George Akropolites facts for kids
George Akropolites (born around 1217 or 1220, died 1282) was an important Byzantine historian and a smart leader. He was born in Constantinople, a very famous city back then.
His Life and Studies
When George Akropolites was about 16 years old, his father sent him to study. He went to the court of John III Doukas Vatatzes, who was the emperor of Nicaea. In Nicaea, George continued his education with great teachers like Theodore Hexapterygos and Nicephorus Blemmydes.
The emperor was very impressed with George. He gave George important jobs for the government. The emperors who came after John III, like Theodore II Laskaris and Michael VIII Palaiologos, also trusted George with big tasks. In 1244, George was given the title of Grand Logothete. This was like being the main chancellor or chief minister of the empire.
Military and Capture
In 1257, George Akropolites led an army against Michael II Komnenos Doukas, who was the ruler of Epirus. However, George was not a very good military commander. He was captured and kept in prison for two years.
Later, Michael VIII Palaiologos helped set him free. Michael Palaiologos became the emperor of Nicaea. He then managed to take back Constantinople from the Latins, who had controlled it since 1204. This brought back the Byzantine Empire. From this time on, George Akropolites became known as one of the best diplomats of the Eastern Roman Empire.
Diplomatic Missions
After his release, George Akropolites served as an ambassador to the ruler of the Bulgarian Empire, Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria. He then became the first head of the University of Constantinople. At the university, he taught subjects like mathematics and philosophy. Some of his famous students were George of Cyprus and George Pachymeres.
Emperor Michael Palaiologos was worried that the Latins might attack Constantinople again. He wanted to make peace with the Western Church. So, he suggested to Pope Clement IV that the Greek and Latin Churches should reunite. George Akropolites was chosen to be the emperor's ambassador for these important talks.
In 1273, George was sent to meet Pope Gregory X. The next year, in 1274, he attended a big meeting called the Second Council of Lyon. There, George swore an oath on behalf of the emperor. He confirmed that the Greeks accepted the beliefs that the Pope had sent to Constantinople. However, many people in the Byzantine Empire were against this reunion of the churches. So, the agreement eventually broke down. Even so, the talks helped to delay and prevent a Latin attack on Constantinople.
George Akropolites also led other important discussions. In 1281, he went to the Empire of Trebizond. He tried to convince Emperor John II of Trebizond to stop using the title "Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans." Michael Palaiologos believed only he had the right to use this title. But George did not succeed. John II said he was just following what his ancestors did, and his nobles would not let him give up the title.
His Writings
George Akropolites wrote a very important history book called the Annals. This book covers the time from 1204, when the Latins captured Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade, until 1261, when Michael Palaiologos took the city back. His book continues the work of another historian, Nicetas Choniates.
His Annals are very valuable because George wrote them himself. He lived during those times and held important jobs like Grand Logothete and ambassador. This meant he often saw events happening firsthand.
People consider Akropolites a reliable source for facts. His writing style is clear, even though it uses older language. He also wrote some shorter works. These included a speech for the funeral of Emperor John Vatatzes and a tribute to his wife, Irene Laskarina. While he was a prisoner in Epirus, he wrote two papers about the Holy Spirit.
See also
In Spanish: Jorge Acropolita para niños
- Constantine Akropolites, his son
