was the elder son of Michael VIII Palaeologus, whom he succeeded in 1282. He ruled until 1328. He allowed the fleet, which his father had organized, to fall into decay; and the empire was thus less able than ever to resist the exacting demands of the rival powers of Venice and Genoa. During his reign the Ottoman Turks under Osman conquered nearly the whole of Bithynia; and to resist them the emperor called in the aid of the Catalan Roger de Flor, who commanded a body of Aragonese and Catalan adventurers known as Almogavars. The Turks were defeated, but Roger was found to be nearly as formidable an enemy to the imperial power. He was assassinated by Andronicus`s son and colleague (sometimes referred to as emperor Michael IX, though he never ruled in his own name
1259 - 1332 (72 år)
ca. 1274 - ca. 1317 (43 år)