The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 11
For such was the stateof Saul long ago; when God, because of the King’s presumptuousness, rent his kingdom in twain. Alexius was distraught with these reflections and vexed in soul, lest God should make...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 10
Then after Alexius Comnenus had been proclaimed Emperor, the Queen Maria, Constantine’s mother, in obedience to the Caesar’s suggestion, demanded from the Emperor a written pledge, which would be inviolable by being written in...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 9
Simultaneously, Taronites who had married the Emperor’s sister, was created ‘Protosebastos’ and ‘Protovestiaire,’ and soon afterwards he was gazetted ‘Panhypersebastos,’ and then sat with the Caesar. Besides these his brother Adrian was dignified with...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 8
The most surprising feature, seldom found in other women, was that she abashed the audacious, but by a single glance gave fresh courage to those abashed by fear. Her lips were generally closed, and...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 7
His broad shoulders, muscular arms, mighty chest, in fact his generally heroic appearance, evoked in the multitude the greatest admiration and pleasure. From his whole person emanated beauty and grace and dignity, and an...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 6
He had already in former times been a frequent visitor to the mother of the Comneni and had predicted her son’s rise to the throne. She was in any case fond of monks, and...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 5
By use of the above-mentioned arguments the Caesar soothed and appeased the Emperor’s mind, although many advised him to marry Eudocia. Of her it was whispered that in her desire to become “Empress” for...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 4
And the Caesar, John Ducas, was anxious to get rid of Queen Maria, and – drive her out of the palace as quickly as possible, and thus allay people’s unjust suspicions, so first he...
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 3
II And now, as I said above, many people were suspicious of the Queen’s staying in the palace, and began to whisper that the present holder of the sceptre would take her in marriage....
The Accession of Alexius and Interfamily Power Struggles part 2
He was fair-haired with a milk-white complexion, suffused in the right places with a delicate pink, like that of a rose just bursting its sheath ; his eyes were not light, but gleamed from...
