Demetrios Palaiologos
Encyclopedia
Demetrios Palaiologos or Demetrius Palaeologus (1407–1470), Despot (despotēs) in the Morea de facto
1436–1438 and 1451–1460 and de jure
1438–1451, previously governor of Lemnos
1422–1440, and of Mesembria
1440–1451. He would have been the legitimist claimant to the Byzantine throne after 1453, until his desertion to the Ottomans in 1460.
and his wife Helena Dragaš
. His maternal grandfather was Constantine Dragaš
. His brothers included emperors John VIII Palaiologos
and Constantine XI Palaiologos, as well as Theodore II Palaiologos and Thomas Palaiologos
, rulers of the Despotate of Morea
, and Andronikos Palaiologos, despot in Thessalonica.
As a younger son Demetrios was not expected to rule, but was granted the court title of despotēs in accordance with standard practice. His ambition apparently led to conflict in the imperial family. Although he then received possession of island of Lemnos
in from his father Emperor Manuel II in 1422, he refused to live there and fled to the court of King Sigismund of Hungary
in 1423, requesting protection against his brothers. More than a year passed until he moved to Lemnos in 1425 where he lived in peace for the next decade.
Perhaps too untrustworthy to leave behind, he was part of the entourage of his brother Emperor John VIII Palaiologos, arriving in Ferrara
for the Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence
in 1437, which sought to reunite the Roman Catholic Church
and the Eastern Orthodox Church
. Opposed to the union, Demetrios left for home in 1439 before the conclusion of the council in Florence, leaving the emperor behind.
Forced to surrender Lemnos as penalty for returning home without the Emperor's consent, Demetrios was compensated with a more distant appanage
at Messembria
on the Black Sea
in 1440. Accordingly, in 1442 he made an alliance with the Ottoman Turks
, who lent him military support and besieged Constantinople, demanding that Demetrios be given control of the more strategic appanage of Selymbria (Silivri
nearer the capital. This effort failed, and the appanage of Selymbria was turned over first to Constantine Palaiologos and then to Theodore II Palaiologos.
On October 31, 1448, John VIII died, while his designated heir Constantine was in Morea. Using his location nearer Constantinople, Demetrios tried to stage a coup d'état
and secure the throne for himself. His attempt failed, mostly due to the intervention of their mother Helena Dragaš. In 1449, the new Emperor Constantine XI
gave Demetrios half of Morea in order to remove him from the vicinity of Constantinople.
After the fall of Constantinople
to the forces of Mehmed II
of the Ottoman Empire
on May 29, 1453, the Morea remained the last surviving enclave of the Byzantine Empire
under the Palaiologoi
. The fall of the capital became a sign for the last members of Kantakouzenos family to try take power in this last free province. Demetrius I Kantakouzenos
's grandchild Manuel
has started his revolt in 1453. Only in the following year, the forces of the Palaiologos brothers destroyed the rebel forces. Not long after this victory civil war
has erupted between Demetrios and his younger brother Thomas
, who had already ruled in Morea since 1428. As Thomas was threatening to dislodge Demetrios, the latter called on the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II
for support, and surrendered Mistra in 1460.
After the Turks chased out Thomas and his family (who escaped to Italy
), Mehmed II refused to return Morea to Demetrios because "he is not man enough to rule any country". He was allowed to spend his life at the palace of Adrianople
and was granted the taxes collected from the islands of Imbros
, Lemnos
, Samothrace
and Thasos
.
Demetrios lived in honorary captivity until falling out of favor with Mehmed II in 1467. He was then exiled to Didymoteicho
until 1469, when he was recalled to court but fell sick during the following year. He briefly became a monk
under the name "David" before dying in 1470. His wife Theodora died a few weeks later.
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
1436–1438 and 1451–1460 and de jure
De jure
De jure is an expression that means "concerning law", as contrasted with de facto, which means "concerning fact".De jure = 'Legally', De facto = 'In fact'....
1438–1451, previously governor of Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
1422–1440, and of Mesembria
Nesebar
Nesebar is an ancient town and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located in Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Nesebar Municipality...
1440–1451. He would have been the legitimist claimant to the Byzantine throne after 1453, until his desertion to the Ottomans in 1460.
Life
Demetrios Palaiologos was a younger son of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II PalaiologosManuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine Emperor from 1391 to 1425.-Life:...
and his wife Helena Dragaš
Helena Dragaš
Helena Dragaš Helena was born to Constantine Dragaš of the noble House of Dejanović. Constantine was a Serbian provincial lord, ruling one of the principalities that emerged after the breakup of the Serbian Empire, centered at Velbăžd . Her mother was Constantine's unnamed first wife...
. His maternal grandfather was Constantine Dragaš
Constantine Dragas
Constantine Dragaš Dejanović was a Serbian magnate that ruled the area around Kyustendil from 1378, during the fall of the Serbian Empire, until his death on May 17, 1395 at the battle of Rovine...
. His brothers included emperors John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus , was the penultimate reigning Byzantine Emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.-Life:John VIII Palaiologos was the eldest son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš...
and Constantine XI Palaiologos, as well as Theodore II Palaiologos and Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos was Despot in Morea from 1428 until the Ottoman conquest in 1460. After the desertion of his older brother to the Turks in 1460, Thomas Palaiologos became the legitimate claimant to the Byzantine throne...
, rulers of the Despotate of Morea
Despotate of Morea
The Despotate of the Morea or Despotate of Mystras was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its 100 years of existence but eventually grew to take in almost all the southern Greek peninsula, the...
, and Andronikos Palaiologos, despot in Thessalonica.
As a younger son Demetrios was not expected to rule, but was granted the court title of despotēs in accordance with standard practice. His ambition apparently led to conflict in the imperial family. Although he then received possession of island of Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
in from his father Emperor Manuel II in 1422, he refused to live there and fled to the court of King Sigismund of Hungary
Sigismund, Holy Roman Emperor
Sigismund of Luxemburg KG was King of Hungary, of Croatia from 1387 to 1437, of Bohemia from 1419, and Holy Roman Emperor for four years from 1433 until 1437, the last Emperor of the House of Luxemburg. He was also King of Italy from 1431, and of Germany from 1411...
in 1423, requesting protection against his brothers. More than a year passed until he moved to Lemnos in 1425 where he lived in peace for the next decade.
Perhaps too untrustworthy to leave behind, he was part of the entourage of his brother Emperor John VIII Palaiologos, arriving in Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
for the Council of Basel-Ferrara-Florence
Council of Florence
The Council of Florence was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church. It began in 1431 in Basel, Switzerland, and became known as the Council of Ferrara after its transfer to Ferrara was decreed by Pope Eugene IV, to convene in 1438...
in 1437, which sought to reunite the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
. Opposed to the union, Demetrios left for home in 1439 before the conclusion of the council in Florence, leaving the emperor behind.
Forced to surrender Lemnos as penalty for returning home without the Emperor's consent, Demetrios was compensated with a more distant appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
at Messembria
Nesebar
Nesebar is an ancient town and one of the major seaside resorts on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, located in Burgas Province. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Nesebar Municipality...
on the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
in 1440. Accordingly, in 1442 he made an alliance with the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
, who lent him military support and besieged Constantinople, demanding that Demetrios be given control of the more strategic appanage of Selymbria (Silivri
Silivri
Silivri is a city and a district in Istanbul Province along the Sea of Marmara in Turkey, outside of metropolitan Istanbul, containing many holiday and weekend homes for residents of the city. The largest city in the district is also named Silivri...
nearer the capital. This effort failed, and the appanage of Selymbria was turned over first to Constantine Palaiologos and then to Theodore II Palaiologos.
On October 31, 1448, John VIII died, while his designated heir Constantine was in Morea. Using his location nearer Constantinople, Demetrios tried to stage a coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
and secure the throne for himself. His attempt failed, mostly due to the intervention of their mother Helena Dragaš. In 1449, the new Emperor Constantine XI
Constantine XI
Constantine XI Palaiologos, latinized as Palaeologus , Kōnstantinos XI Dragasēs Palaiologos; February 8, 1404 – May 29, 1453) was the last reigning Byzantine Emperor from 1449 to his death as member of the Palaiologos dynasty...
gave Demetrios half of Morea in order to remove him from the vicinity of Constantinople.
After the fall of Constantinople
Fall of Constantinople
The Fall of Constantinople was the capture of the capital of the Byzantine Empire, which occurred after a siege by the Ottoman Empire, under the command of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, against the defending army commanded by Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI...
to the forces of Mehmed II
Mehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
on May 29, 1453, the Morea remained the last surviving enclave of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
under the Palaiologoi
Palaiologos
Palaiologos , often latinized as Palaeologus, was a Byzantine Greek noble family, which produced the last ruling dynasty of the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade, members of the family fled to the neighboring Empire of Nicaea, where Michael VIII Palaiologos became co-emperor in 1259,...
. The fall of the capital became a sign for the last members of Kantakouzenos family to try take power in this last free province. Demetrius I Kantakouzenos
Demetrius I Kantakouzenos
Demetrios I Kantakouzenos was transitional governor of the Morea in 1383. Demetrios was the son of Matthew Kantakouzenos, governor of the Morea, and Irene Palaiologina....
's grandchild Manuel
Manuel Kantakouzenos, usurper of Morea
Manuel Kantakouzenos was a rebel leader who started a revolt against the Palaiologos family in the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea.He was the grandson of Demetrios I Kantakouzenos, the last Kantakouzenos governor of the Morea...
has started his revolt in 1453. Only in the following year, the forces of the Palaiologos brothers destroyed the rebel forces. Not long after this victory civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
has erupted between Demetrios and his younger brother Thomas
Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos was Despot in Morea from 1428 until the Ottoman conquest in 1460. After the desertion of his older brother to the Turks in 1460, Thomas Palaiologos became the legitimate claimant to the Byzantine throne...
, who had already ruled in Morea since 1428. As Thomas was threatening to dislodge Demetrios, the latter called on the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II
Mehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
for support, and surrendered Mistra in 1460.
After the Turks chased out Thomas and his family (who escaped to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), Mehmed II refused to return Morea to Demetrios because "he is not man enough to rule any country". He was allowed to spend his life at the palace of Adrianople
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
and was granted the taxes collected from the islands of Imbros
Imbros
Imbros or Imroz, officially referred to as Gökçeada since July 29, 1970 , is an island in the Aegean Sea and the largest island of Turkey, part of Çanakkale Province. It is located at the entrance of Saros Bay and is also the westernmost point of Turkey...
, Lemnos
Lemnos
Lemnos is an island of Greece in the northern part of the Aegean Sea. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within the Lemnos peripheral unit, which is part of the North Aegean Periphery. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Myrina...
, Samothrace
Samothrace
Samothrace is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea. It is a self-governing municipality within the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace. The island is long and is in size and has a population of 2,723 . Its main industries are fishing and tourism. Resources on the island includes granite and...
and Thasos
Thasos
Thasos or Thassos is a Greek island in the northern Aegean Sea, close to the coast of Thrace and the plain of the river Nestos but geographically part of Macedonia. It is the northernmost Greek island, and 12th largest by area...
.
Demetrios lived in honorary captivity until falling out of favor with Mehmed II in 1467. He was then exiled to Didymoteicho
Didymoteicho
Didymóteicho is a town located in the eastern part of the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name. The town sits on a plain and located south east of Svilengrad, south of Edirne, Turkey and Orestiada, west of Uzunköprü, about 20 km north...
until 1469, when he was recalled to court but fell sick during the following year. He briefly became a monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
under the name "David" before dying in 1470. His wife Theodora died a few weeks later.
Family
Demetrios Palaiologos was married first to Zoe Paraspondyle and then to Theodora Asanina, daughter of Paul (Paulos) Asanes. By his second wife he had at least one daughter:- Helena Palaiologina (died before 1470) was taken into the Sultan's harem [or (c. 1443 - 1471), who entered the haremHaremHarem refers to the sphere of women in what is usually a polygynous household and their enclosed quarters which are forbidden to men...
of Sultan Mehmed IIMehmed IIMehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
(after an initial offer in 1458) in 1460.]