CH. I. § 3. BOOK IV. Acropolita had neither resigned the office of chancellor, nor been removed from it, he placed himself by the emperor's side. Theodore then stated the relations of the empire with the Despot of Epirus, and gave his official orders to the chancellor as if nothing had occurred. Both shut up their feelings in their own breasts, and our interest in the personal relations of Theodore Lascaris and George Acropolita is lost in the stream of history.1 The military administration of Theodore II. was able and successful. His wars with Bulgaria and Epirus extended the power of the empire, and prepared the Greeks for the recovery of Constantinople. He was hardly seated on the throne when Michael, king of Bulgaria, thinking that his seclusion from public business during the latter years of his father's reign would paralyse his activity, invaded Thrace, and overran all the country inhabited by a Bulgarian, Sclavonian, and Vallachian population. The colonists were all willing to throw off the Greek yoke, and unite with their independent countrymen.2 The fortresses of Stenimachos, Prestitza, Krytzimos, and Tzepaina, with all the forts in the province called Achridos, on Mount Rhodope, were captured almost without resistance." At the commencement of the year 1255, in the middle of winter, when the Bulgarians thought no Greek army would take the field, the Emperor Theodore II. marched to Adrianople, and after remaining a single night pushed forward to attack the Bulgarian camp on the banks of the Hebrus. The enemy, apprised of his approach, abandoned their intrenchments, and left all their stores to the Greeks. A heavy fall of snow, rendering the passage of Mount Hamus im 3 This region of Achridos, mentioned both by Nicetas and Acropolita, must not be confounded with Achrida. practicable, compelled the emperor to lead his army back to Adrianople. From thence he detached a considerable force to clear the province of Achridos of the enemy's troops. This corps was ordered to join another body advancing from Serres, and then to effect a junction with the main army at Tzepaina. The body of troops which had been sent to Serres, under the command of Alexius Strategopoulos, suffered a disgraceful defeat from a small body of Bulgarians; and the news of this disaster caused Dragotas, who had previously betrayed Melenikon to the Greeks, to surrender that important fortress to the Bulgarians. But the emperor had in the mean time, with wonderful rapidity, retaken Pristitza, Stenimachos, Krytzimos, and the towns on the northern slopes of Rhodope, between the valleys of the Hebrus and the Mestos; so that, on hearing of the defeat at Serres, he was able, without a moment's delay, to march on that place. He continued his advance to the pass of Roupelion, where the Strymon forces its way between precipitous rocks. The Bulgarians had fortified this strong position, but as soon as they were assailed by a corps of light troops, which occupied the summits overlooking the pass, they retreated. Their main body was overtaken and defeated. Dragotas was slain, and the emperor entered Melenikon in triumph on the following day. From Melenikon, Theodore removed his headquarters to Thessalonica, and subsequently to Vodhena, where he was detained some time by illness. On his recovery, he again placed himself at the head of the army, and took Prilapos and Velesos, after which he returned by Nevstapolis through an arid and rocky district, in which the horses of the cavalry passed two days without water, to Strumitza, Melenikon, and Serres, where he encamped. All the conquests of the Bulgarians had been recovered in this long campaign, except the small fort of Patmon, in A. D. 1254-1261. CH. 1. § 3. BOOK IV. Achridos, and the frontier fortress of Tzepaina. Patmon was taken by one of the imperial generals; but at Makrolivada, about four days' march from Adrianople, the emperor, who proposed to besiege Tzepaina in person, was overtaken by a snow-storm, and compelled to put his army into winter-quarters.1 Theodore returned to Asia, and passed the winter at Nymphaion, directing the civil administration of the empire with the same activity he had displayed in the conduct of its military affairs. The headquarters of the army was at Didymoteichos, and the chief command was intrusted to Manuel Lascaris and Constantinos Margarites.2 These generals, in the spring of 1256, allowed themselves to be drawn into an engagement by the Bulgarians, who had enrolled in their service a strong body of Komans, and the Greeks were defeated. Margarites was taken prisoner, but Lascaris escaped to Adrianople. Theodore immediately hastened to Europe, and his presence soon restored discipline and confidence among the troops. The Komans were defeated with great loss, and the Bulgarian king, astonished at the ease with which the emperor converted his defeated soldiers into an attacking army, sent his father-in-law, the Russian prince Ouros, to treat for peace, as has been already mentioned. The treaty was concluded on the condition that the King of Bulgaria should withdraw all his troops to the north of Mount Hæmus, and cede to the emperor the fortress of Tzepaina.3 As soon as the affairs of Bulgaria were settled, the Emperor Theodore directed his attention to Epirus. 1 Acropolita, 59, 65. 2 Constantinos Margarites, according to the insolent expression of Acropolita, was a rude soldier, brought up on barley bread and bran, whose pronunciation proclaimed his want of education. He was a native of Neokastron, in the valley of the Hermus, and held the office of grand tzaous.--Acropolita, 67; Pachymeres, ii. 150. 3 Acropolita, 69. The Despot Michael II., who had violated the treaty by which his son Nicephorus had engaged to marry the emperor's daughter Maria, now sent his wife and son Nicephorus to sue for peace on such terms as Theodore might think fit to dictate. The marriage of Nicephorus and Maria was celebrated at Thessalonica; but the emperor insisted on the cession of the city of Servia on the Haliacmon, and of Dyrrachium, before he would conclude a treaty of peace. Michael, finding that his wife and son were retained as hostages at the imperial court, consented to the cession of these valuable frontier fortresses. The emperor returned to Asia with his army, leaving only small garrisons in a few fortresses in Europe. The inspection of the civil and military administration in the country between Berrhoea and Dyrrachium was intrusted to George Acropolita, who, the emperor observed, had laid aside the frankness of their former intercourse. He hoped that a short absence would efface entirely the memory of the chancellor's punishment; but Acropolita and Theodore never met again. Acropolita left Berrhoea on his tour of inspection in the month of December 1256. When he reached Prilapos, he found that the Albanian chiefs had revolted in the neighbouring mountains, and he was soon closely besieged, for the troops of the Despot Michael joined the insurgents; and the despot, having declared war with the empire, took Berrhoea and Vodhena, and shut Michael Lascaris in Thessalonica. up Michael Paleologos, a restless intriguer, but an able officer, was now sent to take the command at Dyrrachium. He had been governor of Nicæa during the Bulgarian war; but, hearing that his uncle had been arrested on a charge of treason, he abandoned his high office, and fled to the Turks. This conduct might have been considered a proof that he had been connected A. D. 1254-1261. BOOK IV. With treasonable intrigues by a sovereign less suspicious a feeling in his favour, by despatching a circular before He was The arrival of Paleologos at Thessalonica revived the courage of the Greeks. He led the troops out to meet the enemy; and in a skirmish near Vodhena dismounted Theodore, the natural son of the Despot Michael, who commanded the Epirots. The young Theodore was slain by a Turk in the imperial service before he was recognised. This success opened the road to Dyrrachium, to which Paleologos marched with the greatest haste, visiting Prilapos, and affording Acropolita some temporary relief on his way. But as soon as he quitted the neighbourhood, the Despot Michael again occupied the passes; and the inhabitants of Prilapos, cut off from all communication with Thessalonica and Dyrrachium, became tired of a war in which they had no direct interest, and opened their gates to the Epirot troops. Acropolita, unable to defend the citadel, capitulated on condition that he should be allowed to retire with the garrison to Thessalonica; but the despot, in violation of this capitulation, detained him a prisoner, and even confined him for some time chained in a dungeon. The campaign of 1257 proved extremely unfavourable to the Greeks; and the illness of the |