Historian: Anna Komnene

[Jubal]

ANNA KOMNENE

Personal Background
Daughter of Emperor Alexios I, unusual in that her most famous work (The Alexiad) provides an account of political and military events around the time of the First Crusade from a Byzantine perspective. The Alexiad is mostly dedicated to promoting Alexios' memory, and as Anna was alive for much of it some parts of it are to an extent memoir. She is also unusual in that she writes about war and diplomacy at a time when most Byzantine historians focussed heavily on court matters.

Research interests and ideas
Her father Alexios, Byzantine military campaigns, Byzantine politics

Possible Biases
Strongly biased towards preserving and supporting the memory of her father, Alexios I. Also gives traditional Greek views of the time regarding western European "Kelts", and the non-Christian enemies of Byzantium as somewhat inferior.

List of books
The Alexiad

See Also