John VI Kantakouzenos facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John VI Kantakouzenos
Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans
John VI presiding over a synod
Byzantine emperor
Reign	8 February 1347 – 10 December 1354
Coronation	21 May 1347
Predecessor	John V Palaiologos (alone)
Successor	John V Palaiologos (alongside Matthew)
Co-monarch	John V Palaiologos Matthew Kantakouzenos
Born	1292 Constantinople, Byzantine Empire
Died	15 June 1383 (aged 90/91) Peloponnese, Despotate of the Morea
Burial	Mistra, Peloponnese, Greece
Spouse	Irene Asanina
Issue	Matthew Kantakouzenos Manuel Kantakouzenos Andronikos Kantakouzenos Maria Kantakouzene Theodora Kantakouzene Helena Kantakouzene
Full name John Angelos Palaiologos Kantakouzenos Ἰωάννης Ἄγγελος [Κομνηνός] Παλαιολόγος Καντακουζηνός
House	Kantakouzenos
Father	Michael Kantakouzenos
Mother	Theodora Palaiologina Angelina
Religion	Greek Orthodox

John VI Kantakouzenos (born around 1292 – died June 15, 1383) was an important Byzantine noble, leader, and general. He served as a top official under Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos. Later, he became a regent (a temporary ruler) for the young John V Palaiologos. From 1347 to 1354, he ruled as a Byzantine emperor himself.

After being removed from power by John V, he became a monk named Joasaph Christodoulos. He spent the rest of his life as a monk and a historian. John VI lived to be about 90 or 91 years old, making him one of the longest-living Roman emperors.

Early Life and Rise to Power

John Kantakouzenos was born in Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. His father, Michael Kantakouzenos, was a governor. John was also related to the ruling Palaiologos family through his mother, Theodora Palaiologina Angelina. His wife, Irene Asanina, was also related to Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos.

John became a close friend and strong supporter of Andronikos III. He helped Andronikos III in a struggle against his grandfather, Andronikos II Palaiologos. When Andronikos III became emperor in 1328, John was put in charge of many important government tasks. He served as the "grand domestic," a very high military and administrative position, throughout Andronikos III's rule.

Becoming Regent

When Emperor Andronikos III died in June 1341, his son, John V, was only nine years old. John Kantakouzenos was chosen to be the regent, meaning he would oversee the empire until John V was old enough to rule.

John Kantakouzenos had never seemed to want to be emperor himself. He had even refused offers from Andronikos III to be a co-emperor. After Andronikos III's death, he again refused the throne. He said he believed John V was the rightful emperor and was happy to manage the empire.

Challenges to His Power

However, John Kantakouzenos's close friendship with the late emperor and his power over the young John V made some people jealous. These included Patriarch John XIV of Constantinople and Alexios Apokaukos. They suspected him of treason.

In September 1341, while John Kantakouzenos was away from the capital preparing an army, they managed to remove him from his role as regent. His family members in Constantinople were exiled or imprisoned, and their property was taken. His mother, Theodora, even died because of the harsh treatment she received while under house arrest.

John Kantakouzenos tried to talk to the new regents, but they refused. His army, however, ignored the new regents' orders. They declared John Kantakouzenos emperor at Didymoteichon in Thrace. He accepted this, but he still said he was a junior ruler to John V.

The Byzantine Civil War

Starting the Conflict

This led to a civil war that lasted six years. Both sides brought in foreign allies and hired soldiers, which caused great damage and nearly destroyed the empire.

At first, John VI marched towards Thessalonica, a city whose leaders planned to support him. But his opponents, led by Apokaukos, sent a fleet to strengthen the city. This forced John to flee to Serbia, where Stefan Dušan gave him shelter and military help.

Seeking Foreign Help

This help from Serbia was not very effective. John's old friend and ally, Umur of Aydin, a Turkish leader, had to step in to break the regency's siege of John's base at Didymoteichon.

The next year, during another attempt to take Thessalonica, the Serbians switched sides and supported the regency. This left John stranded again. But Umur once more came to his rescue. Their combined forces broke through and returned to Didymoteichon.

The war continued for four more years. Neither side could fully defeat the other. John VI made a deal with the Ottoman Turks. He gave his daughter, Theodora, to Orhan Bey, the Ottoman Sultan, for marriage. He also allowed the Ottomans to take some people as part of the agreement.

Victory and Shared Rule

The combined Byzantine and Turkish forces were successful. John VI entered Constantinople in victory on February 8, 1347. Empress Anna and John VI agreed that John VI would rule as the senior emperor for ten years. After that, John V would be old enough to share power equally with Kantakouzenos. John VI was officially crowned on May 21.

John VI's Reign as Emperor

John VI as emperor (left) and later as a monk (right)

During John VI's rule, the Byzantine Empire was already weak, divided, and poor. It continued to face attacks from all sides.

Challenges from Genoa

The Genoese, who had a colony called Galata near Constantinople, started building up their defenses and weapons. They ignored an earlier treaty. Their customs taxes were much lower than Byzantium's, which meant that Genoa collected most of the money from ships passing through the Bosphorus strait.

John VI tried to rebuild the Byzantine navy to prepare for a war he expected. He wanted to lower Constantinople's own customs taxes to get more trade. He managed to borrow enough money to build some ships. When Genoa declared war, they quickly sank or captured his fleet in early 1349. The Genoese were forced to negotiate after parts of Galata were burned. After this, the Byzantine Empire had to rely on an alliance with the Republic of Venice for naval protection.

Religious Matters and Ottoman Expansion

In 1351, John Kantakouzenos oversaw an important church meeting, the Fifth Council of Constantinople. At this meeting, the mystical teachings of Gregory Palamas were declared to be the official belief of the Eastern Orthodox Church.

By this time, Stefan Dušan had taken over large areas of the Byzantine Empire, including Albania, Macedonia, and Epirus. John VI again sought help from the Turks to stop further invasions. After an earthquake, the Turks took control of Callipolis (Gallipoli) in 1354. This was their first permanent base in Europe and was partly payment for John's debts to them.

In 1353, John VI made his son, Matthew Kantakouzenos, a co-emperor. However, John VI's efforts to raise taxes to pay off the government's debts were unpopular. He was soon removed from power by John V. On December 10, 1354, John VI became a monk.

Life as a Monk and Historian

After leaving the throne, Kantakouzenos went to a monastery. He took the name Joasaph Christodoulos. There, he spent his time writing. His most famous work is a four-volume History covering the years 1320–1356. This history was written to explain his actions as emperor. While it is a unique account from an emperor, it is not always completely accurate, especially about events he wasn't directly involved in.

In 1367, Joasaph was chosen to represent the Eastern Orthodox Church. He was to talk with the Latin Patriarch Paul to try and reunite the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches. They agreed to hold a large church council with leaders from both churches. However, this plan was later rejected by Pope Urban V, and nothing came of it.

John Kantakouzenos died in the Peloponnese region and was buried by his sons in Mistra in Laconia.

Family Life

John VI Kantakouzenos and his wife, Irene Asanina, had several children:

• Matthew Kantakouzenos: He was co-emperor from 1353 to 1357. Later, he became the ruler of the Despotate of the Morea.
• Manuel Kantakouzenos: He also became the ruler of the Morea.
• Andronikos Kantakouzenos: He died in 1347 during the Black Death plague.
• Maria Kantakouzene: She married Nikephoros II Orsini, a ruler from Epirus.
• Theodora Kantakouzene: She married Sultan Orhan of the Ottoman Empire.
• Helena Kantakouzene: She married John V Palaiologos, the emperor who later removed her father from power.

His Writings

Besides his History, Kantakouzenos also wrote other works. These included a commentary on Aristotle's Ethics and several religious writings. One of these defended Hesychasm, a type of mystical prayer, and another was a work Against Mohammedanism.

See also

• Demetrios Kydones
• List of Byzantine emperors

Images for kids

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  John VI presiding over a synod

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  John VI as emperor (left) and later as a monk (right)