Andronikos Palaiologos, Lord of Thessalonike
Encyclopedia
Andronikos Palaiologos or Andronicus Palaeologus (1404 – 4 March 1428) was a Byzantine
prince and the last Byzantine governor of Thessalonica with the title of despot (despotēs), from 1408 to 1423.
Andronikos Palaiologos was a son of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos
and his wife Helena Dragaš
. His maternal grandfather was the Serb prince Constantine Dragaš
. His brothers included emperors John VIII Palaiologos
and Constantine XI Palaiologos
, as well as Theodore II Palaiologos, Demetrios Palaiologos
and Thomas Palaiologos
, who ruled as despots in Morea
.
In childhood Andronikos survived the sickness which killed his brothers Michael and an elder Constantine. He never recovered in full, remaining a man of poor health for the rest of his life. When he was only five years old his father made him a despot (despotēs) and appointed him imperial representative in Thessalonica, where he succeeded his deceased cousin John VII Palaiologos
. As he was still a minor, for the first years of his rule there, until ca. 1415/1416, he was under the tutorship of the general Demetrios Laskaris Leontares
.
After John VIII assumed control of the imperial government in 1421, the Byzantine Empire
faced an increasingly hostile Ottoman Empire
. Constantinople was attacked
by the Ottomans in 1422, and Thessalonica was subject to a long blockade in 1422–1423. Under siege Andronikos lost hope and started diplomatic initiatives for the surrender of the city to the Republic of Venice
. These negotiations (although he did not have the support of the whole of the population, and was opposed by the church, which mistrusted the Latins), a Venetian force entered the city in 1423. The handing over of Thessalonica to Venice contributed to the outbreak of the first in a series of wars between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans conquered Thessalonica in 1430.
Andronikos became a monk
less than a year after surrendering Thessalonica to Venice. He spent the rest of his life in a monastery
, dying in 1429. Before, he had had only one son, named John, and his progeny ended with his great granddaughter named Sophia Palaiologos married to Giorgio Trasci knight of Koroni
.
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
prince and the last Byzantine governor of Thessalonica with the title of despot (despotēs), from 1408 to 1423.
Andronikos Palaiologos was a son of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine Emperor from 1391 to 1425.-Life:...
and his wife Helena Dragaš
Helena Dragaš
Helena Dragaš Helena was born to Constantine Dragaš of the noble House of Dejanović. Constantine was a Serbian provincial lord, ruling one of the principalities that emerged after the breakup of the Serbian Empire, centered at Velbăžd . Her mother was Constantine's unnamed first wife...
. His maternal grandfather was the Serb prince Constantine Dragaš
Constantine Dragas
Constantine Dragaš Dejanović was a Serbian magnate that ruled the area around Kyustendil from 1378, during the fall of the Serbian Empire, until his death on May 17, 1395 at the battle of Rovine...
. His brothers included emperors John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus , was the penultimate reigning Byzantine Emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.-Life:John VIII Palaiologos was the eldest son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš...
and Constantine XI Palaiologos
Constantine XI
Constantine XI Palaiologos, latinized as Palaeologus , Kōnstantinos XI Dragasēs Palaiologos; February 8, 1404 – May 29, 1453) was the last reigning Byzantine Emperor from 1449 to his death as member of the Palaiologos dynasty...
, as well as Theodore II Palaiologos, Demetrios Palaiologos
Demetrios Palaiologos
Demetrios Palaiologos or Demetrius Palaeologus , Despot in the Morea de facto 1436–1438 and 1451–1460 and de jure 1438–1451, previously governor of Lemnos 1422–1440, and of Mesembria 1440–1451...
and Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos was Despot in Morea from 1428 until the Ottoman conquest in 1460. After the desertion of his older brother to the Turks in 1460, Thomas Palaiologos became the legitimate claimant to the Byzantine throne...
, who ruled as despots in Morea
Despotate of Morea
The Despotate of the Morea or Despotate of Mystras was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its 100 years of existence but eventually grew to take in almost all the southern Greek peninsula, the...
.
In childhood Andronikos survived the sickness which killed his brothers Michael and an elder Constantine. He never recovered in full, remaining a man of poor health for the rest of his life. When he was only five years old his father made him a despot (despotēs) and appointed him imperial representative in Thessalonica, where he succeeded his deceased cousin John VII Palaiologos
John VII Palaiologos
John VII Palaiologos was Byzantine Emperor for five months in 1390.-Life:...
. As he was still a minor, for the first years of his rule there, until ca. 1415/1416, he was under the tutorship of the general Demetrios Laskaris Leontares
Demetrios Laskaris Leontares
Demetrios Laskaris Leontares or Leontarios was an important Byzantine statesman and military leader of the early 15th century, serving under the emperors Manuel II Palaiologos and John VIII Palaiologos.- Life :...
.
After John VIII assumed control of the imperial government in 1421, the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
faced an increasingly hostile Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. Constantinople was attacked
Siege of Constantinople (1422)
The first full-scale Ottoman Siege of Constantinople took place in 1422 as a result of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II's attempts to interfere in the succession of Ottoman Sultans, after the death of Mehmed I in 1421...
by the Ottomans in 1422, and Thessalonica was subject to a long blockade in 1422–1423. Under siege Andronikos lost hope and started diplomatic initiatives for the surrender of the city to the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. These negotiations (although he did not have the support of the whole of the population, and was opposed by the church, which mistrusted the Latins), a Venetian force entered the city in 1423. The handing over of Thessalonica to Venice contributed to the outbreak of the first in a series of wars between Venice and the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans conquered Thessalonica in 1430.
Andronikos became a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
less than a year after surrendering Thessalonica to Venice. He spent the rest of his life in a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
, dying in 1429. Before, he had had only one son, named John, and his progeny ended with his great granddaughter named Sophia Palaiologos married to Giorgio Trasci knight of Koroni
Koroni
Koroni or Coroni is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Known as Corone by the Venetians and Ottomans, the town of Koroni Koroni or Coroni is a...
.