Alexios IV of Trebizond
Encyclopedia
Alexios IV Megas Komnenos or Alexius IV , (1382 – 1429), Emperor
of Trebizond
from March 5, 1417 to October 1429. He was the son of Emperor Manuel III
and Gulkhan-Eudokia of Georgia
.
by his father as early as 1395. Nevertheless, the two quarreled as Alexios was impatient to assume supreme power. When his father died in 1417, Alexios was accused by some of having expedited his death. He inherited a conflict with the Genoese
, who defeated the fleet of Trebizond and seized a local monastery, which they converted into a fortress. By 1418 he had signed a peace agreement and paid reparations to the Genoese until 1422. A new dispute arose over the emperor's obligations in 1425 and was not resolved until 1428. Relations with the Republic of Venice
were generally better.
After the death of Tamerlane
, most of Asia Minor
descended into chaos. Kara Yusuf, ruler of the Kara Koyunlu
or "Black Sheep" Turks, devastated much of Armenia
and defeated the Emir
of Arsinga and the chieftain of the Ak Koyunlu
or White Sheep Turks. Alexios sought to avoid hostility by marrying off daughters to his powerful Muslim neighbors. One daughter was married to Kara Yusuf's son Jihan Shah in c.1420, and Alexios agreed to pay his son-in-law the same amount of tribute that had previously been due to Tamerlane. Another daughter was possibly married to Ali, son of Kara Yülük Osman, the ruler of Ak Koyunlu
. Though Osman himself was likely the groom.
Alexios' marital policy also extended to his Christian neighbors, and his daughter Maria of Trebizond
was married off to the Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaiologos
in 1428. Her sister Eudokia had married Niccolò Crispo, the Italian lord of Syros
- they became the biological grandparents of Catherine Cornaro
.
According to George Finlay, Alexios IV spent much of his time in pursuit of pleasure and accomplished relatively little, however there is no evidence in contemporary sources for this claim. Following tradition, he granted his eldest son, John IV, the courtly title of despotes
in 1417. However, relations deteriorated between father and son, and in 1426 John murdered Alexios' Treasurer, alleging an affair between him and the Empress Theodora Kantakouzene
. He also attempted to eliminate his parents, however the nobles intervened and prevented the attempt and John fled to Georgia
.
When Alexios IV's wife Theodora died in 1426, he was so distraught that Bessarion wrote him no less than three monodias, which help to shed some light on this otherwise dark period lacking in sources.
Due to John's disloyalty and usurpation, Alexios IV made his younger son Alexander of Trebizond despotes
and married him off to Maria Gattilusio, a daughter of Dorino of Lesbos
. Eventually John left Georgia for the Genoese colony at Caffa, where he enlisted a galley and its crew to help him recover his position in Trebizond. Alexios IV marched out to resist his son, but was murdered during the night by nobles who had been won over by John, sometime in October 1429. Alexander according to the source for the period Laonicus Chalcondyles
fled either to his father-in-law Dorino of Lesbos, or Constantinople.
. Her parents were Theodore Kantakouzenos and Euphrosyne Palaiologina. They would have at least five children:
Two further daughters have been attributed by later genealogies Both have also been attributed to John IV. . They are :
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 March 5, 1417 to October 1429. He was the son of Emperor Manuel III
Manuel III of Trebizond
Manuel III Megas Komnenos was Emperor of Trebizond from March 20, 1390 to his death in 1417. He was the son of Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond by Theodora Kantakouzene.Manuel became the heir of his father in 1377, after the death of his elder brother Basil...
and Gulkhan-Eudokia of Georgia
Gulkhan-Eudokia of Georgia
Gulkhan-Eudokia of Georgia was the first Empress consort of Manuel III of Trebizond. Her original name was Gulkhan Khatun. Eudokia was her Christian baptismal name.-Family:...
.
Reign
Alexios IV had been associated in authority and given the title of despotesDespotes
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...
by his father as early as 1395. Nevertheless, the two quarreled as Alexios was impatient to assume supreme power. When his father died in 1417, Alexios was accused by some of having expedited his death. He inherited a conflict with the Genoese
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
, who defeated the fleet of Trebizond and seized a local monastery, which they converted into a fortress. By 1418 he had signed a peace agreement and paid reparations to the Genoese until 1422. A new dispute arose over the emperor's obligations in 1425 and was not resolved until 1428. Relations with the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
were generally better.
After the death of Tamerlane
Timur
Timur , historically known as Tamerlane in English , was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until...
, most of Asia Minor
Asia Minor
Asia Minor is a geographical location at the westernmost protrusion of Asia, also called Anatolia, and corresponds to the western two thirds of the Asian part of Turkey...
descended into chaos. Kara Yusuf, ruler of the Kara Koyunlu
Kara Koyunlu
The Kara Koyunlu or Qara Qoyunlu, also called the Black Sheep Turkomans , were a Shi'ite Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled over the territory comprising the present-day Armenia, Azerbaijan, north-western Iran, eastern Turkey and Iraq from about 1375 to 1468.The Kara Koyunlu Turkomans at one...
or "Black Sheep" Turks, devastated much of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
and defeated the Emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
of Arsinga and the chieftain of the Ak Koyunlu
Ak Koyunlu
The Aq Qoyunlu or Ak Koyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans , was an Sunni Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled parts of present-day Eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, northern Iraq, and Iran from 1378 to 1508.-History:According to chronicles from the Byzantine Empire, the Aq Qoyunlu...
or White Sheep Turks. Alexios sought to avoid hostility by marrying off daughters to his powerful Muslim neighbors. One daughter was married to Kara Yusuf's son Jihan Shah in c.1420, and Alexios agreed to pay his son-in-law the same amount of tribute that had previously been due to Tamerlane. Another daughter was possibly married to Ali, son of Kara Yülük Osman, the ruler of Ak Koyunlu
Ak Koyunlu
The Aq Qoyunlu or Ak Koyunlu, also called the White Sheep Turkomans , was an Sunni Oghuz Turkic tribal federation that ruled parts of present-day Eastern Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, northern Iraq, and Iran from 1378 to 1508.-History:According to chronicles from the Byzantine Empire, the Aq Qoyunlu...
. Though Osman himself was likely the groom.
Alexios' marital policy also extended to his Christian neighbors, and his daughter Maria of Trebizond
Maria of Trebizond
Maria Megale Komnene , known as Maria of Trebizond was the third wife of John VIII Palaiologos. She was the last Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:...
was married off to the Byzantine Emperor 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...
in 1428. Her sister Eudokia had married Niccolò Crispo, the Italian lord of Syros
Syros
Syros , or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is located south-east of Athens. The area of the island is . The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and Vari. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island and the Cyclades...
- they became the biological grandparents of Catherine Cornaro
Catherine Cornaro
Nobil Donna Catherine Cornaro was Queen of Cyprus from 1474 to 1489 and declared a "Daughter of Saint Mark" in order that Venice could claim control of Cyprus after the death of her husband, James II .-Family:She was born in Venice in 1454 and was the daughter of a well-known and powerful family of...
.
According to George Finlay, Alexios IV spent much of his time in pursuit of pleasure and accomplished relatively little, however there is no evidence in contemporary sources for this claim. Following tradition, he granted his eldest son, John IV, the courtly title 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...
in 1417. However, relations deteriorated between father and son, and in 1426 John murdered Alexios' Treasurer, alleging an affair between him and the Empress Theodora Kantakouzene
Theodora Kantakouzene, wife of Alexios IV of Trebizond
Theodora Kantakouzene was the Empress consort of Alexios IV of Trebizond.-Family:Theodora and her relations are named in Dell'Imperadori Constantinopolitani, a manuscript held in the Vatican Library. The document is also known as the "Massarelli manuscript" because it was found in the papers of...
. He also attempted to eliminate his parents, however the nobles intervened and prevented the attempt and John fled to Georgia
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...
.
When Alexios IV's wife Theodora died in 1426, he was so distraught that Bessarion wrote him no less than three monodias, which help to shed some light on this otherwise dark period lacking in sources.
Due to John's disloyalty and usurpation, Alexios IV made his younger son Alexander of Trebizond 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...
and married him off to Maria Gattilusio, a daughter of Dorino of Lesbos
Dorino of Lesbos
Dorino Gattilusio, Lord of Lesbos was the fourth ruler of an independent Lesbos from 1428 to 1455.He was the second son of Francis II, Lord of Lesbos and Valentina Doria. He succeeded his older brother Jacopo of Lesbos in 1428....
. Eventually John left Georgia for the Genoese colony at Caffa, where he enlisted a galley and its crew to help him recover his position in Trebizond. Alexios IV marched out to resist his son, but was murdered during the night by nobles who had been won over by John, sometime in October 1429. Alexander according to the source for the period Laonicus Chalcondyles
Laonicus Chalcondyles
Laonikos Chalkokondyles, latinized as Laonicus Chalcondyles was a Byzantine Greek scholar from Athens.- Life :He was a Byzantine historian, son of George and cousin of Demetrios Chalcocondylas...
fled either to his father-in-law Dorino of Lesbos, or Constantinople.
Marriage and children
In 1395, Alexios married Theodora KantakouzeneTheodora Kantakouzene, wife of Alexios IV of Trebizond
Theodora Kantakouzene was the Empress consort of Alexios IV of Trebizond.-Family:Theodora and her relations are named in Dell'Imperadori Constantinopolitani, a manuscript held in the Vatican Library. The document is also known as the "Massarelli manuscript" because it was found in the papers of...
. Her parents were Theodore Kantakouzenos and Euphrosyne Palaiologina. They would have at least five children:
- John IV of TrebizondJohn IV of TrebizondJohn IV Megas Komnenos , was Emperor of Trebizond from 1429 to 1459. He was a son of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene....
(c. 1403 - 1459). - Maria of TrebizondMaria of TrebizondMaria Megale Komnene , known as Maria of Trebizond was the third wife of John VIII Palaiologos. She was the last Empress consort of the Byzantine Empire.-Family:...
(c. 1404 - 1439). Married John VIII PalaiologosJohn VIII PalaiologosJohn 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...
. - Alexander of Trebizond. Co-Emperor with his father. Married Maria Gattilusio, a daughter of Dorino of LesbosDorino of LesbosDorino Gattilusio, Lord of Lesbos was the fourth ruler of an independent Lesbos from 1428 to 1455.He was the second son of Francis II, Lord of Lesbos and Valentina Doria. He succeeded his older brother Jacopo of Lesbos in 1428....
. - David of TrebizondDavid of TrebizondDavid Megas Komnenos was the last Emperor of Trebizond from 1459 to 1461. He was the third son of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene....
(c. 1408 - 1463). - A daughter. Married Jahan ShahJahan ShahMuzaffar al-Din Jahan Shah ibn Yusuf was the leader of the Kara Koyunlu Turkmen tribal federation in Azerbaijan and Arran who reigned c.1438-1467. During his reign he managed to expand the Kara Koyunlu’s territory to its largest extent, including Western Anatolia, most of present day Iraq,...
.
Two further daughters have been attributed by later genealogies Both have also been attributed to John IV. . They are :
- Theodora of Trebizond, wife of Kara Yülük Osman
- Eudokia-Valenza of Trebizond, wife of Niccolò Crispo, Lord of SyrosSyrosSyros , or Siros or Syra is a Greek island in the Cyclades, in the Aegean Sea. It is located south-east of Athens. The area of the island is . The largest towns are Ermoupoli, Ano Syros, and Vari. Ermoupoli is the capital of the island and the Cyclades...
.