Manuel III of Trebizond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Manuel III Megas Komnenos |
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| Emperor and Autocrat of all the East and Perateia | |
Coin of Manuel III, showing him on horseback
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| Emperor of Trebizond | |
| Reign | 20 March 1390 – 5 March 1417 |
| Predecessor | Alexios III |
| Successor | Alexios IV |
| Born | 16 December 1364 |
| Died | 5 March 1417 (aged 52) |
| Spouse | Eudokia of Georgia Anna Philanthropene |
| Issue | Alexios IV Megas Komnenos |
| Dynasty | Komnenos |
| Father | Alexios III Megas Komnenos |
| Mother | Theodora Kantakouzene |
Manuel III Megas Komnenos (born December 16, 1364, died March 5, 1417) was an Emperor of the Empire of Trebizond. He ruled from March 20, 1390, until his death in 1417. Trebizond was a small empire located on the southeastern coast of the Black Sea.
A very important event during Manuel's rule was the arrival of a powerful conqueror named Tamerlane in Anatolia. Tamerlane's actions almost destroyed the Ottoman Empire, which had been a big threat to Trebizond. This happened during a major battle called the Battle of Ankara. Even though the Ottomans rebuilt their empire after a civil war, Tamerlane's victory gave Trebizond many more years of peace and safety.
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Manuel III's Life and Rule
Manuel was the son of Emperor Alexios III of Trebizond and Theodora Kantakouzene. He became the chosen heir to the throne in 1377. This happened after his older brother, Basil, passed away.
Facing a Big Challenge: Tamerlane
Manuel's empire faced a growing threat from the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Sultan, Bayezid I, had led his army along the Black Sea coast. They reached the border of Trebizond in 1398.
Then, Tamerlane, a powerful leader from Central Asia, arrived. He had already campaigned in eastern Anatolia in 1394. In 1400, he returned and captured the city of Sivas. He demanded that Manuel and his army join him against the Ottomans. Manuel managed to avoid sending his army. However, he did send twenty ships to help Tamerlane's efforts.
Bayezid and Tamerlane finally fought in the Battle of Ankara. Tamerlane completely defeated the Ottoman forces. He even captured Sultan Bayezid. For the next eight months, Tamerlane moved across Anatolia. He restored old Turkish kingdoms and plundered Ottoman lands. This greatly weakened the Ottoman Empire. It wasn't until 1413 that the Ottoman Empire became a threat again. This was when Mehmet I defeated his last surviving brother.
When Tamerlane left Asia Minor in 1403, some of his army visited the city of Kerasous. Their actions likely destroyed the rule of Melissenos at Oinaion. The mountains around Kerasous stopped them from going further. This was a great relief to the people of Trebizond. Tamerlane also put his nephew, Mirza Halil, in charge of Armenia, Trebizond, and Georgia. But when his father died in 1405, Halil quickly left to become ruler in Samarkand.
Friends and Rivals: Venice and Genoa
Manuel had better relations with Venice than with Genoa. In 1391, Trebizond and Venice made an agreement. It was similar to a treaty from 1319. This new agreement lowered the taxes Venice paid and confirmed their old trading rights.
In 1396, Manuel signed an important document called a "golden bull." This document allowed Venetians to trade freely everywhere in his empire. It also gave them their own church, bank, and law court. Manuel even sent a bell and a clock to Venice for repairs. In 1416, a group from Trebizond visited Venice.
However, there were often conflicts with Genoa. Manuel was accused of bribing Genoese officials. In 1416, Genoa decided to act against him. This was because he interfered with their castle at Trebizond. The situation became so bad that Venice told its ships not to land at Trebizond. This was due to the "divisions existing between the Emperor and the Genoese."
Family Matters and Successor
The last years of Manuel's rule were difficult. He had disagreements with his own son, Alexios IV. Alexios had been given some power as a despotes (a high title). Manuel had a young page working for him. The special treatment Manuel showed this page made the local nobles angry. They thought the page was from a humble family.
At the same time, Alexios wanted to become emperor. He started a rebellion and demanded that the page be sent away. The nobles joined Alexios. They surrounded Manuel in his palace. Manuel was finally forced to agree and send the page away. The people then left, but Alexios still wanted the throne. He had to make peace with his father. As part of their agreement, Alexios had to take the young page into his own service.
Manuel III passed away in March 1417. His son, Alexios IV, became the new emperor.
Manuel's Contributions
Manuel, like his father, was very interested in religious buildings. In the year he became emperor, he gave a special cross to the Sumela Monastery. This cross was believed to hold a holy relic. It was said to contain a piece of the cross on which Jesus Christ was crucified.
Family
Manuel first married Gulkhan-Eudokia of Georgia in 1377. She was the widow of his older half-brother, Andronikos. She was also the daughter of King David IX of Georgia.
His second wife was Anna Philanthropene. He married her in 1395. She was from the Byzantine Doukas family.
With Gulkhan-Eudokia, Manuel had at least one son:
- Alexios, who became emperor after him.
Manuel also had another son with his second wife, Anna. This son is mentioned in some historical writings. He married Eudokia, the daughter of Manuel Palaiologos Kantakouzenos. However, this son died before they could have children.
