Editing Andronikos I Komnenos (section)

== Reign of Alexios II (1180–1183) ==

=== Power struggle ===
[[File:Bizancio1180AD.svg|thumb|Map of the [[Byzantine Empire]] at the death of Manuel I Komnenos in 1180]]
Manuel died on 24 September 1180{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=126}} and the throne was inherited by his eleven-year-old son, [[Alexios II Komnenos]].{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=696}} A regency was set up for the young emperor, led by Manuel's widow, Maria of Antioch.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} Manuel had made his officials and nobles swear to obey Maria as regent, on the condition that she became a [[nun]] (which she did) and guarded the honor of the empire and their son.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=205}} Maria was supported by Patriarch [[Theodosios Borradiotes]] and the ''[[Protosebastos|prōtosebastos]]'' [[Alexios Komnenos (protosebastos)|Alexios Komnenos]], a nephew of Manuel.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} Despite this, she was in a dangerous position. She was of [[Latins|Latin]] (i.e. Catholic/Western European) origin and regent for a minor with ambitious relatives.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=205}} Manuel had throughout his reign sought to integrate the empire into the world of the Latin states in the West and [[Levant]] through diplomacy. His efforts were largely unsuccessful, as Latin polities began to regard themselves as having a say in imperial politics and anti-Latin sentiment grew among the populace of the empire.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=726}}[[File:Maria of Antioch 01.jpg|thumb|[[Maria of Antioch]], regent of the Byzantine Empire 1180–1182]]
Maria of Antioch was young and beautiful, leading to power struggles between officials who sought her favor.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=205}} Little political attention was given to Alexios II, who as a child was devoted entirely to pursuits such as chariot races and hunting.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} The perceived pro-Latin stance of the regency and rumors that Maria and Alexios the ''prōtosebastos'' were lovers, as well as suspicions that the ''prōtosebastos'' planned to seize the throne for himself, led to the formation of a court faction opposed to the regency.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}}{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=205}} Some of Maria's supporters also began to abandon her as the favors they sought were increasingly given to the ''prōtosebastos''.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} The opposition was led by Manuel's daughter, [[Maria Komnene (daughter of Manuel I)|Maria Komnene]], her husband [[Renier of Montferrat]],{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=696}}{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} and Manuel's illegitimate son [[Alexios Komnenos (illegitimate son of Manuel I)|Alexios]].{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}}

In early 1181, a plot to assassinate the ''prōtosebastos'' was uncovered and many were arrested.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} Maria Komnene and Renier sought asylum in the [[Hagia Sophia]]{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=696}}{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} and were supported by Patriarch Theodosios and the clergy.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} The two conspirators turned the church into a stronghold and issued demands that the ''prōtosebastos'' be removed from office and that those arrested should be released.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} The citizenry of Constantinople were split between the two factions. Clashes erupted throughout the capital,{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=696}} lasting for two months.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} Maria Komnene, supported by the clergy, portrayed her revolt against the regency as a [[holy war]].{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} With the government focused on the power struggle, the empire swiftly lost territory to foreign enemies. Béla III of Hungary conquered [[Dalmatia]] and [[Sirmium]], and [[Kilij Arslan II]] of [[Sultanate of Rum|Rum]] conquered [[Sozopolis (Pisidia)|Sozopolis]] and besieged [[Attaleia]].{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=696}}

Peace was brokered in the capital by the ''[[megas doux]]'' [[Andronikos Kontostephanos]]{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=696}} and the patriarch{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=206}} but the conflict was not resolved.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} In 1182,{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} Maria Komnene and other nobles sent for Andronikos in Paphlagonia, inviting him to the capital to assume the protection of Alexios II.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=207}} Andronikos was by this time in his early sixties and regarded by some as an elder statesman.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}} Because of his exile away from the affairs in the capital, he was seen as an impartial outsider who could champion the young emperor's best interests.{{Sfn|Magdalino|2008|p=660}} Maria Komnene could also assume that he would be supportive of her since Andronikos's sons Manuel and John had been involved in her revolt.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=207}} In the spring of 1182, Andronikos assembled an army and marched on Constantinople.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=127}} He portrayed himself as a champion of Alexios II,{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}} accused Maria of Antioch and the ''prōtosebastos'' of conspiracy, and falsely claimed that Manuel had appointed him as one of Alexios II's regents.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=207}} The general [[Andronikos Angelos Doukas|Andronikos Angelos]] was sent to intercept Andronikos but was defeated, fled back to Constantinople, and quickly defected to Andronikos out of fear of his failure being punished.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}} Once Andronikos reached the [[Bosporus]], public opinion in Constantinople was firmly on his side.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=128}} The ''prōtosebastos'' organized a fleet to stop Andronikos, led by Kontostephanos, though Kontostephanos likewise defected to the rebel's side.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}}

=== Regent in Constantinople ===
[[File:Manuel I, Maria and Alexios II (Vat.gr.1851 folio 7r).jpg|thumb|[[Alexios II Komnenos]] (left), depicted together with his parents Manuel (center) and [[Maria of Antioch|Maria]] (right){{efn|The identification of these three figures from Vat. Gr. 1851 as Alexios II and his parents is by Ioannis Spatharakis.<ref name=Spatharakis>{{cite book|last=Spatharakis |first=Ioannis|title=The Portrait in Byzantine Illuminated Manuscripts|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AQ4VAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA210|year=1976|publisher=[[Brill Publishers|Brill]]|pages=210–230|isbn=9004047832 }}</ref> Other historians variously identify them as a young [[Andronikos IV Palaiologos]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Hennessy |first=Cecily|author-link=Cecily Hennessy |title=A child bride and her representation in the Vatican Epithalamion, cod. gr. 1851|year=2006|publisher=[[Brill Publishers|Brill]]|pages=177–183|doi=10.1163/9789004346239_010 }}</ref> or [[Andronikos II Palaiologos]] with their respective parents.<ref>{{cite book|last=Iacobini |first=Antonio|title=Arte profana e arte sacra a Bisanzio|year=1995 |publisher=Argos |isbn=9788885897496}}</ref>}}]]
With no military forces left to oppose Andronikos, the ''prōtosebastos'' was taken captive and taken across the Bosporus to Andronikos's camp,{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=128}} where he was [[Political mutilation in Byzantine culture|blinded]].{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}}  Andronikos then ferried his troops to the city and took control virtually without opposition.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=128}} He almost immediately made his way to the [[Pantokrator Monastery]], apparently to pay his respects to the tomb of Manuel.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=129}}

Soon after Andronikos gained control of Constantinople in April 1182, the [[Massacre of the Latins]] erupted in the city.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=130}} Andronikos made no effort to stop the pogroms, instead referring to them as a "defeat of the tyranny of the Latins" and a "restoration of Roman affairs". There is no evidence that Andronikos was particularly anti-Latin on a personal level but the massacre was politically useful since anti-Latin sentiment had helped bring him to power and because many Latins in the city had supported Maria of Antioch's regency.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}} The bulk of Constantinople's Latin population were either killed or forced to flee{{Sfn|Ducellier|1986|pp=506–508}} and the Latin quarters were plundered and set on fire.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}} According to [[Eustathius of Thessalonica]], approximately 60,000 people were killed{{Sfn|Ducellier|1986|pp=506–508}}{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=208}} though this number is likely exaggerated.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=208}} A papal delegate visiting Constantinople was decapitated and his head was tied to the tail of a dog.{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2024|p=697}}

In May, Patriarch Theodosios formally handed Constantinople over to Andronikos. The patriarch and Andronikos ensured that Alexios II was formally crowned as emperor on 16 May 1182. Andronikos carried the young emperor into Hagia Sophia on his shoulders and acted as a devoted supporter.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=208}} Andronikos soon dealt with his political rivals as well as all major schemers during Maria of Antioch's regency, including those who had supported him. The blinded ''prōtosebastos'' was exiled to a monastery. Both Maria Komnene and Renier of Montferrat were poisoned within a few months.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=129}} Andronikos Kontostephanos was suspected of conspiracy and blinded alongside his four sons in the summer of 1183.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=129}} Maria of Antioch remained an obstacle since she was legally appointed as regent. Andronikos had Patriarch Theodosios agree on expelling her from the palace and then had her prosecuted for treason on the basis that she had asked her brother-in-law, Béla III of Hungary, for help.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=208}} Found guilty, Maria was imprisoned{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=208}} and Andronikos had Alexios II sign a document condemning her to death.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=209}} The empress was strangled to death and subjected to ''[[damnatio memoriae]]'', with her portraits in public places being replaced with imagery of Andronikos.{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=129}}

In the place of Manuel's officials, Andronikos raised up his own loyalists, such as [[Michael Haploucheir]] and [[Stephen Hagiochristophorites]].{{Sfn|Harris|2014|p=129}} The execution of Maria of Antioch left the young Alexios II without protection.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=209}} Andronikos had some of the clergy formally absolve him of his oaths to Manuel and Alexios II{{Sfn|Kaldellis|2009|p=93}} and was crowned as co-emperor in September 1183.{{Sfn|Gregory|2010|p=309}} Soon thereafter, Alexios II was strangled and his body was thrown in the sea, encased in lead.{{Sfn|Garland|1999|p=209}} Just over a year after taking power as the young emperor's guardian, Andronikos had thus had him suppressed and killed{{Sfn|Kislinger|2019|p=77}} and now ruled in his own name.{{Sfn|Gregory|2010|p=309}}