Alexios I and his negotiations with the crusade leaders (OCR GCSE History B (Schools History Project)): Revision Notes

Alexios I Komnenus (or Alexius I Comnenus), was the Byzantine Emperor from 1081 to 1118. Though he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, his family came into full power during his reign.

What was left with Alexios I at the beginning of his reign was a collapsing empire as it was in constant warfare with the Seljuk Turks and Normans. Thus, he created the Komnenian restoration to recover what was left of the empire. Part of his idea for restoration was his appeal to Pope Urban II to help him against the Turks.

In 27 November, 1095, Pope Urban II (in response to Alexios' appeal) publicly called all Western Christians for a Crusade at the Council of Clermont. He specifically preached that the Holy Land should be rescued from the Muslims.

All walks of life responded and the First Crusade was born. To ensure the welfare of his territory, Alexios I, Emperor of the Byzantium, insisted Crusade leaders pledge an oath of loyalty to him. Due to non-united enemies, the crusaders besieged the Holy Land and founded the crusader states of Edessa, Antioch, Tripoli and Jerusalem, instead of returning the recovered lands to the Byzantines.