Isaac Ier

Isaac Ier born towards 1007, died in 1061, Byzantine Emperor of 1057 with 1059.

It belongs to the family of the Comnène, rich family of landowners originating in Paphlagonie and which claims to descend from one of the ancestors of Constantin I {{er}}. He is the son of a considered general, Manuel Comnène, and embraces in his turn the military career. He is distinguished in the fight against the Turks which start to invade the Anatolia. This is why the aristocratic party and soldier support it in April 1057 when it reverses Michel VI Stratiotikos and locks up it in a monastery.

Able statesman, it wishes to cleanse finances of the Empire and to decentralize the administration. By doing this, it runs up against the interests of the imperial bureaucracy like those of the clergy.

He also undertakes a complete reform of the armies, with a very military effectiveness: he ensured himself thus that the troops have a correct budget and quickly restored the severe discipline on which the safety of the Empire rested.

He also confiscates the great fields that the Favori S had been adapted, in particular those acquired by the patriarch Michel Cérulaire - to which he granted however, in recognition of the assistance that he had brought to him at the time of his accession to the throne, administration of Holy-Sophie. In spite of that, Michel Cérulaire undertakes to deposit Isaac Ier: November 8th, 1058, Isaac makes it stop and exile. This measurement ends up making Isaac unpopular.

Tired he abdicates in 1059 in favor of his principal minister, Constantin X Doukas after his/her own brother, Isaac Comnène declined the offer to succeed to him. He dies in 1061 with the Monastère of Stoudion.

He marries before 1057 Catherine of Bulgaria, girl of Jean Vladislas, tsar of Bulgaria and Marie; he does not have children.

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