John II Komnenos

John II Komnenos - Byzantine emperor, who ruled in 1118-1143 he. The son of Alexis I. Genus. Sep 13. 1087 + April 7. 1143 g
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Alex Comnenus loved John more than other children and therefore decided to leave his successor to the kingdom, and even during his life gave him permission to wear the purple shoes and named by Emperor. Instead, the mother and the Empress Irene gave her love daughter Anna, constantly slandered John before her husband and demanded that her son, Alexei succeeded, Nikephoros Bryennios (husband of Anna). Alex then objected to his wife, then pretended that behind her, and thus delayed the proclamation of the heir. Seeing this, John decided to act independently. Realizing that his father is dying, and his mother is going to proclaim the emperor Nicephorus, he secretly entered the bedroom to his father, and quietly withdrew his hand the ring with the image printing. After that, he led his accomplices jumped into the palace and established there, despite the protests of the mother. Less than a year as a family made a conspiracy against him, and all have side Bryennios. At the head stood Anna. John probably would have been killed if he Bryennios not upset their plans. When the plot was exposed, John is not executed anyone's death or injury, but all punished by deprivation of property. After some time, and the property itself has been restored to them.

Then, seeing that the Turks in anything do not make a contract entered into by his father, John began with the war. In his first trip he took possession of Laodicea, and surrounded it with walls. Then went against the town of Sozopol, the city is well fortified and located in difficult terrain. To capture him, the Emperor invented the following trick: throwing himself on the attack, and then turned into a sham retreat, the Romans lured a large group of Turks in the mountain gorges and surrounded them here. After this siege involuntarily surrendered to the emperor.

In 1122, Mr.. John spoke to the Danube against the Pecheneg (Choniates: 1, 1, 4). He sent embassies to various leaders, skillfully break their unity, has attracted many to his side, but with the advent of spring made against the other. In open battle Romans won. Remnants of the defeated Besenyos took refuge in his camp under the protection of carts. Firing from behind them Romans, they inflicted heavy losses on them. John gave the enemy his bodyguard-Normans who, after chopping axes carts, managed to break into the camp. Many of those who fled, later surrendered themselves to John, settled within the empire and were enrolled in the army (Gangnam: 1, 3).

In 1124, Mr.. John won the Serbs. In 1128, Mr.. Hungarians, in violation of a prisoner before a treaty of friendship, crossed the Danube, devastated Vranitsovu, destroyed the walls, and looted Serdika. Since this accident happened unexpectedly, the Emperor wisely limited its action defense - arrived in Filippol and expelled from the Hungarian. In the short time he gathered an army, gave the court and brought them into the Danube. Army across to the opposite shore, he scattered the Hungarian regiments, captured Frangohoriem - this fertile land of the Hungarians, stretching between the Sava and Danube, - took them to the fortress and the Temple Zevgmin. Then he made peace (Choniates: 1, 5).

Iron out problems in the west, John turned to the east. In 1133, Mr.. he went to Asia, the Turks took away from Kastamonu and gangrene. In 1135, Mr.. he moved to Cilicia, captured Tarsus, besieged Anavarz and after the siege took its surrender. In 1137, Mr.. Romans army was opposed to the principality of Antioch Crusaders. Antioch were first fearless, but, seeing that the emperor is going to attack, obedient. Raymond, prince of Antioch, he went to John and acknowledged him as their lord. Under the terms of peace, the emperor put his prefect in Antioch. Then, together with John of Antioch, the army invaded the Upper Syria, took Pisa and Seser (Kinnam: 1, 5). In 1139, Mr.. he invaded Cappadocia, where the army of Romans suffered a lot of difficulties because of the intense cold and harsh winds. During this campaign, his young son, Manuel, without the knowledge of his father entered into an unequal battle with the Turks, whom Romans hardly overpowered. John praised the young man at all for his courage, but then, setting aside the tent, was flogged for recklessness and violation of an order. The siege had to leave Neokesarii (Choniates: 1, 9).

In 1143, under Anazarvom, the emperor went to hunt. Faced with a huge wild boar, he hit him with a spear, while his wounded with a poisoned arrow. Initially, the wound appeared to John trifling, but then came the tumor began sharp pains. Soon after his position became hopeless. Sensing the approach of death, John had convened the court and announced that he left the throne to his younger son Manuel (Kinnam: 1, 10).