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The House of Laskaris (; feminine form Laskarina; ), Latinized as Lascaris, was a
Byzantine Greek Medieval Greek (also known as Middle Greek, Byzantine Greek, or Romaic; Greek: ) is the stage of the Greek language between the end of classical antiquity in the 5th–6th centuries and the end of the Middle Ages, conventionally dated to the F ...
noble A noble is a member of the nobility. Noble may also refer to: Places Antarctica * Noble Glacier, King George Island * Noble Nunatak, Marie Byrd Land * Noble Peak, Wiencke Island * Noble Rocks, Graham Land Australia * Noble Island, Gr ...
family which rose to prominence during the late
Byzantine period The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
. The members of the family formed the ruling dynasty of the
Empire of Nicaea The Empire of Nicaea (), also known as the Nicene Empire, was the largest of the three Byzantine Greeks, Byzantine Greek''A Short history of Greece from early times to 1964'' by Walter Abel Heurtley, W. A. Heurtley, H. C. Darby, C. W. Crawley, C ...
, a Byzantine rump state that existed from the 1204
sack of Constantinople The sack of Constantinople occurred in April 1204 and marked the culmination of the Fourth Crusade. Crusaders sacked and destroyed most of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. After the capture of the city, the Latin Empire ( ...
by the
Fourth Crusade The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
until the restoration of the Empire under the Palaeologan dynasty in 1261. Upon the sack of the Byzantine capital by the Crusaders, Alexios V Doukas was overthrown and the
Latin Empire The Latin Empire, also referred to as the Latin Empire of Constantinople, was a feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. The Latin Empire was intended to replace the Byzantin ...
was established in most of his former lands. Byzantine nobility would flee the Latin territories and establish the three independent Greek states that rivaled the Crusaders. After a successful resistance in Asia Minor, Theodore I Laskaris founded the Empire of Nicaea and laid claims to the Byzantine throne, along with the Angelos family of
Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...
and the
Komnenoi The House of Komnenos ( Komnenoi; , , ), Latinized as Comnenus ( Comneni), was a Byzantine Greek noble family who ruled the Byzantine Empire in the 11th and 12th centuries. The first reigning member, Isaac I Komnenos, ruled from 1057 to 1059. Th ...
of Trebizond. The Byzantine Greek population of Asia Minor sought refuge to Theodore's empire, which gradually acquired control over much of western Anatolia. The empire was further strengthened after the military victories of Theodore's successor, John III Vatatzes. John's son,
Theodore II Laskaris Theodore II Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris (; November 1221/1222 – 16 August 1258) was Emperor of Nicaea from 1254 to 1258. He was the only child of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes and Empress Irene Laskarina. His mother was the eldest da ...
, maintained the empire's strength until the throne was passed to his underage son,
John IV Laskaris John IV Doukas Laskaris (or Ducas Lascaris) (; December 25, 1250 – 1305) was the fourth emperor of the Nicaean Empire from August 16, 1258 to December 25, 1261, one of the Greek successor states formed after the Sack of Constantinople by th ...
. In 1259 John fell victim to an aristocratic conspiracy which managed to establish Michael Palaiologos as his regent and co-emperor. The Nicaeans recaptured Constantinople in 1261 and Michael established the Palaiologos family as the new imperial dynasty. Under the Palaeologan rule, the Lascarids remained among the senior nobility up to the dissolution of the Byzantine Empire, whereupon many of them emigrated to Italy. Advertising their ties to the Komnenoi, early family members used the name 'Komnenos Laskaris', while two were additionally called 'Tzamantouros'.


Name

The origin of the name is unclear. In 1928, the Greek scholar Phaedon Koukoules proposed an origin from ''daskaris'' (), a Cappadocian variant for "teacher", but the δ>λ shift in Cappadocian is attested only in the late 19th century, so that its application to the mid-11th century or earlier is dubious. A year later, G. Stamnopoulos proposed an alternative etymology from the name ''Laskas'' () or ''Laskos'' () and the -''aris'' (-) ending borrowed from the Latin ''-arius'', but the Greek linguist K. Menas considered such an etymological evolution as unlikely. The Greek historian D. Theodoridis instead suggested a derivation from the Arabic ''al-ʿashqar'', "ruddy, blond", or also "
sorrel Sorrel (''Rumex acetosa''), also called common sorrel or garden sorrel, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the family Polygonaceae. Other names for sorrel include spinach dock and narrow-leaved dock ("dock" being a common name for the genus ''Ru ...
". According to the ''
Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium The ''Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'' (ODB) is a three-volume historical dictionary published by the English Oxford University Press. With more than 5,000 entries, it contains comprehensive information in English on topics relating to the Byzan ...
'', the "most probable" etymology is the one proposed by B. Hemmerdinger in 1969, according to which the name derives from the Persian word ''Lashkarī'' (, also , ''ʿaskarī''), meaning "warrior, soldier". However, this interpretation is open to question since "the first known members of the Laskaris family ..were simple peasants".


Early history


Family and ascension

The first occurrence of the name is in 1059, in a will by Eustathios Boilas, but the people mentioned there were simple peasants. In 1180, a Michael Laskaris appears to have had significant influence in
Thessalonica Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area) and the capital city, capital of the geographic reg ...
, while another Michael Laskaris, perhaps his descendant, is mentioned in 1246 conspiring in Thessalonica against Demetrios Angelos Doukas. The relation of these individuals to the imperial dynasty, if any, is unclear. The first Laskaris of note were the brothers Theodore and Constantine, members of an obscure aristocratic family with ties to the imperial
Komnenos The House of Komnenos ( Komnenoi; , , ), Latinized as Comnenus ( Comneni), was a Byzantine Greek noble family who ruled the Byzantine Empire in the 11th and 12th centuries. The first reigning member, Isaac I Komnenos, ruled from 1057 to 1059. ...
clan. Their dynasty made a late appearance on the Byzantine political scene. The names of their parents or any other 12th century member of their family are not recorded. If Theodore followed the Byzantine custom of giving his father's name to his firstborn son, his father was called Nicholas. Their mother belonged to an unidentified branch of the Komnenos family and they proudly adopted her surname. They had no less than five brothers; Manuel,
Michael Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...
, George,
Alexios Alexius is the Latinization (literature), Latinized form of the given name Alexios (, polytonic , "defender", cf. Alexander), especially common in the Byzantine Empire. The female form is Alexia (given name), Alexia () and its variants such as Ales ...
, and
Isaac Isaac ( ; ; ; ; ; ) is one of the three patriarchs (Bible), patriarchs of the Israelites and an important figure in the Abrahamic religions, including Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the Baháʼí Faith. Isaac first appears in the Torah, in wh ...
.
George Pachymeres George Pachymeres (; 1242 – 1310) was a Byzantine Greek historian, philosopher, music theorist and miscellaneous writer. Biography Pachymeres was born at Nicaea, in Bithynia, where his father had taken refuge after the capture of Constantinop ...
calls Manuel and Michael 'Tzamantouros', possibly a surname indicating that they were born to a different mother, or alternatively a nickname. The family was connected to western
Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
and
Constantinople Constantinople (#Names of Constantinople, see other names) was a historical city located on the Bosporus that served as the capital of the Roman Empire, Roman, Byzantine Empire, Byzantine, Latin Empire, Latin, and Ottoman Empire, Ottoman empire ...
. Both Theodore and Constantine had a seal representing
Saint George Saint George (;Geʽez: ጊዮርጊስ, , ka, გიორგი, , , died 23 April 303), also George of Lydda, was an early Christian martyr who is venerated as a saint in Christianity. According to holy tradition, he was a soldier in the ...
and bearing the inscription 'Diasorites'. The seal expressed their connection to the monastery of Saint George Diasorites, located in Pyrgion in the valley of the river Kaistros. Theodore rose to prominence in Constantinople through his familial ties with the Komnenoi. After Theodore's marriage to Anna Komnene Angelina, daughter of emperor
Alexios III Angelos Alexios III Angelos (; 1211), Latinized as Alexius III Angelus, was Byzantine Emperor from March 1195 to 17/18 July 1203. He reigned under the name Alexios Komnenos (; Aléxios Komnēnós) associating himself with the Komnenos dynasty (from whi ...
, in 1200, the 'Komnenos Laskaris' family became connected to the ruling Angelos dynasty. Theodore soon acquired the title of despot and was elevated to the first position of the imperial line of succession.


Fourth Crusade

Upon the
sack of Constantinople The sack of Constantinople occurred in April 1204 and marked the culmination of the Fourth Crusade. Crusaders sacked and destroyed most of Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire. After the capture of the city, the Latin Empire ( ...
on April 1204, the emperor Alexios V Doukas fled the city seeking refuge to
Alexios III Angelos Alexios III Angelos (; 1211), Latinized as Alexius III Angelus, was Byzantine Emperor from March 1195 to 17/18 July 1203. He reigned under the name Alexios Komnenos (; Aléxios Komnēnós) associating himself with the Komnenos dynasty (from whi ...
, but the latter blinded him and he was eventually taken captive by the Latins. According to
Niketas Choniates Niketas or Nicetas Choniates (; – 1217), whose actual surname was Akominatos (), was a Byzantine Greek historian and politician. He accompanied his brother Michael Akominatos to Constantinople from their birthplace Chonae (from which came h ...
, as the Crusaders captured Constantinople on April 12, an emergency assembly was gathered in
Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...
with the aim to declare the new Byzantine emperor between Constantine Laskaris and Constantine Doukas. The former was elected emperor by the people, but declined the imperial insignia and instead urged resistance against the crusaders. Given Constantine's apparent subordinate role under Theodore in 1205, some historians such as
Sir Steven Runciman Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman (7 July 1903 – 1 November 2000), known as Steven Runciman, was an English historian best known for his three-volume ''A History of the Crusades'' (1951–54). His works had a profound impact on the popular ...
and Donald Queller, held that it could have been Theodore, instead of Constantine, who was nominated as emperor and succeeded Alexios V on the day of the sack. According to other accounts, Theodore had left before the fall of the city, right after he escaped from prison sometime before September 1203; he then moved to Asia Minor with a small group of trusted soldiers and his close family. Whatever the case, Constantine had no option but to quickly flee the capital and on the following day of the sack he sailed to the Asian side of the
Bosporus The Bosporus or Bosphorus Strait ( ; , colloquially ) is a natural strait and an internationally significant waterway located in Istanbul, Turkey. The Bosporus connects the Black Sea to the Sea of Marmara and forms one of the continental bo ...
strait. Constantinople fell to the Crusaders and an ill-fated
Latin Empire The Latin Empire, also referred to as the Latin Empire of Constantinople, was a feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. The Latin Empire was intended to replace the Byzantin ...
was erected. On May 1204, Count Baldwuin IX of Flanders was officially crowned emperor at the church of Hagia Sophia. Meanwhile, in Asia Minor the Latin rule found resistance by local Greek magnates trying to transform their estates into autonomous units. The most determined of them was proven to be Theodore, Constantine's brother, whose resistance movement succeeded in establishing a new principality in exile.


Empire of Nicaea

In the years after the fall of the Byzantine capital in 1204, Theodore managed to drive out the Latins from the territory he occupied in western Anatolia and create a duplicate of the former Byzantine state. Initially a local lord (acknowledged as ''
strategos ''Strategos'' (), also known by its Linguistic Latinisation, Latinized form ''strategus'', is a Greek language, Greek term to mean 'military General officer, general'. In the Hellenistic world and in the Byzantine Empire, the term was also use ...
'' "military leader" in
Bithynia Bithynia (; ) was an ancient region, kingdom and Roman province in the northwest of Asia Minor (present-day Turkey), adjoining the Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus, and the Black Sea. It bordered Mysia to the southwest, Paphlagonia to the northeast a ...
), he ascended to power by allying with politically powerful refugees and local elites who helped him in the reestablishment the imperial government. His brother Constantine aided him in his military campaigns, as well as his diplomatic relations. In the Empire of Nicaea the idea of Greek unification and restoration of the Byzantine rule was soon formed and strengthened. As Theodore's state begun to consolidate its rule in northwest Anatolia, more Greeks begun to settle in his realm from the European territories that were now under Latin rule. As a result, the Byzantine successor states largely consisted of a homogenous Greek population. In 1205 Theodore assumed the title of emperor (''
basileus ''Basileus'' () is a Greek term and title that has signified various types of monarchs throughout history. In the English language, English-speaking world, it is perhaps most widely understood to mean , referring to either a or an . The title ...
''), but he was officially crowned by the new patriarch in 1208. The coronation took place in the city of
Nicaea Nicaea (also spelled Nicæa or Nicea, ; ), also known as Nikaia (, Attic: , Koine: ), was an ancient Greek city in the north-western Anatolian region of Bithynia. It was the site of the First and Second Councils of Nicaea (the first and seve ...
, an event that turned the city into the center of the empire, as well as of the Orthodox Church. Theodore had to defend his empire not only against the Crusaders but also against David Komnenos, a rival Greek emperor in Trebizond to the east on the
Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...
. During his reign Laskaris undertook the task of expanding the borders of his empire, facing the forces of the
Latins The term Latins has been used throughout history to refer to various peoples, ethnicities and religious groups using Latin or the Latin-derived Romance languages, as part of the legacy of the Roman Empire. In the Ancient World, it referred to th ...
and the
Seljuks The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( ; , ''Saljuqian'',) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture. The founder of th ...
on several occasions, while at the same time he laid the foundations of the internal administration of the newly formed state. Soon the goal of the empire's foreign policy became the recapture of Constantinople, an act that would indisputably legitimize the new state as the rightful successor of the old Empire. Theodore I, whose sons, Nikolaos and John both died before 1213, was succeeded in 1221 by his son-in-law,
John III Doukas Vatatzes John III Doukas Vatatzes, Latinized as Ducas Vatatzes (; 1192 – 3 November 1254), was Emperor of Nicaea from 1221 to 1254. He was succeeded by his son, known as Theodore II Doukas Laskaris. Life John Doukas Vatatzes, born in about 1192 i ...
, who had married Theodore's daughter Irene Laskarina. Vatatzes had to fight off a rival claim by Theodore's brothers, Isaac and Alexios, who fled to the
Latin Empire The Latin Empire, also referred to as the Latin Empire of Constantinople, was a feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. The Latin Empire was intended to replace the Byzantin ...
and sought aid in order to depose him. Nevertheless, Vatatzes' victory at Poemanenum in 1224 was decisive; it strengthened his own position and heralded a long and successful Nicaean offensive against the Latin holdings. Throughout his reign, Vataztes' main rivals were the Bulgarian tsar
Ivan Asen II Ivan Asen II, also known as John Asen II (, ; 1190s – May/June 1241), was Emperor (Tsar) of Second Bulgarian Empire, Bulgaria from 1218 to 1241. He was still a child when his father Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria, Ivan Asen I one of the founders of th ...
and the Latin rulers of Constantinople to the west, as well as the
Sultanate of Rum The Sultanate of Rum was a culturally Turco-Persian Sunni Muslim state, established over conquered Byzantine territories and peoples (Rum) of Anatolia by the Seljuk Turks following their entry into Anatolia after the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. ...
to the east. The Greek lords of
Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...
and Trebizond, including Theodore Komnenos Doukas, were also his adversaries for the Byzantine throne. In a series of successful military campaigns, Vatatzes expanded the Nicaean borders to encompass parts of
Macedonia Macedonia (, , , ), most commonly refers to: * North Macedonia, a country in southeastern Europe, known until 2019 as the Republic of Macedonia * Macedonia (ancient kingdom), a kingdom in Greek antiquity * Macedonia (Greece), a former administr ...
and
Thrace Thrace (, ; ; ; ) is a geographical and historical region in Southeast Europe roughly corresponding to the province of Thrace in the Roman Empire. Bounded by the Balkan Mountains to the north, the Aegean Sea to the south, and the Black Se ...
. His expansion into the Balkan peninsula culminated in 1246 with the capture of
Thessalonica Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area) and the capital city, capital of the geographic reg ...
, which was until then controlled by the Komnenodoukas dynasty of Epirus. Vatatzes had previously compelled the dynasty to abandon the imperial title (''basileus''), allowing them to maintain only the title of ' despot'. Under the reign of Vatatzes, the Greeks regained nearly the whole of western Anatolia from the Turks, while the Latin empire was significantly reduced to Constantinople and its surroundings. Through a series of military victories, successful diplomacy, and beneficial policies, Vatatzes managed to significantly strengthen his empire, while also gaining popularity among the Byzantines, which resulted in his canonization as a saint by the Orthodox Church. Vatatzes died in 1254 leaving his only son
Theodore II Laskaris Theodore II Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris (; November 1221/1222 – 16 August 1258) was Emperor of Nicaea from 1254 to 1258. He was the only child of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes and Empress Irene Laskarina. His mother was the eldest da ...
on the throne. Though his reign was short-lived compared to his predecessors, Theodore II was proven to be an able ruler and a man of letters. He envisioned to rule as a Platonic
philosopher king The philosopher king is a hypothetical ruler in whom political skill is combined with philosophical knowledge. The concept of a city-state ruled by philosophers is first explored in Plato's ''Republic'', written around 375 BC. Plato argued that ...
and wrote several works on theology, rhetoric, and politics. Under the Laskarids, Nicaea became the center of Hellenic education and acquired the nickname "the new Athens". During his four year reign Theodore II initiated a series of reforms aimed at curtailing the role of the aristocratic families in the internal affairs of the state. Theodore dismissed high officials of aristocratic origin and favoured local lineages of low birth. He was aware of the significance of the imperial office, and he personally administered the state. Theodore ruled until his death in 1258 leaving his eight year old son
John IV Laskaris John IV Doukas Laskaris (or Ducas Lascaris) (; December 25, 1250 – 1305) was the fourth emperor of the Nicaean Empire from August 16, 1258 to December 25, 1261, one of the Greek successor states formed after the Sack of Constantinople by th ...
as the legal heir to the imperial throne. A few days before his death, Theodore appointed the Laskarid loyalist George Mouzalon and Patriarch Arsenios as John's guardians and regents. Mouzalon's lowly origins were viewed with discontent by the Byzantine aristocracy, who was reminded of the Laskarid policy that aimed to regulate their power. As a result, the aristocratic faction around Michael Palaiologos orchestrated a coup d'état that took control from Mouzalon and installed Palaiologos as regent of John in 1258 and eventually as co-emperor in 1259. In the same year, Michael was in charge of the army that defeated an anti-Nicaean coalition at the battle of Pelagonia, a victory that enabled him to recapture Constantinople in 1261. Following the reconquest of the city, Palaiologos was crowned alone as emperor, while John IV was ignored. Soon after, John was blinded, an act that triggered reactions in Asia Minor, where the imperial Laskaris family was particularly popular among the people. John likely lived under restraint until his death in .


Later history

Under the new
Palaiologos The House of Palaiologos ( Palaiologoi; , ; female version Palaiologina; ), also found in English-language literature as Palaeologus or Palaeologue, was a Byzantine Greeks, Byzantine Greek Nobility, noble family that rose to power and produced th ...
dynasty, the population of Asia Minor continued to react to the deposition of the Laskarids. Patriarch Arsenios excommunicated Michael VIII Palaiologos for the blinding of John IV —for which Arsenios was later deposed— while Laskarid supporters in Asia Minor backed the rebellion of Alexios Philanthropenos against
Andronikos II Palaiologos Andronikos II Palaiologos (; 25 March 1259 – 13 February 1332), Latinization of names, Latinized as Andronicus II Palaeologus, reigned as Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. His reign marked the beginning of the recently restored em ...
in 1295. The followers of Arsenios, known as the Arsenites, did not reconcile with the Palaiologoi until 1310. In the 14th century, John IV was venerated as a saint in the monastery of saint Demetrios in Constantinople. Under the Palaiologoi, the Laskarids retained a certain prominence, although their role now evidently diminished. Several members of the Laskaris family became local governors, imperial courtiers, and wealthy landowners. Among the most notable members were Manuel Laskaris,
domestic of the schools The office of the Domestic of the Schools () was a senior military post of the Byzantine Empire, extant from the 8th century until at least the early 14th century. Originally simply the commander of the '' Scholai'', the senior of the elite '' tag ...
, and Alexios, a '' megas hetaireiarches'' . The scholars Constantine Lascaris and John Ryndakenos Laskaris were among the emigres who fled the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the
Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...
and found refuge in Italy. In the 15th century, Laskaris Kananos wrote an account of his travels in northern Europe. In 1269 the daughter of Emperor
Theodore II Laskaris Theodore II Laskaris or Ducas Lascaris (; November 1221/1222 – 16 August 1258) was Emperor of Nicaea from 1254 to 1258. He was the only child of Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes and Empress Irene Laskarina. His mother was the eldest da ...
, Eudossia Laskaris, married Gugliemo Pietro I Balbo, Count of
Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
. In the past, Guglielmo had been imprisoned following his participation at the battle of Pelagonia against the Byzantines, but he managed to be released thanks to his close connections with the Geneose. From the union of Eudossia and Guglielmo came the dynasty of the Lascaris of Ventimiglia, who governed the sovereign County of Tenda until 1501 when the last of them, Anna Lascaris, married Renato of Savoy ( French: René de Savoie) and transferred the County to his cadet branch of the Savoy dynasty. The most famous member of
Ventimiglia Ventimiglia (; , ; ; ) is a resort town in the province of Imperia, Liguria, northern Italy. It is located west of Genoa, and from the French-Italian border, on the Gulf of Genoa, having a small harbour at the mouth of the Roia river, w ...
branch of Lascaris was Giovanni Paolo Lascaris, Grand Master of the
Knights of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta, and commonly known as the Order of Malta or the Knights of Malta, is a Catholic Church, Cathol ...
. He constructed the Lascaris towers of Malta and attempted to create for Malta a Caribbean colonial empire.


Emperors


See also

* Family tree of the Byzantine emperors * Giovanni Paolo Lascaris * Palais Lascaris * House of Ventimiglia * Alexander M. Laskaris * Byzantine literature of the Laskaris and Palaiologos periods


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{Authority control Laskarid dynasty Byzantine families Greek noble families Medieval royal families