John II of Trebizond
Encyclopedia
John II Megas Komnenos (c. 1262 – August 16, 1297) was Emperor
of Trebizond
from 1280 to 1297. He was the youngest son of Emperor Manuel I
and his third wife, Irene Syrikaina
, a Trapezuntine noblewoman. He succeeded to the throne after the capture of his full-brother George
by the Mongol Ilkhan Abaqa.
The reign was dominated by relations with the restored Byzantine Empire
under Michael VIII Palaiologos
. After his ally Abaqa had disposed of George, the Byzantine Emperor demanded that John renounce the title of 'Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans' because the lands John occupied were only part of the Empire and it did not include Constantinople
. John, however, replied that he was following the precedent set by his predecessors and that the nobility of Trebizond would not allow him to renounce the traditional title. Michael also regarded John as a threat, because some opponents of Michael's acceptance of union with the Western Church saw John as a viable Orthodox
candidate for the imperial throne.
In spite of this exchange, John II reversed the policy of his predecessor, who had allied with Charles of Anjou and the anti-Unionists against Michael VIII. At Michael VIII's invitation, after some initial reluctance John agreed to marry Michael's third daughter, Eudokia Palaiologina
in Constantinople
in 1282. While in Constantinople, John was treated as the holder of the high court dignity of despotes
.
After returning to Trebizond, John II abandoned the title 'Emperor of the Romans' for that of 'Emperor and Autocrat of all the East, the Iberians, and the Transmarine Provinces', although Iberia had been lost in the reign of Andronikos I Gidos
. The Emperors of Trebizond and their family began to consistently call themselves the Great Komnenoi (Megas Komnenos/Megale Komnene).
During John II's absence, his brother-in-law the Georgian
King of Imereti
, David VI Narin
had taken advantage of the situation and attempting to restore Georgian influence in the Empire of Trebizond besieged the capital. Though he failed to take the city, the Georgians occupied several provinces and helped John’s half-sister Theodora
, daughter of Manuel I
by his Georgian wife, Rusudan, seize the throne in 1284, but she was defeated shortly afterwards and John returned to power in 1285.
The improvement of relations with the Byzantine Empire
probably contributed to the relaxation or disappearance of Mongol overlordship over Trebizond. In spite of this and the continued prosperity of Trebizond, the reign of John II coincided with the conquest of the western province of Chalybia by the Turks, who took advantage of the problems caused by the Georgian invasion and the civil war between John and Theodora.
In 1291 Pope Nicholas IV
wrote two letters inviting John II to convert to Catholicism, join in a new crusade for the recovery of the Holy Land and be Christianity's envoy to the Mongols. Although John did not respond to the pope's invitation, he maintained good relations with western merchants and English envoys to the Mongols passed through his domains in the 1290s.
John died at Limnia in 1297, whence his body was transported to his capital and interred in the church of the "Golden-headed" Virgin, Panagia Chrysokephale.
By his marriage to Eudokia Palaiologina
, John II had two sons:
Emperor
An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...
of Trebizond
Empire of Trebizond
The Empire of Trebizond, founded in April 1204, was one of three Byzantine successor states of the Byzantine Empire. However, the creation of the Empire of Trebizond was not directly related to the capture of Constantinople by the Fourth Crusade, rather it had broken away from the Byzantine Empire...
from 1280 to 1297. He was the youngest son of Emperor Manuel I
Manuel I of Trebizond
Manuel I Megas Komnenos , Emperor of Trebizond from 1238 to 1263, surnamed the "Great Captain", was the second son of Alexios I, the first emperor of Trebizond, and Theodora Axuchina. He succeeded his brother, John I Axouchos...
and his third wife, Irene Syrikaina
Irene Syrikaina
-Name:The male form of her family name has been suggested being either "Syrikainos" or "Syrikos". The name may be related to the island Syros or to the terms "Syrios", "Syrikos", "Syriakos", all Greek language for Syrian. The geographic term Syria also applied to Coele-Syria and...
, a Trapezuntine noblewoman. He succeeded to the throne after the capture of his full-brother George
George, Emperor of Trebizond
George Megas Komnenos , , Emperor of Trebizond from 1266 to 1280. He was the elder son of Emperor Manuel I and his third wife, Irene Syrikaina, a Trapezuntine noblewoman....
by the Mongol Ilkhan Abaqa.
The reign was dominated by relations with the restored 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 Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos
Michael VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus reigned as Byzantine Emperor 1259–1282. Michael VIII was the founder of the Palaiologan dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire until the Fall of Constantinople in 1453...
. After his ally Abaqa had disposed of George, the Byzantine Emperor demanded that John renounce the title of 'Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans' because the lands John occupied were only part of the Empire and it did not include Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. John, however, replied that he was following the precedent set by his predecessors and that the nobility of Trebizond would not allow him to renounce the traditional title. Michael also regarded John as a threat, because some opponents of Michael's acceptance of union with the Western Church saw John as a viable Orthodox
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,...
candidate for the imperial throne.
In spite of this exchange, John II reversed the policy of his predecessor, who had allied with Charles of Anjou and the anti-Unionists against Michael VIII. At Michael VIII's invitation, after some initial reluctance John agreed to marry Michael's third daughter, Eudokia Palaiologina
Eudokia Palaiologina
Eudokia Palaiologina or was the third daughter of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos and his wife, Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina, a grandniece of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes of Nicaea....
in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
in 1282. While in Constantinople, John was treated as the holder of the high court dignity of despotes
Despotes
Despot , was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent...
.
After returning to Trebizond, John II abandoned the title 'Emperor of the Romans' for that of 'Emperor and Autocrat of all the East, the Iberians, and the Transmarine Provinces', although Iberia had been lost in the reign of Andronikos I Gidos
Andronikos I of Trebizond
Andronikos I Gidos or Andronicus I Gidus , , Emperor of Trebizond-Marriage:He married a Komnene, whose first name is unknown. He succeeded his father-in-law, Alexios I of Trebizond in 1222. His mother-in-law was Theodora Axuchina....
. The Emperors of Trebizond and their family began to consistently call themselves the Great Komnenoi (Megas Komnenos/Megale Komnene).
During John II's absence, his brother-in-law the Georgian
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
King of Imereti
Imereti
Imereti is a province in Georgia situated along the middle and upper reaches of the Rioni river. It consists of the following Georgian administrative-territorial units:#Kutaisi #Baghdati region#Vani region#Zestafoni region...
, David VI Narin
David VI Narin
David VI Narin , from the Bagrationi dynasty, was king of Georgia in 1245–1293. From 1259 to 1293, he ruled the kingdom of Imereti under the name David I as a vassal state of Georgia.-Life:...
had taken advantage of the situation and attempting to restore Georgian influence in the Empire of Trebizond besieged the capital. Though he failed to take the city, the Georgians occupied several provinces and helped John’s half-sister Theodora
Theodora of Trebizond
Theodora Megale Komnene , , Empress of Trebizond from 1284 to 1285. She was a daughter of Emperor Manuel I of Trebizond by his second wife, Rusudan, a Georgian princess....
, daughter of Manuel I
Manuel I of Trebizond
Manuel I Megas Komnenos , Emperor of Trebizond from 1238 to 1263, surnamed the "Great Captain", was the second son of Alexios I, the first emperor of Trebizond, and Theodora Axuchina. He succeeded his brother, John I Axouchos...
by his Georgian wife, Rusudan, seize the throne in 1284, but she was defeated shortly afterwards and John returned to power in 1285.
The improvement of relations with 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...
probably contributed to the relaxation or disappearance of Mongol overlordship over Trebizond. In spite of this and the continued prosperity of Trebizond, the reign of John II coincided with the conquest of the western province of Chalybia by the Turks, who took advantage of the problems caused by the Georgian invasion and the civil war between John and Theodora.
In 1291 Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV
Pope Nicholas IV , born Girolamo Masci, was Pope from February 22, 1288 to April 4, 1292. A Franciscan friar, he had been legate to the Greeks under Pope Gregory X in 1272, succeeded Bonaventure as Minister General of his religious order in 1274, was made Cardinal Priest of Santa Prassede and...
wrote two letters inviting John II to convert to Catholicism, join in a new crusade for the recovery of the Holy Land and be Christianity's envoy to the Mongols. Although John did not respond to the pope's invitation, he maintained good relations with western merchants and English envoys to the Mongols passed through his domains in the 1290s.
John died at Limnia in 1297, whence his body was transported to his capital and interred in the church of the "Golden-headed" Virgin, Panagia Chrysokephale.
By his marriage to Eudokia Palaiologina
Eudokia Palaiologina
Eudokia Palaiologina or was the third daughter of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos and his wife, Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina, a grandniece of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes of Nicaea....
, John II had two sons:
- Alexios IIAlexios II of TrebizondAlexios II Megas Komnenos or Alexius II , was Emperor of Trebizond from 1297 to 1330. He was the elder son of John II and Eudokia Palaiologina, and also used the name Palaiologos.- Life :...
, who succeeded as emperor - MichaelMichael of TrebizondMichael Megas Komnenos , , Emperor of Trebizond for one day, July 30, 1341 and from May 3, 1344 to December 13, 1349. He was a younger son of Emperor John II of Trebizond and Eudokia Palaiologina...