The image of emperor Andronikos I Komnenos in the works of A. P. Kazhdan. Artistic specificity and historical reality

The article is devoted to a critical comparison of the artistic image of Emperor Andronikos I Komnenos (1183-1185), created by Alexander Petrovich Kazhdan, and historical reality, which influenced the formation of the personality of Andronikos Komnenos and his worldview. The author criticizes the conclusions of A. P. Kazhdan about the evolution of the Byzantine heavy cavalry. The author comes to the conclusion that the personality and worldview of Andronikos Komnenos were formed not so much under the influence of his military experience, as under the influence of the family tradition of the Komnenian clan about the emperors Nikephoros II Phokas (963-969), John I Tzimiskes (969-976) and Alexios I Komnenos (1081-1118), which was witnessed in writing by the Princess aunt of Andronikos, Anna Komnena, in a correspondence polemic with Michael Attaliates, who sang the praises of Nikephoros III Botaniates (1078-1081).