Alexius I Comnenus was the best known of all the East Roman Emperors in Icelandic stories, and his Icelandic name of Kirjalax is one that became attached to more than one Emperor, in particular to Alexius's son John II. Through his skill in diplomacy and military strategy he was able to arrest the decay of the Empire so well that by the prudent management of affairs by his son and grandson the inevitable process of dissolution was kept back for a century, and, indeed, enough vitality was left to ensure the continuation of a modified Byzantium for two centuries longer. The present chapter deals largely with the reigns of the three great Comneni and, as in the other chapters, will only trespass on to non-Varangian history of Byzantium as far as is necessary to explain the Varangian aspects.

As a result of the devastation and conquest of the centre of Asia Minor by the Seljuks, and also through the loss of population in the European themes, the Comnenian Emperors had greater difficulty in keeping up a native army of a reasonable size than their predecessors, and they were accordingly driven to use mercenaries to a much greater extent, which was in turn a much heavier demand upon the financial resources of the Empire and therefore looked upon with distaste by those who remembered better times.