c. 1148 CEReputable sourceWell documented
Anna Komnene and the Alexiad
On the timeline · around c. 1148 CE ·
What happened
Anna Komnene, the learned daughter of Alexios I, wrote the Alexiad — a sweeping history of her father's reign and the coming of the First Crusade, composed in archaizing Greek. Barred from power after a failed bid for the throne, she retired to a convent and turned to scholarship, producing one of the masterpieces of medieval literature.
Why it matters
The Alexiad is a priceless eyewitness account of Byzantium and the Crusades from the Greek side, and Anna Komnene is often called the first female historian — a rare woman's voice from the medieval world.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Anna Komnene · Reputable source