John Doukas Komnenos
Born1128
Died1176
Noble familyKomnenos
Spouse(s)Maria Taronitissa
Issue
FatherAndronikos Komnenos
MotherEirene Aineidasa or Aineiadissa

John Doukas Komnenos (1128 – September 1176) was a son of Andronikos Komnenos.[1] Through his father, he was a grandson of Byzantine Emperor John II Komnenos. He was doux (military governor) of Cyprus from 1155 until his death as well as being appointed a protovestiarios in 1148.

Life

He fought in the Byzantine–Hungarian wars in the early 1150s. In 1156, Cyprus was attacked by Raynald of Châtillon and Thoros II, Prince of Armenia; Thoros and Raynald both conducted widespread plundering of the island:[2] the Franks and Armenians marched up and down the island robbing and pillaging every building that they saw, churches and convents as well as shops and private houses.[citation needed] The crops were burnt; the herds were rounded up, together with all the population, and driven down to the coast.[3] John opposed the attack but was captured by Raynald and Thoros and was taken prisoner to Antioch.[4]

The nightmare lasted about three weeks; then, on the rumour of an imperial fleet in the offing, Raynald gave the order for re-embarkation.[5] The ships were loaded up with booty; and every Cypriot was forced to ransom himself.[6]

John was presumably released from captivity in Antioch, as he took part in the Battle of Myriokephalon under Manuel I Komnenos. The Byzantines were defeated and John Doukas died during the battle, shortly after 17 September 1176.[citation needed]


Marriage and children

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John Doukas was married around 1146 to a woman later known as Maria, a Taronitissa,[7] possibly daughter of John Taronites, pansebastos sebastos. The couple had at least two children:

  1. Maria (c. 1154 – 1208/1217), married firstly to Amalric I of Jerusalem; from this marriage she had a daughter, the future Isabella I of Jerusalem and then married secondly to Balian of Ibelin, amongst the children produced from this marriage was John of Ibelin, the Old Lord of Beirut.
  2. Alexios Komnenos, led a rebellion against Andronikos I Komnenos, but was captured, blinded and imprisoned,[8] died unmarried in 1187.
  3. (probably) Theodora (fl. 1140) wife of Bohemond III, prince of Antioch.

References

  1. ^ Niketas Choniates, Liber III Rerum a Manuele Comneno Gestarum, 2, p. 135.
  2. ^ Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades – Volume II.: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East: 1100–1187.
  3. ^ A History of Armenia
  4. ^ Runciman (1978), Vol. 2, pp. 347-8.
  5. ^ Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades – Volume II.: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East: 1100–1187.
  6. ^ Runciman, Steven. A History of the Crusades – Volume II.: The Kingdom of Jerusalem and the Frankish East: 1100–1187.
  7. ^ Rüdt-Collenberg (1975), p. 125, footnote 30.
  8. ^ Niketas Choniates, Imperiii Andronici Comneni, Liber 1, 8, p. 384.


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