John II Komnenos: John the Good

This video discusses the reign of John II Komnenos the third emperor of the Komnenian dynasty to hold the title of emperor. He was known for his clemency, high moral character, vigerous campaigns, adroit diplomacy and general recovery of the fortunes of the Byzantine Empire following his father's reign.
Predecessor: Alexios I Komnenos
• Alexios I Komnenos: Cr...
Successor: Manuel I Komnenos
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Bibliography:
Niketas Choniates, O City of Byzantium, Annals of Niketas Choniates, Translation by Magoulias,
H. J. (1984)
Angold, M. (1997) The Byzantine Empire, 1025-1204. Edinburgh.
Bucossi, A and Suarez, A. R. (2016) John Komnenos, Emperor of Byzantium: In the Shadow of Father and Son, London.
Harris, J. (2003) Byzantium and the Crusades - Second Edition, London.
Treadgold, W. (1997) A History of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford.
Image Credits:
Anna Komnene by Leslie Edens:
www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/15044...
John II and Irene(Piroska) by Alexandra Adamkovicova:
www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/44212...
Byzantine Cataphract by Enes:
www.pinterest.ch/pin/69383650...
Music Credit: 'Rivers' 'Time' and 'Balance of Power' by Ed Lima and Steve Maitland from Empire Earth by Sierra.

[@hopeprevails3213]

Honestly probably the best emperor Eastern Rome ever had, I'm not even kidding. Justinian, Heraclius, Basil, Alexios, all are incredible, but this man managed to turn the tide in such dire times for the realm that I actually find it hard to believe. It's true that his father managed to stop the crisis and provide long awaited stability, but he still left the empire in a critical condition and struggling to keep up financially and militarily. John not only made the state perhaps the richest in Europe, but rebuilt the army, fixed the nepotism, stabilized the Balkans, absolutely murdered the Pechenegs, reconquered half of Anatolia incredibly quickly with minimum casualties... and was genuinely a kind and good character, loved by his people. I sincerely believe his only mistake is Venice and not improving the empire's external relationships. I can't imagine what would've happened if that suspicious incident didn't take place... probably Byzantium would've been still standing today.

[@DimitarFCBM]

I also think he's the best ERE Emperor ever. Certainly better than Basil and Justinian, even better than Alexios.

[@dillonblair6491]

@@DimitarFCBM I'm not sure abouts heraclius though, although I could see why someone might think that given what happened in his later years

[@iDeathMaximuMII]

@@dillonblair6491 Heraclius was a tragedy John II, the Augustus of the Empire was a really good ruler & if the Empire had more rulers such as him. Then the Romans could’ve been a surviving state. Much smaller yes but still alive nonetheless

[@Cecilia-ky3uw]

@@DimitarFCBM Alexios is arguable, since he did preserve a crumbling empire, his reign's job was not to regain territory, it was to reconsolidate what was disorganised

[@Cecilia-ky3uw]

@@iDeathMaximuMII Heraclius was a tragedy, a good emperor who got EXTREMELY unlucky, like unbelievably unlucky, luck the level of getting invaded by cheat armies after you just won a long, long and painful war against the Persians using your wits

[@user-iu1eg2pt7i]

Komnenian Restoration is such an underrated period of Byzantine history.

[@erwannthietart3602]

a final century of golden age for an Empire fated to have fallen after Manzikert and a few centuries of life it was never going to see otherwise

[@danijelkasunic7572]

I am so glad you did this. John is my favourite emperor as he leaves so much space for 'what if'. If he had at his disposal resources that emperors from Macedonian dinasty had we could only imagine what he could have done.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

He is one of my favourites too. Not only building on his father's efforts but laid the ground work for further successes, which were seen through by Manuel. Thanks for the comment.

[@Sandouras]

Basically if his son was as focused as he was and if the Byzantine Empire started to get a national identity, instead of every faction looking for itself. And instead of every idiot trying to become emperor, starting a civil war in the process.

[@celdur4635]

@@Sandouras Indeed, they needed to reform and spark the rise of early nationalism OR go back to being a republic without an emperor, similar to early Rome but with important reforms which was unfortunately nigh impossible. The ERE needed many good generals and many good domestic leaders to succeed and having the Throne so "open" to anyone was a detriment rather than a boon.

[@funfff]

He is my favored emperor as well. He achieved so much in only 25 years (his father Alexios and son Manuel ruled each for 37 years) with the minimum blood spillage. He practically abolished capital punishment during his reign. Great general, great statesman, genuinely good man...

[@nikolamaksic4790]

He is my favourite emperor too. Empire was on the brink of the existence and broke when Alexios ascended the throne so that he had to confiscate church property and melt gold and silver relics to pay for mercenaries. Even tough Alexios stabilized the Empire, it was John who paved the road for Manuel and his Balkan conquest and even oportunity to pay for coup in Apulia making the Empire the wealthiest european power. Shame more sources werent preserved so we would know how he did it.Having that in mind even mediocre emperor would conquer Balkan and subdued turkish warlords and emirates all the way to Armenia / Antioch and undued Manzikert. But unfortunately Manuels personality and one bad decision after another brought 1204 on the Empire and after the blood was spilled between West and East there was no going back.

[@RealCrusadesHistory]

Good job ERE!

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you RCH

[@rickyyacine4818]

Hmm crusaders 😒😒

[@mikeperry7335]

they really should make a tv or streaming show about the byzantine empire

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I agree, though a good historical show is rare anyway and the byzantine empire is a niche within a niche.

[@danielchequer5842]

I personally think the life of the ERE emperors is much more interesting than the life of most WRE emperors. Not only that, but biz aesthetics is waaay cooler too. Ppl underestimate how good looking and unique a show about the ERE could be

[@kevinhayes6933]

Mike Perry it would be grand indeed.the best thing about it it's real and did happen, imagine the intrude, back stabbing,jealousy, plots battles, affairs and the lust for power and gold. Make Dallas look like a Sunday pinic

[@ceilingfangroyper7604]

Like most historical shows made today they’d probably corrupt the story, add extreme amounts of diversity in it, make good people seem bad I don’t know I just don’t trust major companies with the Roman empires legacy

[@rickyyacine4818]

@@EasternRomanHistory like Justinian the great or basil the 2nd personally I like alexios 1st

[@SuperWalshBros]

Blessed John. If only he had lived longer!

[@rickyyacine4818]

😢😢😢😢 true

[@hachibidelta4237]

Or not designate manuel as heir

[@rickyyacine4818]

@@hachibidelta4237 manual wasn't bad it just he wasted to much too in non important stuff

[@lordofhostsappreciator3075]

@@hachibidelta4237 Manuel was great, but not fantastic unlike his father.

[@VarangianOblast]

He should serve as an example for most rulers of nowadays

[@entertainmentforthedead]

best and most intriguing Empire in human history and way too underrated.

[@savabout6487]

Of all the Byzantine Empererors who are Saints in the Orthodox Church, Constantine, and Justinian, it is confusing why John is not one. He seems to he the epitome of a virtuous Monarch. The king who cared for his people who fought for them through charity and military defense. His wife Irene is a saint.

[@septimiusseverus343]

John was one of the very best. My personal favourite of the Komnenian Big 3.

[@johnrevo3178]

Nice account of the second emperor of the Comnenian dynasty, avoiding much of the usual Western misunderstandings. Consice, yet accurate and informative. Extra credit for the title of the channel, he was (much like his predecessors and successors) a Roman Emperor, ruling over the surviving Greek speaking Eastern part of the old Roman Empire.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you very much. I had to do justice to one of my favourite emperors

[@tacocruiser4238]

There was a French king in the 14th century with the exact same name "John II The Good". He was captured by the English at the Battle of Poitiers during the 100 Years War and sold for a hefty ransom. I think the Byzantine version was much more deserving of the title "The Good" lol.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Indeed, John II of France was not the best king but had the misfortune of coming up against Edward III, one of England's greatest sovereigns. John II of Constantinople, was a consummate ruler in his own way though he fell short from being a great one.

[@emilioduarte7089]

if only he had finished the conquest of Anatolia.... but then they would have to face the wrath of the mongol.

[@nickpapadopoulos9978]

Knowing john the good's and his successors personalities the possibility of a mongol invasion would be avoided because there mongols had one golden rule when it came to diplomacy was not killing the diplomats!

[@iDeathMaximuMII]

@@nickpapadopoulos9978 Yeah, for how barbaric the Mongols were. They had enough decency to treat envoys with incredible respect since they weren’t soldiers

[@rickyyacine4818]

Wait wait a sec if john restore Anatolia its actually not that bad the mongol will arrive in 1240s so by that time I think could have found away to sruvive although they could lose few areas in Anatolia

[@ezzovonachalm7534]

Τhank You for the citation of Choniates who, in his description of the emperor reveals much more highly significative details than would emerge from an universitary 45 ' conference.

[@Diego-zz1df]

Why the hell aren't there more dedicated history books and biographies on the three main Komnenos emperors, especially about John II? There's only one short book I can find about him and very few about his father Alexios and his son Manuel.

[@justjohn1121]

Well done! So well done it makes me feel sadness for what could have been. The last chance of the Roman Empire I think. Tragic! John II is the who I use to reclaim the east in its entirety in Medieval:Total War 2, then I focus on the west. The possibilities with him and his dynasty! Had they not been killed...😢

[@EasternRomanHistory]

It is tradgic in a way, especially considering how he died. Some question as to the true affectiveness of John's military campaigns, I am of the opinion that he was a success.

[@rickyyacine4818]

@@EasternRomanHistory if only did basil the 2nd strategy and cut the turk from the back the suljik turks would be surrounded by Byzantine manual would have easily task to removed them

[@AndreasFly007]

Great job! Keep it good man so excited to find new channels like yours

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you Andreas, glad you like it. Be sure to listen to my other content.

[@Jinseual]

Good video!

[@jonathanwick7948]

I am Aulas. The video is very informative. Its going to be very helpful for my book. Thank you.

[@djd770]

Was the best of the Komnenoi a genius. His son Manuel was merely competent when the empire needed a genius. His death was a huge blow to Rome.

[@user-kp9od1jn1z]

Nikephoros “Gigachad”Bryennios the younger, refusing to make the conspiracy against John

[@rogelioalonzo2911]

you sir are the only man to cover this great man.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you! Of my early videos it is one of the better ones.

[@histguy101]

I just love your "prrrroper arrrristocratic" readings

[@drakonos79]

in a way, it reminded me of what would happen if Peter Cushing ( star wars' Grand Moff Tarkin) was reading the histories.

[@shadoweyes5808]

His actual name translates into John The Beautiful and not John The Good.

[@kevinhayes6933]

Only recently came across your channel. Very well done ,my only complaint was , it wasn't long enough. 30 min would be great. Very, very well done👍

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I actually have a 1 hour and 30 min discussion about John II which you can find here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/m52vnZSsfdGrsKc

[@williampaz2092]

I have a very difficult time accepting that John “accidentally” grazed himself with a poisoned arrow. I have not researched this but I just don’t think he would have been that careless or would have needed a poisoned arrow to go hunting.

[@mikehawk2003]

He cut himself while mounting the arrow on the bow, and he chose not to tend to the wound for days until it started to get infected.

[@ezzovonachalm9815]

​​​​​​@@mikehawk2003 in this case it was not the poison that killed Ioannes Komnenos but a letal infectious complication of for days neglected wounds called "fasciitis necroticans" due to a combination of Staphylococcus aureus and anaerobe microbes: they cause a letal septicemia ( infection of the blood). I know this dangerous form of neglected wounds because my agnatic great uncle did not care about an accidental wound of his left thumb. Eirene, the blond wife of Iōannes was an hungarian cousine of mine called Piroska ( spell piróshka), the daughter of king Árpád Szent Lászlo (1077-1095) and of Adelheid von Rheinfelden,a daughter of Gegenkönig Rudolf von Rheinfelden and Adelaïde de Susa, the heir of the comté de Savoie. Eirenè is the name she assumed after her conversion from catholic to greek orthodoxy.

[@atrides7]

Perfect videos keep working I am huge fun

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thank you very much.

[@Kayla-dm8nr]

This is my ancestor!

[@zaferzaferoglu978]

Kim senin Atan

[@jpmisterioman]

It would be nice to add the sources and bibliography into the description. Apart from that, good vídeo!

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thanks for the request. Bibs now in the description.

[@ezzovonachalm7534]

Thank You for the image of Haghia Sophia without .. minarets.

[@doylekitchen9795]

You got to love Niketas Choniates, O City of Byzantium. Easy to read, which surprises me. Of course I am still working on it. Fascinating book.

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Indeed, it is a delight to read and except for one paragraph of translation gobbledygook, it is well translated too. The history is generally up their as some of the best Byzantine histories ever written.

[@aycemanm8151]

You need to have one dedicated to Manuel I his reign was a brilliant reign maybe not as good as John I but Manuel really was the last emperor to reign over the empire at its final peak.

[@rush4in]

Great video. You'd get a like for the EE music alone. :D

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Thanks Rush4in, I intend to make it my go-to background score so stay tuned.

[@brokenbridge6316]

Sounds like this Emperor was a good one. Nice job with the video.

[@stratagos4610]

a remarkable emperor

[@user-tm8zs7ow5h]

The Marble Emperor ☦️.

[@patricktully6719]

Are there any other videos about John the 2nd komnenos so I could learn more about him?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

I am glad you liked the video. It is a old one now. I mention a few things about John II here, kzbin.info/www/bejne/jmeZhHuPlJl4bK8 but unfortunately, I have not had much a chance to do a very detailed video about him.

[@constantinexii8182]

The greatest komnenian emperor

[@rickyyacine4818]

The komenos and parealogos till michael 8th was last and final hope for Byzantium 😢😢😢

[@John-el.]

imagine to live in an era with a Roman Empire and a ''holy'' Roman empire

[@John-el.]

@علي ياسر lol , that might be a recipe for world domination :)

[@John-el.]

@علي ياسر oh then please tell me more about it how can i find more and in what version of islam is ​it in? but it's funny because in Greek Orthodox christianity there is a simmilar one about an Eastern Roman Emperor (John vatazes) who will retake constantinople and restore the lost legacy of Rome

[@John-el.]

@علي ياسر lol both prophecies sounds like they have epic battles. thx for the info future allie! tho if this prophecies are to come true, I hope not forn much bloodshed in the second part

[@John-el.]

@علي ياسر ye... fixed it

[@britannialibertas4092]

He was cool

[@rickyyacine4818]

Remind me of u 😢😢

[@tanthedreamer]

empire earth theme :)))

[@EasternRomanHistory]

Sure is

[@stoneruler]

God I can’t believe he died in such an accident.

[@izaya_253]

Allegedly.

[@wirhymes420]

I have heard there is a chance Anna did not try to get her husband on the throne

[@EasternRomanHistory]

This is something that has been argued by Leonora Neville since only Choniates mentions her participation in the coup but a general problem is that both Choniates and Cinnamus wrote many decades after these events and we don't have the origin source they based their accounts on. So any challenge to the sources in this way has to also be challenged.

[@wirhymes420]

@@EasternRomanHistory Kind of unclear exactly what happened but Leonora has done some good research for sure. Wish we had more sources.

[@andrei-mn2nc]

Y esto lo dice un rumano ,porque no se ,pero nosotros los rumanos hemos sido. Bizance apree Bizance. ,,cuando todo esto ha desaparecido,antes que aparecer algun poder ruso, toda la Iglesia Ortodoxa ha sido respaldada por los Principes Rumanos, desde el Monte Athos hasta el Momte Sinai, y es que se llaman principes porque el titulo era Domn, como los imperadores romanos,porque el titulo de rey lo daba el papá,pero a nosotros ne daba igual, asi ha sido la edad media,

[@mylifeisgoodgg]

Was he greeck?

[@EasternRomanHistory]

He would probably tell you that he was a Roman. His family hailed from Anatolia and he was born in the palace in Constantinople. One ruler that was most certainly a Greek was Irene of Athens, you can guess where she came from.

[@dimitriosvlissides5781]

In short yes

[@mylifeisgoodgg]

@@dimitriosvlissides5781 john komnenos was greeck in my opinion like natinonality

[@mylifeisgoodgg]

@@EasternRomanHistory he was born in comni in trache and in my opinion he was greeck_armenian .you can find a manufract writen in koine greeck where you can see that john is greeck

[@mylifeisgoodgg]

@@EasternRomanHistory john was grecko armenian like in origin but roman in name

[@rickyyacine4818]

The real question is : manual his son sound black but john wife is white and john himself white is he adopted ? 🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@user-ee6ee3rd6f]

Well ethnically speaking the Komnenos dynasty was greek which means olive skinned. John was described as really ugly btw. Now dark skin is common in byzantine iconography. All of our icons in Greece portray the saints, Jesus, Mary as olive skinned, Mediterranean

[@rickyyacine4818]

@@user-ee6ee3rd6f well that make sense

[@konstantinriumin2657]

John was noted for being dark skinned. In fact he was considered physically ugly for having dark skin, dark hair and brown eyes

[@hachibidelta4237]

He is dark skinned because he spent most of his time on campaign, and well Greek arent exactly fair skinned compared to northern European. Manuel is half Hungarian, but probably inherited his father skin tone.

[@mylifeisgoodgg]

He was greeck

[@adrianocarvalho6113]

He was roman

[@alexanderkordas682]

​@@adrianocarvalho6113Same thing, at least since the 7th century AD.

[@adrianocarvalho6113]

@@alexanderkordas682 Hellenes were considered pagans (therefore "bad people") by the "byzantines"(romans).