Demetrius Palaeologus

Demetrius Palaeologus or Demetrios Palaiologos (Gr. ????????? ???????????)( 1406 - 1462 ), Despot of Morea de jure 1428-1460, de facto 1436-38 and 1451-1460, governor of Limnos 1423-1440, governor of Mesembria 1440-1451 was a younger son of Manuel II Palaeologus, the Byzantine emperor. His brothers were emperors John VIII Palaeologus and Constantine XI Palaeologus, as well as Theodore II Palaeologus (despot of Morea), Thomas Palaeologus (also despot of Morea), and Andronicus Palaeologus, despot of Thessalonica.

Related Topics:
Manuel II Palaeologus - John VIII Palaeologus - Constantine XI Palaeologus - Theodore II Palaeologus - Thomas Palaeologus - Andronicus Palaeologus - Thessalonica

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As Demetrius was one of the youngest sons, initially he was not expected to rule. He however had other ideas for himself and much ambition.

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Demetrius attempted to take power first time with military help from Hungary.

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He received possession of island of Limnos in 1422 from his father the emperor, but refused to go live there. In total contrast with the gift, he escaped to court of Hungary the next year requesting protection against his brothers. More than a year passed until he moved to Limnos in 1425 where he then lived in peace for the next ten years until coming to Morea.

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In the entourage of his brother the emperor John VIII Palaeologus he arrived to Florence for discussions about church union, but left for home leaving the emperor there. He was forced to surrender Limnos as penalty for that returning home without emperor's consent. Demetrius was offended by the punishment. He received small poor Byzantine towns in the coast of the Black Sea, but that did not satisfy him. Two years later he made an alliance with Turks who started to besiege Constantinople demanding that Demetrius be given control of all the little towns around the capital in Byzantine control. In the end, the status quo survived.

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Using his position and location near Constantinople, he tried a coup after John VIII died but that failed, mostly due to their mother's intervention.

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To get him away from vicinity of Constantinople, Constantine XI Palaeologus, the new emperor gave him half of Morea in 1451. His brother Thomas had lived there already ten years.

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After the fall of Constantinople in 1453 (when Morea was the only remainder of the Byzantine empire of the Palaeologus), a civil war erupted between Demetrius, the elder brother, and Thomas Palaeologus, the co-ruler of Morea who had ruled longer there. In the end, Thomas, the younger brother, emerged as victor. Demetrius escaped to Turkish soil, requesting restoration to power from Mehmed II.

Related Topics:
Palaeologus - Thomas Palaeologus - Mehmed II

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Turkish invasion then defeated Thomas without any problems, Thomas with his family escaped to Italy, but the Turkish sultan refused to return Morea to Demetrius because "he is not man enough to rule any country". After that Demetrius received pension and lived in his golden cage until death.

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His only child was a daughter who was sent to the harem of Mehmed II. After seeing her, the Sultan returned the daughter to Demetrius.

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