In Gibbon's grand work there is, probably, no episode more graphically
and characteristically described than the story of Andronicus Comnenus;
and no more hapless a fate than that which the unfortunate young
Emperor Alexis received at the hands of the miscreant. The whole
narrative comes to us originally from the pen of the historian Nicetas,
who, being Secretary of State at the time, was not only a competent
recorder, but also a veritable eyewitness of many of the startling
incidents he relates. Gibbon merely carries his account of the
youthful monarch up to the period of his death, but Nicetas favours his
readers with a record of the still more wonderful events which were
associated with the name of Alexis, long after his real or alleged
murder.
Upon the death of the renowned Alexis, Emperor of the Eastern Empire,
his nephew, bearing the same name, was called to the throne. The young
monarch being only thirteen years of age, was placed under the
guardianship of his mother Xene, and of his cousin Andronicus, a man of
great audacity and courage, but who, despite his royal birth, had
suffered innumerable vicissitudes of fortune. Her coadjutor speedily
contrived to get the empress mother banished, forcing her own son to
sign the warrant of exile; and then, still fearful of the poor woman's
influence in the state, had her strangled. By these criminal
proceedings having got all the real power of the empire into his own
hands, Andronicus determined to secure himself against the probable
future competition of his nephew, whom he had already compelled to
accept him as a colleague in the government, by having him murdered.
It is surprising how readily the usurper appeared to find men of high
position ready to execute his nefarious schemes. Amongst the names of
the five wretches who are recorded to have assassinated their youthful
sovereign, is that of John Camaterus, who subsequently became Patriarch
of Bulgaria, and that of a Secretary of State. Three of the murderers
are said to have strangled the boy with a bowstring, and to have been
subsequently assisted by two others to fling the body into the sea.
After the assassination had been completed, Andronicus wished to view
the body of his deceased relative, who was only fifteen at the date of
his murder. Upon the corpse being brought into his presence, the
inhuman monster is recorded to have spurned it with his foot, and to
have used opprobrious language to it, and of its dead parents. The
head, it is averred, was then severed from the body, and, after having
been mutilated and stamped with the imperial seal, was flung out of
doors, whilst the rest of the poor lad's remains were enclosed in a
leaden chest, and were, as above remarked, flung into the sea.
This almost incredible tale of horror is but one out of the many
terrible crimes imputed to Andronicus, who amongst other deeds is
alleged to have obtained forcible possession of Agnes, daughter of
Louis the Seventh of France, the wife, or rather the betrothed, of the
murdered Alexis. In a little while, and the cup of his enormity was
full. Before the third year of his tyranny had expired the discovery
of his intention to have Isaac Angelus, a person of great popularity,
assassinated, drove that nobleman into open rebellion; the populace
espoused his cause, placed him on the throne, and having discovered and
seized Andronicus, put him to death by means of tortures too horrible
to detail.
Some two years or so elapsed, during which time Isaac Angelus remained
in unopposed possession of the imperial throne, when suddenly a most
unexpected claimant appeared in the person of a handsome young man of
about twenty years of age, who proclaimed himself to be the Emperor
Alexis, supposed to have been murdered some years before. Travelling
from land to land in order to obtain armed assistance for the recovery
of his alleged rights, he ultimately arrived in Armenia, then under the
dominion of the old Sultan Saladin. The Mohammedan sovereign was only
too pleased at the prospect of a war with his Christian neighbours; he
at once promised the needed assistance, asserting that it should not be
said of him that he allowed so noble and accomplished a prince (who
was, moreover, the son of his old friend, the Emperor Emanuel), to go
wandering about the earth, despoiled of his fine empire by a relative's
cruelty.
As soon as it was known that Saladin was raising troops with a view of
assisting the claimant to make war upon the empire, Isaac sent an
ambassador to beg him not to allow an impostor to deceive him into
supporting so bad a cause. The Sultan caused the ambassador to be
introduced to the pseudo Alexis, who regarded the envoy with great
hauteur, and reproached him fiercely for undertaking the commission of
the man who was withholding from his legitimate monarch the rights
which Heaven had given him; indeed, to such an extent did his real or
simulated rage carry him, that had he not been withheld he would have
torn the ambassador's beard.
Whereupon Saladin stopped the interview, dismissing the ambassador with
the assurance that he was resolved to support the cause of his guest
unto the utmost.
Aided by the Sultan, the pretended Alexis set to work to raise troops,
and, in a short time, found himself at the head of eight thousand
well-equipped and determined men. He soon became the idol of his
little host, which, gradually swelling by the incorporation of several
bands of redoubtable warriors, speedily assumed the proportions of a
regal army. Having many able officers and experienced soldiers with
him, he was enabled to assume the offensive with great success, and in
a short time took several cities and fortified places by assault. In
Halone his victorious arms met with great resistance, which so enraged
him that he put everybody to the sword, and destroyed the towns by
fire. His success doubtless procured him many adherents, but there is
every reason to believe numbers flocked to his banners in the belief
that he was the veritable person he pretended to be; he bore a strong
resemblance to the deceased prince, especially in the colour and beauty
of his hair, and the hesitation or stutter in his voice.
Prince Alexis, brother of the Emperor Isaac, who commanded the army
sent to oppose his progress, hesitated to give him battle, preferring
stratagem to open warfare. At last a priest, who was in the service of
the pretender, was suborned to relieve the imperialists of their
powerful foe. Waiting his opportunity, he one night surprised his
master, sleeping soundly after the day's exertions, and with his own
sabre severed his head from the body. The traitor carried his ghastly
spoil to the Emperor's brother, who was surprised at the remarkable
resemblance which it bore to the hair and features of the unfortunate
Alexis. Parting, says Nicetas, the fair locks of the severed head with
his whip-handle, the imperial prince remarked that it was not without
reason that several towns had received the impostor as their lawful
sovereign; but, he added, "he is now punished for his crimes."
It is strange, but not unparalleled, that soon after the death of this
claimant to the name and title of the young Emperor, another impostor
appeared in Paphlagonia, and collected a very large number of partisans
together; but after a short course of rapine and murder, he was
defeated and slain by the imperial general.