Manuel Kantakouzenos
Encyclopedia
Manuel Kantakouzenos (Greek
: Μανουήλ Καντακουζηνός, Manouēl Kantakouzēnos), (c. 1326 – Mistra, Peloponnese
, April 10, 1380). Despotēs
in the Despotate of Morea
or the Peloponnese
from October 25, 1349 to his death and a contender to the Principality of Achaia.
Kantakouzenos was the second son of Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
and Irene Asanina
. His maternal grandfather was Andronikos Asan. Andronikos was a son of Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria
and Eirene Palaiologina. Eirene was herself a daughter of Michael VIII Palaiologos
and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina
.
Manuel had served as governor of Veria
and Constantinople
in the mid-1340s. In 1348 he was named governor of Morea by his father, and arrived in his province in 1349. Manuel was the first of a series of long-ruling governors of the province who bore the title of despotēs and were closely related to the emperors at Constantinople.
Manuel established order in his province by crushing the opposition of local notables (Archon
tes). His success was such that when John VI Kantakouzenos was forced to abdicate by his son-in-law John V Palaiologos
, Manuel was able to resist the attempt to replace him as governor by the emperor's appointees. Eventually Manuel was recognized as governor of Morea by the new regime. Secure in his rule, Manuel maintained peaceful relations with his Latin neighbors and secured a long period of prosperity for the area. Greeco-Latin cooperation included an alliance to contain the raids of Murad I
into Morea in the 1360s. Moreover, Manuel encouraged the immigration of Albanians
to settle in the depopulated province as a source of economic and military manpower.
Manuel Kantakouzenos had married Isabelle (or Zampea=Maria) de Lusignan (ca or after 1333 – in Cyprus
, 1382-1387), a daughter of Guy of Lusignan (King Constantine II or IV of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
) at Constantinople
in 1347 but left no male heir. On his death in 1380, he was succeeded as governor by his older brother, the former Emperor Matthew Kantakouzenos
. He was buried in Mistra, Peloponnese
.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Μανουήλ Καντακουζηνός, Manouēl Kantakouzēnos), (c. 1326 – Mistra, Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
, April 10, 1380). Despotēs
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...
in 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...
or the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
from October 25, 1349 to his death and a contender to the Principality of Achaia.
Kantakouzenos was the second son of Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was the Byzantine emperor from 1347 to 1354.-Early life:Born in Constantinople, John Kantakouzenos was the son of a Michael Kantakouzenos, governor of the Morea. Through his mother Theodora Palaiologina Angelina, he was a descendant of the reigning house of...
and Irene Asanina
Irene Asanina
Irene Asanina was the Empress consort of John VI Kantakouzenos of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:Asanina was a daughter of Andronikos Asen and his wife Tarchanaiotissa.Her paternal grandparents were Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria and Irene Palaiologina...
. His maternal grandfather was Andronikos Asan. Andronikos was a son of Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria
Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria
Ivan Asen III , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1279–1280. Ivan Asen III was the son of Mitso Asen of Bulgaria and Maria of Bulgaria, a daughter of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria and Irene of Thessalonica...
and Eirene Palaiologina. Eirene was herself a daughter of 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...
and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina
Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina
Theodora Doukaina Vatatzaina was the Empress consort of Michael VIII Palaiologos.-Family:Theodora was a daughter of Ioannes Doukas Vatatzes and wife Eudokia Angelina. The names of her parents were recorded by George Acropolites.Her paternal grandparents were sebastokrator Isaakios Doukas...
.
Manuel had served as governor of Veria
Veria
Veria is a city built at the foot of Vermion Mountains in Greece. It is a commercial center of Macedonia, the capital of the prefecture of Imathia, the province of Imathia and the seat of a bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church...
and 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 the mid-1340s. In 1348 he was named governor of Morea by his father, and arrived in his province in 1349. Manuel was the first of a series of long-ruling governors of the province who bore the title of despotēs and were closely related to the emperors at Constantinople.
Manuel established order in his province by crushing the opposition of local notables (Archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
tes). His success was such that when John VI Kantakouzenos was forced to abdicate by his son-in-law John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos was a Byzantine emperor, who succeeded his father in 1341, at age nine.-Biography:...
, Manuel was able to resist the attempt to replace him as governor by the emperor's appointees. Eventually Manuel was recognized as governor of Morea by the new regime. Secure in his rule, Manuel maintained peaceful relations with his Latin neighbors and secured a long period of prosperity for the area. Greeco-Latin cooperation included an alliance to contain the raids of Murad I
Murad I
Murad I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1361 to 1389...
into Morea in the 1360s. Moreover, Manuel encouraged the immigration of Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
to settle in the depopulated province as a source of economic and military manpower.
Manuel Kantakouzenos had married Isabelle (or Zampea=Maria) de Lusignan (ca or after 1333 – in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
, 1382-1387), a daughter of Guy of Lusignan (King Constantine II or IV of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia
The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia , also known as the Cilician Armenia, Kingdom of Cilician Armenia or New Armenia, was an independent principality formed during the High Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia...
) at 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 1347 but left no male heir. On his death in 1380, he was succeeded as governor by his older brother, the former Emperor Matthew Kantakouzenos
Matthew Kantakouzenos
Matthew Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was Byzantine Emperor from 1353 to 1357.-Life:...
. He was buried in Mistra, Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
.