Trabzon Rum Devleti (1204-1263)
Greek State of Trabzon (1204-1263)

Author(s): Fatma İnce Sancaklı
Subject(s): Governance, Political history, Government/Political systems, 13th to 14th Centuries
Published by: Özgür Yayın Dağıtım Ltd. Şti.
Keywords: Trabzon; 13th century;
Summary/Abstract: The reason for the start of the crusades carried out between 1095-1291 is the help of the Byzantine State from the west. In this period, the Byzantine State, which was in a difficult situation in the face of the Seljuks on the one hand, the danger of Çaka Bey on the one hand, and the confusion created by the Pechenegs on the other, sought help from the west. Upon this call, the Westerners organized these expeditions in order to help their so-called co-religionists in the east. However, the real intention of the west is not to save its coreligionists in the east, but to seize the riches of the east. Realizing this intention of the crusaders, the Byzantine State also took some precautions against the crusaders from the first time. They caused difficulties in subsistence, they sent them to Anatolia by steep roads thanks to the guides they gave, and they threw them in front of the Turks and did not help them in many matters. All these events led to the formation of prejudice and hatred among the crusaders against the Byzantine State. Here are all these problems between the two sides, IV. It caused the direction of the Crusade to be turned towards the Byzantine State. IV. Before the Crusade started, an agreement was made between the crusaders and the Venetian State. According to this agreement, Venice would prepare a fleet for the crusaders to organize the expedition, and the crusaders would pay 85,000 marks to Venice for this fleet. However, the Venetians could not pay a large part of this money. The problems experienced in the Byzantine throne at this time became a great opportunity to pay the money that the crusaders promised to give to the Venetians, and therefore, deviating from their main goal, they turned towards the Byzantine State. IV. After the Crusade, Istanbul was plundered by the crusaders, the Latin state was established in Istanbul, and states were established in Trabzon, Iznik and the Balkans by the heirs of the Byzantine State. The Greek State of Trabzon, founded by the heirs of the Byzantine throne, Alexios and David, who fled to Trabzon after the occupation of Istanbul by the Latins, is important in this sense. In this paper, the period of the Trabzon Greek State between the years 1204-1263 will be explained.

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