Alexis Apokaukos

Alexis Apokaukos († 1345) was Grand Duke and dignitary of the Byzantine Emperor Andronic III Paleologist, then principal minister of Anne of Savoy, regent of Jean V Paleologist.

Of humble origin, Alexis Apokaukos points out itself Jean VI Cantacuzène, which grants its confidence to him and rejoins it with the plot which, in 1320, is organized around Andronic III when his/her grandfather Andronic II Paleologist withdraws his rights to the throne to him.

In 1328, when he becomes only Emperor, Andronic III entrusts to Apokaukos the responsibility of supervise the imperial Secretariat, the Treasury and the Tax authorities. During the reign of Andronic III, Apokaukos piles up important richnesses and is even made build a fortress on the Marmara Sea, with Epibatai.

It is finally named Grand Duke, i.e. admiral as a chief and ordering Byzantine fleet.

Apokaukos remains however faithful of Jean Cantacuzène, whom it pushes to preserve the capacity when Andronic III dies, in 1341, thus hoping to preserve itself the capacity while being made appoint Prime Minister. In front of the refusal of Cantacuzène to be made crown emperor, Apokaukos is turned over against him and join themselves the regent Anne of Savoy, mother of the Emperor Jean V Paleologist.

It then rejoins around him a group of partisans determined to draw aside Jean Cantacuzène of the capacity, among which the patriarch Kakélas and manages to be made appoint prefect of Constantinople by the Anne empress. Apokaukos raised the Byzantine people against Cantacuzène, thus starting a civil war which lasted six years, until in 1347.

During this period, in order to strengthen the capacities of the empress regent, it names his son Manuel Apokaukos as governor of Andrinople and its son junior Jean Apokaukos as governor by Thessalonique.

In 1343, vis-a-vis the unceasingly increasing threat of the Turkish armies, Apokaukos seeks an alliance with the Latin States, proposing even its tender and that of its family to the pope Clément VI.

The successive military victories of Jean Cantacuzène changed the situation then, in particular when the two wire of Apokaukos joined with him. It obtained a personal guard then and armed a ship in the Corne with Gold, ready to install in the event of need.

June 11th 1345, it decided to make an inspection of the new keep which it made build close to its palate and with the construction of which a great number of prisoners was employed. One of them then seizes piece of wood and struck it, while the others massacred it with blows of tools. Its corpse was decapitated and its head suspended on the grids of the prison.

Scandalized by this gesture, the Anne empress authorized the servants of Apokaukos to avenge death for their Master; they then massacred almost all the prisoners, although the great majority of them did not take part in the murder.

Sources

D.Nicol : last centuries of Byzance , Beautiful Letters.

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