged St Peter for his own sufferings to be avenged; St Peter ordered first Bardas 5 and then Michael 11 to be murdered: Theoph. Cont. IV 40 (pp. 203-204), Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 533C-536C (in spite of this he allegedly tightened restrictions on Ignatios 1). Eirene of Chrysobalanton (PBE II) allegedly foretold his murder: Vita Irenae Chrys. 12. He and Basilios 7 plotted against one another: Zon. XVI 6.31 and 7.4-9.

Bardas 5 is described as harsh and inhuman, vigorous in his conduct of public affairs but never doing anything for the Church: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 504A (λίαν πικρὸς καὶ ἀπάνθρωπος : ὃν σπουδαῖον μὲν εἶναι καὶ δραστήριον περὶ τὴν τῶν πολιτικῶν πραγμάτων μεταχείρισιν, οὐδεὶς δὲ περὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν χρηστὸν ἔφησε γενέσθαι). Bardas 5 is also described as himself a slave to every form of pleasure while using it to enfeeble Michael 11: Nicetas, Vita Ignatii 528A (τῆς τοῦ ἀνεψίου εὐηθείας κατετρύφα, αὐτὸς ἀκρασίας τε πάσης καὶ πάσης ἡδονῆς ἀσελγοῦς ἀνδράποδον ἀποδεικνύμενος). His jaw was preserved in a small sarcophagus in the Church of the monastery of Ta Gastria in Constantinople: Const. Porph. Cer. II 42.

See also ODB I 255ff.

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