| John VIII Palaiologos | |
|---|---|
| Emperor and Autocrat of the Romans | |
 Detail fromThe Middle King byBenozzo Gozzoli, in theMagi Chapel ofPalazzo Medici-Riccardi,Florence, 1459–1461.Balthazar is represented as John VIII; the portrait is based on contemporary drawings made in Italy.[1] | |
| Byzantine emperor | |
| Reign | 21 July 1425 – 31 October 1448 |
| Coronation | 19 January 1421 |
| Predecessor | Manuel II Palaiologos |
| Successor | Constantine XI Palaiologos |
| Proclamation | c. 1407as co-emperor |
| Born | 18 December 1392 |
| Died | 31 October 1448(1448-10-31) (aged 55) |
| Spouse | |
| Dynasty | Palaiologos |
| Father | Manuel II Palaiologos |
| Mother | Helena Dragaš |
| Religion | Eastern Catholicism PreviouslyEastern Orthodox |
John VIII Palaiologos orPalaeologus (Greek:Ἰωάννης Παλαιολόγος,romanized: Iōánnēs Palaiológos; 18 December 1392 – 31 October 1448) was the penultimateByzantine emperor. Ruling from 1425 to 1448, he attempted to bring about the reunification of the Orthodox and Catholic churches and prioritized the protection of Constantinople against theOttoman Empire. He was succeeded by his brother,Constantine XI, who would become the final emperor.
John VIII was the eldest son ofManuel II Palaiologos andHelena Dragaš,[2] the daughter of theSerbian princeConstantine Dragaš. He was associated as co-emperor with his father before 1416 and became sole emperor upon the death of his father on 21 July 1425,[3][4] although he had already assumed full power on 19 January 1421.[5][6][7]
In June 1422, John VIII Palaiologos supervised the defense of Constantinople during a siege byMurad II,[8] but had to accept theloss ofThessalonica, which his brotherAndronikos had given toVenice in 1423. To secure protection against the Ottomans, he made two journeys to Italy in 1423 and 1439. During the second journey he visitedPope Eugene IV in Ferrara and consented to the union of theGreek andRoman churches. The union was ratified at theCouncil of Florence in 1439, which John attended with 700 followers includingPatriarch Joseph II of Constantinople andGeorge Gemistos Plethon, aNeoplatonist philosopher influential among the academics ofItaly. The union failed due to opposition inConstantinople, but through his prudent conduct towards theOttoman Empire he succeeded in holding possession of the city.
John VIII Palaiologos named his brother Constantine XI, who had served asregent in Constantinople in 1437–1439, as his successor. Despite the machinations of his younger brotherDemetrios Palaiologos his mother Helena was able to secure Constantine XI's succession in 1448.
John VIII died at Constantinople in 1448, becoming the last reigning Byzantine emperor to die of natural causes, and was buried in thePantokrator Monastery.[9]
John VIII Palaiologos was married three times. His first marriage was in 1414 toAnna of Moscow, daughter of Grand PrinceBasil I ofMoscow (1389–1425) andSophia of Lithuania.[10] She died in August 1417 of plague.
The second marriage, arranged by his father Manuel II and Pope Martin V, was toSophia of Montferrat in 1421.[10] She was a daughter ofTheodore II, Marquess of Montferrat, and his second wife Joanna of Bar. Joanna was a daughter ofRobert I, Duke of Bar, andMarie de Valois. Her maternal grandparents wereJohn II of France andBonne of Bohemia.
His third marriage, arranged by the future cardinal, Bessarion, was toMaria of Trebizond in 1427.[10] She was a daughter ofAlexios IV of Trebizond andTheodora Kantakouzene.[10] She died in the winter of 1439, also from plague.[11] None of the marriages produced any children.
John VIII Palaiologos was famously depicted by several painters on the occasion of his visit to Italy.[12] Perhaps the most famous of his portraits is the one byBenozzo Gozzoli, on the southern wall of theMagi Chapel, at thePalazzo Medici-Riccardi, inFlorence. According to some interpretations, John VIII was also portrayed inPiero della Francesca'sFlagellation. A portrait of John appears in a manuscript at theSaint Catherine's Monastery in theSinai Peninsula.
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John VIII Palaiologos Palaiologos dynasty Born: 18 December 1392 Died: 31 October 1448 | ||
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| Preceded by | Byzantine Emperor 1425–1448 | Succeeded by |
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