Manuel II Palaiologos (1350–1425) : A Byzantine Emperor in a Time of Tumult

Few Byzantine emperors had a life as rich and as turbulent as Manuel II Palaiologos. A fascinating figure at the crossroads of Byzantine, Western European and Ottoman history, he endured political turmoil, witnessed no less than three sieges by the Ottomans and travelled as far as France and England. He was a prolific writer, producing a vast corpus of literary, theological and philosophical works. Yet, despite his talent, Manuel has largely been ignored as an author. This biography constructs an in-depth picture of him of as a ruler, author and personality, as well as providing insight into his world and times. It offers the first analysis of the emperor's complete oeuvre, focusing on his literary style, self-representation philosophical/theological thought. By focusing not only on political events, but also on the personality, personal life and literary output of Manuel, this biography paints a new portrait of a multifaceted emperor. "Few Byzantine emperors had a life as eventful and as rich as Manuel II Palaiologos (1350-1425). Living and ruling during the last decades of the empire, Manuel witnessed rapid territorial loss, dire socio-economic problems and civil wars between his own family members. Both his father, paternal grandfather and maternal grandfathers were emperors - not to mention his brother and nephew. The last two Byzantine emperors were Manuel's sons. His own reign saw no less than three sieges of Constantinople by the Ottomans and intense communications with Rome for a Church union. Even as a prince, he faced rebellions and was left behind as a hostage in foreign territories by his father"-- Provided by publisher The Young Manuel -- Family Affairs -- Fighting For Freedom -- In Limbo -- The Vassal Emperor -- Besieged -- The New Odyssey -- A Clamorous Tranquillity -- The Protean Emperor -- Exchanging Empires. Siren Çelik. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Electronic Reproduction. Cambridge Available Via World Wide Web. Constructing a rich, in-depth portrait of Manuel II Palaiologos (1350–1425), this biography focuses not only on political events, but also on the personality, personal life and literary output of Manuel. Will appeal to medievalist scholars of various backgrounds as well as non-specialist readers.