Andronikos II Palaiologos and Michael IX Palaeologos (Silver basilikon). Andronikos II Palaiologos or Andronicus II Palaeologus ( Greek:) ( 25 March 1259, Constantinople &ndash February 13

Michael IX Palaiologos or Palaeologus (Greek: Μιχαήλ Θ΄ Παλαιολόγος, Mikhaēl IX Palaiologos), (April 17, 1277–October 12, 1320, Thessalonica, Greece), reigned as Byzantine co-emperor with full imperial style 1294/1295–1320. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly Events 69 - After the First Battle of Bedriacum, Vitellius becomes Roman Emperor. Events 539 BC - The army of Cyrus the Great of Persia takes Babylon. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Michael IX was the eldest son of Andronikos II Palaiologos and Anna of Hungary, a daughter of King Stephen V of Hungary. Andronikos II Palaiologos or Andronicus II Palaeologus ( Greek:) ( 25 March 1259, Constantinople &ndash February 13 Anna of Hungary (c 1260 - 1281 was a daughter of Stephen V of Hungary and Elizabeth the Cuman, who was daughter of Kuthen, a chief of the Cuman Stephen V (V István Stjepan VI Štefan V (before October 18 1239 Buda, Hungary &ndash August 6 1272 Csepel Island, Hungary) King

Life

Michael IX Palaiologos was acclaimed co-emperor in 1281 and was crowned in 1294 or 1295. In 1300, he was sent at the head of Alanian mercenaries against the Turks in Asia Minor, and in 1304–1305 he was charged with dealing with the rebellious Catalan Company. Anatolia (Anadolu Ανατολία Anatolía) or Asia minor, comprising most of modern Turkey, is the geographic region bounded by the Black The Catalan Company of the East ( Catalan Companyia Catalana d'Orient) officially the Company of the Army of the Franks in Romania After the murder of the Catalan commander Roger de Flor, Michael IX led the Byzantine troops (augmented by Turks and 5-8,000 Alanians) against the Catalans, but was defeated and wounded. Roger de Flor (1267 &ndash April 30, 1305) also known as Rutger von Blum, was a military adventurer active in Sicily Italy and the Byzantine Empire

Michael IX was also ultimately unsuccessful against Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria in 1307, concluding peace in 1307 and marrying his daughter to the Bulgarian emperor. Theodore Svetoslav ( Bulgarian: Тодор Светослав Todor Svetoslav and also Теодор Светослав Teodor Svetoslav) ruled as emperor In 1311, Michael IX was defeated by Osman I. Michael IX eventually retired to Thessalonica, where he died in 1320. Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη), Thessalonica, or Salonica is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of Macedonia

A brave and energetic soldier willing to make personal sacrifices to pay or encourage his troops, Michael IX was generally unable to overcome his enemies and is the only Palaiologan emperor to predecease his father. Michael IX's premature death at age 43 was attributed in part to grief over the accidental murder of his younger son Manuel Palaiologos by retainers of his older son and co-emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos. Andronikos III Palaiologos or Andronicus III Palaeologus ( Greek: Ανδρόνικος Γ' Παλαιολόγος Andronikos III Paleologos; Անդրանիկ

Family

Michael IX Palaiologos married Rita of Armenia (renamed Maria, later nun Xene), daughter of King Leo III of Armenia and Queen Keran of Armenia on 16 January 1294. Rita of Armenia ( 10 January / 11 January, 1278 &ndash July 1333 was a daughter of King Levon II of Armenia and Queen Keran. Leo III or Leon III (occasionally numbered Leo IV; Լեիոն Գ Levon III; 1287/1289 &ndash 1307 was king of the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia Events 27 BC - The title Augustus is bestowed upon Gaius Julius Caesar Octavian by the Roman Senate. By this marriage, Michael IX had several children, including:

• Andronikos III Palaiologos
• Manuel Palaiologos, despotēs
• Anna Palaiologina, who married Thomas I Komnenos Doukas and then Nicholas Orsini. Andronikos III Palaiologos or Andronicus III Palaeologus ( Greek: Ανδρόνικος Γ' Παλαιολόγος Andronikos III Paleologos; Անդրանիկ Thomas I Komnenos Doukas or Comnenus Ducas ( Greek: Θωμάς Α΄ Κομνηνός Δούκας Thōmas I Komnēnos Doukas) (c Nicholas Orsini ( Greek: Νικόλαος Ορσίνι Nikolaos Orsini, Italian: Nicola d'Epiro was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1317
• Theodora Palaiologina, who married Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria and then Michael Asen III of Bulgaria. Theodore Svetoslav ( Bulgarian: Тодор Светослав Todor Svetoslav and also Теодор Светослав Teodor Svetoslav) ruled as emperor Michael Asen III ( Bulgarian: Михаил Асен III Mihail Asen III, commonly called Michael Shishman (Михаил Шишман Mihail Šišman

References

• Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, 1991. The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium (often abbreviated to ODB) is a three volume book by the Oxford University Press.