Isaac I Komnenos

Isaac I Komnenos - Byzantine emperor in 1057 - 1059 he. Genus. app. 1007 g. + 31 May 1060 (or 1061) d.
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Isaac belonged to the rich and famous old Comneni. He was the son of Basil II when the military leader Manuel I Comnenus, and he was considered one of the first commanders of his time. Imperial power had passed into his hands under the following circumstances. In the Easter season in 1057, Mr.. the most prominent and elite of generals came to the reception to the right then to Michael VI in the hope of obtaining from him the manner of festive awards. However, the Emperor, placing them in front of you, first of all roughly cursed, and then heaped abuse on special Kevkamena, strategos Antioch. From such a surprise all froze in place, waiting for favors, and got insulted. This was the first blow struck by the soldiers, he served the cause of their conspiracy. However, first they even thought was not to encroach on the royal power, and they made a second attempt to win the Emperor. But when they are on vivid expression Psellos, asked his hay, he gave them only a straw, and if they objected, and refused it, and eventually driven out and sent them all away, so nothing was giving.

. Exasperated, commanders were ready to immediately seize the emperor and deprive him of the throne, but Isaac kept them, saying that at first the whole thing should carefully consider
. Then they plotted the conspiracy and began looking for a man who could lead the army and govern the state. Isaac all inferior crown, . arguing, . that any of them worthy of power, . Nevertheless, the preference given to him - because Komnenos was prominent among them not only come, . but the royal appearance, . noble disposition, . hardness of soul and a kind of knew how to instill respect for their surroundings,
. In June, Gunnar, he was proclaimed Emperor. No sooner had the captains conspired, as they have already gathered a large army, joined by many noble people who are ready to support them. When the rumor spread that they have established the valiant commander and that he supported the most powerful clans, they rushed to the rebels. The military class and first wanted to take power over Romeyskoy power and serve the emperor-warrior, but wishes its military was kept secret and only cherished in the hearts of those dreams, because they had no one in mind, worthy of the throne. Seeing, however, that Isaac, whom they hoped to behold, and not in the king's appearance, stood at the head of the rebellion, they threw all doubts and came to Comnenus.

Although Isaac was the first time at the head of such a conspiracy, he set to work reasonably well. First of all, he began to collect state taxes, and did not randomly and not random, but established a special agency, appointed strict collectors and all individually record in the lists. All gathered people to him, he broke pootryadno, each assigned a certain salary, supplied the necessary equipment for a hike. When all was ready, the troops were in complete order, began his march to the capital.

Since the entire east supported Isaac, Michael gathered his troops in the western femah. In August, near Nicaea occurred a crucial battle. First the left flank of the Imperial troops overthrew the right flank of the rebels. Trebizond was ready to depart at Nicaea, but the situation is corrected Kekavmen, who commanded the left flank and crossed to the attack and rushed into the enemy camp. Learning of the defeat, Michael wanted to offer Isaac, the title of Caesar and declare him his heir. Trebizond already given consent to this, but then came the news of the perturbation in the capital and the abdication of the Emperor. Then nothing could hinder Isaac foothold in power. He triumphantly entered the capital and was crowned tsar.

On the throne, Trebizond as a man of action immediately set for public affairs. Even before he noticed the many flaws in the affairs of government, let them and it was hard not to notice, as all those who after the death of Basil II picked up power over the country, one way or another led to her death. However, instead of slowly and gradually improve the situation, Isaac wanted to change everything in one fell swoop, and establish. Earlier emperors lavished royal treasures to their whims, and the revenue to the treasury is not used for the needs of the troops, and the blessings to individuals and to the triumph. Isaac immediately began to cancel all the orders of his predecessors, much broken and ruined, and destroyed much at all. That he brought to his hatred of the people and most of the military people he has deprived the state of. Going further along this path, he had taken from the temples almost all their property, transferred it to the treasury, as he himself has identified only the most necessary. Patriarch Michael, who allowed himself freely and boldly to talk to him, the emperor banished from the city and exiled to the island, where he ended his life. Thus, in the short term Komnenos amassed many enemies, and his short reign ended as suddenly as it began. In December 1059, shortly after the successful campaign to Pechenegs Emperor caught a cold while hunting and became ill with fever. His condition was so bad that from day to day expecting his death. Isaac wanted a haircut, and his successor declared martial colleague Constantine Dooku (Psellos: 'Isaac First'; 3-8, 14, 35, 40, 44, 58-60, 65, 74, 81, 90). But only managed to take power Duca as the health of Isaac did well and soon he was completely cured. Comnenus tried to regain power, but, seeing that is surrounded by some detractors to abandon this idea and went to the Studion Monastery (Dashkov: 'Isaac Komnenos').