Editing Andronikos III Palaiologos (section)

==Reign==

===Military history===
Ottoman Turks besieged [[Nicaea]] in Asia Minor, historically the provisional capital of the [[Byzantine Empire]] from the Fourth Crusade until the Byzantine recapture of Constantinople. Andronikos III launched a relief attempt, which Ottoman sultan [[Orhan]] defeated at the [[Battle of Pelekanon]] on 10 or 15 June 1329.

Also in 1329, Andronikos III sent a naval expedition against [[Martino Zaccaria]], Genoese ruler of the [[Lordship of Chios]] (which also included [[Samos]] and [[Kos|Cos]]). The expedition deposed Zaccaria, and regained Byzantine control of the islands.

An alliance with Bulgaria failed to secure any gains for the Byzantine empire. On 28 July 1330, the Serbians decisively defeated the Bulgarians in the [[Battle of Velbazhd]] (modern [[Kyustendil]], Bulgaria) without significant Byzantine participation. The Ottomans continued to advance in 1331, finally taking [[Nicaea]] ([[İznik]]). Andronikos III wanted [[Nicomedia]] and the other few Byzantine forts in [[Anatolia]] not to suffer the same fate and sought to pay off the Ottomans with tribute.

Andronikos III reorganized and attempted to strengthen the weakened [[Byzantine navy]], which comprised only 10 ships by 1332; in emergencies, he still could muster a hundred extra merchant ships.

Having failed to gain anything against Serbia, Andronikos III attempted to annex Bulgarian Thrace, but the new tsar [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria]] defeated Byzantine forces at the [[Battle of Rusokastro]] on 18 July 1332. Andronikos III secured peace with Bulgaria by territorial concessions and the marriage of his daughter Maria (renamed Irene) to Ivan Alexander's son, the future [[Michael Asen IV of Bulgaria]].

The Muslim traveler [[Ibn Battuta]] visited Constantinople towards the end of 1332 and mentions meeting Andronikos III in his memoirs.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Battutah|first1=Ibn|title=The Travels of Ibn Battutah|date=2002|publisher=Picador|location=London|isbn=9780330418799|pages=131–132}}</ref> Byzantine sources do not attest to the meeting.

[[Stephen Gabrielopoulos]], ruler over [[Thessaly]], died circa 1333; taking advantage of the secession crisis, Andronikos III extended Byzantine control over the region.

[[Syrgiannes Palaiologos]], entrusted with the governorship of [[Thessaloniki|Thessalonica]], deserted to the side of king [[Stephen Uroš IV Dušan of Serbia]] and aided their advance in [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]]. Serbs soon found themselves in possession of Ohrid, Prilep and Srumitsa.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Fine |first=John |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/mpub.7807 |title=The Late Medieval Balkans |date=1994 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=978-0-472-08260-5 |location=Ann Arbor, MI |pages=288}}</ref> Syrgiannes then directed capture of Kastoria, after this Serbs marched down towards Thessaloniki, soon reaching the city's walls.<ref name=":0"/> Byzantines responded with a well-conceived plot. Byzantine general Sphrantzes Palaiologos, posing as a deserter, entered the Serbian camp and killed Syrgiannes Palaiologos. Dušan's plans were seriously upset, for his successes until then had been chiefly owing to Syrgiannes' strategic abilities, knowledge of Byzantine position and his allies who had surrendered fortresses to Serbs.<ref name=":0"/> Furthering Dušan's willingness to negotiate was intelligence that Byzantines just repelled a major Turkish raiding party, enabling more Byzantine troops to aid Thessaloniki front and the report that Hungarians were mobilizing to attack Serbia in the north.<ref name=":0" /> Serbs agreed to peace on 26 August 1334.<ref name=":0"/><ref>Norwich. ''Byzantium: The Decline and Fall'' p. 284</ref> Byzantines recognized Serbian gains in Ohrid, Prilep, Strumitsa, Siderokastron, Chermen and Prosek.<ref name=":0" />

Andronikos III meanwhile effected the recovery of [[Phocaea]] in 1334 from the last Genoese governor, [[Domenico Cattaneo]]. However, this victory failed to stem significantly the Ottoman advance in Asia Minor. Byzantine rule gradually vanished from Anatolia as tribute failed to appease Ottoman sultan [[Orhan]], who took Nicomedia in 1337, leaving only [[Alaşehir|Philadelphia]] and a handful of ports under Byzantine control.

Despite these troubles, Andronikos III took advantage of a secession crisis in the [[Despotate of Epirus]] in 1337, regaining Byzantine control from [[Nikephoros II Orsini]]. Thessaly was also reconquered by Andronikos III during this period.

In 1340, Dušan fell seriously ill. At this critical time, one of Dušan's leading commanders, [[Hrelja (protosebastos)|Hrelja]] deserted to Byzantines. He could do this because he had possessed holdings right on Byzantine-Serbian border that included region of the middle of [[Struma (river)|Struma]] river, with [[Strumica|Strumitsa]] and other two other strongly fortified castles near-by.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Fine |first=John |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/mpub.7807 |title=The Late Medieval Balkans |date=1994 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=978-0-472-08260-5 |location=Ann Arbor, MI |pages=291}}</ref>

In 1341, the Latin lords of the Peloponnese sent a delegation to Constantinople, seeking to swear allegiance to the Byzantine crown. An ailing Andronikos III then received the Latin delegation on one occasion, shortly before succumbing to an illness on 15 June 1341.

===Domestic policy===
[[John Kantakouzenos]], ''[[megas domestikos]]'' of Andronikos III and later emperor, wielded effective administrative authority during the reign, while the Emperor personally enjoyed hunting and waging war.

Andronikos III also reformed the judiciary through his creation of a panel of four judges, designated "[[Universal Justices of the Romans]]".{{sfn|PLP|loc=21437. Παλαιολόγος, Ἀνδρόνικος III. Δούκας Ἄγγελος Κομνηνός}}