Anna Komnene, daughter of Alexios I and historian L XI / M XII
Ἄννα Κομνηνή (Varzos 32-I.176, cf. Polemis 23) (Anna 62)
(Unspecified)
(null)
Narrative
(56)
Authorship
(43)
After
Alexios 1
had died, her profound sense of loss dominated the last pages of her book, exaggerating the depth of her personal misfortune; the loss of Alexios reminded her of the other two great losses which she would suffer before writing her history, those of
Eirene 61
and
Nikephoros 117
Anna Komnene 503.19-505.62
Claims her female and imperial modesty prevented her from describing to her readers exactly what
Gregorios 27
did to the envoys of king
Henry 54
of Germany
Anna Komnene 44.5-14
Claims to have known enough about
Anna 61
to have written her a panegyric, but that in fact she was writing sober history (a rhetorical marker that she is in fact writing panegyric)
εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐγκωμιάζειν προειλόμην...ἐπὶ πλέον ἂν ἐπαφῆκα τὸν λόγον τοῖς περὶ τούτων διηγήμασι. Anna Komnene 109.73-78
Discussion of the unique problems
Alexios 1
had to face slipped too easily into listing her own - including her problems of convincing readers of her objectivity; she censured herself for straying from the subject; but there were still plenty of living witnesses of events she was narrating
Anna Komnene 450.89-451.24
Family sources of her work were
Alexios 1
,
Eirene 61
,
Nikephoros 117
,
Georgios 61
, and uncles (e.g.
Ioannes 65
,
Michael 121
,
Isaakios 61
(?); other material was mainly collected after 1143 (under
Manuel 1
), from soldiers and their writings, with no access to anyone important
Anna Komnene 451.42-453.79
For the arrival of
Robert 61
before Dyrrachion, she claimed as her source
Anonymus 690
, a Latin envoy to Robert from the archbishop of Bari
Anna Komnene 119.80-82
Her letters (of which none have survived) were praised for all possible epistolary virtues
Tornikes, Georgios 301.20-303.12
In writing of the disasters which befell
Alexios 1
, she had to forget he was her father, and act like unfeeling adamant or stone
ὥσπέρ τις ἀπαθὴς ἀδάμας καὶ λίθος. Anna Komnene 138.72-139.91
Just after the first intervention of the Venetians (1081) in the war against
Robert 61
, she included other events involving them, datable at least to 1082 (out of order), including famine in the Norman army; these have been dated here to 1084-1085
χειμῶνος ... ἔαρ ... ἐπὶ δυσὶ μησί ... μηνῶν τριῶν ... χειμῶνα ... ἔαρ ... θέρους. Anna Komnene 124.38-126.84
Said she had learnt directly from
Leon 15004
, a servant of
Eudokia 1
, of the latter's frustrated plan to marry
Nikephoros 3
Anna Komnene 91.43-92.48
She claimed to be exhausted by the mass of events leading up to the treaty of Devol, and the large number of non-Greek names she had to use
ὅπου γὰρ βαρβαρικῶν ὀνομάτων ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀπαιτεῖται χρῆσις καὶ ἀλλεπαλλήλων ὑποθέσεων διήγησις, τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἱστορίας καὶ τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς γραφῆς κατ᾽ ἄρθρα ἔοικε διακόπτεσθαι. Anna Komnene 401.69-72
She commended
Alexios 1
for using guile in defeating the Turks rather than always winning by sheer strength, then again defended herself against charges of partiality
Anna Komnene 467.9-468.56
She complained of the barbarian names she was forced to use (Tatous, Sesthlabos, Satzas); they marred the wording of her history
τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἱστορίας τούτοις καταμιαίνεται. Anna Komnene 199.26-27
She did not give the names of all the crusader leaders, both because of their number and because of the boorishness of the names themselves [The impression is given that she was covering up ignorance]
βαρβαρικὰς φωνὰς ἀπαγγέλλειν ἀδυνατούσῃ διὰ τὸ ἄναρθρον .... Anna Komnene 315.56 -59
She expressed (feminine?) amusement at the posturings of
Robert 61
and
Raiktor 101
, as they blustered against the unmasking of their plot to provide an excuse for an attack on Byzantium
γελᾶν ἔπεισί μοι τοὺς ἄνδρας τούτους καὶ τῆς ἀπονοίας καὶ τῆς κουφότητος. Anna Komnene 50.13-21
She feared detractors because she was writing of her own father
Alexios 1
, both when she praised him and when she criticised him; but she had decided to write in the genre of history, and so would be appropriately impartial
Anna Komnene 6.22-7.46
She feels the need to defend
Alexios 1
from the charge of incompetence for the bad choice of
Aspietes 15001
as military commander of Cilicia: the man was of the highest birth, and he had given firm proof of his bravery
ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἂν ὑπεραπολογησαίμην τοὐμοῦ πατρός, ὃτι .... Anna Komnene 363.43-364.68
She felt great emotion when writing of the plan to marry
Konstantinos 62
(her later fiancé) to
Helena 101
, daughter of
Robert 61
πάλιν δὲ μεμνημένη τοῦ νεανίσκου τούτου παθαίνομαι τήν τε ψυχὴν καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς συγχέομαι. Anna Komnene 39.70-40.87
She finished writing of the Pecheneg wars, though she could have told much more of
Alexios 1
's glorious successes, his comparative failures, and his brilliant improvisation
ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν τῶν Σκυθῶν ὧδέ πῃ πέρας ἐχέτω, .... Anna Komnene 251.82-93
She gave as brief an account of the story of
Roussel 61
as was consistent with her purpose, as
Nikephoros 117
had given the whole story in Book II of his history
Anna Komnene 12.54-13.57
She had been born in time to see and meet
Ioannes 62
Anna Komnene 73.44-46
She had heard of many rebels and potential rebels among the students of
Ioannes 66
from the years before the accession of
Alexios 1
; however she could no longer remember them
Anna Komnene 166.73-78
She had material to write a great deal about
Eirene 61
, but as daughter speaking of her mother, she felt that she would raise suspicions of bias
εἰ μὴ τὸ θυγάτριον εἶναι ψεύδους παρεῖχεν ὑπόνοιαν. Anna Komnene 368.83-85
She had often heard members of the Doukas family speak of their fear of the undisguised dislike for them shown by
Anna 61
Anna Komnene 89.76-78
She interrupted her history of the war against Robert Guiscard (to which she would return), in order to explain how her father
Alexios 1
came to the throne
Anna Komnene 54.40-53
She knew little about the Norman families of southern Italy: was
Anonyma 239
, for example, mother of
Tancred 61
or sister of
Bohemond 61
? Was Tancred's relationship to Bohemond on his father's or mother's side?
Anna Komnene 378.57-60
She made reference to
Nikephoros 117
for his account of the development of the rebellion of
Nikephoros 62
Anna Komnene 18.18-19
She probably made a mistake, calling
Leon 202
"Leon" rather then "Konstantinos", as she gives him the history of
Konstantinos 181
, and that name fits better with the rest of the story
τὸν τοῦ Διογένους υἱὸν ἑαυτὸν εἶναι ἔλεγε .... Anna Komnene 284.76
She provided a summary of relations between the eastern and western empires which was strongly biased towards Constantinople
Anna Komnene 44.18-24
She referred her readers to the history of her husband
Nikephoros 117
for details of the birth and background of
Alexios 1
and
Nikephoros 3
εἰς τὰς τοὐμοῦ καίσαρος συγγραφάς. Anna Komnene 55.1-5
She referred to her own previous books, and especially the work of her husband
Nikephoros 117
, as a good record of the career of his ancestor (grandfather?)
Nikephoros 62
Anna Komnene 206.93-94
She refused to sully her tongue with a description of Bogomil beliefs, but sent her readers to the Panoplia dogmatike of
Euthymios 120
, who described and refuted all heresies, including Bogomilism
ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ τὴν γλῶτταν μολύνω τὴν ἐμαυτῆς .... Anna Komnene 489.47-64
She tried to mark the beginning of her narrative of the crusades by dating the end of previous events; however the numbers were left blank
τὰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὸν αὐτοκράτορα μἐχρι τῆς ( ) ἐπινεμήσεως τοῦ ( ) ἔτους κατὰ τὸν εἰρημένον τρόπον προβέβηκεν. Anna Komnene 296.3-297.4
She used eyewitness reports for the reaction of
Georgios 61
to his failure to share the glory of
Alexios 1
for the Choirobakchoi campaign, in which Alexios had triumphed almost alone
οἱ γὰρ συμπαρόντες ἡμῖν διηγοῦντο. Anna Komnene 240.32-45
She was acutely aware of the dangers of praising
Alexios 1
too much, as his daughter, or too little, to avoid suspicion that she was giving in to family partiality; both would do injustice to the truth, which was her object in writing
Anna Komnene 54.42-50
She was astonished that
Bohemond 61
could bear the confinement within his coffin and especially the smell of the dead cockerel; this leads to thoughts on barbarian determination: they will suffer anything to reach a goal on which they have decided
ἔγωγε θαυμάζω πῶς τοσαύτην ὑπήνεγκε τῆς ῥινὸς πολιορκίαν ζῶν. Anna Komnene 357.39-48
She was unwilling to indulge in story-telling and the manufacture of history ... the stories about
Maria 61
were different and inconsistent
φύσει τὸ λογοποιεῖν καὶ καινά τινα ἀναπλάττειν ἀποστρέφομαι ... καὶ οὐ πάντας τῆς αὐτῆς ἑώρων γνώμης. Anna Komnene 88.42-53
She wrote her history because she believed that
Alexios 1
's deeds were too great to allow tham to be obliterated by time - both those he achieved as emperor and those performed earlier in the service of other emperors
Anna Komnene 6.17-21
She wrote the Alexias, thinking that nobody else had her knowledge of the reign: she remembered all she heard about the main characters, sometimes as an eyewitness, sometimes as part of the action; she wrote to leave an example to others, with necessary embellishments, a story full of superlatives
Tornikes, Georgios 303.13-305.12
Some details of
Alexios 1
's adventures in escaping from the defeat near Dristra, as well as other similar events, she derived from stories he told to his family, when they pressed him
... πρὸς ἡμᾶς κυκλόθεν τοὺς οἰκείους ... παρ᾽ ἡμῶν πολλὰ βιαζόμενον. Anna Komnene 214.36-45
The issue of responsibility for the blinding of
Nikephoros 64
and
Kekaumenos 101
was still discussed in her day; even she could not say whether
Alexios 1
was responsible
ταῦτα μὲν ἔκτοτε καὶ μέχρι σήμερον λογοποιεῖται ... ἔγωγε τέως οὐ πάνυ τι γινώσκειν ἔχω βεβαίως. Anna Komnene 279.88-91
To avoid confusion, she gave an account of the story of
Nikephoros 64
from its beginning
ἵνα μὴ συγκεχυμένος ὁ λόγος προΐῃ .... Anna Komnene 270.89
[Her wording strongly implies that
Andronikos 108
died as a teenager in
Alexios 1
's last battle against
Melikshah 101
; in fact he was around 30 at the time, would support her two years later in her attempt on the throne, and died around 1130; her words are hard to explain]
ἐξ ἡμῶν ἀπῆλθε καὶ κατέδυ. Anna Komnene 475.86-476.5
Death
(1)
Her death was marked by an encomiastic logos of
Georgios 25002
, probably written towards the end of 1154; it is likely that at least a year had intervened after her death
Λόγος ἐπὶ τῷ θανάτῳ τῆς πορφυρογεννήτου κυρᾶς Ἄννης τῆς καισαρίσσης. Tornikes, Georgios 221.1-323.6
Description
(12)
She claimed to have never thought or done anything, at any stage of her life, against the will of her parents
Italikos 107.11-22
Her intelligence had three components: a natural quickness she showed since a child, the results of her education, especially its secular element, and the fruits of her long experience
συνετὴ καὶ ἀγχίνους, ὀξεῖά τε καὶ εὐθύβολος, ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεγένηται γάλακτος. Tornikes, Georgios 225.7
Was younger than
Konstantinos 62
, son of
Michael 7
προχρόνιος πρὸ ἡμῶν καὶ πρὶν ἡμεῖς τὸν ἥλιον ἴδοιμεν. Anna Komnene 40.88
She (like
Nikephoros 117
) had had friendly relations with the rebel
Gregorios 106
πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Anna Komnene 377.31
She was like her father in everything
κατὰ πάντα τῷ πατρί. Anna Komnene 184.85-86
Eldest daughter of
Eirene 61
τὴν πρεσβυτέραν των θυγατέρων. Zonaras 18.24.19
A broad-ranging eulogy at the moment of death
Tornikes, Georgios 315.5-317.1
Had become mature for marriage
ὡραία γάμου ἡ θυγάτηρ ἐγεγόνει τῷ ἀνάκτι. Zonaras 18.22.23
The kaisar's Siren
τὴν Σειρῆνα τοῦ καίσαρος. Italikos 151.12-13
She was the firstborn child of
Alexios 1
, but
Ioannes 2
was the eldest male child and his father's favourite; he planned to bequeath the empire to Ioannes
πρωτογενής. Niketas Choniates, Historia 4.85
She was inseparable from her mother
Eirene 61
, and acquired from her all the qualities of character and restraint of dress and behaviour for which she was famous; Anna also helped her mother in contacts with the public
Tornikes, Georgios 257.20-263.9
She gave signs of deep filial piety even before birth, and plenty more throughout her life
καθαρῶς φιλομήτωρ κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἐγεγόνειν καὶ φιλοπάτωρ. Anna Komnene 184.97-98
Dignity/Office
(26)
Basilis
βασιλίδος. Tornikes, Georgios 227.3, 231.18, 235.13 etc.
Basilissa
βασίλισσα. Tornikes, Georgios 223.9, 223.19, 251.17 etc.
Despoina
δέσποινα. Tzetzes, Letters 75.14
δέσποινα. Tzetzes, Letters 26.27
Kaisarissa
καισάρισσα. Niketas Choniates, Historia 5.87
καισάρισσα. Prodromos, Historische Gedichte XXXVIII, tit
καισαρίσσης. Tornikes, Georgios 156, tit
καισαρίσσης. Tornikes, Georgios 221, tit
καισαρίσσης. Council of 1147 307
καισαρίσσης. Christos Philanthropos, note 5
καισαρίσσης. Kecharitomene 1828
καισαρίσσῃ. Tzetzes, Letters 75 tit
Majesty
τῆς βασιλείας σου. Tzetzes, Letters 75.14
τῆς βασιλείας σου. Tzetzes, Letters 77.2
τῷ σου κράτει. Tzetzes, Letters 77.14
τοῦ κράτους σου. Tzetzes, Letters 77.8
Pansebastos sebaste
πανσαιβάστου σαιβαστῆς. Patmos: Acts 2.83.19
Porphyrogennetos
πορφυρογέννητος. Kleinchroniken 55.1
πορφύρας τιθήνημά τε καὶ γέννημα. Anna Komnene 5.1-11
πορφυρογέννητος. Prodromos, Historische Gedichte XXXVIII, tit
πορφυρογεννήτου. Tornikes, Georgios 156, tit
πορφυρογεννήτου. Tornikes, Georgios 221, tit
πορφυρογεννήτου. Council of 1147 307
πορφυρογεννήτου . Christos Philanthropos, note 5
πορφυρογεννήτου. Kecharitomene 1828
πορφυρογεννήτῳ. Tzetzes, Letters 75 tit
Education
(7)
An empress who was profoundly educated
θρέμμα λόγου βασίλεια. Prodromos, Historische Gedichte XXXVIII.8
In most things she had her parents,
Alexios 1
and
Eirene 61
as teachers, but not in learning, for their knowledge was of the Christian tradition; Anna wanted a secular education, which she won with the help of other tutors and much hard work of her own
Tornikes, Georgios 243.10-247.3
She learned grammar with
Anonymus 727
, chosen by
Eirene 61
, and discussed philosophy with elderly and distinguished philosophers
Tornikes, Georgios 263.10-265.8
Studied astrology, not for itself, but so as to be able to better understand its claims
ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐκεῖθεν ποτε ὀλίγον τι τῆς ἐπιστήμης ταύτης ἡψάμεθα. Anna Komnene 181.15-19
Studied Greek composition; did not neglect rhetoric; read Aristote and Plato
οὐ γραμμἀτων οὐκ ἄμοιρος, άλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἑλληνίζειν ἐς ἄκρον ἐσπουδακυῖα .... Anna Komnene 5.11-14
Was devoted to literary education, maintained strict atticism in diction and an intellect most acute in the highest theoretical investigation
τῆς ἐν λόγοις παιδείας ἀντείχετο καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν εἶχεν ἀκριβῶς ἀττικίζουσαν καὶ τὸν νοῦν πρὸς ὕψος θεωρημάτων ὁξύτατον. Zonaras 18.26.15
Well-skilled in learning and well-trained in writing, an expert both in Christian and non-Christian literature
γραμμάτων οὐκ ἄμοιρος .... Italikos 106.13
Ethnic label
(null)
Second Name
(3)
Doukas
Δούκαινα. Prodromos, Historische Gedichte XXXVIII, tit
Komnenos
Κομνηνῆς. Patmos: Acts 2.83.19
Κομνηνῆς.
Seal 0
Kinship
(48)
aunt of
Manuel 1
(άδελφόπαιδι). Tornikes, Georgios 315.2
daughter of
Alexios 1
θυγατέρα. Bryennios 65.10
θυγάτριον. Zonaras 18.22.22
θυγάτηρ. Zonaras 18.22.23, 18.22.24
(θυγατριδοῦς). Kinnamos 165.1
θυγάτηρ. Anna Komnene 5.10
θυγάτηρ. Niketas Choniates, Historia 4.85
daughter of
Eirene 61
θυγάτριον. Zonaras 18.22.22
θυγάτηρ. Anna Komnene 5.10
(μητρός). Anna Komnene 206.13
(μήτηρ). Anna Komnene 366.30
(μήτηρ). Niketas Choniates, Historia 5.90-91
θυγατρός. Kecharitomene 1827
daughter (eldest) of
Eirene 61
τῇ πρώτῃ θυγατρί. Glykas 622.17
τὴν πρεσβυτέραν των θυγατέρων. Zonaras 18.24.19
fiancée of
Konstantinos 62
μνηστεύεται. Tornikes, Georgios 251.17
granddaughter of
Anna 61
(πατρομήτορα). Zonaras 18.22.22
(μάμμη). Anna Komnene 103.16
granddaughter of
Ioannes 63
(πάππου). Anna Komnene 55.7
(τῷ πρὸς πατρὸς ἐμῷ πάππῳ). Anna Komnene 127.19
(πάππου). Anna Komnene 325.66
granddaughter of
Maria 62
(on her mother's side
(πρὸς μητρὸς ἐμῇ μάμμῃ). Anna Komnene 489.57
kin of
Michael 7
(καὶ γὰρ κἀμοὶ τὰ πρὸς μητρὸς ἐκεῖθεν καταρρεῖ). Anna Komnene 35.23-24
mother of
Alexios 17005
(θυγατριδοῦς). Kinnamos 165.1
(υἱοῦ). Council of 1147 307
υἱοῦ. Christos Philanthropos, note 21
μητρός. Niketas Choniates, Historia 94.2
mother of
Andronikos 118
(υἱός). Christos Philanthropos, note 5
mother of
Eirene 25003
(θυγατρί). Tornikes, Georgios 156, tit
(θυγατρός). Kecharitomene 1822
mother of
Konstantinos 285
(υἱοῦ). Christos Philanthropos, note 8
mother of
Maria 171
θυγατρός. Christos Philanthropos, note 23
niece of
Ioannes 65
(θεῖος οὐμὸς πρὸς μητρός). Anna Komnene 336.48
niece of
Isaakios 61
(θεῖος). Anna Komnene 95.46
niece of
Michael 121
(ὁ πρὸς μητρός μου θεῖος). Anna Komnene 159.73
sister of
Ioannes 2
(ἀδελφῷ). Anna Komnene 7.54
ἀδελφῇ. Niketas Choniates, Historia 6.32
sister (elder) of
Maria 146
(τῇ μετ᾽ ἐμὲ ἀδελφῇ). Anna Komnene 289.60
sister of
Maria 146
ἀδελφῶν. Tornikes, Georgios 309.27
αὐταδέλφης. Council of 1147 307
sister-in-law of
Nikephoros 178
(γαμβρός). Anna Komnene 289.60
(γαμβρὸς ἐπὶ τῇ μετ᾽ ἐμὲ ἀδελφῇ). Anna Komnene 289.60
wife of
Nikephoros 117
(τῷ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς κηδεστῇ). Glykas 622.17
(νύμφιον). Zonaras 18.22.23
ἡ σύνοικος. Zonaras 18.26.15
(ἀνήρ). Anna Komnene 7.48
εἰς λέχος ... συνέζευκτο. Niketas Choniates, Historia 5.86
(πρὸς γάμον συνάπτεται). Tornikes, Georgios 253.22-23
Language Skill
(null)
Location
(null)
Occupation/Vocation
(1)
Possession
(null)
Religion
(1)
Christian
She studied Christian beliefs in parallel with pagan philosophy Tornikes, Georgios 281.4-301.19
Eunuchs
(null)
Alternative Name
(null)
Uncertain Ident
(1)