Constantine XI Palaeologus
- Constantine XI Palaeologus
-
/pay'lee ol"euh geuhs, pal'ee-/, (Dragases)
1404-53, last Byzantine emperor 1449-53.
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born Feb. 9, 1404, Constantinople
died May 29, 1453, Constantinople
Last Byzantine emperor (1449–53), sometimes called Constantine XII because of the erroneous notion that Constantine Lascaris was crowned in 1204.
He became emperor when his brother
John VIII Palaeologus died childless, but he faced a losing battle against the Ottoman Turks, who were directing all their resources toward the capture of Constantinople. He acknowledged the obedience of the Greek church to Rome in order to secure help from the West, but in vain. He was killed fighting at the walls of Constantinople as the Turks broke through.
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▪ Byzantine emperor
Palaeologus also spelled Palaiologos
born February 9, 1404, Constantinople, Byzantine Empire [now Istanbul, Turkey]
died May 29, 1453, Constantinople
the last Byzantine emperor (1449–53), killed in the final defense of Constantinople against the Ottoman Turks. He is sometimes referred to as Constantine XII, based on the erroneous idea that Constantine Lascaris (
Constantine (XI)) was crowned in 1204.
Constantine was the fourth son of the emperor Manuel II and his Serbian wife, Helen, of the dynasty of Dragas in Macedonia. He spent his early career with his brothers Theodore and Thomas governing the Byzantine despotate of the Morea (
Peloponnese) and completing its recovery from the Franks.
When his brother
John VIII Palaeologus died childless in 1448, he was proclaimed emperor at Mistra (January 1449). He was a man of courage and energy, but he succeeded to a
damnosa hereditas (“ruinous inheritance”).
Mehmed II, who became Ottoman sultan in 1451, directed all his resources to the capture of Constantinople. Constantine did everything within his power to organize the defense of the city and to enlist the support of the West by acknowledging the obedience of the Greek church to Rome, but in vain. He was killed fighting at the city walls when the Turks finally broke through.
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Universalium.
2010.
Look at other dictionaries:
Constantine XI Palaeologus — /pay lee ol euh geuhs, pal ee /, (Dragases) 1404 53, last Byzantine emperor 1449 53 … Useful english dictionary
Palaeologus — /pay lee ol euh geuhs/; esp. Brit. /pal ee /, n. family name of Byzantine rulers 1259 1453. * * * (as used in expressions) Andronicus II Palaeologus Andronicus III Palaeologus Constantine XI Palaeologus John V Palaeologus John VIII Palaeologus … Universalium
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