Comnenus or Komnenos (Greek: Κομνηνός), plural Komnenoi or Comneni (Κομνηνοί, pronounced /komniní/), was the name of a ruling family of the Eastern Roman or Byzantine Empire, who ruled the Byzantine state from 1081 to 1185, and later, as the Grand Komnenoi (Μεγαλοκομνηνοί, Megalokomnenoi) founded and ruled the Empire of Trebizond (1204–1461).