A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

JOANNES. JOANNES. 579
than Manuill and Michael Lascaris abandoned him, natural daughter Anne in marriage, in 1244, the
went to Constantinople, and persuaded Robert to- first wife of Vatatzes -having died in 1240.
declare war against Vatatzes. Its issue was un- Never despairing of putting an end to the
favourable to the Latins. In a pitched battle at Latin domination in the East, but obliged to give
Poemanene or Poeinanium, in 1224, the Latin up the plan of effecting it with the Bulgarian king,
troops were completely defeated; and such was the Vatatzes undertook to subdue the Bulgarian nation,
hatred of the Greeks against the foreign intruders, and to force those warlike barbarians to serve under
that they neither gave nor accepted quarter: the his banners against the intruders at Constantinople.
two Lascaris were taken prisoners, and payed their In 1246 he had already conquered the southtreason with the loss of their eyes. In consequence western portion of Bulgaria, and given its governof this victory, the greater part of the Latin pos- ment, together with that of Thessalonica (Macesessions in Asia fell into the hands of the Greeks. donia) to his Magnus Domesticus Andronicus PaOn the sea the Latins were successful; they block- laeologus, when his progress was checked by a comaded the Greek fleet in the port of Lampsacus, and bined attack of the Latins and Michael Comnenus,
Vatatzes preferred burning his own ships to having despot of Epeirus. The issue of a protracted war
them burnt by his enemy. However, Vatatzes had was favourable to Vatatzes, who took several of the
little to lose on the sea, and the Latin emperor was towns of the Latins in Thrace, and made peace
finally compelled to sue for peace, and to leave the with Michael in 1253. The following years were
greater part of his Asiatic possessions in the hands peaceful, and Vatatzes employed his leisure in proof Vatatzes. The peace was of short duration. The moting the happiness of his subjects. He patronised
old John of Brienne, who after the death of Ro- arts and sciences, constructed new roads, distribert, in 1228, exchanged his nominal kingdom of buted the taxes equally, and made himself beloved
Jerusalem for the real though tottering throne of by every body through his kindness and justice.
Constantinople, attacked Vatatzes in 1233, in Asia, Michael of Epeirus having threatened a new war,
but was routed in Bithynia, and hastened back to Vatatzes set out against him, but was taken ill in
Thrace. Supported by the fleets of the Venetians, Macedonia, returned to Asia, and died, after long
he could, however, renew his inroads whenever he sufferings, at Nymphaeum, on the 30th of October,
saw a favourable opportunity. Accordingly, Va- 1255, at the age of sixty or sixty-two. Vatatzes
tatzes conceived the plan of making himself master is justly called one of the greatest emperors of the
of the sea, and had he succeeded, the national East; and the merit of having put an end to the
Greek empire would have been soon restored to its Latin empire belongs as much to him as to Michael
limits of 1204. Samos, Lesbos, Chios, Cos, Rhodes, Palaeologus, who carried out, in 1261,theplanwhich
and many other islands, were conquered by the had been conceived and successfully begun by VaGreeks, but the main force of the Venetians was in tatzes. The successor of Vatatzes was Theodore LasCandia; and though Vatatzes conquered the greater carls II. (The-sources referred to in BALDIJINUS IT.,
part of that island, his progress was checked by the among which Acropolita is the principal.) [W. P.]
Venetian governor Marino Sanuti, the historian, JOANNES IV. LA'SCARIS ('Iwcoivys 6:
who at last forced the Greeks to sail back to Asia. Acdcapls), emperor of Nicaea (A. D. 1259-1261),
Baffled on the sea, Vatatzes renewed his con- was the son of the second emperor of Nicaea,
tinental plans, and concluded, in 1234, an alliance Theodore II., Lascaris, whom he succeeded in:
with Asan, king of Bulgaria. Their united forces 1259, at nine years of age. He first reigned under
besieged Constantinople in 1235, by land and sea, the guardianship of the patriarch Arsenius and the
but the superiority of the Latin mariners over the Magnus Domesticus Muzalon. The latter was
Greek led to a total defeat of the Greek fleet, and slain, with his adherent, in a revolt of the guards,
twenty-four Greek gallies fell into the hands of the kindled by Michael Palaeologus, who was provictors, and were paraded in triumph in the port of claimed emperor; and after having taken ConstanConstantinople. Listening to the persuasions of tinople from the Latins, in 1261, he deprived the
Messire Anseau de Cahieu, who acted as regent in. youthful emperor of his eyes, and sent him into
the absence of the emperor Baldwin II., Asan exile, where he died in obscurity. [MICHAEL
showed symptoms of defection, and forsook his ally VIII.] [W. P.]
in 1237, when they were just besieging Constan- JOANNES V. CANTACUZE'NUS ('Icdvvrls
tinople a second time. By land, however,Vatatzes J KavTaKov',vJos), emperor of Constantinople (A. D.
was more successful, and conquered the rest.of the 1342-1355), often called Joannes VI. His full
Latin possessions in Asia. The assistance which name was Joannes Angelus Comnenus Palaeologus
Baldwin II. obtained in Europe is mentioned in Cantacuzenus. He was the eldest son of Joannes
the life of that emperor; but the formidable knights Cantacuzenus, the chief of a great Greek family,
of France and Italy tried in vain to obtain a firm and Theodora Palaeologina, and was born early in
footing in Asia, and Baldwin was reduced to such the beginning of the 14th century. [See the
weakness, that he was unable to prevent Vatatzes genealogical table of theCantacuzeni,Vol. I. p. 595.]
from sailing over to Macedonia, and compelling the His history is intimately connected with that of his
self-styled emperor, John Comnenus of Epeirus, ward and rival Joannes VI. Palaeologus. John
Aetolia, and Macedonia, to cede him Macedonia, to Cantacuzenus, the subject of this article, early disrenounce the imperial title, and to be satisfied with tinguished himself in the service of his relative, the
that of despot of Epeirus (1242). In 1243 Va- emperor Andronicus Palaeologus the elder, who
iatzes concluded an alliance with Gaiyath-ed-din, appointed him prefect of the sacred bed-chamber.
the Turkish sultan of Iconium, in order to resist United, by friendship and harmony of sentiments,
the approaching Mongols; and having thus secured to the emperor's grandson, Andronicus the younger,
his eastern frontiers, he renewed his attacks upon he took the part of the latter in his rebellion against
the Latins in Constantinople. His fame was his grandfather; and it was to his valour, wisdom,
then so great, that the Roman emperor, Frederic and exertions, that the younger Andronicus owed
II., one of his greatest admirers, gave him his his final success and the undisputed crown of ConPP 2