Editing Komnenos (section)

==Founding the dynasty==
[[Isaac I Komnenos]], a [[stratopedarch]] of the East under [[Michael VI]], founded the Komnenos dynasty of [[Byzantine emperor]]s. In 1057 Isaac led a coup against Michael and was proclaimed emperor. Although his reign lasted only until 1059, when his courtiers pressured him to abdicate and become a monk, Isaac initiated many useful reforms. The dynasty returned to the throne with the accession of [[Alexios I Komnenos]], Isaac I's nephew, in 1081. By this time, descendants of all the previous dynasties of Byzantium seem to have disappeared from the realm, such as the important [[Skleros|Scleros]] and [[Argyros (Byzantine family)|Argyros]] families. Descendants of those emperors lived abroad, having married into the royal families of [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]], [[Russia]], [[France]], [[Persia]], [[Italy]], [[Germany]], [[Poland]], [[Bulgaria]], [[Hungary]] and [[Serbia]]; this made it easier for the Komnenos family to ascend to the throne.

Upon their rise to the throne, the Komnenoi became intermarried with the previous [[Doukas]] dynasty: Alexios I married [[Irene Doukaina]], the grandniece of Constantine X Doukas, who had succeeded Isaac I in 1059. Thereafter the combined clan was often referred to as {{tlit|grc|Komnenodoukai}} ({{lang|grc|Κομνηνοδούκαι}}) and several individuals used both surnames together.{{sfn|Varzos|1984a|p=27}} Several families descended from this wider clan, such as [[Palaiologos]], [[Angelos]], Vatatzes and [[Laskaris]]. Alexios and Irene's youngest daughter Theodora ensured the future success of the Angelos family by marrying into it: Theodora's grandsons became the emperors [[Isaac II Angelos]] (reigned 1185–1195 and 1203–1204) and [[Alexios III Angelos]] (reigned 1195–1203).