The Byzantine civil war of 134147 broke out after the death of
Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos (pictured). As his chief aide and
closest friend, John VI Kantakouzenos became regent for the Emperors !oung son and heir, John V Palaiologos. "hile Kantakouzenos #as absent from $onstantinople, a ne# regenc! #as established #ith support from Empress%&o#ager Anna of 'a(o!, #hich launched a persecution of Kantakouzenos famil! and supporters. In response, Kantakouzenos #as proclaimed co%emperor at &emotika on )* +ctober ,-.,. &uring the first !ears of the #ar, the forces of the ne# regenc! pre(ailed. /ost of the cities in Thrace and /acedonia came under regenc! control, but Kantakouzenos re(ersed these gains #ith assistance from the neighbouring rulers of 'erbia and the Turkish be!liks. Kantakouzenos #as cro#ned in ,-.*, and entered $onstantinople on - 0ebruar! ,-.1. 2! agreement, he #as to rule for ten !ears as the senior emperor and regent for John V, until the bo! came of age. &espite this apparent (ictor!, a subse3uent resumption of the ci(il #ar forced Kantakouzenos to retire to become a monk in ,-4.. The conflict pro(ed disastrous for the Empire, as se(en !ears of #arfare, marauding armies, social turmoil, the loss of territor! to neighbouring rulers, and the 2lack &eath de(astated 2!zantium, reducing it to a rump state. 5Full article...6 7ecentl! featured8 Kat! Perr! 9 "ooll! mammoth 9 Conte di Cavour % class battleship Archive 9 By email 9 More featured articles... Did you know... In the news From Wikipedia's new and recently improved content: ... that the oil painting The Fog Warning (pictured) b! "inslo# :omer sho#s a lone fisherman in danger of being lost at sea; ... that despite Anthony William alls claim to the English throne in the ,<-=s, King >eorge V didnt #ant him to be imprisoned; ... that !hornton"s #orners $% &tation #ill be built along a rail e?tension connecting the $anadian @ational 7ail#a! line to the $anadian Pacific 7ail#a! line; ... that 'ira 'azantsev is the third consecuti(e /iss @e# Aork to #in /iss America; ... that the first church of Bay #as constructed from cane and nipa b! the Augustinians; ... that the p: of (a)e #hoctaw increased from ..494.= to *.49 1.= #ithin t#o months of the installation of a treatment s!stem at the +neida @umber +ne Tunnel in )===; ... that (loyd M. &mith created the #orlds first glo#%in%the% dark &@A se3uencer; Archive 9 &tart a new article 9 *ominate an article A soldier is shot dead at the @ational "ar /emorial (pictured) in +tta#a, $anada, and shots are fired in the $entre 2lock Parliament building. $ongolese doctor +enis Mu)we,e is a#arded the 'akharo( Prize for helping (ictims of se?ual (iolence in the &emocratic 7epublic of the $ongo. #omet &idin, &-rin, makes a (er! close approach to /ars and is obser(ed b! means of surface ro(ers and satellites. At least .- people are killed in @epals #orst snowstorm disaster around the mountains of Annapurna and &haulagiri. .ean !irole is a#arded the @obel /emorial Prize in Economic 'ciences for his anal!sis of market po#er and regulation.