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HISTORICAL SKETCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE.
XXX111
taken prisoner by the Turks, who scooped
out his eyes; of which he died, covered with
worms, and in extreme misery.
Michael VII.,(Parapinace,) crowned in 1071,
and resigned in 1078, and retired to a
monastery. He was called Parapinace because he had suffered the bushel of corn to
be reduced to the size of a quart. He associated his two brothers with him in the
empire, under the names of Andronicus I.
and Constantine XII.
Nicephorus III., (Botoniates,) was crowned
1078 : he resigned in 1081, and entered a
monastery. In his reign, Doomsday Book
began to be compiled in England, to ascertain the tenure of estates.
Restoration of the Family of Comnenus.
Alexius I., (Comnenus,) was crowned in 1081,
and died in 1118. He lived to the age of
seventy-one, and reigned thirty-seven. His
daughter, Anna Comnena, illustrated this era
by her writings. The history of her father's
eventful reign is yet extant. In England,
William Rufus and Henry I. were his contemporaries, and the first crusade commenced.
Johannes IL, (Comnenus,) Kalojohannes, began his reign in 1118, and died in 1143, of
the wound of a poisoned arrow, accidentally
inflicted by himself. He obtained the name
of Kalojohannes for his personal beauty.
His contemporary in England was Stephen.
Manuel I., (Comnenus,) was crowned in 1143,
and died in 1180. In his reign the canon
law was drawn up, and the second crusade
commenced.
Alexius II., (Comnenus,) was crowned in 1180,
and died in 1183. He was murdered by his
successor Andronicus.
Andronicus I., (Comnenus,) was crowned in
1183, and died in 1185. He was cruelly
put to death, also, by his successor, who
caused his eyes to be put out, *md his hands
cut off, and then led him through the city,
seated on a camel, when he was torn in
pieces by the multitude.
Isaak IL, (Angelus,) was crowned in 1185,
and in 1195 his eyes were put out. In his
reign the third crusade commenced. His
contemporary in England was Richard I.
Alexius III. (Angelus) was crowned in 1195,
and died in 1204. The deposition of his
brother Isaak was the pretext to the Crusaders for the sack of Constantinople.
Isaak III., Alexius IV., Alexius V., (Ducas
Mourzoufle,) 1203. In six months, five emperors were crowned at Constantinople;
three were murdered, and two fled Mourzoufle (so called from his dark eye-brows)
was cast from the monument of Theodosius.
The Crusaders took and sacked the city,
and the empire was partitioned : Lascaris
obtained Niccea and Bythinia; Alexius,
Trebisond ; and Michael, Epirus.
Frank Family,
Baldwin I., (Robert,) crowned in 1204. He
was drawn into an ambush by the Greeks
and Bulgarians, by whom some say he was
cut to pieces. He never afterwards appeared.
Aristotle's works were now first brought from
Constantinople. Ghengis Khan reigned in
Tartary, and Magna Charta was extorted
from king John in England.
Henry was called to the throne on the supposed death of his brother in 1206, and
reigned 10 years.
Baldwin II. was crowned in 1228 ; deposed in
1261. He fled to Italy. The Latin dynasty
was extinguished, and the Greek restored.
The Inquisition was established in the Latin
church. Henry III. reigned in England.
Family of the Palceologi.
Michael VIII. (Paleeologus) crowned in 1262;
died in 1283. He was regent during the
minority of John Lascaris, whom he put to
death. He endeavoured to effect an union
between the Greek and Latin churches without success. The Mamelukes now seized
on Egypt. Edward I. reigned in England.
AndronicusII., (Paleeologus,) was crowned in
1283, and abdicated in 1328. He retired
to a monastery, where he lived to the age
of seventy-four. The Turks seized on Bythinia, and Othman established his capital
at Brusa. From him thev are since called
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