1420 Death of Kara Yusuf—the emperor ceases to pay tribute to the Black Horde.
1426 Rebellion of Alexius’ son Calo-Joannes, who has been raised to imperial dignity. The nobles rescue the emperor. Alexius confers rights of heir apparent and imperial dignity on his second son Alexander, who dies soon afterwards.
1442 First attack of Ottoman Turks on Trebizond is repulsed.
1446 Second rebellion of Calo-Joannes. He murders Alexius and succeeds as Joannes IV. He is hated for his crimes.
1449 The sheikh of Ertebil fails in an attempt to capture Trebizond. Joannes forms plan to expel Ottomans from Asia Minor and Muhammed II forced to invade the empire. Joannes compelled to become vassal of Muhammed and pay tribute.
1458 Death of Joannes as he is forming a great league against the Ottomans. A four-year-old son is set aside in favour of his brother David who continues Joannes’ work on the league.
1461 Siege and capture of Trebizond by Muhammed II. End of the empire of Trebizond. David retires to Mavronaros which he receives in exchange for his empire, and a few years later is put to death at Constantinople for refusing to join the Moslem faith.
THE KINGDOM OF SALONICA (1204-1222 A.D.)
1204 In the division of the Byzantine Empire among the crusaders, Boniface, marquis of Montferrat, commander-in-chief, receives a feudatory kingdom in Asia, but not liking to be so far from his Italian domains, he exchanges it for the province of Macedonia with Thessalonica for his capital. He calls it the kingdom of Salonica. He also believes himself entitled to Crete, and exchanges it with the Venetians for portions of Thessaly. Boniface would like to maintain an independent realm, but Baldwin I of Romania promptly compels him to do homage.
1204-1207 Boniface defeats attempts of the Greeks to recover his kingdom. He marches into the Peloponnesus and lays siege to Corinth and Argos, but is recalled by a rebellion in Thessalonica.