Background
George Choumnos was a younger son of the scholar and statesman Nikephoros Choumnos, and brother of the general and statesman John Choumnos.
George Choumnos was a younger son of the scholar and statesman Nikephoros Choumnos, and brother of the general and statesman John Choumnos.
He appears again in the late reign of Andronikos III, from 1337 on, holding the position of epi tes trapezes (head of the imperial table). In 1339, he is also attested as head (kephalatikeuon) of one of the districts of Constantinople. In the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347 he remained loyal to Andronikos III"s under-age son, John V Palaiologos, and opposed Kantakouzenos.
As a reward, he was raised to the post of megas stratopedarches on the occasion of John V"s coronation on 19 November 1341.
He is possibly to be identified with a monk named Gerasimos Choumnos, which would indicate that at some point soon after he was forced to retire to a monastery.
He is probably to be identified with the megas stratopedarches Choumnos who in 1328, during the final stages of the Byzantine civil war of 1321–1328 was the governor of Thessalonica and defended the city unsuccessfully against the forces of Andronikos III Palaiologos.