26/02/2026
Isaac Komnenos (c. 1155 – 1195/1196) was a claimant to the Byzantine Empire and the ruler of Cyprus from 1185 to 1191. Contemporary sources commonly refer to him as the emperor of Cyprus. His wife is Princess Irene, daughter of the ruler of Cilician Armenia Thoros II and Isabella de Courtenay from the County of Edessa. He lost the island to King Richard I of England during the Third Crusade.
The English took Isaac prisoner near Cape Apostolos Andreas on the Karpas Peninsula, the northernmost tip of the island. According to tradition, as Richard had promised not to put him into irons, he kept Isaac prisoner in chains of silver. The English transferred Isaac to the Knights Hospitaller, who kept him imprisoned in Margat near Tripoli.
This was a major turning point in the history of Cyprus, leading to the foundation of the Kingdom of Cyprus which would rule the island for several centuries.
On his return to England, King Richard granted the town of Portsmouth the coat of arms of Isaac Komnenos: "a crescent of gold on a shade of azure, with a blazing star of eight points" – in recognition of the significant involvement of soldiers, sailors, and vessels from Portsmouth in the conquest of Cyprus.
