Biography
He was the nephew of Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine Emperor of Constantinople. After Constantine was defeated and presumably killed by the forces of Mohammed II on May 29, 1453, Andreas continued to live in Morea, which was ruled independently by Andreas' father Thomas Palaiologos, the younger brother of Constantine, until 1460. At this time Morea was invaded by the Turks, and Andreas and his father escaped to the Italian peninsula. When his father died during 1465, Andreas stayed in the Papal States by consent of the Pope. He lived in Rome, styling himself Imperator Constantinopolitanus ("Emperor of Constantinople"). Andreas is considered the last "titular" Roman (Byzantine) Emperor who, curiously, lived in Rome years after the end of the Eastern Roman Empire.
During his lifetime, Andreas was believed to have wasted enormous sums of money given to him by the Pope; however, modern historians now believe that the money received from the Pope was only enough for a meager style of life.
Desiring more money and a better life, Andreas sold the rights to the Byzantine crown which he possessed since the death of his father. Charles VIII of France purchased the rights of succession from Andreas during 1494 and died on April 7, 1498.
Andreas' younger brother Manuel Palaiologos arranged a deal with the Ottoman Sultan Bayazid II, exchanging his rights to the Byzantine throne-- which were already sold lawfully to France-- for a comfortable pension.
Andreas died a pauper during 1502, in spite of having sold his titles and royal and imperial rights again to Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile.. Neither of them, however, is attested to have used the title of Imperator Constantinopolitanus, or anything similar, and the title appears to have lapsed into desuetude.
Eight years after the marriage of Ivan III of Russia with Andreas' sister Zoe (Sophia), and only one year after the birth of their son during 1480, Ivan had started to refer to himself as czar (caesar). This was related to Ivan's ambitions that Moscovy should become considered an Orthodox "Third Rome" (Constantinople being the "second Rome") and heir of the empire. Finally, during 1514, Vasili III of Russia was recognized in the title of emperor of Russia in a letter from Maximilian I, the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire ("Kayser vnnd Herscher aller Rewssen und Groszfürste zu Wolodimer" in the German text of Maximilian's letter; "Imperator et Dominator universorum Rhutenorum et Magnus Princeps Valadomerorum" in the Latin copy; Vasili III responded by referring to Maximilian as "Maximiliano Dei gratia Electo Romanorum Caesare", i.e., "Elected Caesar of the Romans"). Maximilian's letter was of great importance to Ivan the Terrible and Peter the Great of Russia, when they wished to evidence their titles of "czar" and "emperor", respectively. This letter was needed for somebody to be legally proclaimed Roman emperor or heir of the Roman empire. Both monarchs demonstrated the letter to foreign ambassadors; Peter even referred to it when he was proclaimed Emperor by the Russian Senate and the Synod.
Andreas visited his sister in Moscow during 1480 and 1491.
Read more about this topic: Andreas Palaiologos
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