Alexius I Comenus, Byzantine Emperor

b. 1048; d. 1118

In 1081 he deposed Nicephorus III. He came from one of the most distinguished Byzantine aristocratic land-owning families and his accession symbolised their domination of the Empire. His first task was to save the Empire, for Turks had overrun Anatolia, Pechenegs the Balkans, and the Normans were invading Albania. Allied with Venice, in exchange for very extensive trading concessions, he repelled the Normans (1085 and 1108). He destroyed the Pechenegs in 1091. Against the Turks he called for Western support, and these appeals helped to stimulate the First Crusade (1097). The Crusaders did help clear western Asia Minor although their passage caused severe problems, and conflicts arose when they began to occupy former Byzantine territory in the Levant. Alexius also reformed the taxes and the coinage, which had become very debased under his predecessors, and reconstituted the army and administration. He was, however, unable to prevent an epidemic of conspiracies and revolts, although he survived them all.

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