The Historians' History of the World 07

1452 Joannes appeals to Pope Nicholas V for aid. Cardinal Isidore and a small body of auxiliaries are sent.

1453 Siege and capture of Constantinople by Muhammed II. Death of Constantine in battle. Muhammed enters his new capital. End of the Eastern Empire.

THE EMPIRE OF TREBIZOND (1204-1461 A.D.)

Isaac Angelus, as soon as he is placed on the throne by the exasperated mob that slew the tyrannical Andronicus I (1185), has the eyes of Manuel Comnenus, the murdered emperor’s eldest son, put out. Manuel dies under the operation, leaving two sons, Alexius and David. They live in obscurity in Constantinople until the crusaders besiege the capital (1203), when they escape to the coast of Colchis. Alexius gathers around him a small force and 1204 about the time of the fall of Constantinople enters Trebizond, the ancient Trapezus, on the Black Sea, having been proclaimed “emperor of the Romans.” He calls himself Alexius (I) Grand-Comnenus, to distinguish himself from the family of Alexius Angelus-Comnenus. The weakness of the expelled house of Angelus permits Alexius to found his empire and begin a career of conquest. In the course of a few months the whole country from the Phasis to the Thermodon is his. David Comnenus adds the coast from Sinope to Heraclea to the new empire.

1206 Defeat of David on the Sangarius, by Theodore (I) Lascaris. Alexius badly beaten at Amisus by the sultan of Iconium or Rum in league with Theodore. David makes treaty with the emperor Henry of Romania, in the interest of his possessions.

1214 Theodore I attempts to reunite David’s territory to the empire of Nicæa. Death of David in defence of Sinope, besieged and captured by the Turks. Pontus assailed by the Turks. Colchis by the Georgians.

1216 Alexius compelled to declare himself a vassal of the sultan of Iconium.

1222 Death of Alexius. His son-in-law, Andronicus (I) Ghidus, succeeds, Joannes the eldest son being passed over.

1224 Treaty with Ala ad-Din, sultan of Iconium. Hayton, Turkish governor of Sinope, seizes a Trebizontine ship. Andronicus attacks Sinope; Ala ad-Din breaks treaty and attacks Trebizond. Andronicus drives him off and by a treaty frees himself from vassalage.

1226 Andronicus acknowledges himself vassal of Gela ad-Din, shah of Khwarizm.

1230 On defeat of Gela ad-Din by the Mongols, Andronicus renews vassalage to Iconium. The Iberian provinces of Trebizond unite with the new Iberian kingdom where King David still retains his independence against the Turks.

1235 Death of Andronicus. His brother-in-law, Joannes (I) Auxuchus, succeeds.

1238 Death of Joannes. His brother, Manuel (I) the Great Captain, succeeds. There is little information about the events of his reign, but he was a vassal of the Seljuks; and, after their defeat, in 1244, at Kusadac of the Mongol khan, Octar.

1263 Andronicus II succeeds his father.

1266 George succeeds his brother. The power of the Mongols and Seljuks in Asia Minor declines, and George frees himself from them. He attempts to conquer more territory but in 1280 is deserted by his nobles on an expedition and captured by the Turkomans. Joannes III succeeds. He is invited by a party in Constantinople, disgusted at Michael VIII’s union with the Latin church, to place himself at the head of the orthodox Christians and of the Greek Empire; but Joannes fears to do this.

1281 Michael sends George Acropolita, the historian, on a mission to Joannes to induce him to lay aside title of emperor of the Romans or accept matrimonial alliance with his family. It is unsuccessful. An insurrection at Trebizond deprives Joannes of his power, but he soon recovers it.

1282 Joannes agrees to marry Michael’s daughter Eudocia. The ceremony is performed at Constantinople, and Joannes gives up title “emperor of the Romans,” taking that of “emperor of all the East, Iberia, and Peratea.” David of Iberia makes an unsuccessful attack on Trebizond. George released by Turkomans, but fails in an attempt to regain throne.

1285 Joannes’ sister, Theodora, assembles an army and mounts throne, but Joannes soon recovers it and drives her from it. Pope Nicholas IV invites Joannes to assist in crusade to recover Ptolemais, but affairs at home prevent his doing so.

1297 Death of Joannes. His son Alexius II succeeds at age of fifteen. He soon frees himself from his guardian, Andronicus II of Constantinople.

1302 Alexius repels a Turkoman invasion in a great battle near Kerasunt.

1310 After many trade disputes with the Genoese establishments on the Black Sea, Genoa demands a favourable treaty with Alexius, which he refuses. The enraged Genoese burn a portion of Trebizond, but fear of the Venetians compels them to agree to trading on the old terms.

1314 Sinopian pirates set fire to Trebizond and much damage is done.