History-Makers: Anna Komnena

She's a Princess! She's a Poet! She's a Historian! She's Anna Komnena — the COOLEST writer in the Byzantine Empire! On this episode of History-Makers, jump into the reign of Alexios Komnenos from the perspective of his daughter Anna, and learn about the emperor who saved the Byzantines from certain doom, as well as the traits that make Anna's "Alexiad" a masterpiece.

Our content is intended for teenage audiences and up.

Sources & Further Reading: The Alexiad — obviously, what are you waiting for? (Also Norwich's "Byzantium")

[WillKrause]

"This is hardly the biggest screw up in Byzantine history. That honor would go Byzantine history." Truly the greatest sum-up of Byzantine history ever told.

[kimarous]

"Got mad, sulked about it, then wrote a book about it"? Ah, just like Niccolo Machiavelli and Dante Alighieri. Classic.

[chrismain]

07:25
Blue: "After dodging that two-ton wrecking ball..."
Me: More like Teuton wrecking-ball, amirite?

[michaelscott]

"Dear Diary, met with kings of Europe today. They didn't seem too happy my crown was shinier than theirs. Or had more brains filling it."

[illegalmemedealer]

Any ancient literature: exists
Anna Komnena: *I’ll take your entire stock*

[IronSightsonBigGuns]

"She uses the "I" pronoun because she's not a coward." As someone who got that Bachelor's in history, I deeply appreciate that.

[brianroden]

Blue:the books can lose a few hundred pages

Me:and a few hundred dollars

[notasmith]

CK2 fans like me who literally play Alexios to create the Komnenian restoration.

“That’s my girl.”

[Aidan-ytyt]

“You’re a Byzantine royal, if you don’t have the spine for a little coup d’état what are you even doing here? Ugh.” Not gonna lie that is the single best sentence I think I have ever heard

[skyler]

Anna's entire story plays out like an old Disney princess movie and now I desperately want to see one.

[blueteller]

Yesss, someone openly acknowledges that all historical documents have bias!! Some try to be more "objective" than others, sure but it's *always* told from the point of view of someone with certain values, religious beliefs, and political opinions. That's why it's so important to draw knowledge from many different sources.

[TheEquus]

I never even heard of Anna Komnena until I watched this video. You'd think being the first women historian she'd be mentioned in history classes at some point. Great video as always

[Chaotic_Muse]

there was a great breakdown on Anna and her stylistic choices in "The Alexiad' on the History of Byzantium podcast, and how skillfully she darts between the cultural expectations at the time of both a royal woman, and a historian, and attempting to satisfy both in order to be taken seriously for her work without leaving a lacking on one side or another to be used against her in a discrediting attack. Honestly, she may be the most impressive genius of her time.

[Mexalen]

"Let's do some history" is one of my most favourite phrases to hear on Youtube.

[serisdovakhin]

"It's not the biggest screw up in Byzantine history. That honor goes to Byzantine history."

YIKES. Hook me up with your Greek Fire supplier cause those are some lethal burns.

[bthsr]

So you're telling me we could have had A Byzantine Cleopatra, but with a healthy childhood and not inbred family?

[ButterflyScarlet]

*Anna:* here's always that one lame friend who isn't down with casual murder

[NACBEAST]

Well to give credit to Anna, yeah, she didn't get her throne but, hey, there's worse things than losing out the throne contest to John II, The Good, 'The Greatest Komnenoi Emperor', Komnenos. That's some mighty stiff competition.

[magimon]

"she wasn't too impressed by them"

Are we just gonna forget about the part where she describes Bohemond as a total beefcake?

[makotoplush]

Me: *Watching video*

*Gets notification for said video*

Well done YouTube