John VIII (Byzantium)
John VIII. Palaiologos ( Middle Greek Ἰωάννης Ηʹ Παλαιολόγος , * 1392 in Constantinople ; † October 31, 1448 ) was a son of Manuel II and, as his successor, byzantine emperor since 1425 .
In search of support against the Ottomans , who under Murad II had besieged Constantinople in 1422 , he turned to Pope Eugene IV and tried to find an agreement between the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches . 1439 on the Council of Ferrara-Florence in Florence , however, contractually defined Union met with broad rejection in the Byzantine population and proved ultimately a failure.
John VIII was married three times. His first wife was from 1414 until her death Anna of Moscow (1393-1417), the daughter of the Russian Grand Duke Vasily I. In 1421 he was married to Sophia von Montferrat or Sofia Paleologa (approx. 1399-1434), who Daughter of Margrave Theodor II of Montferrat . She was supposedly very ugly, and John VIII neglected her and finally disowned her in August 1426. In September 1427 he married Maria of Trebizond , the daughter of Emperor Alexios IV of Trebizond , who died in 1439. There were no children from any of John's marriages; therefore in 1448 his brother Constantine XI followed him . to.
literature
- Sebastian Kolditz: John VIII. Palaeologus and the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438/39). 2 volumes, Stuttgart 2013–2014, ISBN 978-3-7772-1319-4 .
- Peter Schreiner: John VIII. Palaiologos . In: Lexikon des Mittelalters 5, Sp. 535f.
Web links
| predecessor | Office | successor |
|---|---|---|
| Manuel II |
Emperor of Byzantium 1425–1448 |
Constantine XI. |
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | John VIII |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | John VIII. Palaiologos |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | Emperor of Byzantium (1425–1448) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | 1392 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Constantinople , Byzantine Empire |
| DATE OF DEATH | October 31, 1448 |