First, thank you for reading my novel. I hope you have enjoyed this adventure with Anna Dalassena and the other Byzantines of her era. The part she played in the history of the Byzantine Empire was critical, and one I thought deserved to be told.
Next, while this is a work of fiction, I am a stickler for historical accuracy and do my best to stay close to the historical record. Fortunately, there are three contemporary historians who wrote about this period: Michael Psellus, Michael Attaleiates, and John Skylitzes. In addition, Anna’s granddaughter, Anna Comnena, wrote a history of her father’s reign, “Alexiad,” which overlaps for a few years with the earlier three historians. These sources provided a wealth of information about the events in my novels. I’ve also been fortunate that there are many historians these days researching and writing about the Byzantines. My book, “Byzantine History in the 11th Century: A Brief Introduction,” includes a listing of many of my sources among modern historians. I have immense respect for all their work.
I strayed from the historical record a couple of times. One area where I did was for Anna Dalassena’s grandfather, Adrian Dalassenus. The record says he was the son of Constantine (Uncle Costas in my novels) Dalassenus, but given Uncle Costas’s ten years imprisoned by the Fatimids in Egypt, it seemed more likely that Adrian was his much younger brother. I’ve also seen Eudokia Makrembolitissa’s birth as listed in the 1020’s, but given that she was still giving birth in 1070, that also seemed unlikely.
There is no record of a friendship between Anna Dalassena and Eudokia Makrembolitissa. However, they would certainly have known each other well. Constantine Ducas’s first wife was a Dalassena (I’ve made her a cousin of Anna’s); Ducas was a supporter of Isaac I Comnenus’s rise to the throne; and Eudokia’s second husband, Romanus I Diogenes, was a cousin of Anna’s.
The Battle of Manzikert was a pivotal event in Byzantine history. It was one the Emperor Romanus IV Diogenes could have won but for the treachery of John Ducas and his son, Andronikos, and their supporters. The tragedy of that betrayal echoes even into modern times.
Michael Psellus, the historian and bureaucrat, recedes from this novel with the arrival of the eunuch, Nikephoritzes. It appears that after he was removed from imperial service John Ducas commissioned Psellus to write his history of the 11th century’s emperors to the time of Michael VII Ducas. He likely died during Michael’s reign since his history ends with fulsome praise of that inept ruler, probably in the vain hope of returning to the emperor’s inner circle. My website (eileenstephenson.com) includes three blog posts about Psellus.
One question that often comes up with historians is why Anna Dalassena allowed her son Alexios to marry Irene Ducaena, the daughter of the traitor of Manzikert and the granddaughter of John Ducas who had had her (Anna) tried for treason. The family connection she had with Marie of Bulgaria was a clue, but still didn’t seem to be enough that Anna could overlook Andronikos and John Ducas’s betrayals. My idea of the manipulative John Ducas tricking Alexios and Anna into accepting it seemed plausible, but we will never know for sure.
Thomas the eunuch was completely invented. I’ve read that the use of eunuchs diminished during the Comnene dynasty, so I thought Anna’s sympathy for Thomas’s plight might have played a part in that.
Blindings of rebels and former rulers was commonplace in the Byzantine Empire until the Comnene. We also know from Anna Comnena’s “Alexiad” that her grandmother was adamantly opposed to the use of that punishment. There was only one recorded blinding that occurred in the reign of Alexios I Comnenus, and it probably broke Anna’s heart to order it. That’s a story, though, for the next book.
I have many people to thank for their help with this novel. First, the editor and cover designer for all my books, the wonderful Jenny Quinlan. There’s also Julie Witmer who created the beautiful map at the start of the book. Hal Stull and Bruce Bustard gave me regular and invaluable feedback in our writers’ group. And then there were my beta readers: Tinney Sue Heath, James Conroyd Martin, Scott Hieger, and Jane Rawoof. Each of them looked at the story from a different perspective and gave it the tough love it needed. Thank you to all of you!
Finally, thank you to my husband, Ken, and our children and grandchildren. You’ve kept me from becoming a reclusive hermit obsessing about people who lived a thousand years ago!
One final, final note:
Reviews are critical for all authors, but especially for indie authors who are not traditionally published with all the marketing staff those big publishers have. Please consider leaving a review or a rating at your favorite bookstore, Goodreads, Bookbub, or other reader websites you might frequent. I am always grateful for feedback from my readers. Thank you!