John VIII Palaeologus - Byzantine emperor, who ruled in 1421-1448 he. The son of Manuel II. Genus. in 1392, Mr.. + 31 October. 1448
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With
John in 1428-1432 practically all Morey returned to power under the Romans. Only four cities: Argos Navply, Croton and Modona remained under the control of the Venetians. But it is much better known
John purchased the fact that his efforts and diligence was brought to the end of the process of connecting the western and eastern churches. The Emperor realized that without a union with the Catholic empire will not receive aid from the west and will inevitably conquered by the Turks, whose ownership of the contract after the 1424 Mr.. moved up to the very outskirts of Constantinople. Putting aside all the work, he in 1437, Mr.. together with the patriarch and a large delegation of Orthodox bishops traveled to Italy and more than two years without a break spent, first in Ferrara and then at the Ecumenical Council of Florence. Not once in these meetings, both sides came to a standstill in their arguments and were willing to part. But Caesar forbade his bishops to leave the church until a compromise solution. In the end, the Orthodox delegates were forced to concede the inevitable need - they agreed with their opponents in almost all the major issues. Signed July 5, 1439, Mr.. union was if not completely, then a significant victory for Catholics. But expected to facilitate the assignment did not produce. Other Orthodox churches, and especially Russian, refused to recognize the union. In the empire itself was excavated and the union has created confusion. Meanwhile, 30-thousand army of crusaders to march at the call of the Pope suffered in 1444, Mr.. near Varna crushing defeat of the Turks. Four years later came the news of the conquest of Serbia by the Turks. clearly was that the next in line - romeyskaya Power. But
John did not live up to the enslavement of his country - he died shortly after he learned of the outcome of the Battle of Kosovo Polje (Dashkov: "
John the Eighth")
