Early in his military career, this ruler successfully tricked the adventurer-turned-prince Roussel de Bailleul (“roo-sell day BYE-yull”) into abandoning his capital by blindfolding him. A history of this ruler’s reign that opens by quoting Sophocles claims he got stabbed in the buttocks while fighting nomads who later helped him win the Battle of Levounion (“lev-own-ee-yun”). This ruler introduced the hyperpryon as a replacement for his empire’s previous debased coin, the (*) nomisma. A future ally of this ruler previously routed his right flank at the Battle of Dyrrhachium (“dir-ACK-ee-yum”). A laudatory chronicle of this ruler written by his daughter Anna includes an account of his appeal to Pope Urban II for aid against the Seljuk Turks. For 10 points, name this Byzantine emperor during the First Crusade. ■END■
ANSWER: Alexios I Komnenos [or Alexius I; prompt on Alexios or Alexius]
<Benjamin McAvoy-Bickford, European History>
= Average correct buzz position