Editing Theodore II Laskaris (section)

===Accession===
John&nbsp;III Vatatzes died in Nicaea on 4&nbsp;November 1254, leaving a flourishing empire to Theodore.{{sfn|Lascaratos|Zis|1998|p=296}} Theodore was acclaimed emperor, but he was not crowned because the [[Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople|patriarchal throne]] was vacant. In his funerary speech at Vatatzes' burial, Akropolites expressed his hope that Theodore would lead the Nicaeans to expel the Latins from Constantinople, comparing him with the "[[Pillar of fire (theophany)|pillar of fire]]" of the [[Book of Exodus]], guiding the [[Israelites]].{{sfn|Angelov|2019|p=148}} Theodore could not risk launching an attack against Constantinople, because his empire was surrounded by hostile powers.{{sfn|Treadgold|1997|p=730}}

Theodore forbade his father's widow, Anna-Constanza, from returning to her Sicilian homeland. This act outraged her brother, [[Manfred, King of Sicily|Manfred]] ({{reign|1258|1266}}), who had recently assumed power in the [[Kingdom of Sicily]].{{#tag:ref|Just like Anna-Constanza, Manfred was an illegitimate child of Emperor {{nowrap|Frederick II}} by Bianca Lancia. When their legitimate half-brother {{nowrap|Conrad IV}} died in May 1254, Berthold of Hohenburg assumed the regency for Conrad's underage son [[Conradin]] ({{reign|1254|1258}}) in Sicily, but Berthold was forced to abdicate in Manfred's favor in August. Four years later, Manfred was crowned king of Sicily.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=90, 144}}|group=note}}{{sfn|Nicol|1993|p=28}} Theodore had a meeting with the Seljuk Sultan of Rum, [[Kaykaus&nbsp;II]] ({{reign|1246|1262}}), in [[Philadelphia (Lydia)|Philadelphia]]. They concluded a defensive alliance against the Mongols. Kaykaus had acknowledged the Mongols' [[suzerainty]], but had not visited the court of Great Khan [[Möngke]] to pay homage to him.{{sfn|Korobeinikov|2017|p=721}}{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=149–150}}

Theodore wanted to make Blemmydes the new patriarch, but his old tutor refused. His next candidate, a [[hermit]] with an aristocratic background, [[Arsenios Autoreianos]], accepted the offer. The new patriarch crowned and anointed Theodore emperor—on Christmas 1254. According to sources hostile to Arsenios, he was Theodore's sole nominee to the patriarchal throne although tradition required the presentation of three candidates to the electors. Arsenios's allegedly irregular appointment would give rise to the conflict known as the "[[Arsenite Schism]]", lasting from 1265 to 1310.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=150, 296 (note 25)}} Arsenios was always Theodore's loyal supporter and obeyed his commands.{{sfn|Nicol|1993|p=27}}

Theodore did not trust the aristocrats and wrote of "illicit love affairs and very unjust plots", without naming his opponents, in a letter addressed to George Mouzalon in December 1254. The historian [[Michael Angold]] proposes that Emperor Frederick&nbsp;II's similar policy may have inspired Theodore's "more autocratic stance towards his aristocracy".{{sfn|Angold|2017|p=748}} Theodore appointed George Mouzalon to be the new {{lang|el|[[megas domestikos]]}} (or commander-in-chief) of the mobile army. George's brother, Andronikos, was designated as the new ''[[protovestiarites]]'' (commander of the guards of the imperial palace). Theodore also demonstrated his favor towards a general of common origin, [[Constantine Margarites]]. He offered offices to some aristocrats who had been put aside during his father's reign. He recalled his mother's uncles, Michael and Manuel Laskaris, from their exile and made two members of the rebellious Nestongos family, George and Isaac, generals. His appointments offended most aristocrats.{{sfn|Angelov|2019|pp=151–152}}