Theodore II Palaiologos
| Theodore II Palaiologos | |
|---|---|
Greek Orthodox |
Theodore II Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Θεόδωρος Β΄ Παλαιολόγος, Theodōros II Palaiologos) (c. 1396 – 21 June 1448) was Despot in the Morea from 1407 to 1443 and in Selymbria
Life
Theodore II Palaiologos was a son of the
When Theodore was a little over ten years old, his father proclaimed him a despot (despotēs) and appointed him to govern Morea after the death of his uncle
A moment of drastic change in policy was his marriage to the Latin noblewoman Cleofa Malatesta, arranged with the help of her uncle Pope Martin V, who became Theodore's ally and supporter. In a letter from around the time of Manuel II's death (July 21, 1425), Pope Martin V called Theodore II emperor of Constantinople (ad Theodorum imperatorem constantinopolitanum) but the crown actually passed to his older brother John VIII.
The war in Morea had started to go against the Byzantines and, under pressure from
On the other hand, Emperor John VIII declared Theodore's younger brother Constantine regent of the empire during his voyage to Florence in 1438, which emphasized his selection of Constantine as his intended heir. The next several years were marred by disputes with Constantine over the succession to the childless John VIII. In a compromise, Theodore II Palaiologos surrendered his claim to the throne in exchange for Constantine's domain (appanage) of Selymbria (Silivri) in 1443, where he died of plague five years later, in 1448, predeceasing his brothers.
Family
By his marriage to Cleofa Malatesta, an Italian aristocrat, Theodore II Palaiologos had at least one daughter:
- Helena Palaiologina. She married King John II of Cyprus.
Bibliography
- ISBN 9780521439916.
- ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- Joseph Freiherr von Hammer-Purgstall"Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches"
- Edward Gibbon "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"
- George Sphrantzes : The Fall of the Byzantine Empire