Andronicus Ii Palaeologus
Andronicus II Palaeologus, born 25 March 1259 , died at Mount Athos 13 February 1332 , he was Emperor Byzantine of 11 December 1282 to 23 May 1328 , he was the son of Michael VIII Palaiologos and Theodora Vatatzes.
Summary |
Restoration of Orthodoxy
Associated to the throne in 1272 , Andronikos II ascended the throne decided to proclaim the restoration and the Total Independence of orthodoxy: his first official act is to denounce the Second Council of Lyons and to proclaim the return to orthodoxy.
Under pressure from his aunt Pallogue Eulogy, Andronicus retracts its accession to the Union and arrested, 26 December 1282, the patriarch John XI Vekkos , restoring the patriarch Joseph in his throne.
It is also free all prisoners who had survived the terror under Michael VIII is purified and the Hagia Sophia in Constantinople. The priests who had served as emissaries between Michael VIII and the Pope, who had heard Mass in Latin, were excluded from the clergy.
The restoration of orthodoxy, however, excess qu'Andronic father made no attempt to repress and, in January 1283 , a council met in Constantinople to judge John Veccos.
Similarly, restoration of the patriarch Joseph revived the struggle between arsenite and Josephite, although the former patriarch Arsene Autorianos was dead long ago. On the death of Joseph, March 23, 1283, Andronicus II thought to find a solution by appointing a layman patriarch, George of Cyprus, known to be an eminent scholar and who ascended the patriarchal throne under the name of Gregory II. This appointment does not quieted the controversy and Gregory II was forced to abdicate in June 1289.
The Patriarchate of Athanasius
Successor to Gregory II, Andronicus II obtained election to the patriarchal throne of Athanasius , recluse of Mount Athos , known for his ascetic lifestyle and being committed to the principles of monasticism primitive. Desirous of reforming the Church, Athanasius denounced the excesses of priests accused of amassing wealth and property confiscated for the benefit of needy monasteries. This policy aroused the hostility of the inhabitants of Constantinople, to the point that Athanasius was forced to abdicate in October 1293 , he retired in drafting an act anathematizing its detractors, which was not discovered until after his death.
Athanasius was replaced by the monk Cosmas of Sozopol, who became patriarch under the name John XII. It soon came into conflict with the emperor and was forced to abdicate in June 1303 , allowing Anastasius Andronicus II recall.
During his second patriarchate, Athanasius reiterated the policy he had taken during his first reign, resurrecting the animosity of the clergy and people: and he came to rob the patriarchs of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem for their properties.
The succession of Patriarchs
Abdicating permanently in September 1309 , Athanasius was replaced by Niphon , Bishop of Cyzicus. This was replaced in April 1314 by John Glykys himself replaced in 1319 by the monk Gerasimos.
This instability at the head of the Church was not yet apparent, since the successive patriarchs saw their prerogatives expanded and strengthened by the Emperor himself. In November 1312 , Andronicus detached the Mount Athos his authority to place under the authority of the patriarch, holding that the Primate of the monasteries was now appointed by the patriarch.
Domestic policy
Inside, Andronicus II leaves his ministers govern (Muzalon Theodore Metochites).
His reign was marked by the deterioration of public finances, the relaxation of the administrative system, the downsizing of the army, the removal of the navy.
Financial difficulties
To support the economy, reduced Andronicus defenses but is hampered by the large estates of feudalism, a consequence of the decision of his father to allow the inheritance of properties received pronoia : instead of being returned to the imperial domain the death of the beneficiary, these lands passed to the heirs thereof; about the obligation of military assistance that has traditionally rested with pronoiaires she had fallen into disuse in the reign of Michael VIII.
The main areas of feudalization dtoune and significant revenue for the benefit of the aristocracy and monasteries.
Supported by Athanasius, Andronicus II attempts to tax the big landowners, lay o religious but raises serious protests. In 1283 , he raised a dime for arming the fleet to fight in Thessalia pronoiaires but do bear the burden of this tax on their farmers, who see their situation deteriorate so.
Economic difficulties also lead to a massive depreciation of the currency Byzantine gold coin, and becoming an object of hoarding.
Diplomacy
In June 1285 , Andronicus sign a trade treaty with the Venetians, providing them with a business district in Istanbul and confirm the rights of the Republic of Venice on a principality of Negroponte. 22 July 1296 , however, the Venetians attacked the Genoese colony of Galata and Andronicus II ordered the arrest of all Venetians residents of Constantinople.
The commercial rivalry between Venice and Genoa , and led to an armed clash between Venice and Byzantium, which ended only with a new agreement signed in September 1302 and renewed in 1310. This agreement, however, obliged Byzantium to pay substantial compensation to the Venetian.
Military Campaigns
Reconstruction of the empire was challenged by the border wars that threaten the Serbs, Bulgarians, Latins, and Greeks of Epirus and Thessalonica , that forces the defensive despite the annexation of the Thessalian Wallachia in 1318.
In 1302 , his armies, commanded by his eldest son, the emperor partner Michael IX Palaeologus , are defeated by the Turks near Magnesia , and then to Nicomedia. This last defeat allows Turks to advance to the Sea of Marmara.
In Asia , to stop the advance of the Turks , he uses Catalan mercenaries, the Almogavres , commanded by Roger de Flor , who reject the Turks to the mountains of Taurus. Before the military successes of Roger de Flor and his grip on Anatolia, the Andronicus murdered during a banquet. But the Catalans, in order to avenge their commander, will quickly destroy the Empire, pillaging Thrace for several years and destroying the Imperial arsenal.
The Turkish military released constraints, leaving the Empire that few places in Asia Minor.
Marriages successive
1 - In 1272 , Andronicus wife Anne of Hungary , daughter of King Stephen V of Hungary , if the marriage was arranged by her father Michael VIII for political reasons, it was nevertheless a happy marriage and Andronicus was very upset the death of his wife in 1281. Two children were born of this union:
- Michel, who became the emperor partner Michael IX Palaeologus ;
- Constantine Porphyrogenitus, who received the title of despot.
2 - In 1284 , he married Yolande of Montferrat , daughter of William VII of Montferrat and Beatrice of Castile. This marriage allows Andronicus ensure the title of King of Thessaloniki, carried by his stepfather and extinguish the claims of family Montferrat on Thessaloniki. Renamed Irene, the second wife bore him four children:
- Theodore Palaeologus, who inherited his mother became the Marquis Theodore I of Montferrat in Italy where he founded another dynasty Palaeologus;
- John Palaeologus, who married a daughter of the Minister Nicephorus Choumnos and died without issue;
- Demetrius Palaeologus, who left three children;
- Simone Palaeologus , born 1292, died after 1336, married in 1300 with Stephen Uros II of Serbia ( 1321)
Anxious to meet the Latin traditions, Irene demanded that the Empire was divided between all children of Andronicus, ensuring a share of inheritance to his own son at the expense of Michael IX. Andronicus opposed and Irene left Constantinople with his son to reach Thessaloniki where she never ceased to intrigue against her husband. She died in 1317.
Succession
Andronikos II was hoping to secure the succession in his lifetime, his son crowned associated Basileia Michael IX Palaeologus in 1295 and his grand-son Andronicus III Palaeologus in 1316.
Raised by his grandfather, the younger Andronicus III, however, showed signs of impatience, trying to have a personal principality in Armenia or in Morea. Having fallen in love with a lady of Constantinople, he set up a night ambush to remove one of his rivals and unfortunately, at night, mistook his henchmen murdered victim and his younger brother, Manuel Paleologos.
Michael IX was so affected by the accident that he died 12 October 1320 , Thessaloniki and Andronicus II renounced his little son, dismissing the benefit of the younger brother of Michael, Constantine Porphyrogenitus.
Taking advantage of the unpopularity of his grandfather Andronicus III Palaeologus told him the war was then found a compromise, under which Andronicus II-associated her little son to the throne, but kept the bulk of the imperial power, thus preventing Andronicus III and its advisors to undertake the reforms including the need arose. The civil war resumed in 1326, however, and Andronicus III led a propaganda designed to increase its popularity in the army and in public opinion.
Supported by the patriarch, Andronicus III forced his grandfather to abdicate on May 23 1328. Nearly blind, Andronicus II became a monk under the name of Anthony and retired in 1330 in a monastery where he died 13 February 1332.
Bibliography
- John Julius Norwich (trans. Dominic Peters), History of Byzantium (330-1453), Academic Bookstore Perrin, Paris, 1998 (1st ed. 1999) ( ISBN 2-262-01333-0 ) [ retail editions ]
- D. Nicol: The last centuries of Byzantium, Oxford University Press Ed.
| Preceded by | Andronicus II Palaeologus | Followed by | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael VIII Palaeologus |
| Andronicus III Palaeologus |
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