Theodore I, Marquess of Montferrat

Theodore I. Palaiologos ( full name: Theodore Komnenos Doukas Angelos Palaiologos, ital: Teodoro Paleologo; * 1291, † April 21, 1338 ) was a Byzantine prince from the royal dynasty of the Palaiologos and a Margrave of Montferrat. He was a younger son of Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos from his second marriage to Yolande ( Irene ) of Montferrat.

Theodore spent his childhood in his mother's environment, that is from 1303 in Thessaloniki, after the mother had fallen out with his father. On a Genoese ship he traveled in 1305 to Italy at the court of his maternal uncle, Margrave John I of Montferrat. The uncle died in the same year without children of their own, Theodor inherited him as Margrave of Montferrat and thus founded the Italian branch of the Byzantine imperial house of Palaiologos. He hired the Roman Catholic denomination and married Argentina Spinola, a daughter of Captain town of Genoa, Obizzo Spinola.

Theodor became involved in the Union policy between the Roman Catholic Western Church and the Greek Orthodox Eastern Church. To this end, he traveled twice to his home in Constantinople Opel in the years 1317-1319 and 1325 bis 1327. During his second stay he tried in the civil war between his father Andronikos II and his nephew Andronikos III. mediate. Among other things, he accused the Großlogotheten Theodoros Metochites corruption. Here, Theodor hoped by his father, even the establishment of the successor in the empire.

After returning to Theodor operated as an author of a textbook for government and military art, which he wrote in Greek and translated into Latin at once also. Both versions are known to exist today, but soon made ​​Jean de Vignay for King Philip VI. of France, a translation into French of (Les Enseignements ordenances ou pour un seigneur qui a guerres et grans gouvernemens à faire ), which was preserved.

From his marriage with Argentina Spinola had two children:

  • John II († March 20, 1372 ), Margrave of Montferrat
  • Violanta († December 24, 1342 ) ∞ 1330 Count Aymon of Savoy († 1343 )
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