Alexios Komnenos was a

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

aristocrat and military commander in the mid-12th century.

Life

Born around 1102, Alexios was the first son of

Anna Komnene Anna Komnene (; 1 December 1083 – 1153), commonly Latinized as Anna Comnena, was a Byzantine Greek historian. She is the author of the '' Alexiad'', an account of the reign of her father, Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos. Her work constit ...

, the eldest daughter of Emperor

Alexios I Komnenos Alexios I Komnenos (, – 15 August 1118), Latinization of names, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus, was Byzantine Emperor, Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118. After usurper, usurping the throne, he was faced with a collapsing empire and ...

(), and of the general and historian Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger. In 1118 he was betrothed

Kata ''Kata'' is a Japanese word ( 型 or 形) meaning "form". It refers to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements. It can also be reviewed within groups and in unison when training. It is practiced in Japanese martial arts ...

, a daughter of King

David IV of Georgia David IV, also known as David IV the Builder ( ka, დავით IV აღმაშენებელი, tr; 1073 – 24 January 1125), of the Bagrationi dynasty, was the 5th king ('' mepe'') of the Kingdom of Georgia from 1089 until his d ...

. Their wedding took place in 1122. At some unknown time, Alexios was appointed governor () of the joint provinces of Hellas and the

Peloponnese The Peloponnese ( ), Peloponnesus ( ; , ) or Morea (; ) is a peninsula and geographic region in Southern Greece, and the southernmost region of the Balkans. It is connected to the central part of the country by the Isthmus of Corinth land bridg ...

, corresponding to southern mainland Greece. Writing in 1201/2, the

Archbishop of Athens The Archbishopric of Athens () is a Greek Orthodox archiepiscopal see based in the city of Athens, Greece. It is the senior see of Greece, and the seat of the autocephalous Church of Greece. Its incumbent (since 2008) is Ieronymos II of Athens. ...

, Michael Choniates, reported that he was remembered among the locals for his kindness and justice. In 1147, Alexios participated in the Council of Blachernae that deposed Patriarch Cosmas II of Constantinople. In early 1156 Alexios received from his cousin,

Manuel I Komnenos Manuel I Komnenos (; 28 November 1118 – 24 September 1180), Latinized as Comnenus, also called Porphyrogenitus (; " born in the purple"), was a Byzantine emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history o ...

() the high rank of , placing him in nominal command over the entire

Byzantine navy The Byzantine navy was the Navy, naval force of the Byzantine Empire. Like the state it served, it was a direct continuation from its Roman navy, Roman predecessor, but played a far greater role in the defence and survival of the state than its ...

. In the same year he was sent to join John Doukas in

Apulia Apulia ( ), also known by its Italian language, Italian name Puglia (), is a Regions of Italy, region of Italy, located in the Southern Italy, southern peninsular section of the country, bordering the Adriatic Sea to the east, the Strait of Ot ...

against the

Italo-Normans The Italo-Normans (), or Siculo-Normans (''Siculo-Normanni'') when referring to Sicily and Southern Italy, are the Italian-born descendants of the first Norman conquerors to travel to Southern Italy in the first half of the eleventh century. ...

of the

Kingdom of Sicily The Kingdom of Sicily (; ; ) was a state that existed in Sicily and the southern Italian peninsula, Italian Peninsula as well as, for a time, in Kingdom of Africa, Northern Africa, from its founding by Roger II of Sicily in 1130 until 1816. It was ...

; he brought his fleet to

Bari Bari ( ; ; ; ) is the capital city of the Metropolitan City of Bari and of the Apulia Regions of Italy, region, on the Adriatic Sea in southern Italy. It is the first most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy. It is a port and ...

, but not the much-needed troops. Shortly after, the Byzantine commanders were defeated at both land and sea and captured by King

William I of Sicily William I (1120 or 1121 7 May 1166), called the Bad or the Wicked (), was the second king of Sicily, ruling from his father's death in 1154 to his own in 1166. He was the fourth son of Roger II and Elvira of Castile. William's title "the Bad" ...

on 28 May 1156. The near contemporary historian

John Kinnamos John Kinnamos or ''Joannes Kinnamos'' or ''John Cinnamus'' ( or Κίναμος; born shortly after 1143, died after 1185), was a Byzantine historian. He was imperial secretary (Greek "grammatikos", most likely a post connected with the military ad ...

squarely blames both Alexios and Doukas for not being prudent enough to avoid a direct confrontation, and further for spoiling the subsequent expedition by Alexios Axouch by making, while in captivity, concessions to King William to secure their rapid release, but the historian's views may be tainted by later events. Alexios was released after Manuel concluded peace with the Normans in 1158. He is last mentioned in 1161, as the head of an embassy sent to the

Principality of Antioch The Principality of Antioch (; ) was one of the Crusader states created during the First Crusade which included parts of Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and History of Syria#Medieval era, Syria. The principality was much smaller than the County of ...

to accompany Manuel I's second wife,

Maria of Antioch Maria of Antioch (; 1145–1182) was a Byzantine empress by marriage to Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos, and regent during the minority of her son porphyrogennetos Alexios II Komnenos from 1180 until 1182. Early life Maria of Antioch wa ...

, to

Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...

. While at

Antioch Antioch on the Orontes (; , ) "Antioch on Daphne"; or "Antioch the Great"; ; ; ; ; ; ; . was a Hellenistic Greek city founded by Seleucus I Nicator in 300 BC. One of the most important Greek cities of the Hellenistic period, it served as ...

, Alexios had the unpleasant task of informing King

Baldwin III of Jerusalem Baldwin III (1130 – 10 February 1163) was the king of Jerusalem from 1143 to 1163. He was the eldest son of Queen Melisende and King Fulk. He became king while still a child, and was at first overshadowed by his mother Melisende, whom he eventu ...

, who had pushed for a betrothal between Manuel and

Melisende of Tripoli Melisende of Tripoli ( 1161) was a princess from the Latin East who was betrothed to the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Komnenos. She was the daughter of Hodierna of Jerusalem and Count Raymond II of Tripoli. Her cousin King Baldwin III of Jerusal ...

, that the Emperor had rejected that match. Alexios probably died by 1167, when Andronikos Kontostephanos was named

Family

From his marriage with Kata, Alexios had at least two sons, David and Andronikos. Kata and the two sons are mentioned in the context of the 1185 sack of Thessalonica by the Normans, during which David was the city's governor. His dismal conduct during the siege led to them all being imprisoned. Although they were released after the fall of

Andronikos I Komnenos Andronikos I Komnenos (; – 12 September 1185), Latinized as Andronicus I Comnenus, was Byzantine emperor from 1183 to 1185. A nephew of John II Komnenos (1118–1143), Andronikos rose to fame in the reign of his cousin Manuel I Komne ...

(), according to Michael Choniates, in 1201/2 no descendants of Alexios were still alive.

References

Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Komnenos, Alexios 1100s births 1160s deaths 12th-century Byzantine military personnel Generals of Manuel I Komnenos Year of death unknown Year of birth uncertain Megaloi doukes People of the Byzantine–Norman wars Byzantine prisoners of war Byzantine governors of Hellas Byzantine governors of the Peloponnese Byzantine diplomats