The Development of the Komnenian ArmyThe emperors of the Komnenian dynasty orchestrated the economic and military renewal of the Byzantine Empire. In 1081, Alexios I became emperor of a bankrupt and diminished empire. In 1180, Manuel I ruled the most powerful state in the eastern Mediterranean, capable of sending expeditions to Egypt, Hungary, Italy, and Palestine. This study examines how the Komnenian emperors restored the Byzantine state by building a professional army of mercenaries and Byzantine citizens. It examines the army's ethnic composition, tactics, equipment, and its financial support. Finally, it examines the army in battle. This is the only study of the Byzantine army during the privotal twelfth century. It provides an explanation for the complex Byzantine political and military problems of the eleventh and twelfth centuries, as well as another perspective on the European crusading movement. |
Contents
Chapter One Textual Sources for 12th and 13thCentury | 1 |
Chapter Two Historical Overview of Eleventh | 27 |
Chapter Three The Campaigns of Alexios I Komnenos | 56 |
Chapter Four The Campaigns of John II Komnenos | 85 |
Chapter Five The Campaigns of Manuel I Komnenos | 100 |
Chapter Six Supporting the Komnenian Army | 139 |
Chapter Seven Komnenian Siege Warfare | 182 |
Chapter Eight The Komnenian Army in Battle | 206 |
Conclusion | 231 |
Chronology of the Komnenian Historians | 243 |
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Common terms and phrases
Alexiade Alexios allies Andronikos Anna Komnene Anna's Antioch appears archers armed armor Asia Minor attack battle besieged Bohemond Botaneiates Bryennios Byzan Byzantine army Byzantium campaign cavalry century chroniclers chrysobull Cilicia cities combat command Constantinople Crusade Cumans Danishmendids defeat defensive describes Dorylaion Doukas Dyrrachion eleventh empire empire's enemy Epiros evidence fighting fiscal fleet fortified fought frontier guard Historia horses Hungarian Ikonion infantry injury Italy John and Manuel John Kinnamos John's Kastamon Kerkyra Komnenian army Komnenian emperors Komnenian period Komnenos Kontostephanos lance land Lemerle Macedonian Magoulias Maiander Manuel's army Manuel's reign Manzikert mentions mercenaries Michael Psellos Michael VII military Myriokephalon Nikephoros Niketas Choniates Normans numbers Palaiologos Pechenegs peltasts pronoia provinces Psellos raids recruits retreat Romanos Seljuk sultan Seljuk Turks Semlin Serbians siege engines skirmishing soldiers sources strategy tactical territory Thessalonike Thrace tine tion trebuchets troops Turkish Turks units Varangians Venetian victory warfare western wounds Zeugminon Zonaras