Michael VIII, byzantine emperor

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_VIII_Palaeologus

Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Μιχαὴλ Δούκας Ἄγγελος Κομνηνὸς Παλαιολόγος, romanized: Mikhaēl Doukas Angelos Komnēnos Palaiologos; 1223 – 11 December 1282) reigned as the co-emperor of the Empire of Nicaea from 1259 to 1261, and as Byzantine Emperor from 1261 until his death. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. He recovered Constantinople from the Latin Empire in 1261 and transformed the Empire of Nicaea into a restored Byzantine Empire.[2]

His reign saw considerable recovery of Byzantine power, including the enlargement of the Byzantine army and navy. It would also include the reconstruction of the city of Constantinople, and the increase of its population.[3] He reestablished the University of Constantinople, which led to what is regarded as the Palaiologan Renaissance between the 13th and 15th centuries.[3] It was also at this time that the focus of the Byzantine military shifted to the Balkans, against the Bulgarians, leaving the Anatolian frontier neglected.[3] His successors could not compensate for this inadequacy, and both the Arsenite schism and two civil wars (cf. Byzantine civil war of 1321–1328, Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347) undermined further efforts toward territorial consolidation and recovery, draining the empire's strength, economy, and resources. Regular conflict between Byzantine successor states such as the Empire of Thessalonica, Trebizond, Epirus and Serbia resulted in permanent fragmentation of former Byzantine territory and opportunity for increasingly successful conquests of expansive territories by post-Seljuk Anatolian beyliks, most notably that of Osman, later called the Ottoman Empire.

1. Road to the throne
2. Constantinople
3. Diplomacy and conquest
4. Michael and Charles of Anjou
5. Council of Lyons and after
6. Sicilian Vespers
7. Legacy
8. Family

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• http://www.friesian.com/romania.htm#paleolo
• http://finnholbek.dk/getperson.php?personID=I52&tree=2

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• http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BYZANTIUM%2012611453.htm#MikhaelVII...

MIKHAEL Doukas Komnenos Palaiologos, son of ANDRONIKOS Doukas Komnenos Palaiologos, megas domestikos & his wife Theodora Palaiologina ([1224/25]-11 Dec 1282, bur outside Constantinople, later transferred to Selymbria[111]). Georgios Phrantzes names "Michael Comnenus, Constantinus Palaeologus et Iohannes" as the three sons of "Androniko Palaeologo…magnum domesticum"[112]. Georgios Akropolites names "Michaelis Comneni…magni domestici primi filii" (referring to "magnum domesticum Comnenum Andronicum Palaeologum"), recording that Emperor Ioannes appointed him as governor of "Melenicum Serras", in Dec [1246] from the context of the passage[113]. Ioannes III Emperor at Nikaia appointed him strategos of Bithynia and Mesothynia to the north of Nikaia[114]. Megas kontostabulos 1252/53. He fled to the Seljuk Turks in 1256, presumably in fear of his personal safety at the Nikaian court, and remained in exile until 1258 when Emperor Theodoros II reappointed him megas konstabulos after giving assurances concerning his position[115]. Within a few days of the accession of Ioannes IV Batatzes Emperor at Nikaia, Mikhael Palaiologos overthrew the regency of Giorgios Muzalon. Megas dux 1258. Despot 13 Nov 1258. He engineered his own coronation as co-emperor at Nymphaion 1 Jan 1259, Emperor Ioannes being persuaded to refuse his own coronation[116]. An alliance between Manfred King of Sicily, Mikhael II Angelos Despot at Epirus and Guillaume de Villehardouin Prince of Achaia threatened the revival of Nikaia. Led by his brother sébastokrator Ioannes Palaiologos, Mikhael's troops defeated the alliance in the valley of Pelagonia in Autumn 1259. He tackled Venice by forming a military alliance with Genoa under the treaty of Nymphaion in 1261, granting the Genoese commercial privileges similar to those already held by Venice. Constantinople was finally captured by Alexios Strategopulos 25 Jul 1261, in an unplanned attack after he found that the Frankish garrison was absent[117]. Co-emperor Mikhael rushed to the city 15 Aug 1261, leaving Emperor Ioannes IV in Anatolia, and had himself crowned Emperor MIKHAEL VIII in Sep 1261. He deposed and imprisoned Ioannes IV 25 Dec 1261. He consolidated his position with territorial gains against Bulgaria and in 1264 forced peace on despot Mikhael II Angelos Lord of Epirus who swore allegiance to him. After the Venetians defeated a Genoese fleet in the gulf of Navplion in Spring 1263, Emperor Mikhael broke his alliance with the latter and negotiated a new treaty with the former, signed 18 Jun 1265. He renewed his alliance with Genoa in 1266, this dual alliance strengthening Byzantine's foreign policy position. Charles I King of Sicily, with his vision of conquering Byzantium, allied himself with Guillaume de Villehardouin Prince of Achaia 24 May 1267 and agreed a future partition of the Byzantine empire with Baudouin II ex-Emperor of Constantinople at Viterbo 27 May 1267, although King Charles's attention was temporarily diverted from Byzantium when he joined his brother's crusade against Tunis in 1270. Emperor Mikhael allied himself with Hungary to counter-balance the threat from Serbia, sealed by the marriage of his heir with the Hungarian king's daughter. Emperor Mikhael agreed to the union of the Orthodox and Catholic churches at the Council of Lyon 6 Jul 1274, in return for the Pope instructing Charles King of Sicily not to attack Byzantium. The union triggered a schism within the Orthodox church. In the face of continued opposition, by 1277 Emperor Mikhael had resorted to persecution to enforce the union, including the arrest of his sister Eirene[118]. Pope Martin IV, elected in Feb 1281 with King Charles's support, excommunicated Emperor Mikhael for not imposing union quickly enough and encouraged Charles to invade Byzantium and depose the emperor. The threatened invasion was postponed as King Charles's attention was diverted by the rebellion in Sicily 31 Mar 1282 and the subsequent attack on the island by Pedro IV King of Aragon. On his death, Emperor Mikhael was refused the last rites of the church and buried on a mountainside with no church service[119].

m (1253) THEODORA Doukaina Komnene Palaiologina Batatzaina, daughter of IOANNES Batatzes & his wife Evdokia Angelina ([1240]-4 Mar 1303). Georgios Akropolites records the marriage between "fratris sui sebastocratoris Isaacii Ducæ neptem Theodoram" and "Michaeli Comneno" (referring to Mikhael Palaeologus, the future Emperor Mikhael VIII), commenting that "pater illius, sebastocratoris filius Ioannes, in adolescentia fato functus", dated to the early 1250s from the context of the passage[120]. Ephræmius records the marriage of "Ioannes imperator…Theodoram neptem germani sui…sebastocratoris…Isaacii" and "Michaeli stirpe Palaeologo"[121]. Pachymeres names "Augusta Theodora" as mother of Emperor Andronikos II[122]. She was crowned empress with her husband in Constantinople in Sep 1261.

Mistress (1) ---. The name of Mikhael's first mistress is not known.

Mistress (2) ([1240/50]%29 --- Diplobatatzaina, daughter of --- Batatzes & his wife --- Batatzaina. Pachymeres records that "Diplobatatzina" was the mother of "filiam…notham…Mariam" of Emperor Mikhael VIII[123].

Emperor Mikhael VIII & his wife had seven children:

Emperor Mikhael VIII had one illegitimate daughter by Mistress (1) & (2) :