Anna Comnena
| Anna Komnene Porphyrogenita of the Byzantine Empire |
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|---|---|
| Born | 1 December 1083 Porphyra Chamber, Great Palace of Constantinople, Constantinople, Byzantine Empire |
| Died | 1153 (age 70) Monastery of Kecharitomene, Constantinople, Byzantine Empire |
| Spouse | Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger |
| Issue | Alexios Komnenos, Megas doux John Doukas Irene Doukaina Maria Bryennaina Komnene |
| House | House of Komnenos |
| Father | Alexios I Komnenos |
| Mother | Irene Doukaina |
Anna Komnene (Greek: Ἄννα Κομνηνή, Ánna Komnēnḗ; 1 December 1083 – 1153), commonly Latinized as Anna Comnena, was a Byzantine princess, scholar, physician, hospital administrator, and historian. She was the daughter of the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I and his wife Irene Doukaina. She wrote the Alexiad, an account of her father’s reign, which is unique in that it was written by a princess about her father.
Anna was born on 1 December 1083 in the Porphyra Chamber of the imperial palace of Constantinople and was thus a porphyrogenita. She notes her imperial heritage in the Alexiad by stating that she was “born and bred in the purple." She was the eldest of seven children; her younger siblings were (in order) Maria, John II, Andronikos, Isaac, Eudokia, and Theodora, but she remained her father's favorite. In the Alexiad, Anna emphasizes her affection for her parents in stating her relation to Alexios and Irene. Anna notes in the Alexiad in her early childhood that she was raised by the former empress, Maria of Alania, who was the mother of Anna’s first fiancé, Constantine Doukas. The fact that Anna was raised by her future mother-in-law was a common custom.
Anna writes at the beginning of the Alexiad about her education, highlighting her experience with literature, Greek language, rhetoric, and sciences. Tutors trained her in subjects that included astronomy, medicine, history, military affairs, geography, and mathematics. Anna was noted for her education by the medieval scholar, Niketas Choniates who wrote that Anna “was ardently devoted to philosophy, the queen of all sciences, and was educated in every field." Anna’s conception of her education is shown in her testament, which credits her parents for allowing her to obtain an education. This testament is in contrast to a funeral oration about Anna given by her contemporary, Georgios Tornikes. In his oration he says that she had to read ancient poetry, such as the Odyssey, in secret because her parents disapproved of its dealing with polytheism and other “dangerous exploits,” which were considered “dangerous” for men and “excessively insidious” for women. Tornikes goes on to say that Anna “braced the weakness of her soul” and studied the poetry “taking care not to be detected by her parents.”
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