'''Andronikos III Palaiologos''' or '''Andronicus III Palaeologus''' ([[Greek Language|Greek]]: Ανδρόνικος Γ' Παλαιολόγος) ([[March 25]], [[1297]], [[Constantinople]] – [[June 15]], [[1341]], [[Constantinople]]) reigned as [[Byzantine emperor]] [[1328]]–[[1341]], after being rival emperor since [[1321]]. Andronikos III was the son of [[Michael IX Palaiologos]] and Princess [[Rita of Armenia]] (renamed Maria). His maternal grandparents were King [[Levon II of Armenia (King)|Levon II of Armenia]] and [[Queen Keran of Armenia]].
==Life==
Effective administrative authority during the reign of Andronikos III was wielded by his ''megas domestikos'' [[John Kantakouzenos]], while the emperor enjoyed himself hunting or waging war. An alliance with his brother-in-law [[Michael Shishman of Bulgaria|Michael Asen III of Bulgaria]] against [[Stefan Decanski|Stefan Uroš III Dečanski]] of [[Serbia]] failed to secure any gains, as the Serbians defeated the Bulgarians before the latter could join with the Byzantines in the battle of Velbăžd ([[Kyustendil]]) in [[1330]]. Andronikos III's attempt to make up for this setback by annexing Bulgarian [[Thrace]] failed in [[1331]], when he was defeated by the new Bulgarian emperor [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]] [[Battle of Rusokastro|at Rousokastron]]. Peace with Bulgaria was secured through territorial concessions and a diplomatic marriage between the children of the two emperors.
The subsequent years witnessed the gradual extinction of Byzantine rule in [[Asia Minor]], as [[Orhan I|Orhan]] of the [[Ottoman Turks]], who had already defeated Andronikos III at [[Battle of Pelekanon|Pelekanos]] in [[1329]], took [[İznik|Nicaea]] in [[1331]] and [[Nicomedia]] in [[1337]]. After that, only Philadelpheia and a handful of ports remained under Byzantine control in Asia Minor. Earlier Andronikos III had effected the recovery of [[Phocaea]] and the islands of [[Lesbos Island|Lesbos]] and [[Chios]] from Benedetto Zaccaria in [[1329]], but this did little to stem the Ottoman advance in Asia Minor.
Under [[Stefan Dusan|Stefan Uroš IV Dušan]], Serbia expanded into Byzantine territory in [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]], taking [[Ohrid]], [[Prilep]], [[Kastoria]], [[Strumica]], and [[Edessa, Greece|Voden]] in about [[1334]]. The one time governor of [[Thessalonica]] [[Syrgiannes Palaeologos]] had deserted to the side of the Serbians and aided their advance in to Macedonia. Although Andronicus sent [[Sphrantzes]] to capture Syrgiannes, and Sphrantzes instead killed Syrgiannes, Syrgiannes had helped the advance of the Serbian forces.<ref>Norwich, John Kulius. ''Byzantium: The Decline and Fall'' (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1996) p. 283-284</ref> In August of 1334 Stefan Dusan and Andronicus made peace, and the forces of Andronicus was allowed to retake control of those parts of Macedonia that Syrgiannes had been directly responsible for capturing.<ref>Norwich. ''Byzantium: THe Decline and Fall'' p. 284</ref>
Despite these troubles Andronikos III secured the extension of Byzantine control over [[Thessaly]] in [[1333]] and [[Epirus (region)|Epirus]] in [[1337]], by taking advantage of succession crises in these principalities.
Andronikos III reorganized the [[Byzantine navy]] (consisted of 10 ships by 1332) and reformed the [[Judiciary|judicial system]] by forming a panel of four universal judges whom he designated "Universal Justices of the Romans". In retrospect his reign may be said to end before the situation of the [[Byzantine Empire]] became untenable. In spite of several not insignificant reverses at the hands of Bulgarians, Serbians, and Ottomans, the emperor had provided the empire with active leadership, had cooperated with able administrators, and had come closer than any of his predecessors in re-establishing Byzantine control over the Greek peninsula.
Andronikos III died aged 44 in [[1341]], and was succeeded by his son, [[John V Palaiologos]].
==Family==
Andronikos III was first married, in [[1318]], with [[Adelheid of Brunswick]], daughter of [[Henry I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]]; she died in [[1324]]. They had an unnamed son, who died shortly after birth in [[1321]].
Andronikos III married as his second wife, in [[1326]], with [[Anna of Savoy]]. She was a daughter of Count [[Amadeus V of Savoy]] and his second wife Maria of Brabant. They had several children, including:
* [[John V Palaiologos]]
* Michael Palaiologos, ''[[despotes]]''
* Maria (renamed Eirene), who married Emperor Michael Asen IV of Bulgaria
* Eirene (renamed Maria), who married Francesco I Gattilusio, lord of Lesbos
==References==
* ''[[Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium]]'', Oxford University Press, 1991.
* John V.A. Fine Jr., ''The Late Medieval Balkans'', Ann Arbor, 1987.
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{{s-hou|[[Palaiologos]] dynasty|25 March|1297|15 June|1341}}
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{{s-bef|before=[[Andronikos II Palaiologos]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Byzantine Emperors|Byzantine Emperor]]|years=1321–1341
|regent1=[[Andronikos II Palaiologos]]|years1=1272–1328}}
{{s-aft|after=[[John V Palaiologos]]}}
{{end}}
{{Roman Emperors}}
[[Category:Byzantine emperors|Andronikos 03]]
[[Category:Palaeologus dynasty|Andronikos 03]]
[[Category:1297 births|Andronikos Palaiologos]]
[[Category:1341 deaths|Andronikos Palaiologos]]
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