Michael IX Palaiologos
Encyclopedia
Michael IX Palaiologos or Palaeologus , (April 17, 1277 – October 12, 1320, Thessalonica, Greece
), reigned as Byzantine co-emperor with full imperial style 1294/1295–1320. Michael IX was the eldest son of Andronikos II Palaiologos
and Anna of Hungary (1260-1281), daughter of Stephen V of Hungary
.
, and in 1304–1305 he was charged with dealing with the rebellious Catalan Company
. After the murder of the Catalan commander Roger de Flor
, Michael IX led the Byzantine troops (augmented by Turks and 5–8,000 Alanians) against the Catalans, but was defeated and wounded.
Michael IX was also ultimately unsuccessful against Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria
in 1307, concluding peace in 1307 and marrying his daughter to the Bulgarian emperor. In 1311, Michael IX was defeated by Osman I. Michael IX eventually retired to Thessalonica, where he died in 1320.
A brave and energetic soldier willing to make personal sacrifices to pay or encourage his troops, Michael IX was generally unable to overcome his enemies and is the only Palaiologan emperor to predecease his father. Michael IX's premature death at age 43 was attributed in part to grief over the accidental murder of his younger son Manuel Palaiologos by retainers of his older son and co-emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos
.
(renamed Maria, later nun Xene), daughter of King Leo III of Armenia
and Queen Keran of Armenia
on 16 January 1294. By this marriage, Michael IX had several children, including:
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
), reigned as Byzantine co-emperor with full imperial style 1294/1295–1320. Michael IX was the eldest son of Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos , Latinized as Andronicus II Palaeologus, was Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. He was the eldest surviving son of Michael VIII Palaiologos and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina, grandniece of John III Doukas Vatatzes...
and Anna of Hungary (1260-1281), daughter of Stephen V of Hungary
Stephen V of Hungary
Stephen V , was King of Hungary from 1270 to 1272.-Early years:...
.
Life
Michael IX Palaiologos was acclaimed co-emperor in 1281 and was crowned in 1294 or 1295. In 1300, he was sent at the head of Alanian mercenaries against the Turks in Asia MinorAsia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
, and in 1304–1305 he was charged with dealing with the rebellious Catalan Company
Catalan Company
The Catalan Company of the East , officially the Magnas Societas Catalanorum, sometimes called the Grand Company and widely known as the Catalan Company, was a free company of mercenaries founded by Roger de Flor in the early 14th-century...
. After the murder of the Catalan commander Roger de Flor
Roger de Flor
Roger de Flor , also known as Ruggero/Ruggiero da Fiore or Rutger von Blum or Ruggero Flores, was a military adventurer active in Sicily, Italy and the Byzantine Empire...
, Michael IX led the Byzantine troops (augmented by Turks and 5–8,000 Alanians) against the Catalans, but was defeated and wounded.
Michael IX was also ultimately unsuccessful against Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria
Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria
Theodore Svetoslav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1300 to 1322. The date of his birth is unknown. He was a wise and capable ruler who brought stability and relative prosperity to the Bulgarian Empire after two decades of constant Mongol intervention in the internal issues of the Empire...
in 1307, concluding peace in 1307 and marrying his daughter to the Bulgarian emperor. In 1311, Michael IX was defeated by Osman I. Michael IX eventually retired to Thessalonica, where he died in 1320.
A brave and energetic soldier willing to make personal sacrifices to pay or encourage his troops, Michael IX was generally unable to overcome his enemies and is the only Palaiologan emperor to predecease his father. Michael IX's premature death at age 43 was attributed in part to grief over the accidental murder of his younger son Manuel Palaiologos by retainers of his older son and co-emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia...
.
Family
Michael IX Palaiologos married Rita of ArmeniaRita of Armenia
Rita of Armenia was a daughter of King Levon II of Armenia and Queen Keran. She was the wife of Byzantine co-emperor Michael IX Palaiologos, making her a junior empress-consort of the Byzantine Empire. In 1317, she became the only empress upon the death of the senior empress, Irene of Montferrat...
(renamed Maria, later nun Xene), daughter of King Leo III of Armenia
Leo III of Armenia
Leo II or Leon II was king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, ruling from 1269/1270 to 1289. He was the son of King Hetoum I and Queen Isabella and was a member of the Hetoumid family.-Early life:Leo was born in 1236, the son of King Hetoum I and Queen Isabella...
and Queen Keran of Armenia
Queen Keran of Armenia
Keran was the wife of Leo II of Armenia. She was the daughter of Prince Hethum of Lampron. Born Anna, she was called Kir Anna beginning in 1270. This name was later shortened to Keran, or Guerane....
on 16 January 1294. By this marriage, Michael IX had several children, including:
- Andronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia...
- Manuel Palaiologos, despotēs
- Anna Palaiologina, who married Thomas I Komnenos DoukasThomas I Komnenos DoukasThomas I Komnenos Doukas ruler of Epirus from c. 1297 until his death in 1318.Thomas was the son of Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas and Anna Kantakouzene, a niece of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. In 1290 he was conferred the court dignity of despotes by his mother's cousin, Emperor Andronikos...
and then Nicholas OrsiniNicholas OrsiniNicholas Orsini was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1317 to 1323 and ruler of Epirus from 1318 to 1323....
. - Theodora Palaiologina, who married Theodore Svetoslav of BulgariaTheodore Svetoslav of BulgariaTheodore Svetoslav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1300 to 1322. The date of his birth is unknown. He was a wise and capable ruler who brought stability and relative prosperity to the Bulgarian Empire after two decades of constant Mongol intervention in the internal issues of the Empire...
and then Michael Asen III of BulgariaMichael Shishman of BulgariaMichael Asen III ), ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1323 to 1330. The exact year of his birth is unknown but it was between 1280 and 1292. He was the founder of the last ruling dynasty of the Second Bulgarian Empire, the Shishman dynasty...
.