The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire · Character
Isaac II Angelus
Also known as Emperor Isaac, Sursac, Isaac Angelus
- Supporting
- First seen · Book 1 · Ch. 216
There's something both regal and vulnerable in his presence—a descendant of imperial blood who carries the weight of supreme power with vanity and jealousy, his vacant hours filled with the amusements of comedians and buffoons.
- Gender
- male
- Age
- Adult man
- First appears
- Book 1 · Ch. 216
- Books
- 1
Isaac II Angelus began as a descendant in the female line from the great Alexius, marked as a potential victim by prudence or superstition. He rose to power through a revolution that cast Andronicus from the throne, becoming emperor without merit or mercy. His reign was marked by secret alliances with Turks, the founding of a mosque in Constantinople, and a lifestyle of royal luxury that included feasts and buildings exceeding previous examples. Eventually, he was deposed and blinded by his brother Alexius.
Description
A Byzantine emperor with the imperial bearing of one descended from the great Alexius through the female line. His appearance is marked by the physical effects of blindness and gout, wearing imperial robes and crown that signify his status. His features suggest both the vanity and jealousy that characterized his exercise of supreme power, with the presence of one whose vacant hours were amused by comedians and buffoons.
Story so far
BOOK 1The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire / Table of Contents with links in the HTML file to the two Project Gutenberg editions (12 volumes)
Appearances
Meet Isaac II Angelus in Bookworm
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