Editing Theodore II Laskaris (section)

===Childhood===
{{See also|Laskaris|Vatatzes}}
Theodore was born to Emperor [[John&nbsp;III Doukas Vatatzes]] ({{reign|1221|1254}}) and [[Irene Laskarina]] in the imperial palace in [[Nicaea]] in late 1221 or early 1222.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|p=57}} Irene was the eldest daughter of [[Theodore&nbsp;I Laskaris]] ({{reign|1205|1221}}), the founder of the [[Empire of Nicaea]].{{sfn|Angelov|2019|p=57}} Nicaea was a successor state of the [[Byzantine Empire]], established after the Catholic ("[[Latins (Middle Ages)|Latin]]") crusaders [[Sack of Constantinople|captured Constantinople]] during the [[Fourth Crusade]] in 1204.{{sfn|Nicol|1993|pp=10–11}}{{sfn|Lascaratos|Zis|1998|p=296}} Vatatzes was Irene's third husband. He was born into a Byzantine aristocratic family related to the imperial dynasties of [[Komnenos]] and [[Angelos]], and served as the commander of the [[Vestiaritai|imperial guard]]. Although Irene's two brothers had died prematurely, Theodore&nbsp;I did not name Vatatzes as his official heir. He most likely expected that his third wife, the Latin [[Maria of Courtenay]], would bear sons, but he did not father children with her.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=32–34}} Theodore&nbsp;I died in November 1221. Vatatzes had to defeat the late emperor's brothers, [[Alexios Laskaris|Alexios]] and [[Isaac Laskaris]], to seize the throne. His victory over them and their Latin allies in the [[Battle of Poimanenon]] in the winter of 1223–1224 opened the way for the reconquest of Byzantine territories lost to the Latins in [[Asia Minor]].{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=57–59}}

Theodore was his parents' only child. His mother had been in a horse riding accident and could not bear children after his birth. He adopted his mother's family name.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=721}} He was "raised as usual for a royal child", according to his own words, most probably referring to his upbringing in the women's quarter of the palace and the luxury surrounding him. His childhood was joyful and he "often received greatest solace" from his father. He also remembered his parents did not punish him when his tutor had accused him of misdemeanors.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=59–60, 257 (notes 21–22)}}