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Kinship and the distribution of power in Kommenian Byzantium

The full-text of this article is not currently available in ORA, but you may be able to access the article via the publisher copy link on this record page. Citation: Frankopan, P. (2007). 'Kinship and the distribution of power in Kommenian Byzantium', English Historical Review 122(495), 1-34. [The definitive publisher-authenticated version is available at http://ehr.oxfordjournals.org/]

Byzantine trade privileges to Venice in the eleventh century: the chrysobull of 1092

The question of the grant by the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Kommenos of an extensive series of concessions to Venice in the late eleventh century has generated considerable attention among modern commentators. Of particular importance is the correct assessment of the date at which the generous privileges were awarded. Recent treatments of this subject have concluded that the traditional dating of 1082, which sets the Byzantine award in the context of the Norman attacks on Epirus of 1081-1085, is likely to be correct. This paper offers a rather different interpretation, arguing that the correct context for the concessions is in fact 1092. Moreover, it is stressed that this is the date provided on both the full versions of the chrysobull which survive in Latin translations. The paper sets out the case in support of this date on literary, palaeographical, numismatic and contextual grounds. Apart from having an impact on analysis of Byzantium's relations with Venice in the eleventh century, this new interpretation also has important implications for our assessment of the Byzantine context for the First Crusade

The imperial governors of Dyrrakhion in the reign of Alexios I Kommenos

This article considers the conclusions that we can draw about the imperial governors of Dyrrakhion in the reign of the Emperor Alexios I Kommenos. It looks at why Dyrrakhion became increasingly important in the course of the 11th century and, above all, after Alexios' usurpation of the throne in 1081. Careful attention is paid to establishing the identity of the various individuals whom we know to have held the position of doux of the town in the period between 1081-1118, and the chronology of and context for the appointments looked at in detail. The significance of Dyrrakhion is further highlighted by drawing attention to the fact that only the very closest intimates of the Emperor - and indeed only senior members of the imperial family itself - were made governors of the town in this period. This study represents a fresh examination of Dyrrakhion, and establishes several new conclusions about the identities and careers of the imperial governors of the town in the reign of Emperor Alexios I Kommenos