Isaac II Angelos facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Isaac II Angelos |
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| Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans | |||||
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Portrait of Isaac II (from a 15th-century codex containing a copy of the Extracts of History by Joannes Zonaras)
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| Byzantine emperor | |||||
| Reign | 12 September 1185 – 8 April 1195 |
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| Predecessor | Andronikos I Komnenos | ||||
| Successor | Alexios III Angelos | ||||
| Reign | 19 July 1203 – 27 January 1204 |
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| Coronation | 1 August 1203 | ||||
| Successor | Alexios V Doukas | ||||
| Co-Emperor | Alexios IV Angelos | ||||
| Born | September 1156 | ||||
| Died | January 1204 (aged 47) Constantinople (now Istanbul, Turkey) |
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| Spouse | Eirene Komnena or Palaiologina (ended 1185) Margaret of Hungary
(m. 1185–1204) |
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| Dynasty | Angelos | ||||
| Father | Andronikos Doukas Angelos | ||||
| Mother | Euphrosyne Kastamonitissa | ||||
| Religion | Greek Orthodox | ||||
Isaac II Angelos (born September 1156 – died January 1204) was a Byzantine Emperor. He ruled the Byzantine Empire twice. His first time as emperor was from 1185 to 1195. He then ruled again from 1203 to 1204.
Isaac's father was Andronikos Doukas Angelos, a military leader. His mother was Euphrosyne Kastamonitissa. Isaac's grandmother, Theodora Komnene, was the youngest daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. This meant Isaac was part of the important Komnenoi imperial family.
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Becoming Emperor
Isaac was described as having red hair and a ruddy (reddish) face. He was of average height and strong.
During the short rule of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos, Isaac and his family were part of a revolt. Surprisingly, Emperor Andronikos did not punish Isaac for this. Isaac stayed in Constantinople, the capital city.
On September 11, 1185, a high-ranking official named Stephen Hagiochristophorites tried to arrest Isaac. Isaac fought back and killed Hagiochristophorites. He then sought safety in the famous church of Hagia Sophia.
Emperor Andronikos I was known for being cruel, even though he was a skilled ruler. People in Constantinople disliked him. Isaac asked the people for help, and a large uprising quickly spread through the city. When Andronikos returned, he had lost the support of the people. Isaac was declared the new emperor. Andronikos tried to escape but was caught. Isaac handed him over to the people, and Andronikos was killed on September 12, 1185.
First Time as Emperor
Isaac II Angelos made his position stronger by arranging important marriages. In 1185, his niece Eudokia Angelina married Stefan, a prince from Serbia. Isaac's sister Theodora married Conrad of Montferrat, an Italian marquis.
In January 1186, Isaac himself married Margaret of Hungary. She was the daughter of King Béla III. Margaret was renamed Maria. Hungary was a powerful neighbor, and Margaret was related to many royal families across Europe.
Early Victories and Challenges
Isaac's rule began with a big win against the Normans from Sicily. On November 7, 1185, his forces defeated King William II at the Battle of Demetritzes. William had invaded the Balkans with a large army and many ships.
However, Isaac faced other challenges. His efforts to take back Cyprus from a rebellious noble failed because of Norman interference. Some people in the Holy Land mistakenly thought Isaac was helping the Muslims because of his fleet. However, historians have shown that Isaac did not have an alliance with Saladin against the Third Crusade.
Isaac's government was largely run by two important people. His uncle, Theodore Kastamonites, managed all civil affairs until he died in 1193. After him, Constantine Mesopotamites gained even more power over the emperor.
Rebellions and Crusades
Isaac's high taxes, needed to pay his armies and for his marriage, led to a rebellion in 1185. This uprising, known as the Vlach-Bulgarian Rebellion, led to the creation of the Second Bulgarian Empire.
In 1187, a general named Alexios Branas was sent to fight the Bulgarians. But he turned his army against Isaac and tried to take Constantinople. Isaac's brother-in-law, Conrad of Montferrat, defeated and killed Branas. Also in 1187, Isaac made a deal with Venice. Venice would provide ships for the empire in exchange for good trading rights.
The emperor then had to deal with problems in the east, where several people tried to claim the throne. In 1189, the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa asked for permission to lead his troops through the Byzantine Empire for the Third Crusade. Isaac was suspicious that Barbarossa wanted to conquer Byzantium. This was because Frederick had been in contact with the Bulgarians and Serbians, who were enemies of the Byzantine Empire.
Barbarossa's army occupied the city of Philippopolis. They defeated a Byzantine army that tried to take the city back. The Byzantines tried to bother the Crusaders, but some Armenians told the Germans their plans. The Crusaders, who had more soldiers, caught the Byzantines by surprise and defeated them. Because of this, Isaac II had to agree to his promises in 1190. He released German messengers who were held in Constantinople and exchanged hostages. This was to make sure the Crusaders would not attack local towns. In March 1190, Barbarossa left Adrianople to sail to Asia Minor.
By 1196, Isaac II had allowed the strong Byzantine navy to shrink to only 30 ships.
Wars with Bulgaria and Overthrow
The next five years were filled with wars against Bulgaria. Isaac led several attacks himself. But these efforts did not work well. In 1190, Isaac barely escaped with his life during one battle. The Byzantines suffered another big defeat in the Battle of Arcadiopolis in 1194.
Isaac planned another attack against Bulgaria in 1195, working with the Kingdom of Hungary. But while Isaac was away hunting, his older brother, Alexios Angelos, declared himself emperor. The soldiers quickly accepted Alexios III as the new emperor on April 8 or 9.
Second Time as Emperor
After being held captive for eight years, Isaac II was brought out of prison to become emperor again. This happened after the Fourth Crusade arrived and Alexios III fled the capital. Isaac's mind and body were weakened from being imprisoned. His son, Alexios IV Angelos, became co-emperor and was the real ruler.
Alexios IV owed a lot to the Crusaders and could not keep his promises to them. This made him lose the support of both the Crusaders and his own people. In January 1204, an important official named Alexios Doukas Mourtzouphlos used riots in the capital to imprison Alexios IV and take the throne. Isaac II died at this time, possibly from shock. Alexios IV was killed shortly after.
People Who Tried to Take the Throne
During Isaac's reign, several people tried to take the throne from him. These included:
- Alexios Branas
- Theodore Mangaphas
- Pseudo-Alexios II
- Basil Chotzas – He started a rebellion near Nicomedia. He had some success but was later caught and imprisoned.
- Isaac Comnenus (nephew of Andronicus I Comnenus) – He escaped from prison and went to Hagia Sophia to stir up a crowd. He was caught and harmed to get names of his helpers. He died the next day.
- Constantine Tatikios – He secretly gathered 500 people in Constantinople. They avoided being caught for a while, but he was eventually reported, captured, and blinded.
His Rule
Isaac is often seen as one of the less successful Byzantine emperors. He allowed his empire to be managed by people who were not worthy. He spent a lot of money from his provinces on expensive buildings and gifts for churches.
During his rule, the empire lost some important areas:
- In 1185, Lefkada, Kefallonia, and Zakynthos were lost to the Normans.
- The Second Bulgarian Empire was re-established after a rebellion, leading to the loss of parts of Thrace and Macedonia.
- Cilicia was taken back by the Armenians.
- Cyprus was taken from the empire by the Franks.
Family Life
Isaac II's first wife was named Irene. Their daughter, also named Irene, is buried in Speyer Cathedral. Isaac's first wife was likely a Byzantine noblewoman. She was either dead or divorced by 1185, when Isaac remarried. Their children were:
- Anna-Euphrosyne Angelina, who married Roman the Great.
- Irene Angelina (born around 1181–died 1208). She first married Roger III of Sicily and then Philip of Swabia. Isaac is an ancestor of many European monarchs today through Irene's children with Philip.
- Alexios IV Angelos (born around 1182–died 1204).
With his second wife, Margaret of Hungary (who took the name "Maria"), Isaac II had two sons:
- Manuel Angelos (born after 1195 – died 1212). He was considered for the Byzantine throne in 1205.
- John Angelos (born around 1193 – died 1259). He moved to Hungary and ruled over Syrmia and Bacs.
See also
In Spanish: Isaac II Ángelo para niños
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