The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-28

possessed even merchant vessels In Mr..
oman's opinion this monopoly OF European
commerce was one OF the greatest elements In
the strength NJ the byzantine empire. He
thinks that the subsequent concession OF FREQ
TRADE to the vonetians dealt an irreparabie
blow TO it's financial resources.
1t Is beyond question that the notion OF
Alextus Comnenus entertained BY most peonle
who deem themselves well educated Is de-
rived from tho portrait OF that Emperor In
SCOTS Count Robert OF Paris" Curiously.
too. although that novel is on the wholep tho
feeblest and least trustworthy OF the authors
productions. the particular figure OF Alexius
is In the main outlines correctly drawn. Here
Is the picture OF him by Mr.. Oman. based on
the studies Of Finlay and Dury. who. as we
have said. approached the Investigation OF
byzantine annals in Q spirit very different
from Gibbon's: "Alexius was a man OF cour-
ago and ability. but he displayed one OF tho
worst types OF Byzantine character. Indeed.
he was the first Emperor to whom the epithet
Byzantine In its common and opprobrious
sense could be applied. He was the most ac-
complished liar OF his age. and while
winning and defending the throne committed
enough acts OF mean treachery and swore
enough false oaths to startle even the cour-
tiers Of Constantinople. He could fight when
necessary. but he preferred to win by treason
and perjury. Yet as a ruler he had many vir-
tues. and 1t will always be mem bered to his
credit that no dragged the empire out OF the
deepest slough OF degradation and ruin that 1t
had ever sunk into. Though false. he was not
cruel. and seven ex-Emperors and usurpers.
living unharmod in Constantinople under his
sceptre. bore witness to the miidness OF his
rule. The tale OF his reign sufficiently bears
witness TO the strange mixture OF lAoral OBJ
liauity and practical ability In his character"
Tho importance of the role OF AleXius In his
tory is recognized when We compare the situa-
tion in which he found the Byzantine empire
with that in which no left 1t. When he usurped
the throne in 1851 his position was as difficult
and perilous as that in which Leo the ~Isaurian
was placed in III. He had to faco at one and
the same time the assaults Of the Seljuks in
Asia Minor and those OF a new and formidable
foe. the Normans. whose invasion OF his west
ern provinces was contemporaneous with their
conquest OF England. The dominions Of tho
Seljuk Sultan. at this time. extended as far az
the Propontls. and included the city OF Nicna.
close to the Bithynian shore, and only seventy
miles from Constantinople. AS for the Nor
mans. after wrestling Sicily from the Saracens.
they had stripped the Greek empire OF Calabria
and Apulia. and In Juno. 1OSl-fftcen years
1 ~ NlChOIy VI "ililuh NV SohIuSlol
at Hastings-they crossed tho Straits OF
Otrnnto. thirty thousand strong. and laid siege
to Durazzo, on the Epirote coast. In tho first
twelvemonth they inflicted n crushing defeat
on AleXius. took Dura2Zo. and descended into
Thessaly. but by the close Of 1888 the skilful
strategy OF tho Emperor resulted in the dis
persion OF the invading army. and when
Robert Guiscard died. in 1856. the danger from
the Normans passed away. 1t was through
the extraordinary sagacity evinced in his
dealings with the Crusaders that Alexius was
able not only to avert the fate which overlook
Constantinople at the hands OF the western
nations a century later. but also to recover a
large part Of Asia Minor from the Seljuks. II
ever diplomacy has won 4 triumph over brute
force it was in the long and tedious negotia-
tons BY which the Byzantine emperor
prevailed upon all the leaders OF the
| Crusade. from Godfrey OF Bouillon down
to the smallest baron. to swear him al
| legiance. Characteristic also was the course
which he pursued in the succeeding campaign.
| While the Crusaders were plunging through
Asia Minor. dealing SCATTERING blows at the
Turks. Alexius followed in their rear at a
safe distance. picking w the spoil which they
had left. By the time the Franks had entered
Syria the Byznntines had recovered SO much
territory that the Turkish frontier In Asia was
| rolled back 200 miles. Instead OF the Seljuk
lying Mt NicTa he was now chased behind the
Bithynian hills. and the empire had regained
all Lydia and Caris with much Of the Phrygian
highlands. So hard hit were tho Seliuks that
for we'll nigh a hundred years they were re-
duced to fight on the defensive. Thus it came
to pass that the end Of tho reign of Alexius
was delivered from tho dangers which had
overshadowed its beginning. So much
strengthened was his position that when in
11n7 fha Nnrmapa nndar Jpbon,npt IF
Tarentum tried to repeat the fents
which Robert Guiscard had accom-
plished in 1882. they were beaten OIL with ease.
The renewed vitality which he had impaired
to the empire survived Alexius for ut least u |
generation. Under his son. John the Good. |
the only Byzantine ruler OF whom no detractor
has ever said an evil word. the Greek frontier
In Asia continued to advance ut the expense OF
the Turks. Johns son. Manuel. was also sue
cessful in defending tho frontiers and main
tanning tho prestige Of the Eastern empire.
He overran Servia. invaded Hungary. to
whose king no dictated terms OF peace. and no
beat off an invasion of Greece BY the SiciliRn
Normans. In a naval engagement with the
Nenetians. he was victorious and drovethe gal |
leys OF the DoGe out OF the IIgean. The one
severe defeat which no experienced through
carelessness at tho hands of the SelJuks does
not seem 10 have resulted in any loss OF terri |
tory. When he died. however. in 1850. the
good fortune OF the house OF Comnenus and
OF tho byzantine empire passed away.
Wiz.
Historians have agreed that the greatest
crime ever perpetrated against civilization was
the sacking OF Constantinople in 1904 by the
leaders Of the Fourth Crusade. and the par
titioning Of tho Eastern empire among the
representatives Of Latin nations. 1t Is true
that in 1861 Michael Ialcologus. who had
made himself ruler Of tho small Greek State
in Bithynia. grandilouuently called tho En-
pire OF NicGa. recovered possession OF Con-
stantinople. Here his descendants reigned
until 1853. and to an unobservant reader tho
record OF the PaleoIogi looks like tho natural
continuation OF older byzantine history. But
the truth is that in the interval tho Byzantine
realm had undergone n fatal transformation.
AS regards tho external signs OF change it Is
obvious that tho lands subject to Michael
5000. ,,-,n tr,i NJ Ia, xSnu