WHEN DID THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE BECOME A VASSAL STATE?
WHEN DID THE BYZANTINE EMPIRE BECOME A VASSAL STATE?

Summary/Abstract: In our opinion, the Maritsa Battle itself did not have as a direct consequence the establishment of the Ottoman suzerainty upon the Byzantine Empire, but the immediate cause for this must have been an event which took place between the Maritsa Battle in 1371 and 1376 when the Byzantium was defi nitely a vassal state, which can be concluded upon careful reading of Chalkokondyles’ description and two letters by Pope Gregory XI which indicate indirectly the vassal position of the Empire. We believe that the beginning of the Byzantine vassalage falls between the joint rebellion of Andronicus Palaeologus and Savci Bey in May 1373 and Andronicus’ coming to power in 1376, most probably in the summer of 1373 aft er the crush of the rebellion. Andronicus’ disobedience to his father and help provided to John V in quelling Andronicus’ rebellion by Sultan Murad I served as a pretext for the establishment of vassalage.

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