The Influence of Tawhid (Islamic Faith in Oneness of God) on Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos

Byzantine Emperor Manuel Komnenos I, who began to question the basic Christian doctrine of trinity following the defeat at Myriokephalon, issued decrees in a way to imply that he took an interest in Islamic concept of tawhid. Considering these resolutions to be heresy, the clergy accused Komnenos of insanity because of the overwhelming defeat at Myriokephalon inflicted by the Seljuks. Manuel Komnenos spent the last days of his life striving to delete the statements cursing Prophet Muhammad and tawhid from Christian religious books despite all the accusations and attempts of obstruction. He partly succeeded in doing so. This article evaluates the reasons behind Manuel I Komnenos’ interest in Islamic faith of tawhid within historical process, explaining in this context the process during which the concept of trinity entered Orthodox creed in Byzantine Empire, and the debates and conflicts that emerged within this period until the reign of Manuel I Komnenos along with their causes and effects. This article draws upon related sources and research works; “Historia” by Niketas Choniates in particular