ANDRONICUS I. Comnenus, emperor of the East, was the son of Isaac, and grandson of Alexius Comnenus. Naturally active, martial, and eloquent, he shines as one of the most conspicuous characters of his age. Following the bent of his inclination, he attended the Roman army in their retreat; but in their march through Asia Minor, wandering into the mountains, he fell into the hands of some Turkish huntsmen, was carried to the sultan, and remained his prisoner; but regaining his liberty, both his virtues and vices soon recommended him to the favour of his cousin Manuel, the reigning emperor. The vicious heart of Andronicus manifested itself clearly in maintaining a licentious correspondence with Eudocia, the emperor’s niece, while the emperor himself lived in public incest with her sister Theodora. His martial spirit gained him a considerable command in Cilicia, where he laid siege to Mopsuestia; but by a successful sally of the enemy he was obliged to raise the siege, and retire in considerable disorder. Inflamed with a desire of revenging the infamy of their sister in his blood, the brothers of Eudocia made an unsuccessful attempt to assassinate Andronicus at midnight in his tent; but being awakened, he defended himself with surprising bravery, forced his way through his enemies, and escaped in safety. Afterwards engaging in a treasonable correspondence with the emperor of Germany and the king of Hungary, he was arrested and thrown into confinement. He remained in this state about twelve years, and after several repeated attempts to escape, he at last effected his purpose, and fled for refuge to the court of the great duke of Russia. The cunning of Andronicus soon found means to regain his favour with the emperor Manuel; for having exerted all his influence, he succeeded in obtaining the Russian prince to engage to join his troops with those of Manuel, in the invasion of Hungary. Accordingly, on account of his important service, he obtained a free pardon from the emperor, and after an expedition to the Danube returned with him to Constantinople. He again fell under the displeasure of the emperor, by refusing to take an oath of allegiance to the prince of Hungary, his intended son-in-law, and consequently presumptive heir to the crown, and was thereupon returned to his former command in Cilicia. While residing here, his powerful address captivated the heart of Philippa, daughter of the Latin prince of Antioch, and sister to the empress Maria; and in her company he spent his time in all the amusements that country could afford, till the emperor’s resentment put a stop to their correspondence. Thus circumstanced, he collected a band of adventurers, and undertook a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where, by his insinuating turn of mind, he so far succeeded in gaining the favour of the king and clergy, as to be invested with the lordship of Berytus, on the coast of Phoenicia. In this neighbourhood Theodora, the beautiful widow of Baldwin, king of Jerusalem, and nearly allied in blood to him, resided. The personal accomplishments and address of Andronicus captivated her heart, and she became the third victim to his artful seduction, and lived publicly as his concubine. Still pursued by the emperor with unabating resentment, he was forced to take refuge in Damascus, and then in several other places in the east, till at length he settled in Asia Minor. While residing here he made frequent incursions into the province of Trebizond, and seldom returned without success. After several occurrences Theodora was made captive by the governor of Trebizond, along with her two children, and sent to Constantinople; upon which Andronicus implored and obtained pardon. He acted the affected penitent in such a manner, that he again ingratiated himself into the favour both of the church and state; but was sent to dwell at Oenoe, a town situated on the Euxine coast.

In the year 1177 Manuel died, and was succeeded by his son Alexius IL, a youth about twelve or fourteen years of age, without wisdom or experience, by which the ambition of Andronicus was again called into action. A civil war having been occasioned by the misconduct of the empress in Constantinople, the public mind was directed towards Andronicus, as the only person whose rank and accomplishments could restore the public tranquillity. Incited by the patriarchs and patricians, he marched towards Constantinople, which he entered, took possession of the palace, confined the empress, consigned her minister to death, assumed the office of protector, put to death many persons of distinction, tried and executed the queen on a charge of corresponding with the king of Hungary, and vowed fidelity to the young emperor upon his coronation, at the same time teaching the necessity of an experienced ruler, to assuage the evils that threatened the empire; upon which his adherents called out, “Long live Alexius and Andronicus, Roman emperors.” While he affected reluctance, he was elevated to a partnership in the empire. This conjunction of the royal power was soon dissolved by the murder of the unfortunate Alexius. The body of the deceased being brought into his presence, striking it with his foot, he said, “Thy father was a knave, thy mother a whore, and thyself a fool.” Having arrived at the dignity of sole emperor, A. d. 1183, he continued to sway the sceptre with a mixture of justice and bounty towards his subjects at large; but those whom he feared or hated he governed with the most cruel tyranny. The noble families that were either cut off or exiled by him were all allied to the Comneni. Some of these were engaged in revolt; and the public calamity was heightened by an invasion of the Sicilians, in which they took and sacked Thessalonica. A rival without merit, and a people without arms, at last overturned his throne. A descendant from the first Alexius in the female line, named Isaac Angelus, being singled out by Andronicus as a victim to his cruelty, he with courage and resolution defended his life and liberty, slew his executioner, fled to the church of St Sophia, and there took refuge with several of his friends. Isaac was instantly raised by the populace from a sanctuary to a throne. When this event took place Andronicus was absent from Constantinople; but he no sooner heard of it than he with the utmost speed returned. Upon his arrival there he found himself deserted by all, and was seized and dragged in chains before the new emperor. All the eloquence he displayed was of no avail; for Isaac delivered him into the hands of those whom he had injured, and for the space of three days he endured with uncommon patience all the insults and torments that were inflicted upon him. At last two friendly or furious Italians, plunging their swords into his body, put a period to his life. His death, in the 73d year of his age, terminated the dynasty of the Comneni.

Andronicus of Cyrrhus, an Athenian astronomer, built [7:3:126]at Athens an octagon tower, with figures carved on each side, representing the eight principal winds. A brazen Triton at the summit, with a rod in its hand, turned round by the wind, pointed to the quarter from whence it blew. From this model is derived the custom of placing weathercocks on steeples.