Theodore I Lascaris - Revision history

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'''Theodore I Laskaris''' or '''Lascaris''' ([[Greek language|Greek]]: Θεόδωρος Α' Λάσκαρις, ''Theodoros I Laskaris'') (c.[[1174]]-[[1221]]) was [[Empire of Nicaea|emperor of Nicaea]] ([[1204]]–[[1221]]).

==Life==

Theodore Laskaris was born of a noble but not particularly renowned [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Greek]] family of [[Constantinople]]. He was the son of Manuel Laskaris and Joanna Karatzaina. The name Laskaris derives from Persian ''lashkar'' "army", as do English ''lascar'' "sailor" and Arabic ''al-askari'' "soldier; military" (which is the origin of modern Greek ''askeri'' (ασκέρι) "non-tactical troops").

In [[1199]], Theodore married [[Anna Angelina]], daughter of the [[Byzantine Emperor]] [[Alexios III Angelos]] and [[Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina]]. By this marriage he was brother-in-law of [[Eudocia Angelina|Eudokia Angelina]].

Theodore later distinguished himself during the sieges of [[Constantinople]] by the Latins of the [[Fourth Crusade]] ([[1203]]–[[1204]]). He remained in Constantinople until the Latins actually penetrated into the city, at which point he fled across [[Bosphorus]] together with his wife. At about the same time his brother Constantine Laskaris was unsuccessfully proclaimed emperor by some of the defenders of Constantinople. In [[Bithynia]] Theodore established himself in [[Nicaea]], which became the chief rallying-point for his countrymen.

At first Theodore I Laskaris did not claim the imperial title, perhaps because his father-in-law and his brother were both still living, perhaps because of the imminent Latin invasion, or perhaps because there was no [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] to crown him emperor. He was proclaimed emperor in [[1205]] and invited Patriarch [[John Camaterus|John Kamateros]] to Nicaea. But John died in [[1206]] before crowning Theodore. Theodore appointed [[Patriarch Michael IV of Constantinople|Michael IV]] as the new Patriarch and was crowned by him in March [[1208]].

In the meantime Theodore I had been defeated by the Latins at [[Adramyttion]] (modern Edremit), but soon afterwards the Latins were themselves defeated by [[Kaloyan of Bulgaria]] at the [[Battle of Adrianople (1205)|Battle of Adrianople]]. This temporarily stalled the Latin advance, but it was renewed by Emperor [[Henry of Flanders]] in [[1206]]. Theodore I entered into an alliance with Kaloyan and took the offensive in [[1209]]. The situation was complicated by the invasion of Sultan Kay Khusrau I of Rum at the instigation of the deposed Alexios III in [[1211]], but the Nicaeans defeated and killed the invader in the valley of the [[Maeander River]] near Pisidian Antioch. Although the danger from Rüm and Alexios III was thus neutralized, Emperor Henry defeated Theodore I in the same year, and established its control over the southern shores of the [[Sea of Marmara]]. In spite of this defeat, Theodore I was able to take advantage of the death of David Megaskomnenos, the brother of Emperor [[Alexios I of Trebizond]] in [[1212]] and to extend his own control over [[Paphlagonia]].

In [[1214]] Theodore I concluded a peace treaty with the Latin Empire at Nymphaion, and in [[1219]] he married a niece of Emperor Henry. In spite of predominantly peaceful relations, Theodore attacked the Latin Empire again in [[1220]], but peace was restored. Theodore I died in November [[1221]] and was succeeded by his son-in-law [[John III Doukas Vatatzes]].

At the end of his reign he ruled over a territory roughly coterminous with the old Roman provinces of Asia and [[Bithynia]]. Though there is no proof of higher qualities of statesmanship in him, by his courage and military skill he enabled the Byzantine nation not merely to survive, but ultimately to beat back the Latin invasion.

==Family==

By his first wife, [[Anna Angelina]], daughter of the Emperor Alexios III Angelos and Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina, Theodore I Laskaris had three daughters and two sons who died young:
* [[Irene Lascaris|Eirene Laskarina]], who married first the general Andronikos Palaiologos and then [[John III Doukas Vatatzes]]
* Maria Laskarina, who married King [[Béla IV of Hungary]]
* Eudokia Laskarina
* Nicholas (Nikolaos) Laskaris
* John (Iōannēs) Laskaris

After Anna Angelina died in [[1212]], Theodore I Laskaris married secondly Philippa, a daughter of King [[Ruben III of Armenia]]. This marriage was annulled a year later for religious reasons, and the son born to them, Constantine, was disinherited.

Theodore I Laskaris married thirdly in [[1219]] Marie de Courtenay, a daughter of Emperor Peter of Courtenay and Empress Yolanda of Flanders, but they had no children, and Marie died later the same year.

==References==

* ''The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', [[Oxford University Press]], 1991.
* ''A Dictionary of First Names'', [[Oxford University Press]]
* ''Dictionary of American Family Names'', [[Oxford University Press]]

{{start box}}
{{succession box | before=[[Alexios V]] | title=[[Byzantine Emperor]] | years=1204–1221 | after=[[John III Doukas Vatatzes|John III]]}}
{{end box}}

{{Credit wikipedia}}

[[Category:1174 births]]
[[Category:1221 deaths]]
[[Category:Laskarid dynasty]]
[[Category:Byzantine emperors]]

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 Theodore Laskaris was born of a noble but not particularly renowned [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine Greek]] family of [[Constantinople]]. He was the son of Manuel Laskaris and Joanna Karatzaina. The name Laskaris derives from Persian ''lashkar'' "army", as do English ''lascar'' "sailor" and Arabic ''al-askari'' "soldier; military" (which is the origin of modern Greek ''askeri'' (ασκέρι) "non-tactical troops").
-In [[1199]], Theodore married [[Anna Angelina]], daughter of the [[Byzantine Emperor]] [[Alexios III Angelos]] and [[Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina]]. By this marriage he was brother-in-law of [[Eudocia Angelina|Eudokia Angelina]].
+In [[1199]], Theodore married [[Anna Angelina]], daughter of the [[Byzantine Emperor]] [[Alexios III Angelos]] and [[Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina]]. By this marriage he was brother-in-law of [[Eudokia Angelos]].
 Theodore later distinguished himself during the sieges of [[Constantinople]] by the Latins of the [[Fourth Crusade]] ([[1203]]&ndash;[[1204]]). He remained in Constantinople until the Latins actually penetrated into the city, at which point he fled across [[Bosphorus]] together with his wife. At about the same time his brother Constantine Laskaris was unsuccessfully proclaimed emperor by some of the defenders of Constantinople. In [[Bithynia]] Theodore established himself in [[Nicaea]], which became the chief rallying-point for his countrymen.

@@ Line 11: / Line 11: @@
 At first Theodore I Laskaris did not claim the imperial title, perhaps because his father-in-law and his brother were both still living, perhaps because of the imminent Latin invasion, or perhaps because there was no [[Patriarch of Constantinople]] to crown him emperor. He was proclaimed emperor in [[1205]] and invited Patriarch [[John Camaterus|John Kamateros]] to Nicaea. But John died in [[1206]] before crowning Theodore. Theodore appointed [[Patriarch Michael IV of Constantinople|Michael IV]] as the new Patriarch and was crowned by him in March [[1208]].
-In the meantime Theodore I had been defeated by the Latins at [[Adramyttion]] (modern Edremit), but soon afterwards the Latins were themselves defeated by [[Kaloyan of Bulgaria]] at the [[Battle of Adrianople (1205)|Battle of Adrianople]]. This temporarily stalled the Latin advance, but it was renewed by Emperor [[Henry of Flanders]] in [[1206]]. Theodore I entered into an alliance with Kaloyan and took the offensive in [[1209]]. The situation was complicated by the invasion of Sultan Kay Khusrau I of Rum at the instigation of the deposed Alexios III in [[1211]], but the Nicaeans defeated and killed the invader in the valley of the [[Maeander River]] near Pisidian Antioch. Although the danger from Rüm and Alexios III was thus neutralized, Emperor Henry defeated Theodore I in the same year, and established its control over the southern shores of the [[Sea of Marmara]]. In spite of this defeat, Theodore I was able to take advantage of the death of David Megaskomnenos, the brother of Emperor [[Alexios I of Trebizond]] in [[1212]] and to extend his own control over [[Paphlagonia]].
+In the meantime Theodore I had been defeated by the Latins at [[Adramyttion]] (modern Edremit), but soon afterwards the Latins were themselves defeated by Kaloyan of Bulgaria at the [[Battle of Adrianople (1205)|Battle of Adrianople]]. This temporarily stalled the Latin advance, but it was renewed by Emperor [[Henry of Flanders]] in [[1206]]. Theodore I entered into an alliance with Kaloyan and took the offensive in [[1209]]. The situation was complicated by the invasion of Sultan Kay Khusrau I of Rum at the instigation of the deposed Alexios III in [[1211]], but the Nicaeans defeated and killed the invader in the valley of the [[Maeander River]] near Pisidian Antioch. Although the danger from Rüm and Alexios III was thus neutralized, Emperor Henry defeated Theodore I in the same year, and established its control over the southern shores of the [[Sea of Marmara]]. In spite of this defeat, Theodore I was able to take advantage of the death of David Megaskomnenos, the brother of Emperor [[Alexios I of Trebizond]] in [[1212]] and to extend his own control over [[Paphlagonia]].
 In [[1214]] Theodore I concluded a peace treaty with the Latin Empire at Nymphaion, and in [[1219]] he married a niece of Emperor Henry. In spite of predominantly peaceful relations, Theodore attacked the Latin Empire again in [[1220]], but peace was restored. Theodore I died in November [[1221]] and was succeeded by his son-in-law [[John III Doukas Vatatzes]].

@@ Line 32: / Line 32: @@
 ==References==
-* ''The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', [[Oxford University Press]], 1991.
+* ''The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', Oxford University Press, 1991.
-* ''A Dictionary of First Names'', [[Oxford University Press]]
+* ''A Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press
-* ''Dictionary of American Family Names'', [[Oxford University Press]]
+* ''Dictionary of American Family Names'', Oxford University Press

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 By his first wife, [[Anna Angelina]], daughter of the Emperor Alexios III Angelos and Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamaterina, Theodore I Laskaris had three daughters and two sons who died young:
 * [[Irene Lascaris|Eirene Laskarina]], who married first the general Andronikos Palaiologos and then [[John III Doukas Vatatzes]]
-* Maria Laskarina, who married King [[Béla IV of Hungary]]
+* Maria Laskarina, who married King Béla IV of Hungary
 * Eudokia Laskarina
 * Nicholas (Nikolaos) Laskaris
 * John (Iōannēs) Laskaris
-After Anna Angelina died in [[1212]], Theodore I Laskaris married secondly Philippa, a daughter of King [[Ruben III of Armenia]]. This marriage was annulled a year later for religious reasons, and the son born to them, Constantine, was disinherited.
+After Anna Angelina died in [[1212]], Theodore I Laskaris married secondly Philippa, a daughter of King Ruben III of Armenia. This marriage was annulled a year later for religious reasons, and the son born to them, Constantine, was disinherited.
 Theodore I Laskaris married thirdly in [[1219]] Marie de Courtenay, a daughter of Emperor Peter of Courtenay and Empress Yolanda of Flanders, but they had no children, and Marie died later the same year.