John Komnenos (governor of Dyrrhachium)

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Not to be confused with John II Komnenos.

John Komnenos
Born1073
DiedAfter 1136
AllegianceByzantine Empire
RankDoux
Battles/warsConflicts with Rascia and Dalmatia
RelationsIsaac Komnenos (father), Alexios I Komnenos (uncle), Alexios Komnenos (brother)

John Komnenos (Greek: Ἰωάννης Κομνηνός, romanized: Iōannēs Komnēnos) was a Byzantine aristocrat, the nephew of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118) and governor (doux) of the strategically important city and theme of Dyrrhachium from 1091 to c. 1106.

Biography

Early life

John was born in late 1073,[1] the eldest son of the sebastokrator Isaac Komnenos, older brother of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (r. 1081–1118), and his Georgian[2] wife, Irene "of Alania".[3][4] In 1081, his uncle, Emperor Alexios, proposed to the German emperor Henry IV (r. 1056–1105), a marriage match between John and a German princess. Alexios recommended his nephew as both handsome and of prudent character, but nothing came of this proposal.[5][6]

Career

Durrës, Albania
)

In early 1091, John was chosen by Alexios to replace

Theophylact of Bulgaria of plotting against the Emperor. To defend himself against the accusation, John travelled to Philippopolis, where Alexios resided. It is not clear whether the allegations had any substance; nevertheless, the affair evolved into a family quarrel between Alexios and his brother Isaac, who was also present. Eventually, Alexios dismissed the allegations and reconfirmed John in his post.[8][11]

Later, in 1094, despite his military inexperience, John was charged with confronting raids by the

Count Hugh I of Vermandois, whose fleet had been shipwrecked off the coast of Dyrrhachium.[8] John was probably still doux of Dyrrhachium in 1105/06, when he is recorded in the Alexiad, Anna Komnene's history of her father Alexios I's reign, to have been defeated in a campaign against the Dalmatians. As the threat of a renewed Norman invasion by Guiscard's son, Bohemond, loomed, the emperor replaced John with his younger brother Alexios.[12]

Marriage and family

In c. 1090, John married Maria Doukaina, daughter of the

monastic name, rather than her birth name.[14] The couple had five children; all of whom died early before their parents. Only the name of a son, Alexios, is known.[15]

Some time after 1130, John and his wife became monks, with John assuming the name of Ignatios. He tore down his father's palace and in its stead erected a monastery dedicated to the

Holy Trinity, under the name of Euergetes ("the Benefactor").[16] Their last child probably died c. 1136, which therefore is also the earliest possible date for the deaths of John and his wife.[15]

References

  1. ^ Varzos 1984, p. 134.
  2. ^ Garland 2007.
  3. ^ Skoulatos 1980, pp. 125, 135.
  4. ^ ODB, "Komnenos, Isaac" (C. M. Brand), p. 1144.
  5. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 134–135.
  6. ^ Skoulatos 1980, pp. 135–136.
  7. ^ Varzos 1984, p. 135.
  8. ^ a b c d Skoulatos 1980, p. 136.
  9. ^ Angold 1997, pp. 129ff., 152.
  10. ^ Some scholars place the incident later, in 1093/94, but the Alexiad places it clearly soon after his appointment. Skoulatos 1980, p. 136 (note 4).
  11. ^ Angold 1997, p. 153.
  12. ^ Skoulatos 1980, pp. 136–137.
  13. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 142–143.
  14. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 142–143 (note 38).
  15. ^ a b Varzos 1984, p. 144.
  16. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 143–144.

Sources

  • ISBN 0-582-29468-1. (registration required
    )
  • Garland, Lynda (2007). "Anna Dalassena, Mother of Alexius I Comnenus (1081-1118)". An Online Encyclopedia of Roman Rulers. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  • ISBN 0-19-504652-8
    .
  • Skoulatos, Basile (1980). Les personnages byzantins de l'Alexiade: Analyse prosopographique et synthèse [The Byzantine Personalities of the Alexiad: Prosopographical Analysis and Synthesis] (in French). Louvain-la-Neuve and Louvain: Bureau du Recueil Collège Érasme and Éditions Nauwelaerts.
    OCLC 8468871
    .
  • Varzos, Konstantinos (1984). Η Γενεαλογία των Κομνηνών [The Genealogy of the Komnenoi] (PDF) (in Greek). Vol. A. Thessaloniki:
    OCLC 834784634
    .
Preceded by Doux of Dyrrhachium
1092–1106 		Succeeded by
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