Hello everyone and welcome to the history of Byzantium, episode 347, Trebizond, part one.

On the 11th of September 1185, Phil The old Andronicus Cominus woke up in his comfy bed.

He was at one of his Asian palaces and was enjoying life as usual. He had his concubines by his side,

he had his 14-year-old French wife there, perhaps he was reminiscing about that affair he had with his cousin's attractive daughter,

or that other affair he'd had with his other cousin's attractive daughter.

Sure, Thessaloniki had just been sacked, but you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs,

and he was 65 years old.

He was determined to enjoy his last few years on earth.

Surely he'd earned that after a life of prudence and restraint.

That's why he'd gone to bed, having given the order to have Isaac Angoulos murdered in the morning.

Always nice to wake up to good news.

What's that? Isaac killed the assassins and a crowd is rallying to the

Aheir Sophia to protect him. Well, that's a downer. I'm sure you remember the rest.

Andronicus was dismembered by the crowds in the hippodrome and Isaac Angilos became the new

Roman emperor. This spelt disaster for Andronicus's sons from his first

marriage. John was murdered by his own troops, while his eldest boy, Manuel was seized and

blinded by the new imperial regime. Manuel had two infant sons, Alexius and David. We can't be sure of their movements

after this period, but it seems likely they remained in Constantinople and were educated with the

rest of their extended family. The Byzantine aristocracy were not a very vindictive class.

The boys were not punished for the misdeeds of their grandfather.

But 15 years later, a major coup centred on the figure of John Comninos the Fat.

John's supporters managed to seize the Great Palace before the Varangian Guard cut them down.

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