The Alexiad (original Greek title : Αλεξιάς) is a medieval biographical text written around the year 1148 by the Byzantine historian Anna Comnena, daughter of Emperor Alexius I. The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... Events Ramon Berenguer IV, Count of Barcelona conquered Tortosa in posetion of the moors. ... Anna Comnena or better Komnene (Greek: Άννα Κομνηνή, Anna KomnÄ“nÄ“) (December 1, 1083 – 1153). ... Emperor Alexios I Komnenos Emperor Alexios I Komnenos depicted in a mosaic in the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople Alexios I Komnenos or Alexius I Comnenus (Greek: ; Latin: ) (1048 – August 15, 1118), Byzantine emperor (1081–1118), was the son of John Komnenos and Anna Dalassena and the nephew of Isaac I...

Within the Alexiad, she describes the political and military history of the Byzantine Empire during the reign of her father (1081-1118), making it one of the most important sources of information on the Byzantium of the High Middle Ages. As well as this, within the Alexiad, the First Crusade's interaction with the Byzantine Empire is documented (despite being written nearly fifty years after the crusade), which highlights the conflicting perceptions of the East and West in the early 12th century. Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Byzantium (Greek: Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city, which, according to legend, was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas or Byzantas (Βύζας or Βύζαντας in Greek). ... The cathedral Notre Dame de Paris, a significant architectural contribution of the High Middle Ages. ... Combatants Christendom, Catholicism West European Christians, Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia Seljuks, Arabs and other Muslims The First Crusade was launched in 1095 by Pope Urban II with the dual goals of liberating the sacred city of Jerusalem and the Holy Land from Muslims and freeing the Eastern Christians from Muslim...

The text was written in some form of artificial Attic Greek, and it is one of only a few examples of a woman writing about the political and military history of her own country, and it is also a valuable source as to ascertain the Byzantine perception of the Crusaders. Attic Greek is the ancient dialect of the Greek language that was spoken in Attica, which includes Athens. ...

Due to the relationship between Anna and her father Alexius, strong biasing problems exist, despite Anna's frequent attempts to convince for her objectiveness. Nevertheless, she manages to leave disguised traces of criticism of her father faults. She cannot hide her aversion for the Latins (Normans and "Franks" (whom she considers barbarians), the "barbarians" in general, the Armenians, and her deep hatred against her brother John II Komnenos. Despite this, she frequently expresses her admiration for the abilities and charm of various enemies of the empire (e.g. Robert Guiscard and his son Bohemund). Other problems include some confusion on names, geography and dating and a general trend of exaggerated stereotypic description of military events. Norman conquests in red. ... John II Komnenos or Comnenus (Greek: Ιωάννης Β΄ Κομνηνός, Iōannēs II Komnēnos) (September 13, 1087 – April 8, 1143) was Byzantine emperor from 1118 to 1143. ... Robert Guiscard (i. ... Bohemund I of Antioch (c. ...

Her use of military terms and the vast number of details in the description of the turbulent reign of Alexius suggests that, despite Anna's interment in a monastery, she had access to official archives and interviewed eye-witnesses. Succesful character profiling is another positive side of her work as well as the sense of originality which is emitted by the dramatic lamentations for her ill fate.

The eloquent language used and the impressive abundance of Homeric references in Alexiad clearly show the high level of classical education of the author. Homer (Greek: ) is the name given to the supposed unitary author of the early Greek poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. ...

Structure of the work

The work is divided into the prologue and 15 books (book summaries below are modern interpretations).

• Prologue
• Book 1 : Alexius becomes general and Domestikos ton Scholon (Alexius youth - Urselius revolt - Nicephorus Bryennios revolt - Normans prepare invasion)
• Book 2 : The Komnenian revolt (Envy against the family - Causes of uprising - The escape - Rebels proclaim Alexius as emperor - Melissenos revolts - Komnenians seize Constantinople - Emperor Nikephoros III Votaneiates abdicates)
• Book 3 : Alexius as emperor (1081) and the internal problems with Doukas family (Maria of Alania and her son Constantine - Dismissal of her rumoured relationship with Alexius - About Alexius and his wife Irene - Alexius invents new ranks - Alexius publicly regrets for his soldiers crimes - Anna Dalassine (Alexius mother) is given imperial authority - About Anna Dalassena - Alexius' military preparations and alliances - Seljuk Turks spread in Asia Minor - Normans cross Adriatic Sea).
• Book 4 : War against Normans (1081-1082) (Robert Guiscard besieges Dyrrhachium - Venetian allies defeat Normans - Alexius arrives with his army - Normans win the Battle of Dyrrhachium, Alexius hardly escapes)
• Book 5 : War against Normans (1082-1083) and first clash with the heretics (Financial collapse - Seizure of church property - Bohemund against Alexius - Alexius finally wins with a strategem - Prosecution of John Italus)
• Book 6 : End of war against Normans (1085), death of Robert Guiscard, the Turks (Alexius recaptures Kastoria - Persecution of Manicheans (Paulicians)- Alexius in front of the Church Court - Conspiracy and revolt - The alliance with Venice - Death of Guiscard - Persecution of wizards and astrologers - Births of Porphyrogenitos - Alexius against the Turks - The Scythian threat (Pechenegs))
• Book 7 : War against Scythians (1087-1090) (Beginning of hostilities - Crushing defeat of the imperial army - Cumans defeat Scythians, truce - Scythians violate truce - Activity of Turkish pirate Tzachas in western Anatolia - Expedition against Scythians)
• Book 8 : End of Scythian war (1091), plots against the emperor (Hostilities continuing - Crushing of Scythians at Levunium - Final success - Conspiracies and revolts)
• Book 9 : Operations against Tzachas and Dalmatians (1092-1094), conspiracy of Nicephorus Diogenes (1094) (Operations against Tzachas - Operation in Crete and Cyprus - Elimination of Tzachas - Conspiracy of Nicephorus Diogenes - Capitulation of Dalmatians - Complementary to Diogenes)
• Book 10 : One more heresy, war against Cumans, Beginning of 1st Crusade (1094-1097) (Neilos and Vlahernites - War against Cumans - Operations against Turks, arrival of the first Crusaders - Crushing of Crusaders under Koukoupetros (Peter the Hermit) - Hugh of France - Sea surveillance by the Romans - Godfrey of Bouillon - Count Raul - Crusade leaders make homage to the emperor - Bohemund)
• Book 11 : 1st Crusade (1097-1104) (Crusaders besiege Nicaea - Liberation of Nicaea - Crusaders' successful operations - Antioch is besieged - Succesful Roman operations in Asia Minor - Capture of Antioch and Jerusalem - Operations in Asia - Massacre of Normans (Lombards) by the Turks - Bohemund refuses returning Antioch to the empire - Operations in Cilicia - Pisan fleet invades islands - Naval war with Genoans -Operations against Bohemund - Bohemund pretends to be dead)
• Book 12 : Domestic Conflicts, Norman preparations for the 2nd invasion (1105-1107) (Bohemond prepares landing to Illyrian coast - Operations of Tancred in Cilicia against the empire - Queen Irene - Alexius organizes defense in the west - Conspiracy of Anemades - Georgios Taronites revolts in Trapezous - Isaacius Kontostefanos fails to guard the coast against Norman fleet - Beginning of Norman invasion)
• Book 13 : Aaron's conspiracy, second Norman invasion (1107-1108) (Aaron's conspiracy - Siege of Dyrrhachium - Alexius tricks - Operations in mainland - Naval operations - Bohemund asks for peace - Peace negotiations - Bohemund's profile - Negotiations between Alexius and Bohemund - The Treaty of Devol)
• Book 14 : Turks, Franks, Cumans and Manicheans (1108-1115) (Roman successes against the Turks - Problems with the Franks - Naval and land operations - Emperor's health problems - Operations against the Turks - Anna speaks for her methods in writing history - Prevention of a Cuman raid - Alexius fights manichaeism by persuasion or persecution)
• Book 15 : Last expeditions, the Bogomils, last Illness and death of Alexius (1116-1118) (War against the Turks and the new battle tactics - Victorious battle - Peace with the Turks - Sultan is murdered by his brother - Alexius builds the Orphanage - Suppression of Bogomils, burning of their leader Basil - Alexius dies)

The Byzantine Army was the primary military body of the Byzantine armed forces, serving alongside the Byzantine Navy. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Map of Constantinople. ... Nicephorus Botaniates. ... Doukas or Ducas (Greek: Δούκας; fem. ... Empress Maria (ca 1050 – after 1103) was a daughter of the Georgian king Bagrat IV (1027–72) and spouse of the Byzantine emperor Michael VII Ducas and later also Nicephorus III Botaniates. ... Constantine Doukas or Ducas (Greek: Κωνσταντίνος Δούκας, Kōnstantinos Doukas), (c. ... Irene Doukaina or Ducaena (Greek: Ειρήνη Δούκαινα, EirÄ“nÄ“ Doukaina) (c. ... The Seljuk coat of arms was a double headed eagle The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان SaljÅ«qiyān; in Arabic سلجوق SaljÅ«q, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to... A satellite image of the Adriatic Sea. ... Durrës (Photo by Marc Morell) Durrës (Albanian: Durrës or Durrësi) is the most ancient city of Albania and one of the most economically important as the biggest port city. ... Battle of Dyrrhachium Conflict Roman Republican civil wars Date July 10, 48 BC Place Dyrrhachium Result Victory of Pompey The Battle of Dyrrachium (or Dyrrhachium) on 10 July 48 BC was one of a series of contests between Julius Caesar and Pompey that ended with Pompeys defeat in the... Bogomils was the name of an ancient Gnostic religious community which is thought to have originated in Bulgaria. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venezsia, Latin: Venetia) is a city in northern Italy, the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,251 (census estimate January 1, 2004). ... Pechenegs or Patzinaks, also known as Besenyők, were a semi-nomadic steppes people of Central Asia that spoke a Turkic language. ... Cuman, also called Polovtsy, Polovtsian, or the Anglicized Polovzian (Russian: , Ukrainian: , Bulgarian: , Romanian: , Hungarian: ), is a Western European exonym for the western Kipchaks. ... Peter the Hermit shows the crusaders the way to Jerusalem. ... Godfrey of Bouillon, from a tapestry painted in 1420 Godfrey of Bouillon (c. ... Ä°znik (which derives from the former Greek name Νίκαια, Nicaea) is a city in Turkey which is known primarily as the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea, the first and seventh Ecumenical councils in the early history of the Christian church, the Nicene Creed, and as the capital... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Antakya. ... Combatants Crusaders Seljuk Turks Commanders Raymond of Toulouse Godfrey of Bouillon Bohemund of Taranto Yaghi-Siyan Kerbogha Strength 25,000[1] 75,000[2] Casualties Unknown Unknown For other uses please see Siege of Antioch (disambiguation) The Siege of Antioch took place during the First Crusade in 1097 and 1098. ... For other uses, see Jerusalem (disambiguation). ... The Lombards (Latin Langobardi, whence comes the alternative name Longobards found in older English texts), were a Germanic people originally from Northern Europe that entered the late Roman Empire. ... Cilicia as Roman province, 120 AD In Antiquity, Cilicia (Κιλικία) was the name of a region, now known as Çukurova, and often a political unit, on the southeastern coast of Asia Minor (modern Turkey), north of Cyprus. ... Leaning Tower of Pisa. ... Location within Italy Flag of Genoa Christopher Columbus monument in Piazza Aquaverde Genoa (Italian Genova (jeno-vah), Genoese Zena (zaynah), French Gênes) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of Liguria. ... Location of Illyria Illyria (Albanian Iliria Land of the Free; Ancient Greek ; Latin Illyria [1] (see also Illyricum) was in Classical antiquity a region in the western part of todays Balkan Peninsula, founded by the tribes and clans of Illyrians, an ancient people who spoke the Illyrian languages. ... Tancred (1072 - 1112) was a leader of the First Crusade, and later became regent of the Principality of Antioch and Prince of Galilee. ... The Treaty of Devol was an agreement made in 1108 between Bohemund I of Antioch and Byzantine Emperor Alexius I, in the wake of the First Crusade. ... Manichean priests, writing at their desk, with panel inscription in Sogdian. ... Bogomils was the name of a defunct Gnostic social-religious movement and doctrine which originated in Macedonia in X century at the time of Peter I of Bulgaria (927-969) as a reaction of the state and clerical oppression. ... Basil the Physician († 1118) was the Bogomil leader burned at the stake. ...

Published editions

• Penguin Classics paperback ISBN 0140449582
• Société d'Édition "Les Belles Lettres" (1937-45, 1967): Anne Comnene, Alexiade (Règne de l'Empereur Alexis I Comnène)

Penguin Books is a British publisher founded in 1935 by Allen Lane. ...

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Alexiad

• Medieval Sourcebook: Alexiad - complete text, translated Elizabeth A. Dawes