{"product_id":"the-alexiad-1","title":"THE ALEXIAD","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003cdiv\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTHE ALEXIAD OF ANNA COMNENA\u003cbr\u003eBOOK I - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom Alexius' Youth to the Last Months of Botaniates' Reign \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK II - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Revolt of the Comneni\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK III - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK IV - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar with the Normans (1081-2)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK V - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar with the Normans (1082-83) (i-vii): Alexius' First Battle with Heretics - John Italus (viii-ix) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK VI - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorman West: Death of Robert Guiscard: The Turks \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK VII - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar with the Scyths (1087-90) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK VIII - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar with the Scyths (1091): Victory at Levunium (29 April 1091): Plots against the Emperor \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK IX - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurkish War: Dalmatian Interlude (1092-4): Conspiracy of Nicephorus Diogenes (1094)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK X - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSecond Battle with Heresy: The Cuman War: First Crusade (1094-97) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK XI - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe First Crusade (1097-1104)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK XII - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDomestic Conflicts: Second Norman Invasion (1105-7) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK XIII - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Conpiracy of Aston: The Final Defeat of Bohemond: The Treaty of Devol. (1107-8)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK XIV - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTurks, Franks, Cumans and Manichaeans (1108-15)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBOOK XV - \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVictory over the Turks: The Orphanage: Heresy of the Bogomils: Last Illness and Death of Alexius (1116-18) \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnna Comnena was a Byzantine Greek historian. She is the author of the Alexiad, an account of the reign of her father, Byzantine emperor Alexios I Komnenos. Her work constitutes the most important primary source of Byzantine history of the late 11th and early 12th centuries, as well as of the early Crusades. Although she is best known as the author of the Alexiad, Anna played an important part in the politics of the time and attempted to depose her brother John II Komnenos as emperor in favour of her husband, Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger.\u003cbr\u003eAt birth, Anna was betrothed to Constantine Doukas, and she grew up in his mother's household. She was well-educated in \"Greek literature and history, philosophy, theology, mathematics, and medicine.\" Anna and Constantine were next in the line to throne until Anna's younger brother, John II Komnenos, became the heir in 1092. Constantine died around 1094, and Anna married Nikephoros Bryennios in 1097. The two had several children before Nikephoros' death around 1136.\u003cbr\u003eIt is commonly believed that, following her father's death in 1118, Anna and her mother attempted to usurp John II Komnenos. Supposedly her husband refused to cooperate with them, and the usurpation failed. As a result, John exiled Anna to the Kecharitomene Monastery, where she spent the rest of her life, and in her confinement there she wrote the Alexiad. However, there is no contemporary evidence of Anna's involvement in any assassination attempt.\u003cbr\u003eIn the Alexiad, Anna provided insight on political relations and wars between Alexios I and the West. She vividly described weaponry, tactics, and battles. It has been noted that she was writing about events that occurred when she was a child, so these are not eye-witness accounts. Her neutrality is compromised by the fact that she was writing to praise her father and denigrate his successors. Despite her unabashed partiality, her account of the First Crusade is of great value to history because it is the only Byzantine eyewitness account available. She had the opportunity to gather information from key figures in the Byzantine elite; her husband, Nikephorus Bryennios, had fought in the clash with crusade leader Godfrey of Bouillon outside Constantinople on Maundy Thursday 1097; and her uncle, George Palaeologos, was present at Pelekanon in June 1097 when Alexios I discussed future strategy with the crusaders. Thus, the Alexiad allows the events of the First Crusade to be seen from the Byzantine elite's perspective. It conveys the alarm felt at the scale of the western European forces proceeding through the Empire, and the dangers they might have posed to the safety of Constantinople.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books Prime","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45912385159359,"sku":"7b9142ec-0fd2-41f8-b994-60be5ef42ef1","price":38.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/7550\/7647\/files\/60435671ea64028894c86b2af6b25e15.jpg?v=1785007781","url":"https:\/\/books-prime.com\/products\/the-alexiad-1","provider":"Books Prime","version":"1.0","type":"link"}