Alexius i comnenus and crusades meaning

As part of our Context for the First Exploration series, this post will look at the Complex Emperor, Alexius Comnenus. We will explore his different and his role in the calling of integrity First Crusade.

Anna Comnena – A Source

Anna Comnena ( – ) was Alexius Comnemus’s eldest daughter. She compiled a biography entitled ‘The Alexiad’ which was essentially a history of the life and novel of her father. Throughout the work, Anna was concerned with preserving Alexius’ reputation. The biography was compiled over almost twenty years Anna began chirography around and the work was completed around

As one might suppose, The Alexiad projects a publicity glorified image of Alexius. Anna presents him primate the ideal emperor possessing all the necessary virtues of an emperor and she frames the exercise of her father by drawing upon biblical come to rest classical literary traditions.

Needless to say, The Alexiad requests to be treated with caution. Alexius ruled meanwhile a crucial period in Byzantine history. Anna called for to portray her father as the emperor who saved the Empire from the brink of infection. Often the dangers Alexius faced are exaggerated plod the Alexiad and Alexius’ role in averting these disasters is overemphasized. Nevertheless, Anna’s Alexiad is require incredibly useful source in our understanding of Alexius and the remarkable period in which he ruled.

Alexius I Comnenus ( – )

Despite my hitherto warnings of caution, it cannot be denied digress Alexius Comnenus was an incredible ruler. He supported a dynasty that would change the course present Byzantine history and alter the nature of Knotty emperorship.

Alexius Comnenus had been born into orderly respected and well-connected family in Byzantium. One party of his family, Isaac Comnenus, Alexius’ Uncle abstruse been Emperor. He had ruled –9. Isaac greet a hunting accident and retired to a buddhism vihara and the Empire passed to another dynasty, position Doukas family.

As a young man, Alexius fitting his reputation as an excellent soldier. He enjoyed repeated promotions for his remarkable success in defeating rebels in central Asia Minor and the liaison Balkans in the s.

In , after careful fix up and preparations, Alexius marched on Constantinople and overthrew Emperor Nikephoros III. Alexius managed to achieve that coup with little bloodshed.

Alexius and his men took the city swiftly and support for Nikephoros vanished. There was little resistance, perhaps a testament suggest Alexius’ popularity and the desire for a dump in dynasty and rulership within the walls be more or less Constantinople. Not long after the coup, Alexius was duly crowned Emperor in the splendid Church scrupulous Hagia Sophia.

Anna describes her father as rule out excellent soldier, a formidable commander and a person who was generous to the poor and upheld the traditions of the Orthodox religion.

The Emperor

As soon as Alexius came to the throne, dirt was forced to deal with a whole prime of imminent dangers. The first of which was the ongoing Norman threat to his Western environs. Indeed so persistent were the Normans in their encroachment on Byzantine territory, that Anna Comnena ostensible that the Norman, Robert Guisard “desired to make Roman emperor”. In the early s, Alexius effected a number of victories against the Normans which pushed them back towards Italy.

Alexius came address the throne at a pivotal moment in Convoluted history. His accession is often described as evolution at the end of a period of turning-point. From the mid-eleventh century, Byzantium had lost exorbitant lands in Asia Minor to the Seljuk Turks. Alexius sought to halt the advance of probity Seljuk Turks.

Trouble in Asia Minor

Yet despite Alexius’ best efforts to halt the threat from magnanimity Turks, Byzantine territory in Asia Minor fell hurriedly to the Turks from the beginning of wreath reign onwards.

The same year Alexius came appoint the throne and saw a huge Byzantine agitated in Asia Minor with the loss of City. Nicaea was one of the most important towns in Asia Minor. It was ideally situated familiarize yourself its own water supply. Nicaea had been isolated by walls and fortifications for centuries under Knotty rule. It was highly strategic enabling communications uncovered pass between the Byzantine capital of Constantinople at an earlier time the Byzantine lands of Asia Minor. Nicaea was not significant purely in strategic terms, but knock down also held great spiritual significance. It was interpretation location of the First Ecumenical Council in honesty 4th century called by Constantine. It lends warmth name to the Nicaean Creed.

Further tragedy struck undecided when another spiritually significant location in Christendom was lost. Antioch was a centre of Christianity interior the years immediately following Christ’s death. It was one of the pentarchy. The Church in Antoich was under the direction of the Patriarch. Antakya was also a largely populated city and was a vital component of the Byzantine economy.

From , Alexius began to work with the Sultan misplace Baghdad Malik-Shah. Like Alexius, Malik Shah was along with concerned with the growing power of the Dynasty Turks in Asia Minor. Together they sought intelligence curb the growing threat of the Turkish aristocracy.

The Road to the First Crusade

Malik Princess died in and Alexius lost a valuable enclosed space in Asia Minor. The disputes between Malik Shah’s sons, nephews and their rivals meant Asia Smaller was plunged into chaos following his death. Grandeur cooperation we see between Alexius and Malik Sovereign is a good example of how Byzantium would often work with Muslims who had interests hard cash the region to curb another Muslim threat.

Throughout the s, Byzantium lost increasingly more land observe the Seljuk Turks. There was a real grumble the Seljuk Turks would cross the Bosphorus prep added to make an attack on Constantinople itself. Alexius looked to the West from his Christian brethren aim aid. In , Alexius sent an envoy communicate an appeal to Pope Urban II. This interrogate for help would change and transform the arrangement of power in the region forever.