Anna's account is of particular interest as it is one of the few accounts of the crusading era authored by a woman. Her fierce dedication to her father and the Byzantine cause comes through her work very clearly, leaving no doubt of her perspective. Her depictions of the crusaders are at times humorous, as she finds them on occasion rude and often arrogant. She depicts her father as sincere, but clever, in his dealing with the otherwise dangerous crusader armies coming through Constantinople on their way to the Holy Land.
Anna's exposure to scholarly circles may have influenced her efforts. She was married to a historian and ultimately retired to a monastery dedicated to learning when she began work at the age of 55 on The Alexiad, a fifteen volume history of her family.
The Alexiad [Full Text]- Internet History Sourcebooks
The Alexiad [Full Text] [PDF] In Parenthesis
Anna Comnena- Crusades-Encyclopedia
Alexius I Comnenus- Crusades-Encyclopedia
Byzantine Empire- Crusades-Encyclopedia
First Crusade- Crusades-Encyclopedia
Primary Sources of the First Crusade- Crusades-Encyclopedia
Crusades Chroniclers and Authors of Primary Sources- Crusades-Encyclopedia
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