John II Komnenos, Emperor of Byzantium

"John II Komnenos ruled over the Byzantine Empire from 1118 to 1143. His contemporaries often describe him as the best emperor of his dynasty, the Komnenoi, and 'one of the best emperors of all time' (so wrote the famous historian Niketas Choniates). However, today John remains the least famous of the Komnenian emperors, overshadowed by his celebrated father, Alexios, and his legendary son, Manuel. How can the relative obscurity of this Emperor be explained in the light of his military successes, Byzantine territorial expansion in Asia Minor, and the construction of the most important monastic complex of twelfth-century Constantinople? Why has John been neglected by modern historians? What new historical evidence can lead to a reassessment of the achievements of his reign? This book sets out to answer these questions. It includes contributions both by leading experts on the period and by scholars at an earlier stage of their careers, combining overviews of the reign with detailed analysis of events and problematic issues. Coverage is interdisciplinary, from art history to literature, from theology to diplomatic history"--