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Andronicus I Komnenos, Emperor
of Byzantium 1183-1185, (1123-1185)
son of Isaakies Komnenos Porphyrogennetos and NN
Born 1123 / 1124
Died 12 September 1185 Constantinople (murdered)
Married 1183
Agnes de France
Born 1171
Died after 1240
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Andronicus seems to have enjoyed illicit affaires as he had first seduced
the Byzantine Emperor's niece, Eudoxia; then Bohemund of Antioch forced
him to leave Antioch after having seduced the latter's sister, Philippa.
He then left for Jerusalem where he seduced the recently widowed Queen
Theodora, who was also a Byzantine princess.
Returned to Constantinople, he was approached by conspirators and asked
to act against the hated Regent, the Latin Empress Maria, who also happened
to be the elder sister of Philippa whom he had seduced in Antioch. So in
1182 he raised an army and marched on
Constantinople. His approach to the city caused a violent explosion
against the Italian merchants and most were massacred. Andronicus entered
the city in triumph and the Empress's favourite ministers had their eyes
put out, after which they were thrown into prison. After this, Andronicus
forced the child-Emperor, Alexius II, to sign his mother's death warrant,
at which Empress Maria was quietly strangled. Andronicus was then made
co-Emperor and two months later Alexius II was murdered. Andronicus then
married Alexius II's twelve-year-old widow, Princess Agnes of France, and
became the undisputed ruler of the Byzantine world.
He was twenty-six-years old when he became Emperor. Seeing rivals and
rebels everywhere, he became paranoid as time passed, causing a reign of
terror. Many members of the Comneni family were executed without trial,
even if they had lived in obscurity for years. After a period, the people
of Constantinople could no longer cope
and so revolted against him. The cause for this revolt was Isaac Angelos,
an obscure, elderly and amiable cousin of Andronicus who, after being arrested,
escaped and found sanctuary in the Church of the Holy Wisdom. Andronicus
ordered his men to arrest him again; but now, even his own bodyguard deserted
him and the city rose against him.
While trying to escape the city he was captured by the mob who broke
his teeth, tore out his beard and hair, put out one eye and cut off one
of his hands before tying him to the back of a camel. After this they beat
him on the head with sticks and pushed dung into his
nostrils while a prostitute collected a jar of boiling water and emptied
it over his face. Yet without complaint he endured it all while praying
continually. Then he was taken to the Hippodrome and, suspended from a
beam by his feet, was killed with a sword.
He was succeeded as Emperor by Isaac Angelos whom he had tried to imprison.
However, Isaac Angelos was ineffective as Emperor and Byzantium then ceased
to be a world power.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
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