Editing Theodore II Laskaris (section)

===Wars with Bulgaria===

The young Bulgarian Tzar, [[Michael&nbsp;II Asen]] ({{reign|1246|1256/57}}), took advantage of Vatatzes' death to reconquer the lands he had seized from Bulgaria after 1241. Michael invaded Macedonia and Thrace in December 1254 or January 1255.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=721}}{{sfn|Nicol|1993|p=28}}{{sfn|Fine|2009|p=159}} Most Nicaean garrisons in the local fortresses were small, and the local Bulgarians supported the invaders.{{sfn|Fine|2009|p=159}}{{sfn|Kanellopoulos|Lekea|2007|p=56}} The Bulgarians quickly seized most Thracian fortresses. Two Macedonian towns, [[Veles, North Macedonia|Veles]] and [[Skopje]], also surrendered to them. A hastily summoned council of war accepted George Mouzalon's proposal of an immediate counter-attack. Theodore decided to lead the campaign himself, and entrusted Mouzalon with the administration of Asia Minor in February 1255. His surprise attack forced the invaders to withdraw from Thrace, and he ordered two Nicaean aristocrats, [[Alexios Strategopoulos]] and [[Demetrios Tornikes]], to pursue the Bulgarians. The two generals led their troops across the passes of the [[Rhodope Mountains]] in constant fear of an ambush. When they unexpectedly heard the sounds of the horns of shepherds and swineherds, they retreated in a panic, abandoning their baggage. The fiasco outraged Theodore, and he ordered them to hurry to his camp at [[Adrianople]], but both commanders disobeyed.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=151–154}}{{sfn|Kanellopoulos|Lekea|2007|pp=57–58}}

A Bulgarian renegade in Nicaean service, Dragotas, switched sides and laid siege to [[Melnik, Bulgaria|Melnik]] in the summer. Theodore hastily departed from Adrianople to lead relief forces to the town. The Bulgarians laid an ambush for him along the [[Rupel Pass]], but he avoided it and Dragotas abandoned the siege on Theodore's arrival. From Melnik, Theodore went to Thessalonica and dismissed his old opponent, Philes, from the governorship. Theodore closed down the local [[Mint (facility)|mint]], because he wanted to establish a centralized system of financial administration in Asia Minor, with a new treasury at Astritzion on the Asian coast of the [[Hellespont]]. He invaded Macedonia and forced the Bulgarian garrison in Veles to surrender, but drought prevented him from continuing the military campaign across the arid [[Ovče Pole]]. He went to Serres, where he confirmed the fiscal privileges of the Macedonian towns. He also ordered the arrest of [[Constantine Kabasilas]], [[Archbishop of Ohrid]], assuming that Kabasilas was Michael&nbsp;II of Epirus' loyal supporter.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=156–159}}

A report of a Mongol invasion of Asia Minor forced Theodore to leave Macedonia in late autumn of 1255. After the report had proved false, he launched an attack against the fortress of [[Tzepaina]]. He had to abandon the campaign, because his army could not pass across the narrow and frosty mountain passes. He returned to Anatolia around the end of the year. He showered his confidants with honors and gifts. He made Manuel Laskaris and Constantine Margarites the commanders-in-chief of his troops in Thrace and charged George Mouzalon with implementing military reforms. In parallel, he turned against members of the old aristocratic families whom he distrusted. Constantine Strategopoulos and Theodore Philes—two aristocrats who had offended him—were blinded. Alexios Strategopoulos and [[Alexios Raoul]]'s four sons were imprisoned. Theodore's cousin, [[Michael VIII Palaiologos|Michael Palaiologos]], fled to the Seljuks to escape imprisonment. Theodore took advantage of the emperors' right to control aristocratic marriages to establish family ties between his lowborn favorites and the old aristocracy. George Mouzalon married Palaiologos' niece, [[Theodora Raoulaina|Theodora Kantakouzene Palaiologina]], Andronikos Mouzalon wed a daughter of Alexios Raoul.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=159–162, 169}}

Theodore decided to resume negotiations about a [[church union]] between the [[Eastern Orthodox Church|Orthodox]] Nicaean and the [[Catholic Churches]] with [[Pope Alexander&nbsp;IV]] ({{reign|1254|1261}}) and sent envoys to Rome in April or May 1256.{{#tag:ref|The rift between the two branches of Christianity can be traced back to several factors, such as different views on [[clerical marriage]] and [[fasting in religion|fasting]], and political conflicts between the Byzantine Empire and the papacy. [[Great Schism of 1054|The schism]] began with mutual [[excommunication]]s in 1054, and proved uncurable, although discussions about the union of the two churches began in 1112.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|pp=689–690}}|group=note}} Divergent  [[History of the filioque controversy|views on the procession of the Holy Spirit]] had always been an important cause of the [[schism]] between the two Churches. Orthodox theologians maintained that the [[Eastern Orthodox teaching regarding the Filioque|Holy Spirit proceeded from the Father alone]], but Catholic theologians stated that the Holy Spirit proceeded from the [[God the Father|Father]] "[[and the Son]]". Theodore commissioned Blemmydes to summarize the Orthodox position. Blemmydes adopted a conciliatory approach, concluding that a statement about the procession of the Holy Spirit from the Father through the [[God the Son|Son]] was fully in conformity with the Bible and the [[Church Fathers]]' works. Theodore did not accept his tutor's view and insisted on the traditional Orthodox doctrine.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=162–163}}

Michael&nbsp;II of Bulgaria dispatched [[Cuman]] raiders to plunder Thrace early in 1256. Although Theodore had instructed Laskaris and Margarites to adopt a defensive strategy, they pursued the Cumans, but the invaders inflicted a heavy defeat on their troops. Theodore assembled a new army, partially mustered among the Anatolian peasantry, and crossed the Hellespont. He sent troops, including Cuman horsemen in his service, against the invaders and they routed the enemy forces in two battles in Thrace.{{sfn|Kanellopoulos|Lekea|2007|pp=59–60}} He entered into peace negotiations with Michael&nbsp;II with the mediation of [[Rostislav Mikhailovich]], [[Banate of Macsó|Duke of Macsó]] ({{reign|1254|1262}}). Michael&nbsp;II had recently married Rostislav's daughter, and Rostislav's wife, [[Anna of Hungary, Duchess of Macsó|Anna of Hungary]], was Theodore's cousin. Rostislav came to Thrace to reach an agreement with Theodore. Akropolites drafted a treaty about the restoration of the prewar boundaries between Nicaea and Bulgaria. Rostislav accepted it and signed the peace treaty on Michael&nbsp;II's behalf on 29&nbsp;June. The treaty prescribed that Michael&nbsp;II cede Tzepaina to the Nicaeans, but the Bulgarian garrison was not withdrawn immediately from the fortress. Theodore became convinced that Rostislav had deceived him and ordered the public whipping of Akropolites. His act proved imprudent, because the Bulgarians ceded the fortress in early September. Theodore sent George Mouzalon to Akropolites to seek a reconciliation.{{sfn|Fine|2009|p=159}}{{sfn|Lascaratos|Zis|1998|p=297}}{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=164–166}}

The peace treaty aroused much indignation in Bulgaria, enabling Michael&nbsp;II's cousin, [[Kaliman Asen II of Bulgaria|Kaliman]] (r. 1256), to stage a plot and dethrone the Tzar. Kaliman seized the throne, but he never gained the support of the army. After Kaliman fell victim to a new plot, Rostislav Mikhailovich and Michael&nbsp;II's brother-in-law, [[Mitso Asen of Bulgaria|Mitso]] ({{reign|1256|1257}}), laid claim to the throne. Most [[boyar]]s (noblemen) preferred a third candidate, one of their number, [[Konstantin Tih]] ({{reign|1257|1277}}), although he was not related to the ruling [[Asen dynasty]].{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=722}}{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=166–167}}{{sfn|Fine|2009|pp=170–172}}