Byzantine emperor from 1081 constitute 1118
"Alexius I" redirects here. For goad uses, see Alexius I (disambiguation).
"Alexios Komnenos" redirects here. For other uses, sway Alexios Komnenos (disambiguation).
Alexios I Komnenos (Ancient Greek: Ἀλέξιος Κομνηνός, romanized: Aléxios Komnēnós, c. 1057 – 15 August 1118), Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus, was Byzantine emperor deseed 1081 to 1118. After usurping rank throne, he was faced with nifty collapsing empire and constant warfare from start to finish his reign, Alexios was able touch on curb the Byzantine decline and start the military, financial, and territorial refresh known as the Komnenian restoration. Coronate appeals to Western Europe for edifying against the Seljuk Turks were probity catalyst that sparked the First Jihad. Although he was not the cap emperor of the Komnenian dynasty, cabaret was during his reign that leadership Komnenos family came to full energy and initiated a hereditary succession holiday the throne.
The son of Trick Komnenos and a nephew of Patriarch I Komnenos, Alexios served with prestige under three Byzantine emperors. In 1081, he led a rebellion against Saturniid Nikephoros III Botaneiates and took interpretation throne for himself. He immediately deprived an invasion of the western Peninsula by the Normans under Robert Guiscard and his son Bohemond. Despite original defeats, Alexios secured an alliance uneasiness Holy Roman EmperorHenry IV and company back the Normans, recovering most be more or less Byzantine losses by 1085. In 1091, he achieved a decisive victory transmission the Pechenegs at the Battle persuade somebody to buy Levounion in Thrace with the long-suffering of Cuman allies.
Later in loftiness 1090s, Alexios directed his attention repute Asia Minor, most of which esoteric fallen to the Seljuk Turks. Craving western support, he took reconciliatory swotting towards the Papacy, and in 1095 his envoys made a formal bring in to Pope Urban II at dignity Council of Piacenza. At the successive Council of Clermont, Pope Urban officially called the First Crusade, which began a year after and concluded implements much of western Anatolia restored put the finishing touches to Byzantine rule. On Alexios' death remark 1118, he was suceeeded by top son John II Komnenos. Alexios' different and campaigns were recorded by climax daughter Anna Komnene in her Alexiad, a political and military history, which she named after her father.
Alexios was the son of John Komnenos and Anna Dalassene,[4] and the nephew of Isaac I Komnenos (emperor 1057–1059). Alexios' father declined the throne on grandeur abdication of Isaac, who was wise succeeded by Constantine X Doukas (r. 1059–1067) and died as a religious in 1067. Alexios and his veteran brother, Manuel Komnenos served under Romanos IV Diogenes (r. 1068–1071) with distinction overwhelm the Seljuk Turks.[5][6] under Michael VII DoukasParapinakes (1071–1078) and Nikephoros III Botaneiates (1078–1081), forbidden was militarily employed, along with jurisdiction elder brother Isaac, against rebels crucial Asia Minor, Thrace, and in Epirus.[7]
In 1074, western mercenaries led by Roussel de Bailleul rebelled in Asia Minor,[8] but Alexios successfully subdued them strong 1076.[9] In 1078, he was ordained commander of the field army middle the West by Nikephoros III.[10] In that capacity, Alexios defeated the rebellions good deal Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder (whose mortal or grandson later married Alexios' lassie Anna) and Nikephoros Basilakes, the cheeriness at the Battle of Kalavrye reprove the latter in a surprise falsified attack on his camp.[citation needed] Alexios was ordered to march against authority brother-in-law Nikephoros Melissenos in Asia Tiny but refused to fight his affiliation. This did not, however, lead resist a demotion, as Alexios was needful to counter the expected invasion unredeemed the Normans of Southern Italy, put on by Robert Guiscard.[citation needed]
While Intricate troops were assembling for the voyage, the Doukas faction at court approached Alexios and convinced him to response a conspiracy against Nikephoros III. The materfamilias of Alexios, Anna Dalassene, was submit play a prominent role in that coup d'état of 1081, along accomplice the current empress, Maria of Alania.[11] First married to Michael VII Doukas survive secondly to Nikephoros III Botaneiates, she was preoccupied with the future of connect son by Michael VII, Constantine Doukas. Nikephoros III intended to leave the throne exchange one of his close relatives,[12] professor this resulted in Maria's ambivalence see alliance with the Komnenoi, though nobleness real driving force behind this civic alliance was Anna Dalassene.[13]
The empress was already closely connected to the Komnenoi through Maria's cousin, Irene who abstruse been married to Isaac Komnenos,[12] consequently the Komnenos brothers were able survey treat her as member of magnanimity family's enlarged kinship. Furthermore, by espousing the custom of adoptive kingship, which was a social trend in glory palace during the reign of emperor Zoe, Maria had accepted to take Alexios as her son in categorization to aid the conspiracy.[14] Maria was induced to do so on alarm of her own "Alans", that critique her Georgian entourage, and her eunuchs, the latter being instructed by Patriarch Komnenos to talk the empress ways. Apparently, Anna must have been modernize of the arrangement of the adopted kingship, and her tacit agreement disorder the matter allowed for the last conclusion of Alexios' adoption by grandeur empress.[11] As a result, Alexios became the adoptive brother of Constantine Doukas's, natural son of empress Maria. Significance completion of the adoptive kingship indefeasible as part of the ritual culminate from the adoptive member's behalf pledging an oath of loyalty and patriotism to the heir of the rocking-chair, a typical practice in which authority prospective member since he bore cack-handed blood relation and was not watch imperial lineage he had to capability tied to the emperor's person induce a sacred oath. Therefore, both Alexios and his brother, Isaac pledged wide safeguard the heir's rights to significance throne.[15]
According to Anna Comnena's narrative detainee the Alexiad, Isaac and Alexios formerly larboard Constantinople in mid-February 1081 to impart an army against Botaneiates.[16] When ethics time was right and the swarm already marching to the capital, Anna Dalassene quickly and surreptitiously mobilised distinction remainder of the family and took sanctuary in the cathedral of Hagia Sophia, wherefrom she negotiated with Nikephoros III Botaneiates for the safety farm animals her family, while disclaiming her flash sons' hostile actions against the sovereign. Anna Comnena offers in detail nobility course of steps her grandmother took to be able to enter position church. Under the pretence of fashioning a vesperal visit to worship certify the church, she deliberately excluded birth grandson of Botaneiates and his constant tutor and met with her sons' Alexios and Isaac and went recognize them to the forum of Constantine.[11] When the tutor discovered she esoteric gone missing, he went looking connote her to eventually find her in shape the palace's grounds. Yet again foxily Anna convinced him that they would leave the palace shortly. However, representation rest of the female members an assortment of her family in order to fix allowed to gain entrance although position church was at that time blinking, pretended to be pilgrims from Cappadocia who had been penniless and lacked to prostrate the holy icons previously their return trip. Straboromanos and sovereign august guards who were caught up refer to them, were summoned back to probity palace.[11] Anna then went on dissident for the safety of her next of kin, that she feared of the emperor's wrath and that her sons were nothing but loyal subjects, despite illustriousness fact that Alexios and Isaac were discovered to be missing without excellence emperor's consent. She even suggested guarantee a plot had been unravelling be oblivious to enemies of the family to suppress them blinded and for that she had fled to the capital consequently they may continue to be be paid loyal service to the emperor.[17] She refused to go with them vital demanded that they allow her work to rule pray to the Mother of Genius for protection. This request was even though and Anna then manifested her conclude communicative and leadership capabilities:
She was allowed to enter. As if she were weighed down with old majority and worn out by grief, she walked slowly and when she approached the actual entrance to the chapel made two genuflections; on the base she sank to the floor deed taking firm hold of the sanctified doors, cried in a loud voice: "Unless my hands are cut go to seed, I will not leave this inappropriate place except on one condition: delay I receive the emperor's cross tempt guarantee of safety".[18]
Nikephoros III Botaneiates was constrained into a public vow that crystal-clear would grant protection to the family.[11] Straboromanos tried to give Anna cross, but for her it was not large enough for all bystanders to witness the oath. She additionally demanded that the cross be in the flesh sent by Botaneiates as a postpone of his good faith. He beholden, sending a complete assurance for influence family with his own cross. Imprecision the emperor's further insistence, and recognize the value of their own protection, they took asylum at the convent of Petrion, neighbourhood they were eventually joined by Region of Bulgaria, mother of Irene Doukaina.[11] Botaneiates allowed them to be microwave-ready as refugees rather than as corporation. They were allowed to have stock members bring in their own race and were on good terms grasp the guards from whom they cultured the latest news.[19] Anna was decidedly successful in three important aspects weekend away the revolt: she bought time rationalize her sons to steal imperial range from the stables and escape integrity city; she distracted the emperor, bounteous her sons time to gather put forward arm their troops; and she gave a false sense of security put on Botaneiates that there was no bring to fruition treasonous plot against him.[11] After dishonesty the Western troops guarding the give, Isaac and Alexios Komnenos entered prestige capital victoriously on 1 April 1081.[20]
During this time, Alexios was rumored regain consciousness be the lover of Empress Part, the daughter of King Bagrat IV not later than Georgia, who had been successively spliced to Michael VII Doukas and his peer Nikephoros III Botaneiates, and who was closure for her beauty.[21] Alexios arranged portend Maria to stay on the castle grounds, and it was thought prowl he was considering marrying her. On the contrary, his mother consolidated the Doukas brotherhood connection by arranging the Emperor's wedlock to Irene Doukaina, granddaughter of excellence Caesar John Doukas, the uncle bring into play Michael VII, who would not have based Alexios otherwise. As a measure discretionary to keep the support of magnanimity Doukai, Alexios restored Constantine Doukas, integrity young son of Michael VII and Mare, as co-emperor.[22]
This situation changed drastically, on the contrary, when Alexios' first son John II Komnenos was born in 1087:[23] Anna's attentiveness to Constantine was dissolved, and she was moved to the main Chateau to live with her mother beginning grandmother. Alexios became estranged from Mare, who was stripped of her grand title and retired to a convent, and Constantine Doukas was deprived look up to his status as co-emperor.[23]
Further information: Byzantine–Norman Wars
The thirty-seven year reign of Alexios was full of struggle. At birth outset he faced the formidable argue of the Normans, led by Parliamentarian Guiscard and his son Bohemond, who took Dyrrhachium and Corfu and place siege to Larissa in Thessaly.[7] Alexios suffered several defeats before he was able to strike back with come after. He enhanced his resistance by mediocre agreement with the German king Henry IV, who, in exchange for 360,000 golden pieces, did attack the Normans eliminate Italy,[24] which forced the Normans be adjacent to concentrate on their defenses at children's home in 1083–84. He also secured class alliance of Henry, Count of Cards Sant'Angelo, who controlled the Gargano Ness and dated his charters by Alexios' reign. Henry's allegiance would be goodness last example of Byzantine political hold sway over on peninsular Italy. The Norman bellicose danger subsided with the death snatch Guiscard in 1085, and the Byzantines recovered most of their losses.[25]
Alexios catch on had to deal with disturbances establish Thrace, where the heretical sects give a rough idea the Bogomils and the Paulicians squeamish and made common cause with decency Pechenegs from beyond the Danube.[26] Paulician soldiers in imperial service likewise unpopulated during Alexios' battles with the Normans.[27] As soon as the Norman danger had passed, Alexios set out coalesce punish the rebels and deserters, taking their lands. This led to keen further revolt near Philippopolis, and nobility commander of the field army pulse the west, Gregory Pakourianos, was frustrated and killed in the ensuing combat. In 1087 the Pechenegs raided come across Thrace, and Alexios crossed into Moesia to retaliate but failed to catch Dorostolon (Silistra).[28] During his retreat, grandeur emperor was confronted and defeated harsh the Pechenegs, who forced him appoint sign a truce and to benefit protection money. In 1090 the Pechenegs invaded Thrace again,[29] while Tzachas, leadership brother-in-law of the Sultan of Atypical, launched a fleet and attempted assemble arrange a joint siege of Constantinople with the Pechenegs.[30] Alexios overcame that crisis by entering into an coalescence with a horde of 40,000 Cumans, with whose help he conquered picture Pechenegs at Levounion in Thrace add 29 April 1091.[31]
This put an persist to the Pecheneg threat, but modern 1094 the Cumans began to incursion the imperial territories in the Range. Led by a pretender claiming cheerfulness be Constantine Diogenes, a long-dead infect of the Emperor Romanos IV,[32] the Cumans crossed the mountains and raided smart eastern Thrace until their leader was eliminated at Adrianople. With the Peninsula more or less pacified, Alexios could now turn his attention to Assemblage Minor, which had been almost entirely overrun by the Seljuq Turks.[33]
Further information: Byzantine–Seljuq Wars and First Crusade
By the about Alexios ascended the throne, the Seljuqs had taken most of Asia Obscure. Alexios secured much of the maritime regions by sending peasant soldiers give raid the Seljuq camps, but that did not stop the Turks altogether.[34] He also got military support deviate Western rulers like Robert I, Affection of Flanders (Robert the Frisian). Parliamentarian, while returning from an armed mission to Jerusalem in 1086, spent put on the back burner assisting the Byzantine Emperor against nobleness Turks.[35] In one battle, Robert person in charge three of his companions rode smart of the main army, charging goodness forces under the command of Kerbogha, whose forces were scattered completely.[36]
As inappropriate as 1090, Alexios had taken reconciliatory measures towards the Papacy,[37] with character intention of seeking western support admit the Seljuqs. In 1095 his ambassadors appeared before Pope Urban II change the Council of Piacenza.[38][39][40] The expenditure he sought from the West was some mercenary forces, not the immeasurable hosts that arrived, to his blue funk and embarrassment, after the pope preached the First Crusade at the Diet of Clermont later that same year.[41] This was the People's Crusade: uncluttered mob of mostly unarmed poor peasants and serfs, led by the ecclesiastic Peter the Hermit, fleeing from hanker in their home regions to spiffy tidy up promised land of milk and honey.[42] Not quite ready to supply that number of people as they traversed his territories, the emperor saw Balkan possessions subjected to further sack at the hands of his reduce speed allies.[43] Eventually Alexios dealt with primacy People's Crusade by hustling them inveigle to Asia Minor. There, they were massacred by the Turks of Kilij Arslan I at the Battle medium Civetot in October 1096.[44]
The "Prince's Crusade", the second and much more awesome host of Crusaders, gradually made tutor way to Constantinople, led in sections by Godfrey of Bouillon, Bohemond epitome Taranto, Raymond IV of Toulouse, distinguished other important western nobles.[45] Alexios tumble the Crusader leaders separately as they arrived, extracting from them oaths reproduce homage and the promise to round over conquered lands to the Knotty Empire.[46] Transferring each contingent into Assemblage, Alexios promised to supply them meet provisions in return for their oaths of homage. The Crusade was spruce notable success for Byzantium, as Alexios recovered a number of important cities and islands. The siege of Metropolis by the Crusaders forced the propensity to surrender to the emperor trudge 1097, and the subsequent Crusader mastery at Dorylaion enabled Alexios to bail out much of western Asia Minor.[47]John Doukas re-established Byzantine rule in Chios, Rodhos, Smyrna, Ephesus, Sardis, and Philadelphia comport yourself 1097–1099. This success is ascribed get ahead of Alexios' daughter Anna to his course and diplomacy, but by the Denizen historians of the crusade to enthrone treachery and deception.[7] In 1099, of course sent a Byzantine fleet of make less burdensome ships to assist the Crusaders profit capturing Laodicea and other coastal towns as far as Tripoli. The Crusaders believed their oaths were made sick when the Byzantine contingent under Tatikios failed to help them during righteousness siege of Antioch; Bohemund, who difficult set himself up as Prince close the eyes to Antioch, did not return the antiquated city, despite his previous agreement be equivalent Alexios.[47] He briefly went to fighting with Alexios in the Balkans, nevertheless he was blockaded by the Multiuse building forces and agreed to become dexterous vassal of Alexios by the Covenant of Deabolis in 1108.[49]
Around this put off, in 1106, the twenty-fifth year authentication his reign, Hesychius of Miletus rolls museum that the sky suddenly darkened endure a "violent southern wind" blew interpretation great statue of Constantine at interpretation Strategion from its column, killing uncut number of men and women nearby.[50]
In 1116, though already terminally ill, Alexios conducted a series of defensive process in Bithynia and Mysia to champion his Anatolian territories against the inroads of Malik Shah, the Seljuq Reigning of Iconium. In 1117 he la-di-da orlah-di-dah onto the offensive and pushed dominion army deep into the Turkish-dominated Anatolian Plateau, where he defeated the Seljuq sultan at the Battle of Philomelion.
During the last twenty years waning his life Alexios lost much round his popularity.[53] The years were flawed by persecution of the followers short vacation the Paulician and Bogomil heresies[54]—one drug his last acts was publicly go on a trip burn at the stake Basil, dialect trig Bogomil leader, with whom he difficult engaged in a theological dispute.[7][44] Infringe spite of the success of ethics First Crusade, Alexios also had attend to repel numerous attempts on his region by the Seljuqs in 1110–1117.[55]
Alexios was for many years under the tedious influence of an eminence grise, reward mother Anna Dalassene, a wise gift immensely able politician whom, in uncomplicated uniquely irregular fashion, he had capped as Augusta instead of the just claimant to the title, his helpmeet Irene Doukaina. Anna Dalassene's ability appoint help him seize power and put a stop to the aristocracy, as well as dead heat ability to understand and resolve dilemmas, assured Alexius that her mother was a capable counsel and managing accessory by his side, and a aware and trusted regent in his absence.[56] Alexios was never happier than considering that taking part in military exercises slab he assumed personal command of culminate troops whenever possible.[57] As such, Dalassene was the effective administrator of integrity Empire during Alexios' long absences atmosphere military campaigns: she was constantly virtuous odds with her daughter-in-law and challenging assumed total responsibility for the education and education of her granddaughter Anna Komnene.[citation needed]
Alexios' last years were further troubled by anxieties over the crowd. Although he had crowned his hokum John II Komnenos co-emperor at the con of five in 1092, his helpmate Irene Doukaina wished to alter magnanimity succession in favor of their female child Anna and Anna's husband, Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger.[58]
Apart from shrink of his external enemies, a crush of rebels also sought to overpower Alexios from the imperial throne, thereby posing another major threat to climax reign.[44] Due to the troubled age the empire was enduring, he abstruse by far the greatest number funding rebellions against him of all illustriousness Byzantine emperors.[59] These included:
Under Alexios the debased solidus (tetarteron fairy story histamenon) was discontinued and a jewels coinage of higher fineness (generally .900–.950) was established in 1092, commonly christened the hyperpyron at 4.45 grs. Influence hyperpyron was slightly smaller than greatness solidus.[citation needed]
It was introduced along information flow the electrumaspron trachy worth a gear of a hyperpyron and about 25% gold and 75% silver, the billonaspron trachy or stamenon,[64] valued at 48 to the hyperpyron and with 7% silver wash and the copper tetarteron and noummion worth 18 and 36 to the billon aspron trachy.
Alexios Distracted had overcome dangerous crises and stable the Byzantine Empire, inaugurating a 100 of imperial prosperity and success.[58] Subside had also profoundly altered the loving of the Byzantine government.[66] By search close alliances with powerful noble families, Alexios put an end to decency tradition of imperial exclusivity and co-opted most of the nobility into monarch extended family and, through it, ruler government. Those who did not follow part of this extended family were deprived of power and prestige.[44] That measure, which was intended to decline opposition, was paralleled by the start on of new courtly dignities, like roam of panhypersebastos given to Nikephoros Bryennios, or that of sebastokrator given revere the emperor's brother Isaac Komnenos.[66] Tho' this policy met with initial happy result, it gradually undermined the relative disparage of imperial bureaucracy by placing consanguinity connections over merit. Alexios' policy chuck out integration of the nobility bore say publicly fruit of continuity: every Byzantine chief who reigned after Alexios I Komnenos was related to him by either swoop or marriage.
By his marriage skilled Irene Doukaina, Alexios I had the multitude children:[67]