Certainty: 2 Returning from Cilicia, Ioannes II sent a detachment to punish the people of Ikonion Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Return to Constantinople of Ioannes II's brother Isaakios & Isaakios' son Ioannes
The sebastokrator Isaakios and his eldest son Ioannes (a fine warrior) had left Byzantium over a small quarrel and travelled round neighbouring courts, many (like that of Mas'ud of Ikonion) hostile to the empire. He plotted continually against his imperial brother. But Isaakios was impoverished and felt marginalised by the glory won by the campaigns of Ioannes II, which meant that foreigners now refused to support his plans for rebellion. So he and his son returned to Constantinople as part of Ioannes II's triumph, and were warmly received by him. Poems were written by Theodoros Prodromos to celebrate Isaakios' pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and commissioning of a picture of Ioannes for himself
Certainty: 2 Celebrations after the return of Ioannes II from Syria & Cilicia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Literary work celebrating Isaakios Porphyrogennetos after his return Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Nikephoros Basilakes wrote a speech to welcome Ioannes II on his return from Syria Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Operations, building & preparations in Western Anatolia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II made an expedition to Pontos, & wintered there Certainty: 3
Certainty: 1 Theodoros Prodromos began to write poems of pure begging Certainty: 1
1140
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II attacked Neokaisareia in appalling conditions Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II praised his son, Manuel (I), for bravery but thrashed him for rashness Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Defection to the Turks of the emperor's nephew Ioannes Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Retreat of the Byzantine forces from Neokaisareia Certainty: 3
1141
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II reached Constantinople on his return from Pontos Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II left the capital for Lopadion Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Roger II asked Ioannes II for an imperial bride for his son - but Ioannes' death intervened Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II returned to Constantinople after the summer Certainty: 3
Certainty: 1 Fragmentary text (by Basilakes?) mentions naval activity against Sicily Certainty: 1
Certainty: 1 Poems of Theodoros Prodromos to Theodoros Stypeiotes Certainty: 1
1142
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II left Constantinople for Attaleia Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II went to Sozopolis, then captured islands in Lake Pousgouse, suffering losses Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II planned a "portion" in the south for his son Manuel (I)
Ioannes II had long ago made his eldest son, Alexios, his co-emperor, and planned to bequeath the empire to him. But he became aware that there were many premonitions in favour of the youngest, Manuel (I), who also had personal qualities of an imperial type. When he heard of the revolt of Raymond of Antioch, he thought of an alternative arrangement, to make Antioch, Cilicia, Attaleia and Cyprus into a southern "portion" for Manuel
Certainty: 2 Birth of Alexios, fifth child of the sebastokrator Andronikos Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Bertha von Sulzbach on arrival spoke prophetically about Alexios the co-emperor Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Death of Alexios & Andronikos, sons of Ioannes II, around Attaleia Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Death of Andronikos on the boat taking Alexios' body home: Isaakios took over Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II arrived unannounced at Tell Bashir Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II approached closer to Antioch, then withdrew to winter quarters Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Determination of Ioannes II to continue his campaign to Antioch & visit Jerusalem Certainty: 2
1143
Certainty: 3 Mortal injury of Ioannes II when hunting Certainty: 3
Certainty: 3 Deathbed speech of Ioannes II, bequeathing the throne to Manuel (I) Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Accession of Manuel I Komnenos Certainty: 2
Certainty: 3 Death of Ioannes II Certainty: 3
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II's body was loaded on shipboard at Mopsuestia & buried splendidly in the Pantokrator Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Dismay at the death of Ioannes II with the army so far from the capital Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Later epitaph for Ioannes II recording the succession of Manuel I Certainty: 2
1145
Certainty: 2 Raymond was forced to supplicate Ioannes II's tomb before Manuel forgave him Certainty: 2
1146
Certainty: 2 Violent quarrel among Komnenian family members at Metabole
In a meeting of the inner circle of the Komnenian family at Metabole, Ioannes Axouch made a speech at dinner contrasting Ioannes II and Manuel I. [Axouch is not directly given a urname, but a good case has been made that it was he.] Against the usual pattern of encomia, the dead father was given preference over his living son. Manuel, who was strong in filial piety, was not at all annoyed at the preference, but did feel that some particular criticisms of himself were too biting. They were taken up by Manuel's brother Isaakios, who exaggerated them still further. Andronikos, the future emperor, at this point insulted Isaakios, who in his usual irascible way tried to decapitate Andronikos. The blow might have succeeded had not Ioannes Doukas [probably the son of Anna Komnene] diverted it with his riding-crop on to Andronikos' jaw, with the help of Manuel I himself, who was slightly wounded and left with a small scar on his wrist. As a result, Isaakios was banished from the court for some days, while Axouch lost some of the seals which gave him power over finances