the establishment of the Latins at Constantinople in 1204, secured
possession of a fragment of the empire in Asia Minor, and founded the
empire of Trebizond (q.v.), which lasted till 1461, when David Comnenus,
the last emperor, was deposed by Mahommed II.

For a general account of the family and its alleged survivors see
article "Komnenen," by G. F. Hertzberg, in Ersch and Gruber's
_Allgemeine Encyklopadie_, and an anonymous monograph, _Precis
historique de la maison imperiale des Comnenes_ (Amsterdam, 1784);
and, for the history of the period, the works referred to under ROMAN
EMPIRE, LATER.

COMO (anc. _Comum_), a city and episcopal see of Lombardy, Italy, the
capital of the province of Como, situated at the S. end of the W. branch
of the Lake of Como, 30 m. by rail N. by W. of Milan. Pop. (1881)
25,560; (1905) 34,272 (town), 41,124 (commune). The city lies in a
valley enclosed by mountains, the slopes of which command fine views of
the lake. The old town, which preserves its rectangular plan from Roman
times, is enclosed by walls, with towers constructed in the 12th
century. The cathedral, built entirely of marble, occupies the site of
an earlier church, and was begun in 1396, from which period the nave
dates: the facade belongs to 1457-1486, while the east of the exterior
was altered into the Renaissance style, and richly decorated with
sculptures by Tommaso Rodari in 1487-1526. The dome is an unsuitable
addition of 1731 by the Sicilian architect Filippo Juvara (1685-1735),
and its baroque decorations spoil the effect of the fine Gothic
interior. It contains some good pictures and fine tapestries. In the
same line as the facade of the cathedral are the Broletto (in black and
white marble), dating from 1215, the seat of the original rulers of the
commune, and the massive clock-tower. The Romanesque church of S.
Abondio outside the town was founded in 1013 and consecrated in 1095; it
has two fine campanili, placed at the ends of the aisles close to the
apse. It occupies the site of the 5th-century church of SS. Peter and
Paul. Near it is the Romanesque church of S. Carpoforo. Above it is the
ruined castle of Baradello. The churches of S. Giacomo (1095-1117) and
S. Fedele (12th century), both in the town, are also Romanesque, and the
apses have external galleries. The Palazzo Giovio contains the Museo
Civico. Como is a considerable tourist resort, and the steamboat traffic
on the lake is largely for