Individual Details
Andronikos II, Palaiologos, Emperor of Constantinople
(25 Mar 1259 - 12 Feb 1332)
Andronikus was born in Constantinople on 25 March 1259, the eldest surviving son of Michael VIII Palaiologos, emperor of Nicaea and Byzantium, and Theodora Dukaina Komnene Palaiologina Batatzina, grandniece of Ioannes III Dukas, emperor in Nicaea.
Andronikus was acclaimed co-emperor in 1261, after his father Michael VIII recovered Constantinople from the Latin Empire, but he was crowned only in 1272. In 1274 he married Anna of Hungary, daughter of Stephan V, king of Hungary, and Erzsebet of the Cumans. They had two sons who would have progeny.
Sole emperor from 1282, Andronikus immediatly repudiated his father's unpopular Church union with the Papacy (which he had been forced to support while he father was still alive), but was unable to resolve the related schism within the Orthodox clergy until 1310. Andronikus was also plagued by economic difficulties, and during his reign the value of the Byzantine hyperpyron depreciated precipitously while the state treasury accumulated more than seven times less revenue (in nominal coins) that it had done previously. Seeking to increase revenue and reduce expenses, Andronikus raised taxes and reduced tax exemptions, and dismantled the Byzantine fleet (80 ships) in 1285, thereby making the empire increasingly dependent on the rival republics of Venice and Genoa. In 1291 he hired 50-60 Genoese ships. In 1320 he tried to resurrect the navy by constructing 20 galleys, but unfortunately he failed.
Andronikus sought to resolve some of the problems facing the Byzantine empire through diplomacy. After the death of his first wife, he married Yolande de Monferrato, regent of Thessalonica (she was renamed Eirene after her marriage), putting an end to the Monferrato claim to the kingdom of Thessalonica. They had seven children of whom two sons would have progeny. Andronikus also attempted to marry off his eldest son and co-emperor Michael Dukas Angelos Palaiologos to Catherine de Courtenay, titular empress of Constantinople, thus seeking to eliminate Western agitation for a restoration of the Latin empire. Another marriage alliance attempted to resolve the potential conflict with Serbia in Macedonia, as Andronikus married off his five-year old daughter Simonida to Stefan Uros II Milutin, ban of Serbia, in 1298.
In spite of the resolution of problems in Europe, Andronikus II was faced with the collapse of the Byzantine frontier in Asia Minor. After the failure of his son, co-emperor Michael, to stem the Turkish advance in Asia Minor in 1300, the Byzantine government hired the Catalan Company of Almogavars (adventurers from Aragón and Catalonia) led by Roger de Flor to clear Byzantine Asia Minor of the enemy. In spite of some successes, the Catalans were unable to secure lasting gains. They quarrelled with Michael, and eventually turned on their Byzantine employers after the murder of Roger de Flor in 1305, devastating Thrace, Macedonia and Thessaly on their road to Latin Greece. There they conquered the duchy of Athens and Thebes. The Turks continued to penetrate the Byzantine possessions, and Bursa fell in 1326. By the end of Andronikus II's reign, much of Bithynia was in the hands of the Ottoman Turks of Osman I and his son and heir Orhan.
The empire's problems were exploited by Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria, who defeated Michael and conquered much of north eastern Thrace in 1305-1307. The conflict ended with yet another dynastic marriage, between Michael's daughter Theodora and the Bulgarian emperor. The dissolute behaviour of Michael's son Andronikus III Palaiologos led to a rift in the family, and after Michael's death in 1320, Andronikus II disowned his grandson, prompting a civil war that raged, with interruptions, until 1328. The conflict precipitated Bulgarian involvement, and Mihaly Asen III of Bulgaria attempted to capture Andronikus II under the guise of sending him military support. In 1328 Andronikus III entered Constantinople in triumph and Andronikus II was forced to abdicate. He died in Constantinople as a monk on 13 February 1332.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Andronikus was acclaimed co-emperor in 1261, after his father Michael VIII recovered Constantinople from the Latin Empire, but he was crowned only in 1272. In 1274 he married Anna of Hungary, daughter of Stephan V, king of Hungary, and Erzsebet of the Cumans. They had two sons who would have progeny.
Sole emperor from 1282, Andronikus immediatly repudiated his father's unpopular Church union with the Papacy (which he had been forced to support while he father was still alive), but was unable to resolve the related schism within the Orthodox clergy until 1310. Andronikus was also plagued by economic difficulties, and during his reign the value of the Byzantine hyperpyron depreciated precipitously while the state treasury accumulated more than seven times less revenue (in nominal coins) that it had done previously. Seeking to increase revenue and reduce expenses, Andronikus raised taxes and reduced tax exemptions, and dismantled the Byzantine fleet (80 ships) in 1285, thereby making the empire increasingly dependent on the rival republics of Venice and Genoa. In 1291 he hired 50-60 Genoese ships. In 1320 he tried to resurrect the navy by constructing 20 galleys, but unfortunately he failed.
Andronikus sought to resolve some of the problems facing the Byzantine empire through diplomacy. After the death of his first wife, he married Yolande de Monferrato, regent of Thessalonica (she was renamed Eirene after her marriage), putting an end to the Monferrato claim to the kingdom of Thessalonica. They had seven children of whom two sons would have progeny. Andronikus also attempted to marry off his eldest son and co-emperor Michael Dukas Angelos Palaiologos to Catherine de Courtenay, titular empress of Constantinople, thus seeking to eliminate Western agitation for a restoration of the Latin empire. Another marriage alliance attempted to resolve the potential conflict with Serbia in Macedonia, as Andronikus married off his five-year old daughter Simonida to Stefan Uros II Milutin, ban of Serbia, in 1298.
In spite of the resolution of problems in Europe, Andronikus II was faced with the collapse of the Byzantine frontier in Asia Minor. After the failure of his son, co-emperor Michael, to stem the Turkish advance in Asia Minor in 1300, the Byzantine government hired the Catalan Company of Almogavars (adventurers from Aragón and Catalonia) led by Roger de Flor to clear Byzantine Asia Minor of the enemy. In spite of some successes, the Catalans were unable to secure lasting gains. They quarrelled with Michael, and eventually turned on their Byzantine employers after the murder of Roger de Flor in 1305, devastating Thrace, Macedonia and Thessaly on their road to Latin Greece. There they conquered the duchy of Athens and Thebes. The Turks continued to penetrate the Byzantine possessions, and Bursa fell in 1326. By the end of Andronikus II's reign, much of Bithynia was in the hands of the Ottoman Turks of Osman I and his son and heir Orhan.
The empire's problems were exploited by Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria, who defeated Michael and conquered much of north eastern Thrace in 1305-1307. The conflict ended with yet another dynastic marriage, between Michael's daughter Theodora and the Bulgarian emperor. The dissolute behaviour of Michael's son Andronikus III Palaiologos led to a rift in the family, and after Michael's death in 1320, Andronikus II disowned his grandson, prompting a civil war that raged, with interruptions, until 1328. The conflict precipitated Bulgarian involvement, and Mihaly Asen III of Bulgaria attempted to capture Andronikus II under the guise of sending him military support. In 1328 Andronikus III entered Constantinople in triumph and Andronikus II was forced to abdicate. He died in Constantinople as a monk on 13 February 1332.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 25 Mar 1259 | ||||
| Marriage | 8 Nov 1273 | Princess Anna of Hungary | |||
| Marriage | 1284 | Violante di "Yolande-Eirene" Monferrato Regent of Thessaloniki | |||
| Death | 12 Feb 1332 | Constantinople |
Families
| Spouse | Violante di "Yolande-Eirene" Monferrato Regent of Thessaloniki (1274 - 1317) |
| Child | Demetrios Angelodukas Palaiologos (1296 - 1344) |
| Spouse | Princess Anna of Hungary ( - 1281) |
| Father | Michael VIII Dukas Komnenos Palaiologos, Emperor of Nicaea and Byzantium (1224 - 1282) |
| Mother | Theodora Dukaina Batatzaina (1240 - 1303) |