The Tower of Anemas and Its Prisoners

Carlo Zen and the Legend of the Escape Attempt

In the Venetian account of the attempt made by Carlo Zen to rescue John III Palaiologos from the Tower of Anemas, Zen is described as reaching the foot of the tower in a boat. From there, he supposedly climbed up to the window of the prison using a rope. If this version were true, it would rule out the claim that a Heraclian tower could be the Tower of Anemas, since that part of the wall could not be reached by boat.

It is possible, in theory, that one could approach the southern and northern towers in this way, but only if the moat in front of Leo’s Wall extended from the Golden Horn to the Wall of Manuel Komnenos and was filled with water. However, this idea seems highly unlikely. No historian mentions such a situation, not even when describing the Crusader attack on this side of the city in 1203. Writers such as Nicetas Choniates gave very detailed descriptions of the event but said nothing about a water-filled moat. Similarly, during the final siege of Constantinople, when the moat before Leo’s Wall was repaired, no mention is made of boats reaching the towers.

For these reasons, the dramatic account of Carlo Zen’s daring rescue attempt sounds more like romance or legend than real history. It has little value for serious study of the city’s topography. The story, however, can still be read in Le Beau’s Histoire du Bas-Empire (Vol. XII, pp. 174–179).

The First Inmate Michael Anemas

The Tower of Anemas became known by the name of its first prisoner, Michael Anemas. He was a descendant of Emir Abd-el-Aziz ben Omar ben Choaib, remembered in Byzantine history as Kurapas. This emir was famous for defending Crete during the reign of Romanos II, when the Byzantine general Nikephoros Phokas captured the island from the Saracens.

When the victorious Byzantine army returned to Constantinople, the emir and his family were brought to the capital as prisoners. They were displayed in the triumphal procession celebrating Phokas’s success. The emir, his wives, his eldest son Anemas, and other family members, all dressed in long white robes and bound in chains, walked with such dignity that they impressed the crowds who came to watch Private Balkan Tours.

Generosity Toward the Defeated

To the credit of the Byzantines, the emir was treated with respect after the celebrations. Instead of being punished or humiliated further, he was given a large estate near Constantinople. He was allowed to live peacefully with his family, free from persecution for his faith. Remarkably, if he had agreed to convert to Christianity, he would even have been made a senator.

This story shows that, despite the brutal warfare of the age, acts of generosity and fairness could still be found. The emir’s capture and dignified treatment created a legacy remembered in the history of the Tower of Anemas.