greek died leading byzantine statesman high ranking military officer reigns emperors iii owed rise high state offices patronage patriarch leaders faction supporting emperor john civil war time died political prisoners inspection new prison biography early life humble origin born late 13th century studied scholar tax official director salt later advanced position themes west rose bureaucratic hierarchy appointed imperial chamberlain position useful included conspiracy aimed aging emperor favour grandson iii threat war emperor surrendered districts macedonia rule grandson iii sole emperor close friend chief minister awarded positions held head imperial charge state finances positions allowed considerable personal fortune construct personal refuge fortified tower house site near coast early shortly death rewarded high office giving high command byzantine navy equipped fleet paying pocket civil war death factions emerged court supporters chiefly provincial macedonia opposed led mainly patriarch obtained support widow anna claim throne demanded regency based close association deceased emperor support capital troops secured position weakened adherence patriarch camp account relates urged seize throne hopes advancement refused powerful chancellor switched opponents camp soon left constantinople july campaign empire enemies assaulting moves commander fleet duty guard dardanelles attempt turks cross europe deliberately allowed happen order cause disruption tried kidnap young failed forced flee house returned victorious capital instead offices counsel friends pardoned protégé exaggerated display allowed resume offices return constantinople left campaign city patriarch seized power family friends imprisoned mother eventually die prison patriarch declared regent anna named urban constantinople responded having declared emperor october opponents followed coronation john november finalized split civil war byzantine_empire neighbours victory course remaining imperial possessions create deep rift byzantine society aristocracy classes generally supported lower middle classes primarily urban merchants sailors supported regency gave dispute civil war strong social overtones war excessive wealth perceived indifference aristocracy common people standard fixture propaganda addition conflict acquired religious significance controversy divided pious byzantines despite important exceptions supporters supported days coronation inhabitants rebelled aristocracy declared regency sending younger son city governor similar development empire second largest city seized group known anti aristocratic beliefs enemies earned support regency arrived fleet ships aid appointed elder son city governor authority remain nominal years war tide favour regency summer forced flee court serbia onwards aid friend began reverse situation initial support regained macedonia despite failure turkish allies enabled return old stronghold gradually supporters abandoned including son deserted post went camp early rejected offers reconciliation conveyed monks trying bolster power began series capital ordered new prison constructed political prisoners june suddenly decided inspect new prison escorted bodyguard prisoners immediately rose head severed stuck pole prisoners believed getting rid hated rewarded empress anna shocked dismayed loss principal minister gave supporters joined fleet marines free avenge leader death result prisoners total attempted seek refuge nearby monastery death bring immediate collapse regency removed main civil war chief protagonists resulted regency camp marked beginning war end come entry constantinople february family brothers john little known married twice wife daughter priest called second married cousin marriage produced children second governor killed governor defected unnamed daughter married drowned remarried unnamed daughter married son patriarch unnamed daughter married son empress anna latin sons married daughter assessment self new man aristocratic families dominated imperial government accounts period civil war memoirs history pro aristocracy bias paint negative picture man adopted virtually modern historians view historian der believes image protégé responsible outbreak civil war inaccurate largely result propaganda acknowledges adversary war nature regime according historian seen radical change nature direction byzantine state place old agricultural empire run land based aristocracy favoured commercial maritime likely westward looking state italian maritime
Alexios Apokaukos