Certainty: 2 Birth of twins to Ioannes, son of Alexios I, at Balabista
Alexios Komnenos had spent fourteen months in the west, preparing defences against Bohemond. He had good information that Bohemond was delaying in Italy and would not cross the straits before winter, so he dismissed his men and retired to Thessalonike. On the way twins were born to Ioannes (II) and (the unnamed) Eirene Piroska. They were Alexios, who would be Ioannes' co-emperor, and Maria
1122
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II appointed his son Alexios co-emperor, & his other three sons sebastokrators Certainty: 2
1133
Certainty: 2 In the triumph for Kastamon, only an icon of the Theotokos rode in the chariot
Ioannes II returned to the capital in triumph with many prisoners, and Theodoros Prodromos wrote a hexameter poem summing up all his successes against the Turks. Ioannes ordered the building of a silver-plated chariot with semi-precious stones, drawn by four white horses: it is carefully described. The people attended with great enthusiasm and in large numbers. There were purple cloths and fabric icons in the streets, with wooden platforms for spectators along the route. There were many encomia spoken in prose and verse, by Theodoros Prodromos among others. Ioannes walked in front with a cross to Hagia Sophia, his ministers holding the reins and his sons and close relations behind tending the chariot, in which there rode the icon of the Theotokos, to whom (and God) he ascribed his victories and gave thanks, before entering the palace
1135
Certainty: 3 Ioannes II was praised in Christmas hymns for recovering Kastamon & Gangra Certainty: 3
1136
Certainty: 3 Epiphany hymns (probably of this year) with polychronia for Ioannes II & his sons Certainty: 3
1137
Certainty: 2 Ioannes II reached Cilicia, capturing most of the coastal towns Certainty: 2
Certainty: 2 Further captures by Byzantines en route to Antioch Certainty: 2
1139
Certainty: 2 Celebrations after the return of Ioannes II from Syria & Cilicia Certainty: 2
1142
Certainty: 2 Death of Alexios & Andronikos, sons of Ioannes II, around Attaleia Certainty: 2