Isaakios Komnenos, elder brother of Alexios I M XI / E XII
σεβαστοκράτορος (Blachernai I.1, Skoulatos 84, Varzos 12-I.67, Kouroupou-Vannier 16) (Isaakios 61)
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- Unrivalled in everything
- ἐν πᾶσιν ἀπαραμίλλου. Theophylaktos of Ohrid, Letters 389.6
- Military commander
- στρατηγοῦντι. Bryennios 87.18
- Was able to to deduce from a few of men's words the depths of their secret meaning
- ὀξεῖς τὲ ὄντες καὶ ἀγχίνοι καὶ δεινοὶ θηρᾶσαι ἀνθρώπων ἐξ ὀλίγων ῥημάτων βαθέως ἐγκειμένην γνώμην καὶ τέως ἀπόρρητον. Anna Komnene 58.15-59.16
- Impetuosity in battle led him to be captured once by the Arabs but this was his only failing
- καὶ τοῦτο μόνον εἶχε ψόγου ἄξιον ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις οὑμὸς θεῖος, ὅτι πρὸς συμβολὰς ἀκατάσχετος ἦν. Anna Komnene 95.57-58
- A lover of learning and an achiever
- ἀνὴρ δὲ οὗτος φιλολογώτατος καὶ μεγαλεπηβολώτατος. Anna Komnene 166.87-88
- A young man, he was appointed leader of the army by Michael 7 Doukas
- νεώτερον δὲ τούτοις ἡγεμόνα προβάλλεται ... ὁ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τοῦ πολέμου ἐπέχων. Attaleiates: History 183.10, 183.20-21 / 135.20, 136.4-5
- Distinguished by both his noble birth and wealth
- τοὺς τότε πρωτεύοντας ἐπί τε γένει καὶ πλούτῳ. Glykas 618.7-8
- Commander of the army sent by Michael 7 against the Turks
- στρατηγόν. Skylitzes Continuatus 157.5
- He died leaving many children (Anonymi 6073 and Anonymae 6001) and their mother (Eirene 65) did not survive him for even a whole year
- ἀπεβίω δ᾿ ἐπὶ παισὶ πολλοῖς, οὓς ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῶν οὐδ᾿ ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν ἐπιζήσασα τῷ ἀνδρί ...
. Zonaras 18.24.13
- Maria 105 was ... honoured by Alexios 1 and him
- πρὸς αὐτῶν τιμωμένῃ. Zonaras 18.21.10
- Elder brother of Alexios 1
- τοῦ μείζονος ...ἀδελφοῦ῀. Zonaras 18.20.4
- He and Alexios 1 were exceedingly honoured and loved by Nikephoros 3
- οἱ δὲ Κομνηνοὶ ὁ` Ἰσαάκιος καὶ ὁ Ἀλέξιος ὑπερβαλλόντως πρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τετίμηντο καὶ ἐστέργοντο. Zonaras 18.20.1
- He was one of the deceased members of Ioannes 2's family prescribed weekly commemoration on Saturdays in the obituary of the Pantokrator monastery
- Pantokrator Typikon 220
- Eldest son of Anna 61 Dalassene
- τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ τῶν παίδων τῆς κουροπαλατίσσης Ἰσαακίῳ. Bryennios 143.11-12
- Sharing military command and imperial power equally [with Alexios 1]
- ἰσοστράτηγος ἰσοβασιλεύς .... Basilakios, Orationes et epistulae 30.25
- He was rather like Alexios 1 in appearance, but paler and with a thinner beard; he was a warrior before all else, with too much impetuosity (encomium)
- Anna Komnene 95.46-58
- Given a good upbringing by his mother Anna 61 Dalassene, he was made worthy of his family
- ἡ μήτηρ ἅπαντας καλῶς ἀναθρεψαμένη ἀξίους τοῦ γένους ἀπέδειξεν. Bryennios 85.17
- An alluring man who could charm hearts of stone
- ἐπαγωγοὶ γὰρ οἱ ἄνδρες καὶ λιθίνην καταμαλάξαι ψυχὴν δυνάμενοι καὶ παντοίοις ἐπιχειρήμασι. Anna Komnene 56.35-36
- Was capable of pursuing the truth and skilled at expressing himself clearly
- καὶ γὰρ ἦν ὀξύς τε θηρᾶσαι ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὸ ῥηθὲν ἀπαγγεῖλαι τρανῶς ἐπιτήδειος. Bryennios 299.7-8
- Rebel (with Alexios 1)
- τοὺς ἀποστατήσαντες. Zonaras 18.21.3