29:
418:
325:. A water-oracle conducted by Hagiochristophorites had given the letter I (iota) as the initial of the succeeding emperor, leading Andronikos I to fear that Isaac would usurp the throne. A subsequent oracle ruled out this possibility, placing the start of the new reign on an imminent date that would leave Isaac no time to make the crossing from Cyprus.
358:. Subsequently, Isaac or more likely Margaritus won a victory over the Byzantine troops and captured their commanders, who were carried off to Sicily. The rest of the sailors on Cyprus tried their best to survive and to fend off the enemy. "Only much later did they return home, if they had not perished altogether."
316:
In 1185, the
Armenians released Isaac, clearly tired of the imperial service. He used leftover ransom money to hire a troop of mercenaries and sailed to Cyprus, where he made himself ruler with the help of falsified imperial letters ordering the local administration to obey him in everything.
292:
and was captured by its soldiers. Manuel I died in 1180 and his successors did not immediately attempt to rescue Isaac, whose long imprisonment seemingly contributed to his unpleasant disposition. On account of his
Armenian royal wife, he perhaps endured not too harsh terms of captivity.
517:
Sources do not name the daughter of Isaac but usually call her the "Damsel of Cyprus". Upon the deposition of her father Isaac, she joined the court of
Richard the Lionheart, and after the Third Crusade, she traveled back to England with the other ladies of his court, including
304:, a loyal supporter of the emperor and uncle of Isaac, and Andronikos Doukas, a relative and childhood friend, described as a "sodomite and debaucher", both made contributions and personally stood surety for the fealty of Isaac Komnenos to the Byzantine emperor. The
467:
of gold on a shade of azure, with a blazing star of eight points" - in recognition of the significant involvement of soldiers, sailors, and vessels from
Portsmouth in the conquest of Cyprus. This remains Portsmouth's coat of arms up to the present.
366:
From the time of his coronation, Isaac quickly started to plunder Cyprus, raping women, defiling virgins, imposing overly cruel punishments for crimes, and stealing the possessions of the citizens. "Cypriots of high esteem, comparable to
371:
in riches now were seen begging in the streets, naked and hungry, if they were not put to the sword by this irascible tyrant." Furthermore, he despicably ordered the foot of Basil
Pentakenos, his old teacher, hacked and amputated.
320:
Because Isaac
Komnenos failed to return to imperial service, Andronikos I ordered Constantine Makrodoukas and Andronikos Doukas arrested for treason. A mob stoned them to death on 30 May 1185, incited by the courtier
246:
824:
962:
437:, the northernmost tip of the island. According to tradition, as Richard had promised not to put him into irons, he kept Isaac prisoner in chains of silver. The English transferred Isaac to the
340:
526:, now queen consort of England. In 1194, as part of ransom agreement of King Richard, the English released the Cypriot princess into the care of Leopold of Austria, a distant relative.
817:
347:, a nephew once removed of the emperor. Neither man was ideally suited for this responsibility, John being of advanced age and Alexios having been blinded by order of Andronikos I.
410:, the sister of Richard, travelled together and were shipwrecked on Cyprus; Isaac Komnenos then took them captive. In retaliation, Richard conquered the island while on his way to
1175:
344:
810:
375:
Niketas
Choniates, clearly not very partial to Isaac, describes him as an irascible and violent man, "boiling with anger like a kettle on the fire." Byzantine emperor
537:. After Joan's death in early September 1199, Raymond married the princess from Cyprus, but the marriage was annulled probably in late 1202. In 1203 she married
972:
383:, a powerful thorn in the side of the Byzantine Empire, helped Isaac to hold the island for the duration of his reign, and he was also closely connected to
1165:
956:
1037:
952:
538:
328:
Meanwhile, Isaac took many other Romans into his service. He created an independent patriarch of Cyprus, who crowned him as emperor in 1185.
414:
Isaac is recorded shooting two arrows at
Richard from horseback, which is notable because Byzantine horse archery is an obscure subject.
802:
1286:
553:, but on reaching Cyprus, they attempted to claim the island as inheritors of Isaac. The attempt failed, and they fled to Armenia.
1276:
1271:
742:
489:
339:
succeeded to the
Byzantine throne. He raised a fleet of 70 ships to take back Cyprus. The fleet was under the command of
1281:
780:
631:
308:, whom Niketas Choniates labels "the Phreri," contributed as well, as part of their international banking functions.
519:
488:. The subsequent ransom agreement freed Isaac and his daughter into the care of Leopold V, the son of Isaac's aunt
407:
257:. Isaac was the son of an otherwise obscure Byzantine aristocrat, Doukas Kamateros, and Irene Komnene, daughter of
188:
from 1185 to 1191. Contemporary sources commonly refer to him as the emperor of Cyprus. He lost the island to King
261:
209:
1146:
756:
719:
Coureas, Nicolas, 'To what extent was the crusaders’ capture of Cyprus impelled by strategic considerations',
534:
481:
322:
1256:
289:
477:
747:
Harris, Jonathan, 'Collusion with the infidel as a pretext for military action against
Byzantium', in
1251:
1205:
1047:
863:
832:
503:, crowned in 1195. However his ambitions came to nothing, as he died of poisoning in 1195 or 1196.
230:
had a daughter, Irene Komnene, who married one Doukas Kamateros and gave birth to Isaac of Cyprus,
28:
926:
922:
301:
245:
1195:
889:
879:
430:
351:
1266:
1261:
1081:
844:
578:
523:
403:
376:
350:
The fleet landed in Cyprus, but after the troops had disembarked, the ships were captured by
297:
64:
918:
542:
485:
395:
380:
355:
189:
452:
This was a major turning point in the history of Cyprus, leading to the foundation of the
8:
1215:
1199:
1006:
853:
500:
438:
1111:
1075:
1031:
942:
39:
1225:
1179:
1071:
982:
776:
738:
627:
453:
434:
285:
254:
213:
69:
1120:
1107:
1027:
909:
834:
512:
496:
446:
336:
181:
119:
1091:
763:
Rudt de Collenberg, W. H., 'L'empereur Isaac de Chypre et sa fille (1155–1207)',
621:
305:
253:
Most of the following biography is derived from the works of Byzantine historian
81:
1185:
1159:
1155:
1124:
1085:
1017:
986:
976:
966:
932:
569:
550:
332:
281:
165:
86:
379:
nevertheless bore responsibility for greater cruelties. A seeming league with
249:
Cape Andreas, where Isaac is said to have been taken prisoner by the Crusaders
1245:
411:
399:
222:
193:
796:
368:
417:
1189:
1130:
1057:
990:
857:
936:
499:, where he attempted to gain support against the new Byzantine emperor
460:
422:
34:
1065:
994:
610:, The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, 1977, pp. 599-603, 759.
546:
476:
Returning to Europe after the Third Crusade, Richard was captured by
265:
217:
1095:
946:
883:
608:
A History of the Crusades: Volume Two, The Later Crusades 1187-1311
530:
464:
205:
147:
1229:
1061:
1051:
1041:
751:, ed. S. Lambert and H. Nicholson, Brepols, 2012, pp. 99–117
384:
277:
142:
1219:
1209:
1169:
1134:
1021:
897:
873:
442:
185:
125:
459:
On his return to England, King Richard granted to the town of
226:. With his first wife Theodora Kamaterina (d. 1144) Isaac the
893:
42:; right, bust of Isaac in the regalia of a Byzantine emperor
549:
in 1204 with a convoy of warriors who intended to join the
533:, where in 1199 she again encountered Joan, now married to
708:
Brudndage, J. A., ‘Richard the Lion-Heart and Byzantium’,
703:
The Troubador's Song: The Capture and Ransom of Richard I
335:
led to the death of Andronikos I on 12 September 1185,
833:
Rebels, secessionists, and autonomous magnates in the
640:
38:
coin minted in Isaac's name in Cyprus: left, bust of
583:
456:which would rule the island for several centuries.
180:, c. 1155 – 1195/1196) was a claimant to the
712:6-7 (1970), 63-70 and reprinted in J.A. Brundage,
471:
425:, still bearing what had been Isaac Komnenos' arms
749:Clash of Cultures: the Languages of Love and Hate
728:The Kingdom of Cyprus and the Crusades, 1191-1374
300:(1183–1185) contributed to Isaac's ransom.
220:throne, instead taking the auxiliary position of
1243:
773:The Origins of Portsmouth and the First Charter
818:
825:
811:
204:Isaac of Cyprus was a member of the royal
27:
416:
311:
244:
212:had been bypassed by a younger brother,
463:the coat of arms of Isaac Komnenos: "a
1244:
271:
806:
770:
646:
619:
429:The English took Isaac prisoner near
714:The Crusades, Holy War and Canon Law
606:Wolff, Robert L. and Hazard, H. W.,
296:In 1183, the new Byzantine emperor
13:
730:, Cambridge University Press, 1991
484:, accused of murdering his cousin
354:, a pirate in the service of King
288:, Isaac started a war against the
14:
1298:
790:
705:, Walker Publishing Company, 2005
361:
390:
1287:Christians of the Third Crusade
760:, Oxford University Press, 1991
695:
541:, an illegitimate son of Count
506:
472:Imprisonment, ransom, and death
757:Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
683:
674:
665:
652:
626:. Bloomsbury USA. p. 24.
613:
600:
563:
480:and Styria, and imprisoned by
406:, the fiancée of Richard, and
1:
1277:Byzantine governors of Cyprus
1272:12th-century Byzantine people
737:, Bloomsbury, 2nd ed., 2014.
623:Byzantine Armies AD 1118–1461
594:
535:Raymond VI, Count of Toulouse
441:, who kept him imprisoned in
387:, sultan of Egypt and Syria.
231:
111:
1121:Alexios Doukas Mourtzouphlos
482:Henry VI, Holy Roman Emperor
345:Alexios Komnenos (died 1188)
331:After a popular uprising at
323:Stephen Hagiochristophorites
7:
710:Studies in Medieval Culture
584:
495:Isaac then traveled to the
398:and others embarked on the
290:Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
216:, in the succession to the
10:
1303:
735:Byzantium and the Crusades
510:
478:Leopold V, Duke of Austria
1282:Eastern Orthodox monarchs
1144:
1105:
1004:
907:
864:Andronikos Kontostephanos
842:
573:
545:. The couple sailed from
522:, sister of Richard, and
199:
161:
153:
141:
137:Unnamed Armenian princess
133:
106:
98:
94:
77:
60:
52:
47:
26:
21:
716:, Variorum, 1991, No. IV
585:Isaakios Doukas Komnēnos
574:Ἰσαάκιος Δούκας Κομνηνός
556:
402:in 1189. Early in 1191,
208:family. His grandfather
1206:Michael Komnenos Doukas
1048:Michael Komnenos Doukas
302:Constantine Makrodoukas
240:
1147:fall of Constantinople
890:Theodore Kantakouzenos
880:John Komnenos Vatatzes
797:Roman Emperors webpage
775:. City of Portsmouth.
431:Cape Apostolos Andreas
426:
352:Margaritus of Brindisi
276:Appointed governor of
250:
1082:John Komnenos the Fat
845:Andronikos I Komnenos
771:Quail, Sarah (1994).
524:Berengaria of Navarre
420:
404:Berengaria of Navarre
396:Richard the Lionheart
377:Andronikos I Komnenos
312:From prison to Cyprus
298:Andronikos I Komnenos
248:
174:Isaac Doukas Komnenos
65:Andronikos I Komnenos
973:Constantine Tatikios
660:The Troubador's Song
543:Philip I of Flanders
486:Conrad of Montferrat
381:William II of Sicily
356:William II of Sicily
268:princess on Cyprus.
190:Richard I of England
1007:Alexios III Angelos
854:Andronikos Lapardas
620:Heath, Ian (1995).
539:Thierry of Flanders
529:Later she lived in
501:Alexios III Angelos
439:Knights Hospitaller
341:John Kontostephanos
272:Governor and prison
1257:Byzantine usurpers
1176:John Kantakouzenos
1112:Alexios IV Angelos
943:Theodore Mangaphas
733:Harris, Jonathan,
723:19 (1992), 197-202
427:
251:
40:Christ Pantokrator
1239:
1238:
1226:Manuel Maurozomes
1216:Theodore Laskaris
1072:John Spyridonakes
1011:
767:38 (1968), 123–77
743:978-1-78093-767-0
649:, pp. 14–18.
582:
454:Kingdom of Cyprus
435:Karpass Peninsula
421:The City Flag of
286:Manuel I Komnenos
255:Niketas Choniates
214:Manuel I Komnenos
184:and the ruler of
171:
170:
129:
90:
73:
70:Byzantine Emperor
48:Emperor in Cyprus
16:Emperor in Cyprus
1294:
1252:Komnenos dynasty
1196:Alexios Komnenos
1028:Dobromir Chrysos
1009:
910:Isaac II Angelos
835:Byzantine Empire
827:
820:
813:
804:
803:
786:
690:
687:
681:
680:Boyle, p.83, 182
678:
672:
669:
663:
656:
650:
644:
638:
637:
617:
611:
604:
588:
587:
577:
575:
567:
513:Damsel of Cyprus
497:Sultanate of Rûm
490:Theodora Komnene
337:Isaac II Angelos
280:and the town of
264:. He married an
236:
233:
182:Byzantine Empire
123:
120:Sultanate of Rum
116:
113:
84:
67:
56:1185 – 1191
31:
19:
18:
1302:
1301:
1297:
1296:
1295:
1293:
1292:
1291:
1242:
1241:
1240:
1235:
1166:Theodore Gabras
1140:
1101:
1092:Manuel Kamytzes
1000:
903:
838:
831:
799:brief biography
793:
783:
726:Edbury, P. W.,
698:
693:
688:
684:
679:
675:
670:
666:
657:
653:
645:
641:
634:
618:
614:
605:
601:
597:
592:
591:
568:
564:
559:
520:Joan of England
515:
509:
474:
408:Joan of England
393:
364:
314:
306:Knights Templar
274:
243:
234:
202:
122:
118:
114:
82:Guy of Lusignan
43:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1300:
1290:
1289:
1284:
1279:
1274:
1269:
1264:
1259:
1254:
1237:
1236:
1234:
1233:
1223:
1213:
1203:
1193:
1186:David Komnenos
1183:
1173:
1163:
1160:Maeander River
1156:Sabas Asidenos
1152:
1150:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1138:
1128:
1125:Constantinople
1117:
1115:
1103:
1102:
1100:
1099:
1089:
1086:Constantinople
1079:
1069:
1055:
1045:
1038:Leo Chamaretos
1035:
1025:
1014:
1012:
1002:
1001:
999:
998:
987:Maeander River
983:Pseudo-Alexios
980:
977:Constantinople
970:
967:Constantinople
963:Isaac Komnenos
960:
950:
940:
933:Alexios Branas
930:
915:
913:
905:
904:
902:
901:
887:
877:
870:Isaac Komnenos
867:
861:
850:
848:
840:
839:
830:
829:
822:
815:
807:
801:
800:
792:
791:External links
789:
788:
787:
781:
768:
761:
752:
745:
731:
724:
717:
706:
701:Boyle, David,
697:
694:
692:
691:
682:
673:
664:
651:
639:
632:
612:
598:
596:
593:
590:
589:
561:
560:
558:
555:
551:Fourth Crusade
511:Main article:
508:
505:
473:
470:
392:
389:
363:
362:Rule of Cyprus
360:
333:Constantinople
313:
310:
273:
270:
262:Isaac Komnenos
242:
239:
201:
198:
178:Ducas Comnenus
169:
168:
166:Roman Orthodox
163:
159:
158:
155:
151:
150:
145:
139:
138:
135:
131:
130:
108:
104:
103:
100:
96:
95:
92:
91:
87:King of Cyprus
79:
75:
74:
62:
58:
57:
54:
50:
49:
45:
44:
32:
24:
23:
22:Isaac Komnenos
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1299:
1288:
1285:
1283:
1280:
1278:
1275:
1273:
1270:
1268:
1265:
1263:
1260:
1258:
1255:
1253:
1250:
1249:
1247:
1231:
1227:
1224:
1221:
1217:
1214:
1211:
1207:
1204:
1201:
1197:
1194:
1191:
1187:
1184:
1181:
1177:
1174:
1171:
1167:
1164:
1161:
1157:
1154:
1153:
1151:
1148:
1143:
1136:
1132:
1129:
1126:
1122:
1119:
1118:
1116:
1113:
1109:
1104:
1097:
1093:
1090:
1087:
1083:
1080:
1077:
1073:
1070:
1067:
1063:
1059:
1056:
1053:
1049:
1046:
1043:
1039:
1036:
1033:
1029:
1026:
1023:
1019:
1016:
1015:
1013:
1008:
1003:
996:
992:
988:
984:
981:
978:
974:
971:
968:
964:
961:
958:
954:
953:Basil Chotzas
951:
948:
944:
941:
938:
934:
931:
928:
924:
920:
917:
916:
914:
911:
906:
899:
895:
891:
888:
885:
881:
878:
875:
871:
868:
865:
862:
859:
855:
852:
851:
849:
846:
841:
836:
828:
823:
821:
816:
814:
809:
808:
805:
798:
795:
794:
784:
782:0-901559-92-X
778:
774:
769:
766:
762:
759:
758:
753:
750:
746:
744:
740:
736:
732:
729:
725:
722:
718:
715:
711:
707:
704:
700:
699:
686:
677:
668:
661:
655:
648:
643:
635:
633:9781855323476
629:
625:
624:
616:
609:
603:
599:
586:
580:
571:
566:
562:
554:
552:
548:
544:
540:
536:
532:
527:
525:
521:
514:
504:
502:
498:
493:
491:
487:
483:
479:
469:
466:
462:
457:
455:
450:
448:
444:
440:
436:
432:
424:
419:
415:
413:
409:
405:
401:
400:Third Crusade
397:
391:Third Crusade
388:
386:
382:
378:
373:
370:
359:
357:
353:
348:
346:
342:
338:
334:
329:
326:
324:
318:
309:
307:
303:
299:
294:
291:
287:
283:
279:
269:
267:
263:
260:
259:sebastokrator
256:
247:
238:
229:
228:sebastokrator
225:
224:
223:sebastokrator
219:
215:
211:
207:
197:
195:
194:Third Crusade
191:
187:
183:
179:
175:
167:
164:
160:
157:Irene Komnene
156:
152:
149:
146:
144:
140:
136:
132:
127:
121:
109:
105:
101:
97:
93:
88:
83:
80:
76:
71:
66:
63:
59:
55:
51:
46:
41:
37:
36:
30:
25:
20:
1267:1190s deaths
1262:1150s births
947:Philadelphia
884:Philadelphia
869:
866:(Asia Minor)
772:
764:
754:
748:
734:
727:
720:
713:
709:
702:
696:Bibliography
689:Boyle, p.268
685:
676:
667:
659:
654:
642:
622:
615:
607:
602:
565:
528:
516:
507:His daughter
494:
475:
458:
451:
428:
394:
374:
365:
349:
330:
327:
319:
315:
295:
275:
258:
252:
227:
221:
203:
177:
173:
172:
33:
1190:Paphlagonia
1149:(1204–1205)
1131:Leo Gabalas
1114:(1203–1204)
1058:Leo Sgouros
1010:(1195–1203)
991:Paphlagonia
912:(1185–1195)
858:Adramyttion
847:(1182–1185)
837:, 1182–1205
671:Boyle, p.83
284:by Emperor
235: 1155
192:during the
61:Predecessor
1246:Categories
1145:After the
937:Adrianople
647:Quail 1994
595:References
461:Portsmouth
423:Portsmouth
110:1196 (age
35:Tetarteron
1200:Trebizond
1076:Macedonia
1066:Corinthia
1032:Macedonia
995:Nicomedia
923:Ivan Asen
765:Byzantion
579:romanized
547:Marseille
218:Byzantine
115: 41
78:Successor
1108:Isaac II
1096:Thessaly
927:Bulgaria
919:Theodore
721:Epetêris
531:Provence
465:crescent
266:Armenian
206:Komnenos
162:Religion
148:Komnenos
124:(now in
1230:Phrygia
1180:Methone
1062:Argolid
1052:Phrygia
1042:Laconia
662:, p.182
658:Boyle,
581::
447:Tripoli
433:on the
385:Saladin
278:Isauria
134:Consort
1220:Nicaea
1210:Epirus
1170:Amisus
1135:Rhodes
1106:Under
1022:Thrace
1018:Ivanko
1005:Under
957:Tarsia
908:Under
898:Nicaea
894:Prussa
874:Cyprus
843:Under
779:
741:
630:
443:Margat
282:Tarsus
200:Family
186:Cyprus
154:Mother
126:Turkey
570:Greek
557:Notes
445:near
412:Tyre.
210:Isaac
143:House
53:Reign
1110:and
1064:and
921:and
896:and
777:ISBN
755:The
739:ISBN
628:ISBN
343:and
241:Life
176:(or
107:Died
102:1155
99:Born
85:(as
68:(as
369:Job
1248::
993:,
989:,
576:,
572::
492:.
449:.
237:.
232:c.
196:.
112:c.
1232:)
1228:(
1222:)
1218:(
1212:)
1208:(
1202:)
1198:(
1192:)
1188:(
1182:)
1178:(
1172:)
1168:(
1162:)
1158:(
1137:)
1133:(
1127:)
1123:(
1098:)
1094:(
1088:)
1084:(
1078:)
1074:(
1068:)
1060:(
1054:)
1050:(
1044:)
1040:(
1034:)
1030:(
1024:)
1020:(
997:)
985:(
979:)
975:(
969:)
965:(
959:)
955:(
949:)
945:(
939:)
935:(
929:)
925:(
900:)
892:(
886:)
882:(
876:)
872:(
860:)
856:(
826:e
819:t
812:v
785:.
636:.
128:)
117:)
89:)
72:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
_at_Cyprus.jpg)