- Isaac Komnenos (d. 1152)
Isaac Komnenos or Comnenus (Greek: Ισαάκιος Κομνηνός, "Isaakios Komnēnos") (after
16 January 1093 – after 1152) was the third son of EmperorAlexios I Komnenos andIrene Doukaina .Life
He was the brother of Emperor John II Komnenos and the historian Anna Komnene. Isaac was given the dignity of "kaisar" (Caesar) by his father.
After the succession of John II in 1118, Isaac was received at the imperial court almost as an equal to the emperor and received the elevated dignity of "sebastokratōr". He engaged in charitable works, including the restoration of a monastery near the Blachernae palace. By 1130 John and Isaac had become estranged, and Isaac was forced to flee
Constantinople for 6 years after an alleged conspiracy. Isaac sought refuge at several eastern courts, including those of theDanishmendid amirGümüshtigin Ghazi II ibn Danishmend atMelitene , and in Jerusalem. In 1136 Isaac returned to Constantinople and was reconciled with his brother. At John II's death in 1143, Isaac was sent away to Herakleia Pontica, ostensibly to keep him from seizing power, which he was indeed tempted to do in 1145–1146. He may have been forced into a rural retirement and in 1152 endowed his own monastery near Ainos inThrace .This potential for conflict within the top tier of the court aristocracy would continue into the reign of
Manuel I Komnenos , and eventually Isaac's son Andronikos became emperor in 1183.Family
Isaac Komnenos was married to Eirene, possibly a Kievan princess. He may also have married
Kata of Georgia , daughter ofDavid IV of Georgia andRusudan of Armenia . By his first marriage, he had:
# John Comnenus called "Tzelepes" (i.e., "Çelebi"), who became aMuslim .
#Andronikos I Komnenos , emperor 1183–1185.
# Maria Komnene, who married before 1166 Joseph Bryennios.
# Anna Komnene, who married John Arbantenos.
# Eudokia Komnene, who probably married Constantine Palaiologos.
# Helena Komnene (d. 1183), who probably marriedYury Dolgoruky ofKiev .He also had an illegitimate son, Alexios Komnenos.References
* Paul Magdalino, "The Empire of Manuel I Komnenos 1143–1180", Cambridge University Press, 1993.
* K. Varzos, "Ē genealogia tōn Komnēnōn", Thessalonikē, 1984.External links
* [http://www.mittelalter-genealogie.de/_byzanz/i/isaak_komnenos_prinz_von_byzanz_1152/isaak_sohn_alexios_1_prinz_1152.html Genealogie Mittelalter]
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