Andronikos II Palaiologos
A Byzantine emperor whose long, troubled reign witnessed the irreversible shrinking of an empire into a collection of cities.
1259–1332 (age 73)·Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328·Birthday: March 25
Biography
Andronikos II Palaiologos inherited an empire restored to Constantinople but hollowed out and bankrupt. A scholar and theologian more comfortable in a monastery than on a battlefield, his 46-year rule was defined by a series of catastrophic retrenchments. To save money, he disastrously dissolved the Byzantine navy, leaving the coasts open to Turkish and Catalan raiders. His attempts at church union with Rome to secure Western military aid backfired, inflaming domestic religious strife. While he focused on theological debates, the Ottoman Turks established their first permanent European foothold, and Byzantine Anatolia, the empire's heartland, was lost forever. His reign ended in humiliation, overthrown by his own grandson, Andronikos III, after a bitter civil war. He spent his final years as a monk, watching the consequences of his policies set the stage for the empire's eventual collapse.
#1 When Andronikos Was Born
The biggest hits of 1259
Andronikos's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1259Born
1264Started school
1272Became a teenager
1275Could drive
1277Could vote
1280Turned 21
1289Turned 30
1299Turned 40
1309Turned 50
1319Turned 60
1329Turned 70
1332Died at 73
Key Achievements
- Founded the Chora Monastery in Constantinople, later famous for its exquisite mosaics and frescoes.
- Patronized a significant revival of learning and the arts, supporting scholars like Theodore Metochites.
- His reign, though militarily disastrous, saw a last flowering of Palaiologan Renaissance art and architecture.
Did You Know?
He was a devoted patron of astronomy and supported the construction of an observatory in the capital.
He married twice; his second wife, Yolanda of Montferrat, insisted on being called 'Empress of the Romans' (Imperatrix Romaniae).
The civil war against his grandson began after Andronikos II ordered the execution of his grandson's friend over a hunting dispute.
He outlived his son and co-emperor, Michael IX, who died reportedly of grief after the accidental killing of his own younger son.
“I dismantled our fleet to save gold, and watched the Turks take the seas.”
