Part 1
Nymphaion, Asia Minor, March 25th, 1255
Theodore II Lascaris, Faithful to Christ the God, basileus of the Romans, looked at the new complication before himself with some concern. For ten years nothing had come of the marriage of his father with that little German. Or should he say Italian? After all her mother, Bianca of Lancia had been Italian. And her grandmother Constance had been a princess of the kingdom of Sicily. He dismissed the thought, not all times were for philosophy, as he carefully raised the crying complication in his hands. The complication, start laughing at him. Then showing complete lack of propriety it start pissing on the Imperial purple. Theodore start laughing as he put his brother back to the cradle. No he would not feel endangered by the posthumous son of his father, a mere baby. He was better man than that.
Nikaia, March 25th, 1256
Anna, widow of the basileus John III Vatatzes, born Constance to Frederick II Hohenstauffen, passed her son to the hands of patriarch Arsenios to proceed with the baptism.
"Baptised the servant of god... "
"Alexander!" his godfather and elder brother proclaimed. Anna hid a smile. Theodore was technically her stepson even though he was ten years her senior. Following the death of John III he had refused, her brother's Manfred requests to return her to the Sicilian court, which she understood even if it had only served to increase Manfred's hostility to him, but then Manfred had already established a marital alliance with the rival despot of Epirus and actively supported him against the emperor. But Theodore 's behavior towards her and his little brother was impeccable, he had even become godfather to him, which made it all the more difficult to dispose of him later. But the name... the name on one hand was living proof of how much the emperor was enamored with the ancients. On the other hand the empire had had only a single emperor named Alexander ever, for a few months or a couple of years, her tutors had told her but she could not remember, over 3 centuries ago and by all accounts he had been a useless one...
Constantinople, August 15th, 1262
Michael VIII, Faithful to Christ the God, basileus of the Romans, first of the house of Palaiologos suppressed a sigh. That bastard of a patriarch Arsenios, kept being more trouble than a mere patriarch had any right being. What did he think that they were in the Latin lands and he was the pope? First bothering him to protect the rights of little John, the late Theodore's son and have him as co-emperor. Then condemning him about blinding John. Now telling him he should not divorce his wife to marry Anna, who had refused the marriage no doubt due to the patriarch. Was he wrong for not blinding her son along with John? After all he was potentially a threat. But no, any such thing and all chances of getting her would be gone. Besides her relatives in Latin Europe would become even more of a problem. No the late Theodore was right in this, young Alexander was a manageable risk...
Theodore II Lascaris, Faithful to Christ the God, basileus of the Romans, looked at the new complication before himself with some concern. For ten years nothing had come of the marriage of his father with that little German. Or should he say Italian? After all her mother, Bianca of Lancia had been Italian. And her grandmother Constance had been a princess of the kingdom of Sicily. He dismissed the thought, not all times were for philosophy, as he carefully raised the crying complication in his hands. The complication, start laughing at him. Then showing complete lack of propriety it start pissing on the Imperial purple. Theodore start laughing as he put his brother back to the cradle. No he would not feel endangered by the posthumous son of his father, a mere baby. He was better man than that.
Nikaia, March 25th, 1256
Anna, widow of the basileus John III Vatatzes, born Constance to Frederick II Hohenstauffen, passed her son to the hands of patriarch Arsenios to proceed with the baptism.
"Baptised the servant of god... "
"Alexander!" his godfather and elder brother proclaimed. Anna hid a smile. Theodore was technically her stepson even though he was ten years her senior. Following the death of John III he had refused, her brother's Manfred requests to return her to the Sicilian court, which she understood even if it had only served to increase Manfred's hostility to him, but then Manfred had already established a marital alliance with the rival despot of Epirus and actively supported him against the emperor. But Theodore 's behavior towards her and his little brother was impeccable, he had even become godfather to him, which made it all the more difficult to dispose of him later. But the name... the name on one hand was living proof of how much the emperor was enamored with the ancients. On the other hand the empire had had only a single emperor named Alexander ever, for a few months or a couple of years, her tutors had told her but she could not remember, over 3 centuries ago and by all accounts he had been a useless one...
Constantinople, August 15th, 1262
Michael VIII, Faithful to Christ the God, basileus of the Romans, first of the house of Palaiologos suppressed a sigh. That bastard of a patriarch Arsenios, kept being more trouble than a mere patriarch had any right being. What did he think that they were in the Latin lands and he was the pope? First bothering him to protect the rights of little John, the late Theodore's son and have him as co-emperor. Then condemning him about blinding John. Now telling him he should not divorce his wife to marry Anna, who had refused the marriage no doubt due to the patriarch. Was he wrong for not blinding her son along with John? After all he was potentially a threat. But no, any such thing and all chances of getting her would be gone. Besides her relatives in Latin Europe would become even more of a problem. No the late Theodore was right in this, young Alexander was a manageable risk...
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