Anna Komnene Anna Komnene , Latinized as Comnena ( , Anna Komnēnē ; 1 December 1083 – 1153 ) was a Greek princess , scholar , physician , hospital administrator , and the daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos of Byzantium and 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 . Family and early life . Anna was born in the Porphyra Chamber ( the purple 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 and her younger siblings were ( in order of birth ) Maria Komnene , John II Komnenos , Andronikos Komnenos , Isaac Komnenos , Eudokia Komnene , Theodora Komnene . In the " Alexiad " Anna emphasizes her affection for her parents in stating her relation to Alexios and Irene . Additionally , Anna demonstrates her close familial ties in describing the scene when her mother , Irene , was pregnant , waiting for two days to give birth so that Alexios could be there . Historian Angeliki Laiou states that Anna presents this “ as evidence of the obedience she showed her parents , ” and as a demonstration of her familial affection . 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 . Education . 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 math . 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 . " Modern historian Carolyn L . Connor states that , “ education is central to Anna ’ s self - definition . ” 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 . ” Betrothal and marriage . As was customary for nobility in the medieval times , Anna was betrothed at infancy . She was to marry Constantine Doukas , the son of Emperor Michael VII and Maria of Alania . Because at the time of the engagement Emperor Alexios I had no rightful male heirs to inherit the throne , young Constantine was proclaimed the co - emperor of the Byzantine Empire . However , in 1087 a blood heir , John II , was born , and Constantine had to forfeit his imperial claims . He died shortly thereafter . In 1097 , 14 - year - old Anna Komnene married an accomplished young nobleman , the " Caesar " Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger . Nikephoros Bryennios was the son of an aristocratic family that had contested the throne before the accession of Alexios I . Nikephoros was also a renowned statesman , general , and historian . Anna claimed that the marriage was a political union rather than one of love . For the most part , however , it proved to be a successful union for forty years , and produced four children : Medical work . Anna proved to be capable not only on an intellectual level but also in practical matters . Her father placed her in charge of a large hospital and orphanage that he built for her to administer in Constantinople . The hospital was said to hold beds for 10 , 000 patients and orphans . Anna taught medicine at the hospital , as well as at other hospitals and orphanages . She was considered an expert on gout . Anna treated her father during his final illness . Claim to the throne . In 1087 , Anna ’ s brother , John II Komnenos , was born . Several years after his birth , in 1092 , John was designated emperor . According to Niketas Choniates , Emperor Alexios , Anna ’ s father , “ favored ” John and declared him emperor . On the other hand , Anna ’ s mother , Irene Doukaina , according to Choniates “ threw her full influence on the side of [ Anna ] ” and “ continually attempted ” to persuade the emperor to designate Nikephoros Bryennios , Anna ’ s husband , as emperor . Around 1112 , Alexios fell sick with rheumatism and could not move . He therefore turned the civil government over to his wife , Irene Doukaina , who directed the administration to Anna ’ s husband , Nikephoros Bryennios . As Emperor Alexios lay dying in his imperial bedchamber , John , according to Choniates , arrived and “ secretly ” took the emperor ’ s ring from his father during an embrace “ as though in mourning . ” In 1118 , Alexios I Komnenos died . A clergy in Hagia Sophia acclaimed John emperor thereafter . According to Dion C . Smythe , Anna “ felt cheated ” because she “ should have inherited . ” Indeed , according to Anna Komnene in the " Alexiad " , at her birth she was presented with “ a crown and imperial diadem . ” Anna ’ s “ main aim ” in the depiction of events in the Alexiad , according to Vlada Stankovíc , was to “ stress her own right ” to the throne and “ precedence over her brother , John . ” In view of this belief , Ellen Quandahl and Susan C . Jarratt record that Anna was “ almost certainly ” involved in the murder plot against John at Alexius ’ s funeral . Indeed , Anna , according to Barbara Hill , “ attempted ” to create military forces to depose John . According to Choniates , Anna was “ stimulated by ambition and revenge ” to scheme for the murder of her brother . Dion C . Smythe states the plots “ came to nothing . ” Ellen Quandahl and Susan C . Jarratt , record that , a short time afterward , Anna and Bryennios “ organized another conspiracy . ” However , according to Barbara Hill , Bryennios “ refused ” to overthrow John , making Anna unable to continue with her plans . With this refusal , Anna , according to Choniates , exclaimed “ that nature had mistaken the two sexes and had endowed Bryennius [ Bryennios ] with the soul of a woman . ” According to Ellen Quandahl and Susan C . Jarratt , Anna shows “ a repetition of sexualized anger . ” Indeed , Dion C . Smythe asserts that Anna ’ s goals were “ thwarted by the men in her life . ” Irene , however , according to Hill , had declined to participate in plans to revolt against an “ established ” emperor . Barbara Hill , however , points out that Choniates , whom the above sources draw upon , wrote after 1204 , and accordingly was “ rather far removed ” from “ actual ” events and that his “ agenda ” was to “ look for the causes ” of the toppling of Constantinople in 1204 . In the end , after her husband ’ s death , Anna went to a convent of Kecharitomene , which was founded by her mother , where she remained until her death . Historian . In the seclusion of the monastery , Anna dedicated her time to studying philosophy and history . She held esteemed intellectual gatherings , including those dedicated to Aristotelian studies . Anna ' s intellectual genius and breadth of knowledge is evident in her few works . Among other things , she was conversant with philosophy , literature , grammar , theology , astronomy , and medicine . It can be assumed because of minor errors that she may have quoted Homer and the Bible from memory when writing her most celebrated work , the " Alexiad " . Her contemporaries , like the metropolitan Bishop of Ephesus , Georgios Tornikes , regarded Anna as a person who had reached " the highest summit of wisdom , both secular and divine . " Being an historian , Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger had been working on an essay that he called " Material For History " , which focused on the reign of Alexios I . He died in 1137 before finishing the work . At the age of 55 , Anna took it upon herself to finish her husband ' s work , calling the completed work the " Alexiad " , the history of her father ' s life and reign ( 1081 – 1118 ) in Greek . The " Alexiad " is today the main source of Byzantine political history from the end of the 11th century to the beginning of the 12th century . It totalled 15 volumes when complete . In the " Alexiad " , Anna provided insight on political relations and wars between Alexios I and the West . She vividly described weaponry , tactics , and battles . It has been noted that she was writing about events that occurred when she was a child , so these are not eye - witness account s . Her neutrality is compromised by the fact that she was writing to praise her father and denigrate his successors . Despite her unabashed partiality , her account of the First Crusade is of great value to history because it is the only Hellenic eyewitness account available . She had the opportunity to gather information from key figures in the Byzantine elite ; her husband , Nikephorus Bryennios , had fought in the clash with crusade leader Godfrey of Bouillon outside Constantinople on Maundy Thursday 1097 ; and her uncle , George Palaeologus , was present at Pelekanon in June 1097 when Alexius I discussed future strategy with the crusaders . Thus , the " Alexiad " allows the events of the First Crusade to be seen from the Byzantine elite ' s perspective . It conveys the alarm felt at the scale of the western European forces proceeding through the Empire , and the dangers they might have posed to the safety of Constantinople . Special suspicion was reserved for crusading leader Bohemond of Taranto , a southern Italian Norman who , under the leadership of his father Robert Guiscard , had invaded Byzantine territory in the Balkans in 1081 Anna Komnene ' s literary style is fashioned after Thucydides , Polybius , and Xenophon . Consequently , it exhibits struggle for an Atticism characteristic of the period , whereby the resulting language is highly artificial . For the most part , the chronology of events in the " Alexiad " is sound , except for those that occurred after Anna ’ s exile to the monastery , when she no longer had access to the imperial archives . Nevertheless , her history meets the standards of her time . The exact date of Anna Komnene ’ s death is uncertain . It is inferred from the " Alexiad " that she was still alive in 1148 . Moreover , the " Alexiad " sheds light on Anna ’ s emotional turmoil . She wrote that no one could see her , yet many hated her . Thus , she loathed the isolated position in society that exile had forced upon her . Depictions in fiction and other media . Anna Komnene plays a secondary role in Sir Walter Scott ’ s 1832 novel " Count Robert of Paris " . Fictional accounts of her life are given in the 1928 novel " Anna Comnena " by Naomi Mitchison , and the 1999 novel for young people " Anna of Byzantium " by Tracy Barrett . She appears prominently in the first volume of the trilogy " The Crusaders " by a Polish novelist Zofia Kossak - Szczucka , written in 1935 . A novel written in 2008 by the Albanian writer Ben Blushi called " Living on an island " also mentions her . The novel Аз , Анна Комнина ( " I , Anna Comnena " ) was written by Vera Mutafchieva , a Bulgarian writer and historian . She is also a minor character in Nan Hawthorne ' s novel of the Crusade of 1101 , " Beloved Pilgrim " ( 2011 ) . Anna appears in video game campaigns as a Byzantine princess diplomat , under the name Anna Comnenus . In Julia Kristeva ' s 2006 murder mystery , " Murder in Byzantium " , Anna Komnene is the focus of the villain ' s scholarly and amorous fantasy of the past . The novel includes considerable detail on Anna Komnene ' s life , work , and historical context .