1. Biography
John II was born in Trebizond in 1262/1263. He was the son of Manuel I Grand Komnenos, emperor of Trebizond (1238-1263) and of Irene Syrikaina, and the brother of George Grand Komnenos (1238-1263). He also had two sisters whose names are not known. The future Emperors Andronikos II Grand Komnenos (1330-1332) and Theodora Grand Komnene (1285-1287) were half-siblings of John II.
John II Grand Komnenos ascended to the throne in 1280 and remained in power until his death, with a brief respite during the short reign of Theodora. In 1282 he married Eudokia Palaiologina, daughter of Michael VIII Palaiologos (1261-1282) and had two sons, the future Emperors Alexios II Grand Komnenos (1297-1330) and Michael Grand Komnenos (1344-1349). He died on 16 August 1297 in Limnia and his remains were buried in the monastery of Theotokos Chrysokephalos.
John II bestowed many honours upon the monastery of Panagia Soumela and was, together with his wife, the donor of the church of St Gregory of Nyssa; the portraits of the couple were preserved in the church until 1863.
2. Internal affairs
In 1280 John II successfully usurped the throne from his brother George Grand Komnenos (1266-1280), who favoured relations with Iberia (Georgia). In 1282 the house of the Grand Komnenoi was allied by marriage with the house of the Palaiologoi, with the marriage of John II to Eudokia Palaiologina, an event greatly desired by Michael VIII Palaiologos. However, this act of the Trapezuntine emperor displeased the local aristocracy, who opposed to the Byzantine Empire. John was forced temporarily to discontinue negotiations for the marriage. The conflict between the aristocracy and the emperor led to a revolt in 1281, organised by a representative of the local aristocracy, Papadopoulos. The rebel captured John II, however, the emperor’s supporters managed to negotiate his release.
John II was finally married to Eudokia in Constantinople in1282. The local archontes, in an effort to overthrow the emperor while he was still in Constantinople, secretly conspired with the king of Iberia David V Narin. They encouraged him to attack the Empire and besiege Trebizond in April 1282 but without success. Due to this, John II hastened to leave Constantinople; he arrived in Trebizond on April 25, 1283 and was immediately confronted with the internal conflict tormenting the city.
The next year George Grand Komnenos (1266-1280) campaigned against Trebizond, in an effort to gain back his throne. Members of the aristocracy with ties to Constantinople had treacherously surrendered George to the Mongol Chan of Baghdad, Abaga.1 George was released after Abaga’s death in 1282, and tried to take advantage of the discontent of the local nobility against his brother and gain their support. However, John II managed to suppress the revolt and imprison George.
In 1284/1285, John II was attacked by his half-sister Theodora Grand Komnene (1285- 1287) and lost power temporarily. At the same time the Turkmens captured and devastated Chalybia, a very wealthy area, known for its mines. John II Grand Komnenos, who had possibly fled to Tripolis of the Pontos, regrouped his forces within two years, and in 1287 he successfully reclaimed the throne, forcing Theodora to leave Trebizond and flee to Georgia.
Despite the internal conflicts and revolts, the reign of John II Grand Komnenos (1280-1285/1287-1297) was marked by an augmentation in numismatic circulation and prosperity in trade.
3. Foreign affairs
3.1. Relations with Constantinople
With the ascend of John II to the Trapezuntine throne, the anti-unionist faction formed in Constantinople after the union of the Churches saw in him the defender of Orthodoxy and legitimate heir of the Komnenoi, who would reclaim the Constantinopolitan throne from the usurper Michael VIII Palaiologos (1261-1282).2 His proclamation as ‘Emperor of the Romans’ greatly strengthened the possibility of his legitimate claims to the throne of Constantinople. Michael VIII, sensing the danger, sent consecutive embassies pressuring John II to abandon his title. After their failure he offered his daughter’s hand in marriage twice. Initially, John II Grand Komnenos was forced to cease negotiations due to pressure from the local aristocracy. However, he later focused on the marriage alliance with the house of the Palaiologoi. His marriage to Eudokia Palaiologina in 1282 marked the beginning of better and closer relations between Constantinople and Trebizond. John II later used the altered title ‘Faithful basileus and emperor of all East, Iberia and Perateia’, even though he had agreed to assume the lower title of despotes.3 It is possible that it was at that time when the double-headed eagle was designated as the emblem of the Palaiologoi, while the Grand Komnenoi kept as their own the symbol of the Roman Empire, the eagle.
3.2. Relations with the West
After the capture of the Byzantine Acra in 1291 by the Mamluks, the Muslim rulers of Egypt, John II received a proposal from Pope Nicolas IV (1288-1292) to take part in a Crusade for the reconquest of the Holy Lands. This proposal indirectly included collaboration with the Mongols of Persia, with whom Trebizond had good relations at the time.4 However, the internal strife tormenting the empire did not allow John to answer the papal call.
In 1292 the arrival at Trebizond of an embassy from Edward I is reported; John II Grand Komnenos was the first emperor of Trebizond to have diplomatic relations with Britain.