Anna I Laskarina

Reign: 1324 - January 11, 1381 Daughter of Manuel II Laskaris, Anna I ruled the Roman Empire from 1324 to 1381. Her reign was defined by the Roman-Mameluke War of 1325, the Black Death, and the Laskarid Civil War. She also dedicated herself to creating orphanages, hospitals, and schools across the empire.

Early Reign

Following the death of Manuel II, Bulgarians began raiding Roman territory again, believing Anna I to be weak. The Romans responded by razing Trnovo (destroying the repairs made since 1317). In 1325, Anna I married Andronikos Komnenos, son of the Duke of Trebizond. He was crowned emperor, but did not rule in his own right due to his lack of Laskarid blood.

Roman-Mameluke War of 1325

Mameluke forces began raiding Roman territory around Antioch in 1324/1325. A Roman army departed for the area in 1325, accompanied by Anna I while Andronikos remains in Constantinople. She spent a great deal of time with the common soldiers and was beloved by them, reminding them of Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.

The Mameluke siege of Antioch was destroyed two weeks after the Romans pass through the Cilician Gates; two weeks later the Romans begin the siege of Aleppo. A Mameluke army arrived soon after and attacked, despite being outnumbered 38,000 to 44,000. The Battle of Aleppo was a total Roman victory, fewer than five thousand Mameluke soldiers escaped. Two smaller battles in the succeeding weeks destroyed smaller Mameluke armies, allowing the Romans to capture Aleppo, Edessa, and the coast to Laodicea.

The Roman force besieged Tripoli and Homs before the Mamelukes sue for peace. Anna I expanded the empire in Syria, acquiring all territory north of the Laodicea-Aleppo-Edessa line, including those three cities.

Turning Inward

Anna I returned to Constantinople following the Roman-Mameluke War and gave birth to a son (Nikephoros Laskaris) nine months later. She focused on improving the Empire, rather than expanding it, for the rest of her reign. Under her leadership, schools, hospitals, and orphanages were created and in 1330 the University of Constantinople was greatly expanded.

Bulgarian and Serbian raiders entered Roman territory in 1330 and 1338 respectively, but Anna I chose to give court titles (with stipends) to the Bulgarian and Serbian kings to stop the raids. This tactic was effective, but alienated the army commanders in the Roman Europe who advocated for military reprisals.

Black Death

Beginning in 1347, the Black Death struck Europe. Thirty million people died, particularly vulnerable were urban areas with high populations. The Roman Empire was hit especially hard:

Constantinople - 45% killed

Thessalonica - 35%

Nicaea - 35%

Antioch - 30%

Anna I’s two youngest children, Ioannes and Zoe, were taken by the plague as well.

Laskarid Civil War

At some point between his birth and 1366, Nikephoros Laskaris is crowned co-emperor, ruling alongside his mother and father. In 1366, Nikephoros' eighteen year old son Andronikios Laskaris is also crowned co-emperor. Andronikios often spent his time with women of ill repute and during one such liaison his guards kill a man they mistook for another jealous lover, but it was in fact Andronikios’ younger brother Alexios. Andronikios and Alexios’ father, Emperor Nikephoros, was grief stricken and died a month later. Anna I was furious and stripped Andronikios of his titles and positions, removing him from the succession. Andronikios was replaced as co-emperor by his twelve year old cousin, Konstantinos Laskaris.

Andronikios refused to accept his loss of position due to “an unfortunate accident” and in 1371 made contact with alienated elements in the Roman army, primarily in Europe. He launched a coup in March, 1373. Anna I and Konstantinos fled to Nicaea with the Roman treasury, leaving Constantinople and Roman Europe under Andronikios’ control. He was crowned as Andronikios II Laskaris that year. Backed by the army in Europe and the Imperial Navy, he captured Cyprus and Rhodes, but lacked the manpower to assault Anna I in Anatolia.

To compensate for her lack of naval power, in 1375 Anna I agreed to a deal with Venice and Genoa. In exchange for Crete (for Venice), reduced customs duties, and access to the Black Sea, the two Italian city-states agreed to provide an armada of 160 ships, which smashed Andronikios II’s Imperial fleet in battle on May 1, 1376. The ships then served as troop transports, allowing Anna I to land her army in Europe to besiege Constantinople. The siege lasted from July 1 to November 29, 1376, when a coup by court officials deposed Andronikios II and surrendered the city to Anna I. Andronikios is beheaded by his cousin, Konstantinos.

Following the war, Anna I was forced to provide garrison troops to put down a Cretan revolt against the Venetians, a widely unpopular move. She also reinstated the subsidies to Serbia and Bulgaria which Andronikios II had cancelled. To bolster support, in 1378 she purchased the Crown of Thorns from France for 150,000 hyperpyra

Death

Anna I died on January 11, 1381. She had ruled for 56 years and is succeeded by her grandson, Konstantinos XI Laskaris.