Anna of Trebizond
Encyclopedia
Anna Anachoutlou Megale Komnene , (died 1342), Empress of Trebizond from July 17, 1341 to September 4, 1342. Anna was the elder daughter of Emperor Alexios II of Trebizond
and his Georgian
wife, Djiadjak Jaqeli
.
Anna was a nun, but during the unsuccessful reign of Irene Palaiologina
she had been persuaded by Trapezuntine nobles to abandon her monastic vows, and seize the crown. She was proclaimed empress in Lazica and advanced on Trebizond. Wherever she went, the people joined the revolt and when Anna, reinforced by the troops send by the Georgian king George V
, arrived at the walls of Trebizond on July 17, 1341 she was admitted without resistance and acclaimed Empress, while Irene was deposed.
Three weeks later three Byzantine galleys sailed to Trebizond with troops under the leaders of the Scholarioi faction, Niketas Scholares
and Gregory. With them came Anna's uncle Michael
, who was the husband chosen for the now deposed Irene by the regents of her half-brother John V Palaiologos
. The Metropolitan Akakios and some of the nobility seemed to accept Michael as the legitimate ruler of Trebizond. Not wishing to be governed by a forceful man of mature years, they promptly imprisoned Michael in the palace, while Anna's Lazic troops dispersed the crowd supporting Michael and plundered his ships.
The next day Michael was sent off in exile to Oinaion
, where he was guarded by Grand Duke John the Eunuch and Anna's predecessor Irene Palaiologina was sent off to Constantinople
on a western ship. For the moment, Anna ruled unchallenged, although she was actually a puppet in the hands of the ruling nobility. At the same time the people remained discontent, and the Turkmen
plundered the countryside.
Niketas and Gregory, the leaders of the Scholarioi, returned to Constantinople and convinced the government to give them Michael's young son, John
, as a claimant to the throne of Trebizond. In September 1342, with the help of the Genoese
, John's small forces (5 galleys) made their way to Trebizond. Although Anna and her courtiers prepared to defend themselves, they were sabotaged by a popular revolt. John's supporters took control of the city on September 4, 1342 and crowned John III emperor. The Scholarioi executed many of their rivals, and Anna was strangled soon after her deposition.
Alexios II of Trebizond
Alexios 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 :...
and his 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...
wife, Djiadjak Jaqeli
Djiadjak Jaqeli
-Family:Jiajak was a daughter of Beka I, the Jaqeli atabeg of Samtskhe. The Jaqelis held the Georgian feudal office of Eristavi. An Eristavi could be "governor of a region" or an "army-commander", roughly equivalent to the Byzantine strategos and normally translated into English as "duke".David...
.
Anna was a nun, but during the unsuccessful reign of Irene Palaiologina
Irene of Trebizond
Irene Palaiologina , was Empress of Trebizond from April 6, 1340 to July 17, 1341...
she had been persuaded by Trapezuntine nobles to abandon her monastic vows, and seize the crown. She was proclaimed empress in Lazica and advanced on Trebizond. Wherever she went, the people joined the revolt and when Anna, reinforced by the troops send by the Georgian king George V
George V of Georgia
George V, the "Brilliant" was King of Georgia from 1299 to 1302 and again from 1314 until his death. A flexible and far-sighted politician, he recovered Georgia from a century-long Mongol domination, restoring the country’s previous strength and Christian culture.-Reign:George was born to King...
, arrived at the walls of Trebizond on July 17, 1341 she was admitted without resistance and acclaimed Empress, while Irene was deposed.
Three weeks later three Byzantine galleys sailed to Trebizond with troops under the leaders of the Scholarioi faction, Niketas Scholares
Niketas Scholares
Niketas Scholares , was a Byzantine Greek aristocrat and military leader in the Empire of Trebizond.- Life :Nicetas was a leader of the Scholarioi faction in Trebizond. In 1341 Nicetas and his co-leader, Gregory, sent for Michael Megas Komnenos, who resided in the Byzantine capital Constantinople,...
and Gregory. With them came Anna's uncle Michael
Michael of Trebizond
Michael 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...
, who was the husband chosen for the now deposed Irene by the regents of her half-brother John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos was a Byzantine emperor, who succeeded his father in 1341, at age nine.-Biography:...
. The Metropolitan Akakios and some of the nobility seemed to accept Michael as the legitimate ruler of Trebizond. Not wishing to be governed by a forceful man of mature years, they promptly imprisoned Michael in the palace, while Anna's Lazic troops dispersed the crowd supporting Michael and plundered his ships.
The next day Michael was sent off in exile to Oinaion
Ünye
Ünye is a large town and district of Ordu Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey, 76 km west of the city of Ordu. In 2009 it had 74,806 inhabitants.-Geography:Ünye has a little port, in a bay on one of the flatter areas of the Black Sea coast...
, where he was guarded by Grand Duke John the Eunuch and Anna's predecessor Irene Palaiologina was sent off to 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:...
on a western ship. For the moment, Anna ruled unchallenged, although she was actually a puppet in the hands of the ruling nobility. At the same time the people remained discontent, and the Turkmen
Turkmen people
The Turkmen are a Turkic people located primarily in the Central Asian states of Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and northeastern Iran. They speak the Turkmen language, which is classified as a part of the Western Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages family together with Turkish, Azerbaijani, Qashqai,...
plundered the countryside.
Niketas and Gregory, the leaders of the Scholarioi, returned to Constantinople and convinced the government to give them Michael's young son, John
John III of Trebizond
John III Megas Komnenos was Emperor of Trebizond from September 4, 1342 to May 3, 1344...
, as a claimant to the throne of Trebizond. In September 1342, with the help of the Genoese
Genoa
Genoa |Ligurian]] Zena ; Latin and, archaically, English Genua) is a city and an important seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria....
, John's small forces (5 galleys) made their way to Trebizond. Although Anna and her courtiers prepared to defend themselves, they were sabotaged by a popular revolt. John's supporters took control of the city on September 4, 1342 and crowned John III emperor. The Scholarioi executed many of their rivals, and Anna was strangled soon after her deposition.