Isaakios I fell ill while hunting & asked his brother Ioannes to succeed him

Summary:
Isaakios I crossed the Sea of Marmara and took up residence around Honoratos, hunting and exercising for a whole long day, but then returned to Constantinople ill with pleurisy. Treatment is said to have included advice to have sex with a woman, and a burning treatment which might make him infertile. He summoned his brother Ioannes Komnenos who declined his offer of the imperial throne, despite the vain pleas of Ioannes' wife Anna Dalassene to accept it, for the sake of both their family and the empire 
Dates:
1059* 
Anna Dalassene (Anna 61)
  • Implored in vain her husband (Ioannes 63) to accept his brother (Isaakios 1 Komnenos)'s offer of the imperial throne, for the sake of both their family and the empire (in the third year of Isaakios 1's reign:Τρίτον ἔτος ἀνύων ἤδη κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν) πρὸς ἱκεσίαν ἐτράπετο καὶ τὰς διὰ δακρύων καὶ στεναγμῶν ἐντεύξεις προσέφερεν Bryennios 81.20-83.11
Ioannes Komnenos, father of Alexios I (Ioannes 63)
  • Was summoned by his ill brother (Isaakios 1 Komnenos) but declined his offer of the imperial throne, despite his wife (Anna 61 Dalassene)'s insistence (in the third year of Isaakios 1's reign:Τρίτον ἔτος ἀνύων ἤδη κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν) καὶ πάντα παθεῖν ἕτοιμος μᾶλλον ἢ τῶν κοινῶν ἀντιλήψεσθαι Bryennios 81.7-83.11
Emperor Isaakios I Komnenos (Isaakios 1)
  • Rejected the advice of physicians treating his illness to go with a woman, despite their warning that they would have to use a burner which would turn him infertile, saying that he was happy with the children he already had, Manuel 101 and Maria 101 (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 109.10-15
  • Crossed the Sea of Marmara and took up residence around Honoratos, hunting and exercising his body, but fell ill with pleurisy and returned to the palace on the imperial dromon (in the third year of his reign:Τρίτον ἔτος ἀνύων ἤδη κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν) νόσῳ γὰρ συνεσχέθη πλευρίτιδι Bryennios 81.1-7
  • Having returned to Constantinople ill with pleurisy, he summoned his brother (Ioannes 63) who declined his offer of the imperial throne (in the third year of his reign:Τρίτον ἔτος ἀνύων ἤδη κατὰ τὴν βασιλείαν) Φροντὶς οὖν εἶχεν αὐτὸν εὐθὺς τοῦ μετ ᾿ αὐτὸν βασιλεύσοντος καὶ πάντων ὁ ἀδελφὸς προτετίμητο Bryennios 81.7-20
  • For (Michael 61) Psellos says that, being devoted to hunting and often brandishing his spear-bearing right arm against bears and boars, he was struck in the side by a cold draught (:) Zonaras 18.7.2
  • The next day he was afflicted in his side and his breathing grew weak; consequently his survival became doubtful, and finally his life was despaired of (:) Zonaras 18.7.3
  • Ioannes 110 Thrakesios narrates that he was hunting near Neapolis and a boar of terrifying aspect appeared from somewhere; he gave the horse its head to pursue the boar, but it entered the sea and disappeared (:) Zonaras 18.7.5
  • Thereafter shivering came on him and a fever was inflamed from deep down (:) Zonaras 18.7.2
  • He hunted from dawn to late evening; from frequently throwing the lance against bears and boar and constantly stretching his right arm he caught a chill in his side; this was not at once evident, but the next day he had fever and shivering (:) ψυχρῷ πνεύματι βάλλεται τὴν πλευράν Psellos: Chronographia VII 72.7-12
  • Embarking on the imperial trireme he put in at Blachernai; he felt easier in the palace and revelled in the time, talking like a provincial, joking more than usual, kept Michael 61 till evening, talked of the past and the sayings of Basileios 2 (:) τῶν ἀνακτόρων ἐντὸς γεγονὼς ῥᾴων τε γίγνεται, καὶ ἐπιτρυφᾷ τῷ καιρῷ Psellos: Chronographia VII 76.1-7