Anna Dalassene, Regent of the Byzantine Empire

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate death: 1102

Notes:

"Anna, born ca. 1028, long outlived her husband and after his death ran the family as its undisputed matriarch. Anna became involved in conspiracies against the Doukas family, whom she never forgave for taking the throne in 1059. Later she also played a major role in the successful overthrow of Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 1078–81) and the rise of her son Alexios to the throne. After that, and for about fifteen years, she served as the virtual co-ruler of the empire along her son. She then retired to a monastery, where she died in 1100 or 1102." [Wikipedia]

"As empress-mother, she exerted more influence and power than the empress-consort, Irene Doukaina, a woman whom she hated because of past intrigues with the Doukas family." [Wikipedia]

"Under the Komenian dynasty, women continued to not only retain their roles set by previous empresses but made great strides in founding monasteries, patronizing churchmen, theologians and literary figures and being more assertive in imperial administration: most prominent in such roles were Anna Dalassene and her contemporary, Maria of Alania. Anna Dalassena is memorialized in Judy Chicago's The Dinner Party." [Wikipedia]

Family/Spouse: Ioannis Komnenos. Ioannis (son of Manual Erotikos Komnenos) was born about 1015; died on 12 Jul 1067. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Alexios I Komnenos, Emperor of Byzantium was born between 1048 and 1057; died on 15 Aug 1118.
2. Theodora Komnena was born about 1053.

Notes:

"Alexios Charon was a Byzantine official in southern Italy and the maternal grandfather of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos (reigned 1081–1118), the founder of the Komnenian dynasty. Very little is known about his life. His is only recorded in the history of Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger, who married his great-granddaughter Anna Komnene. Bryennios reports that 'Charon' was a sobriquet given to him for his bravery, referring to the ferryman of the underworld in Greek mythology, but the name is attested as an actual surname as well. On Alexios' career, Bryennios only reports that he 'handled the emperor's affairs' in the Byzantine provinces of southern Italy (the Catepanate of Italy) some time in the first half of the 11th century. The exact office that Alexios held is unknown; it has been suggested that he may have been the governor (catepan) of Italy, but his name appears in no other source." [Wikipedia]

Alexios married (Unknown member of the Dalassena family). [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From Wikipedia:

He first appears in 998, when he accompanied his father, then holding the post of doux of Antioch, in battle against the Fatimids. In the resulting Battle of Apamea Damian was killed and Theophylact, along with his brother Constantine, were taken prisoner. They were then sold on to the Fatimid general Jaysh al-Samsama for 6,000 gold dinars, spending the next ten years in captivity in the Fatimid capital of Cairo.

Following his release he continued his military career, but his life is obscure until 1021/22, by which time, according to Yahya of Antioch, he held the rank of protospatharios and droungarios (most likely the post of droungarios tes viglas). In August 1022, Emperor Basil II (reigned 976–1025) appointed him strategos (military governor) of the Anatolic Theme and gave him money to raise troops, with the task of suppressing the rebellion of Nikephoros Xiphias and Nikephoros Phokas Barytrachelos. In the end, the two rebels fell out and Xiphias had Phokas assassinated; as the rebellion collapsed, Dalassenos took Xiphias prisoner and brought him for trial to Constantinople.

From his surviving seals of office, it is known that he further held the rank of the posts of katepano of Iberia (likely before 1021), and katepano of Vaspurakan (after 1027). His last post, likely in 1032–34, was that of doux of Antioch, with the ranks of anthypatos patrikios and vestes, also attested by a seal. Emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian (r. 1034–41), however, suspected the Dalassenoi of consipring to usurp the throne; Theophylact's career therefore probably ended in 1034, and the entire family was banished in August 1039. Another seal records that he held the supreme court rank of magistros as well, but it is unclear whether this was already before 1034 or whether he was awarded it after Michael IV's death.

Notes:

Governor of Antioch from 995/6 to his death. Killed in the Battle of Apamea. Progenitor of the Dalassenos noble family.