1143–1180 CEReputable sourceWell documented
Manuel I Komnenos and the Last Revival
On the timeline · around 1143–1180 CE ·
What happened
Manuel I Komnenos, the last great emperor of his dynasty, presided over a final flowering of Byzantine power, wealth, and culture. An energetic and ambitious ruler, he campaigned from Italy to the Holy Land and dominated the empire's neighbours. But his overreaching wars strained the state, and his defeat by the Seljuks at Myriokephalon in 1176 dashed hopes of retaking the Anatolian interior.
Why it matters
Manuel's reign was the empire's last age of greatness. After his death the Komnenian order collapsed into instability — leaving Byzantium fatally weak on the eve of the Fourth Crusade.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Manuel I Komnenos · Reputable source