Graitzas Palaiologos
Encyclopedia
Konstantinos Graitzas Palaiologos (Gr. Κωνσταντίνος Γκραίτζας Παλαιολόγος) was the commander of the Byzantine
garrison at Salmeniko Castle
near Patras
during the invasion of the Despotate of Morea
by the forces of Mehmed II
of the Ottoman Empire
in 1460.
Graitzas descended from an obscure branch of the Palaiologos
family, but showed far more valor than his distant relatives, the siblings and co-ruling Despotes
Thomas Palaiologos
and Demetrios Palaiologos
. Whereas the former fled to Modon
, Corfu
, and finally Rome
and the latter surrendered outright to the Sultan, Graitzas maintained his position. He held his redoubt until July 1461, long after the surrender of his lords, at which point he was offered safe passage and a commission in the armed forces of the Republic of Venice
.
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...
garrison at Salmeniko Castle
Salmeniko Castle
The Salmeniko Castle or Orgia or Oria Castle is a castle founded in Achaia in the modern municipality of Erineos on the Panachaiko mountain.- History :...
near Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
during the invasion of the Despotate of 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...
by the forces of Mehmed II
Mehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
of the 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...
in 1460.
Graitzas descended from an obscure branch of the Palaiologos
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
family, but showed far more valor than his distant relatives, the siblings and co-ruling Despotes
Despotes
Despot , was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent...
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...
and 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...
. Whereas the former fled to Modon
MODON
frame|Established : 2001 Type : [[Public]]Category : [[Industrial district|Industrial cities]]Head Office : [[Riyadh]]Country : [[Saudi Arabia]]Website :...
, Corfu
Corfu
Corfu is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the second largest of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the edge of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The island is part of the Corfu regional unit, and is administered as a single municipality. The...
, and finally Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
and the latter surrendered outright to the Sultan, Graitzas maintained his position. He held his redoubt until July 1461, long after the surrender of his lords, at which point he was offered safe passage and a commission in the armed forces of 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...
.
Sources
- The Immortal Emperor, by Donald NicolDonald NicolDonald MacGillivray Nicol FBA, MRIA was a British Byzantinist.- Life :Nicol was born to a Church of Scotland minister, and received a classical education at King Edward VII School in Sheffield and St Paul's School in London...
. - The Fall of Constantinople 1453, by Steven RuncimanSteven RuncimanThe Hon. Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman CH — known as Steven Runciman — was a British historian known for his work on the Middle Ages...
. - Byzantium: Decline and Fall & A Short History of Byzantium, by John Julius NorwichJohn Julius NorwichJohn Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO — known as John Julius Norwich — is an English historian, travel writer and television personality.-Early life:...
. - Prosopographisches Lexikon der PalaiologenzeitProsopographisches Lexikon der PalaiologenzeitThe Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit , abbreviated PLP, is a German-language reference work on the people of the Palaiologan period of the Byzantine Empire .It was published between 1976 and 1995 by the Austrian Academy of Sciences, under the direction of Erich Trapp, with the...
, IX no. 21497, ed. E. Trapp et als.