John Komnenos (son of Andronikos I) - Wikipedia John Komnenos (son of Andronikos I) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to navigation Jump to search John Komnenos (Greek: Ἰωάννης Κομνηνός, romanized: Iōannēs Komnēnos; August/September 1159 – September 1185) was the second son of the Byzantine aristocrat, and emperor in 1183–1185, Andronikos I Komnenos. His father appointed him co-emperor over his older brother Manuel, but when Andronikos was deposed on 12 September 1185, John was also seized and probably killed. Contents 1 Early life 2 Co-emperor 3 References 4 Bibliography Early life[edit] John was born to the future Andronikos I Komnenos and his first wife, whose name is unknown, in August or September 1159. He was conceived in early 1159, when his mother was in prison, and Andronikos visited her secretly one night.[1] The young John probably accompanied his father when the latter was named military governor (doux) of Cilicia in 1166, as he definitely was with his father during his subsequent exile and long wanderings across the principalities of the Near East, while his older brother Manuel and his sister Maria remained in Constantinople.[2] It was not until late 1178 or early 1179 that Andronikos was allowed back to the Byzantine capital, bringing John, along with his niece and mistress Theodora Komnene and their children, with him.[3] At this point, John may have received the title of sebastos from his uncle, Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (r. 1143–1180).[3] After Manuel I died, John and his older brother Manuel sided with Manuel I's daughter, the Caesarissa Maria Komnene, against the regency of the young Alexios II Komnenos (r. 1180–1183), headed by Empress-dowager Maria of Antioch and another cousin, the protosebastos Alexios Komnenos. The conspiracy was uncovered, however, and both John and Manuel were imprisoned until the regency was overthrown by their father in April 1182.[3] Co-emperor[edit] Miniature portrait of John's father, Andronikos I, from a 15th-century codex When his father assumed the regency, John received an unspecified high title, but in November 1183, after Andronikos was crowned emperor and Alexios II was deposed and murdered, John was also named as co-emperor and heir apparent to his father.[3] Andronikos' choice fell on John, rather than the older Manuel, because Manuel was known to object to his father's policies. John was considered more loyal, while furthermore his elevation to the throne adhered to the AIMA prophecy by having an emperor whose name started with "A" followed by one whose name (in Greek) started with "I".[4] While Manuel never made secret his disapproval for Andronikos' policies, John supported or tolerated them initially. When at last he criticized his father for his persecution of the aristocracy, according to Eustathius of Thessalonica, he received the rebuke that he and Manuel were "women", who could not rule securely until all the leading men of the state were eliminated, so that only the common people remained.[5] According to the scholar Konstantinos Varzos, it is "without a doubt that the younger son was a much lesser man than the older Manuel". According to Niketas Choniates, one of Andronikos' leading ministers, the megas hetaireiarches Constantine Tripsychos, was accused by his bitter rival the logothetes tou dromou Stephen Hagiochristophorites of uttering disparaging remarks on John's character and qualities, comparing him with the jester Zintziphitzes, a common and vulgar man known in the taverns and streets of the capital. Though clearly slanderous, these accusations must have contained a kernel of truth, according to Varzos, for Tripsychos was duly demoted and imprisoned.[6] In 1185, the Italo-Norman King of Sicily William II launched an invasion of the Byzantine Empire, and his troops laid siege to the Empire's second city, Thessalonica. John was one of the commanders sent out by Andronikos to assist the city and confront the Normans, giving him command of troops in Philippopolis. Rather than face the hazards of war, John preferred to stay at Philippopolis hunting. According to the eyewitness account of Eustathius of Thessalonica, the besieged called and prayed upon "Good John" to come and save them, but in vain; after the city fell, the Normans mockingly repeated these pleas to the captive Thessalonians.[7] Finally, on 12 September 1185, a popular uprising in Constantinople overthrew Andronikos, who fled the city. On the same day, Manuel was captured and blinded. Shortly after, the news of Andronikos' fall reached Philippopolis. The army at once rose up, and John was seized and blinded, before he was killed.[8] References[edit] ^ Varzos 1984, p. 528. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 528–529. ^ a b c d Varzos 1984, p. 529. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 521, 529–530. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 520–522, 530. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 530–531. ^ Varzos 1984, pp. 531–532. ^ Varzos 1984, p. 532. Bibliography[edit] Magoulias, Harry J. (2011). "Andronikos I Komnenos: A Greek Tragedy". Byzantina Symmeikta. 21: 101–136. doi:10.12681/byzsym.1032. ISSN 1791-4884. Varzos, Konstantinos (1984). Η Γενεαλογία των Κομνηνών [The Genealogy of the Komnenoi] (PDF) (in Greek). B. Thessaloniki: Centre for Byzantine Studies, University of Thessaloniki. OCLC 834784665. v t e Roman and Byzantine emperors and ruling empresses Principate 27 BC – AD 235 Augustus Tiberius Caligula Claudius Nero Galba Otho Vitellius Vespasian Titus Domitian Nerva Trajan Hadrian Antoninus Pius Marcus Aurelius Lucius Verus Commodus Pertinax Didius Julianus (Pescennius Niger) (Clodius Albinus) Septimius Severus Caracalla Geta Macrinus Diadumenian Elagabalus Severus Alexander Crisis 235–285 Maximinus Thrax Gordian I Gordian II Pupienus Balbinus Gordian III Philip the Arab Philip II Decius Herennius Etruscus Hostilian Trebonianus Gallus Volusianus Aemilianus Valerian Gallienus Saloninus Claudius Gothicus Quintillus Aurelian Ulpia Severina Tacitus Florian Probus Carus Carinus Numerian Gallic emperors Postumus (Laelianus) Marius Victorinus (Domitianus II) Tetricus I with Tetricus II as caesar Palmyrene emperors Vaballathus Zenobia Septimius Antiochus Dominate 284–395 Diocletian Maximian Galerius Constantius I Severus Constantine the Great Maxentius Licinius Maximinus Daza (Valerius Valens) (Martinian) Constantine II Constantius II Constans I Magnentius Vetranio Julian Jovian Valentinian I (west) Valens (east) Gratian (west) Valentinian II (west) Theodosius I Magnus Maximus Victor (Eugenius) Western Empire 395–480 Honorius Constantine III with son Constans II Constantius III Joannes Valentinian III Petronius Maximus Avitus Majorian Libius Severus Anthemius Olybrius Glycerius Julius Nepos Romulus Augustulus Eastern/ Byzantine Empire 395–1204 Arcadius Theodosius II Marcian Leo I Leo II Zeno Basiliscus Marcus Anastasius I Dicorus Justin I Justinian I Justin II Tiberius II Constantine Maurice with son Theodosius as co-emperor Phocas Heraclius Constantine III Heraklonas Constans II Constantine IV with brothers Heraclius and Tiberius and then Justinian II as co-emperors Justinian II (first reign) Leontios Tiberius III Justinian II (second reign) with son Tiberius as co-emperor Philippikos Anastasios II Theodosius III Leo III the Isaurian Constantine V Artabasdos Leo IV the Khazar Constantine VI Irene Nikephoros I Staurakios Michael I Rangabe with son Theophylact as co-emperor Leo V the Armenian with Symbatios-Constantine as junior emperor Michael II the Amorian Theophilos Michael III Basil I the Macedonian Leo VI the Wise Alexander Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos Romanos I Lekapenos with sons Christopher, Stephen and Constantine as junior co-emperors Romanos II Nikephoros II Phokas John I Tzimiskes Basil II Constantine VIII Zoë (first reign) and Romanos III Argyros Zoë (first reign) and Michael IV the Paphlagonian Michael V Kalaphates Zoë (second reign) with Theodora Zoë (second reign) and Constantine IX Monomachos Constantine IX Monomachos (sole emperor) Theodora Michael VI Bringas Isaac I Komnenos Constantine X Doukas Romanos IV Diogenes Michael VII Doukas with brothers Andronikos and Konstantios and son Constantine Nikephoros III Botaneiates Alexios I Komnenos John II Komnenos with Alexios Komnenos as co-emperor Manuel I Komnenos Alexios II Komnenos Andronikos I Komnenos with John Komnenos as co-emperor Isaac II Angelos Alexios III Angelos Alexios IV Angelos Nicholas Kanabos (chosen by the Senate) Alexios V Doukas Empire of Nicaea 1204–1261 Constantine Laskaris Theodore I Laskaris John III Doukas Vatatzes Theodore II Laskaris John IV Laskaris Byzantine Empire 1261–1453 Michael VIII Palaiologos Andronikos II Palaiologos with Michael IX Palaiologos as co-emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos John V Palaiologos John VI Kantakouzenos with John V Palaiologos and Matthew Kantakouzenos as co-emperors John V Palaiologos Andronikos IV Palaiologos John VII Palaiologos Andronikos V Palaiologos Manuel II Palaiologos John VIII Palaiologos Constantine XI Palaiologos Italics indicates a junior co-emperor, while underlining indicates a usurper. v t e The Komnenoi of the Byzantine Empire and the Empire of Trebizond 1st generation Nikephoros Komnenos Manuel Erotikos Komnenos 2nd generation Isaac I Komnenos John Komnenos 3rd generation Manuel Komnenos Isaac Komnenos Alexios I Komnenos Adrianos Komnenos Nikephoros Komnenos 4th generation John Komnenos Alexios Komnenos Constantine Komnenos Adrianos/John IV, Archbishop of Ohrid Anna Komnene Maria Komnene John II Komnenos Andronikos Komnenos Isaac Komnenos Eudokia Komnene Theodora Komnene 5th generation Alexios Komnenos Andronikos Komnenos Isaac Komnenos Manuel I Komnenos John Tzelepes Komnenos Andronikos I Komnenos 6th generation John Doukas Komnenos Theodora Komnene, Duchess of Austria Alexios Komnenos Maria Komnene, Queen of Hungary Theodora Komnene, Queen of Jerusalem Maria Komnene Alexios II Komnenos Alexios Komnenos Manuel Komnenos John Komnenos Alexios Komnenos 7th generation Maria Komnene, Queen of Jerusalem Theodora Komnene, Princess of Antioch David Komnenos Alexios I Megas Komnenos 8th generation John I Axouchos Manuel I Megas Komnenos 9th generation Andronikos II Megas Komnenos Theodora Megale Komnene George Megas Komnenos John II Megas Komnenos 10th generation Alexios II Megas Komnenos Michael Megas Komnenos 11th generation Andronikos III Megas Komnenos Basil Megas Komnenos Anna Anachoutlou John III Megas Komnenos 12th generation Manuel II Megas Komnenos Alexios III Megas Komnenos 13th generation Anna Megale Komnene, Queen of Georgia Manuel III Megas Komnenos Eudokia Megale Komnene, Lady of Sinop 14th generation Alexios IV Megas Komnenos 15th generation John IV Megas Komnenos Maria Megale Komnene, Byzantine empress Alexander Megas Komnenos David Megas Komnenos 16th generation Theodora Megale Komnene ("Despina Khatun") Uncertain generation Eudokia Komnene, Lady of Montpellier Related subjects AIMA prophecy Only male-line descendants who are independently notable are shown. Rulers and co-rulers are denoted in bold Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Komnenos_(son_of_Andronikos_I)&oldid=996091985" Categories: 1159 births 1185 deaths 12th-century Byzantine emperors Byzantine junior emperors Komnenos dynasty Heirs apparent who never acceded 12th-century murdered monarchs Byzantine people of the Byzantine–Norman wars Byzantine prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of the Byzantine Empire Sons of Byzantine emperors Hidden categories: Articles containing Greek-language text Instances of Lang-el using second unnamed parameter CS1 Greek-language sources (el) Navigation menu Personal tools Not logged in Talk Contributions Create account Log in Namespaces Article Talk Variants Views Read Edit View history More Search Navigation Main page Contents Current events Random article About Wikipedia Contact us Donate Contribute Help Learn to edit Community portal Recent changes Upload file Tools What links here Related changes Upload file Special pages Permanent link Page information Cite this page Wikidata item Print/export Download as PDF Printable version Languages Català Deutsch Ελληνικά Français Latina Polski Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 24 December 2020, at 13:53 (UTC). 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