Manuel I Komnenos

1218 (age 45)

Trabzon, Turkey

Manuel I succeeded his brother, John I Axouchos. In 1243, a Trapezuntine army is recorded as assisting the Seljuk Turks, along with a detachment from the Nicaean Empire, against the Mongols of Persia at the Battle of Köse Dağ. Despite this, the Seljuk forces were shattered, and both the Seljuks and their allies had to settle their own submission to the victorious Mongols. Manuel visited in person the court of the Great Khan Güyük as early as 1246; this was an important act, for the personal visit of a vassal ruler to the Khan’s camp was regarded as an indispensable ceremony; it brought these persons into the "family" of the Great Khan. On June 24, 1254, Manuel recaptured Sinope, and made Ghadras archon of the Black Sea port. It is expeted that Manuel had obtained a yarligh prior to this attack, although he admits doing so would have been inconsistent with the practices of the Grand Komnenes. For the years Manuel held this port, the Seljuk Turks were landlocked, making Trebizond once again the major naval power in the Black Sea. Also it is assumed that Manuel had been given a yarligh by the Ilkhanite Mongols to recover Sinope, and argues further that it was done to embarrass the Golden Horde, who were the masters of the Seljuk Turks; the governor of Sinope at the time Manuel captured the port was ra’is al-bahr Shuja al-Din 'Abd al-Rahman, the Seljuk naval commander-in-chief, who had taken part in the Seljuk embassy to Batu Khan, ruler of the Golden Horde in 1253, where he received Batu's yarligh investing him with the office of na'ib. A few years later, in October 1256, one of the three brothers who inherited the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, Kaykaus II, was defeated by Baiju and fled to sanctuary in the Nicaean Empire, moving Anatolia from the sphere the Golden Horde controlled firmly into the Ilkhanite. Manuel Megas Komnenos died in March 1263, having "recommended and chosen"—his oldest son Andronikos as his successor.

Manuel I Megas Komnenos

Edit Profile

politician

Background

Manuel I was born in 1218, in Trabzon, was the second son of Alexius I, first emperor of Trebizond.

Career

Manuel I succeeded his brother, John I Axouchos.

In 1243, a Trapezuntine army is recorded as assisting the Seljuk Turks, along with a detachment from the Nicaean Empire, against the Mongols of Persia at the Battle of Köse Dağ. Despite this, the Seljuk forces were shattered, and both the Seljuks and their allies had to settle their own submission to the victorious Mongols. Manuel visited in person the court of the Great Khan Güyük as early as 1246; this was an important act, for the personal visit of a vassal ruler to the Khan’s camp was regarded as an indispensable ceremony; it brought these persons into the "family" of the Great Khan.

On June 24, 1254, Manuel recaptured Sinope, and made Ghadras archon of the Black Sea port. It is expeted that Manuel had obtained a yarligh prior to this attack, although he admits doing so would have been inconsistent with the practices of the Grand Komnenes. For the years Manuel held this port, the Seljuk Turks were landlocked, making Trebizond once again the major naval power in the Black Sea.

Also it is assumed that Manuel had been given a yarligh by the Ilkhanite Mongols to recover Sinope, and argues further that it was done to embarrass the Golden Horde, who were the masters of the Seljuk Turks; the governor of Sinope at the time Manuel captured the port was ra’is al-bahr Shuja al-Din 'Abd al-Rahman, the Seljuk naval commander-in-chief, who had taken part in the Seljuk embassy to Batu Khan, ruler of the Golden Horde in 1253, where he received Batu's yarligh investing him with the office of na'ib. A few years later, in October 1256, one of the three brothers who inherited the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum, Kaykaus II, was defeated by Baiju and fled to sanctuary in the Nicaean Empire, moving Anatolia from the sphere the Golden Horde controlled firmly into the Ilkhanite.

Manuel Megas Komnenos died in March 1263, having "recommended and chosen"—his oldest son Andronikos as his successor.

Achievements

Manuel I of Trebizond was an influential political figure and military.

Connections

Manuel I was married to Anna Xylaloe, a Trapezuntine noblewoman. They had a son, Andronikos II. His second wife was Rusudan of Georgia, they had a daughter, Theodora. By Irene Syrikaina, his last wife and another Trapezuntine noblewoman, he had four known children.

Father:: Alexios I Megas Komnenos
Mother:: Theodora Axuchina
Sister:: Komnene of Trebizond
Wife:: Anna Xylaloe
Wife:: Rusudan of Georgia
Wife:: Irene Syrikaina
Daughter:: Theodora Megale Komnene
Son:: John II Megas Komnenos
Son:: Andronikos II Megas Komnenos
Son:: George Komnenos
Brother:: John I Axouchos
Brother:: Michael Angelus

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Manuel I Megas Komnenos

Background

Career

Achievements

Connections

Born

Died

Nationality

Official Titles