Anna Komnene (1083-1153) was a Byzantine princess and author who is known for her literary work, the Alexiad. The Alexiad, a uniquely female eyewitness account of history, is an homage to her father, Alexios I Komnenos, and his stabilizing reign as the emperor of the Byzantine Empire during the 11th and 12th century.
Komnene grew up in imperial households in Constantinople, surrounded by strong female figures. Her political marriage to Nikephoros Bryennios, a military leader, was also a good intellectual match. When her father died, Anna attempted to seize the throne from her younger brother. When the coup was discovered, she was banished to a monastery for the remainder of her life. After her husband’s death, inspired by his unfinished historical manuscript, she wrote a colorful and captivating narrative of her father’s successes. Despite customary restrictions on women, Anna was able to interview uncles, chief military generals and research imperial archives to obtain a unique perspective. Her descriptive accounts of key figures, battles, life at court, and the First Crusade has made the Alexiad the preeminent resource on the Byzantine Empire.
