John II Komnenos
John II Komnenos is widely regarded by historians as the finest of the Komnenian emperors and possibly the most admirable individual to have held the Byzantine throne in the middle period. Known as Kaloioannes - John the Beautiful or John the Good - he was celebrated by contemporaries and later historians alike for his personal integrity, military ability, and administrative virtue. He refused the bribes that were customary at imperial accessions, reportedly distributing to charity what others would have kept. Militarily, he spent almost his entire reign on campaign and achieved results that reversed decades of decline. He defeated the Pechenegs decisively in 1122, ending their threat permanently. In the east he pressed deep into Cilician Armenia and northern Syria, reasserting Byzantine suzerainty over the Crusader principalities - the Prince of Antioch was forced to do homage to John in 1138. He died in 1142-1143 in a bizarre accident - a poisoned arrow wound sustained in a hunting accident in Cilicia. His premature death deprived Byzantium of a ruler at the height of his powers. His son Manuel I inherited a far stronger empire than he had found.
- Lived: 1087 CE – 1143 CE
- Nationality: byzantine
- Roles: emperor, head_of_state, military_leader, general
