Byzantine Empire under the Doukas dynasty

Byzantine Empire Βασιλεία Ῥωμαίων (Ancient Greek) Imperium Romanum (Latin)
1059–1081
The Byzantine Empire in 1081 before the coronation of Alexios I
Capital	Constantinople
Common languages	Greek, Armenian, Aromanian, Old Bulgarian, South Slavic languages
Religion	Greek Orthodox Church
Government	Bureaucratic semi-elective monarchy
Emperor
• 1059–1067	Constantine X Doukas
• 1071–1078	Michael VII Doukas
History
• Abdication of Isaac I Komnenos	1059
• Coronation of Alexios I	1081
Preceded by Succeeded by Byzantine Empire under the Macedonian dynasty Byzantine Empire under the Komnenos dynasty Sultanate of Rum Danishmendids Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia Grand Principality of Serbia

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The Byzantine Empire was ruled by emperors of the Doukas dynasty between 1059 and 1081. There are six emperors and co-emperors of this period: the dynasty's founder, Emperor Constantine X Doukas (r. 1059–1067), his brother John Doukas, katepano and later Caesar, Romanos IV Diogenes (r. 1068–1071), Constantine's son Michael VII Doukas (r. 1071–1078), Michael's son and co-emperor Constantine Doukas,^[1][2] and finally Nikephoros III Botaneiates (r. 7 January 1078 – 1 April 1081), who claimed descent from the Phokas family.

Under the rule of the Doukids, Byzantium was fighting a losing battle against the Seljuk Turks, losing most of its remaining possessions in Asia Minor following the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 and the following civil war after the death of Romanos IV Diogenes. Byzantium also incurred substantial loss of territory in the Balkans, to the Serbs, as well as losing its final foothold in Italy, to the Normans.

Although the Crusades gave the empire a temporary respite during the 12th century, it never recovered fully and eventually entered its period of fragmentation and terminal decline under the pressure of the Ottomans in the late medieval period.

In 1077, Alexios Komnenos, then a general, married Irene Doukaina, the great-niece of Constantine X. His marriage to a Doukaina made him senior to his elder brother Isaac, and it was Doukai financial and political support that largely facilitated the successful coup that brought him to the throne.^[3]