The Life of Manuel I Comnenus before Ascending the Imperial Throne (1118-1143)
Hatice AydınThe Komnenian Dynasty existed in the 104-year period between 1081-1185 AD within the history of the Byzantine Empire, the longest-lived state in the world with an 1123-year history. Not only did only this dynasty it leave its mark on the Byzantine history, it was also influential in shaping the histories of the political powers and nations around it. Manuel I was proclaimed emperor under extraordinary conditions at an unexpected time and place and ascended to the imperial throne under difficult conditions to become the longest-reigning emperor among the rulers of the Komnenian Dynasty with his 37- year rule. Emperor Manuel I attracted attention with his high energy and performance, especially for his foreign policy, as well as for the strategies he developed and policies he followed in the face of the tough conditions of his reign. Manuel had been raised as a good soldier just like all the other male members of the dynasty he belonged to and came to the fore in many aspects during his reign, distinguishing himself among his brothers (i.e., the sons of Emperor John II Komnenos) through his superior virtues, especially when facing the dangers of wartime with his brave cool attitude and tenacity. He not only won the favor of his father the emperor but also succeeded in creating a considerable supportive group in the imperial army. Manuel I Komnenos was noteworthy for all these things. This study will discuss the 25-year span of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos’ life from his birth to his ascension to the imperial throne, examining it in light of the sources of the period and modern research.
I. Manuel Komnenos’un İmparatorluk Tahtına Çıkmadan Önceki Hayatı (1118-1143)
Hatice Aydın1123 yıllık tarihi ile dünyanın en uzun ömürlü devleti Bizans (Doğu Roma) İmparatorluğu tarihinin 1081-1185 yılları arasındaki 104 yıllık zaman diliminde varlık gösteren Komnenos Hânedanı; Bizans tarihine damgasını vurmakla kalmamış, çevresindeki siyasî güç ve milletlerin tarihlerinin şekillenmesinde de etkili olmuştur. Beklenmedik bir zamanda ve mekânda ayrıca olağanüstü koşullarda imparator ilân edilip yine zor şartlar altında imparatorluk tahtına oturan I. Manuel, 37 yıllık dönemi ile Komnenos Hânedanı’na mensup hükümdarlar içerisinde en uzun süre tahtta kalan imparator olmuştur. İmparator I. Manuel, özellikle dış politikada, döneminin çetin şartları karşısında geliştirdiği stratejiler ve izlediği politikaların yanı sıra yüksek enerjisiyle ve sergilediği performansla da dikkatleri üzerine çekmiştir. Mensup olduğu hânedanın diğer erkek üyeleri gibi iyi bir asker olarak yetişen Manuel, prenslik döneminde birçok yönüyle öne çıkmış ve sahip olduğu üstün meziyetleriyle kardeşleri yani İmparator II. Ioannes’in oğulları arasında mütemeyyiz bir konumda olmuştur; özellikle savaş zamanlarındaki tehlikeler karşısında cesur ve soğukkanlı tutumunun yanı sıra dirayetli tasarruflarıyla sadece imparator babasının gözüne girmekle kalmamış, aynı zamanda imparatorluk ordusu içerisinde hatırı sayılır bir taraftar kitlesi oluşturmayı da başarmıştır. Tüm bu sebeplerden dolayıdır ki Manuel Komnenos’un prenslik dönemi de dikkate şayandır. Bu çalışmada, İmparator I. Manuel Komnenos’un doğumundan imparatorluk tahtına çıkışına kadarki süreci kapsayan 25 yıllık hayatı, dönemin kaynakları ve modern çalışmalar ışığında ele alınıp incelenecektir.
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos was born in the capital of the Byzantine Empire as a member of the famous Komnenian Dynasty, which ruled the Byzantine Empire for over a century in the 11th and 12th centuries, and the son of Emperor John II Komnenos who presided over the throne at that time. Manuel Komnenos was a member of a royal family not only from his father’s side but also from his mother’s, the Hungarian royal family of the Árpáds. Manuel was born in the Purple Room (Porphyra), which has an important place in the Byzantine palace tradition.
Members of the Komnenos family began to appear in sources during the reign of Emperor Basil I (976-1025). Five members of the Komnenos family had served in the empire, especially in the military field, and ascended to the imperial throne. Although Isaac I (1057- 1059) was the first emperor of the Komnenos family to ascend to the throne of the Byzantine Empire, the Komnenian Dynasty had actually started with his nephew, Alexius I (1081-1118), who is also accepted as co-founder of the dynasty. Like other male members of his family, Manuel I Komnenos had been raised primarily as a good soldier and actively experienced the principality period, participating in wars alongside his father. His brave actions in these wars in particular differentiated him positively from his other brothers. This distinction would affect his father proclaiming him as emperor while his elder brother was still alive. While practically still a child, Prince Manuel began to join in expeditions alongside his father, John II. The first expedition Manuel participated in was the Neocaesarea Campaign his father conducted against the Danishmendids in the last days of 1139. During this war, Manuel attracted all the attention with his extraordinary courage in attacking the enemy army. After the battle was over, the emperor praised his son Manuel for his bravery in front of the army. However, after retreating to their tent, the father albeit light berated him for throwing himself at the enemy without his command. Manuel had probably participated in at least some of his father’s previous campaigns, but he was first recorded in the sources as a soldier of war with his remarkable actions during the Neocaesarea Campaign. After the end of the Neocaesarea campaign in 1139-1140, Emperor John would go on to have Manuel and his other sons with him in all his expeditions during the last years of his life and frequently asked their opinions about the strategies he would implement.
Emperor John II withdrew to Cilicia on April 1, 1143 after the disappointment in Antioch in his last campaign to the East toward the end of 1142. Emperor John II established his camp near Ayn Zarba in Cilicia and went hunting there that same day. He suffered a great misfortune while hunting, injuring his hand with one of the poisoned arrows in his bag while fighting with a wild boar. Returning to his tent toward evening, the emperor’s wound began to swell, and by the next day had quickly given way to unbearable pain. The doctors’ interventions did nothing to help, instead the situation worsened, and the swelling spread throughout his whole arm. Having lost all hope of recovery, the emperor pondered on who to appoint as emperor in his place. He ultimately decided on Manuel, one of his two surviving sons, as two of the emperor’s other sons had recently died. Realizing that he was going to die, the emperor summoned his relatives, friends, commanders, nobles, and people of high rank and title to his tent and explained to them in detail his reasons for choosing his youngest son Manuel as his successor. He said that both of his sons were virtuous, physically healthy, and strong and had high nobility and deep wisdom. However, he thought his last-born son, Manuel, would manage the empire better, as his eldest son Isaac could sometimes make mistakes due to his impetuous nature. He stated Manuel to be docile, obedient, and readily accepting of what is useful, and these were his reasons for choosing Manuel to succeed him. He ordered his entourage to accept Manuel as the ruler blessed by God and as the elected emperor. The Byzantine soldiers and dignitaries who had gathered beside the dying emperor accepted his proposal and welcomed Manuel as emperor as if it were in accordance with the law of succession. A few days after these events, Emperor John II Komnenos died in Cilicia on April 8, 1143, and Manuel took his place on the throne.