This man's death and the whereabouts of his body are disputed, although legend has it that an angel turned him into marble and placed him in a cave beneath the Golden Gate, where he waits to this day to avenge the Christians.
This man's death and the whereabouts of his body are disputed, although legend has it that an angel turned him into marble and placed him in a cave beneath the Golden Gate, where he waits to this day to avenge the Christians. More certain are details of his life; he was born eighth of ten children to Manuel II and a Serbian princess, and became Despotes of Morea by the age of 39. Ruling from Mistra, he rebuilt the Hexamilion and defeated Nerio II Acciaioli to regain Athens and Thebes, which angered Nerio's overlord Murad II, who swiftly drove him out of Greece. The death of his brother, John VIII prompted a succession dispute with other brother Demetrios, which Murad ruled in favour of this man, who would eventually lead a failed defense against Murad's son Mehmed. FTP, whose last words, "The city is fallen, and I am still alive" were uttered on May 29, 1453, as the last Byzantine emperor?
This man's death and the whereabouts of his body are disputed, although legend has it that an angel turned him into marble and placed him in a cave beneath the Golden Gate, where he waits to this day to avenge the Christians.
Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos