Manuel II's Byzantine Rule (1390s)

Timeline

1. 1391Constantinople · ByzantineAfter the brief usurpation by John VII, Manuel II regained the throne and became the effective ruler of the Byzantine Empire, setting about reforming the court and defenses to meet the Ottoman threat.
2. 1394–1396Constantinople · ByzantineBayezid I led a prolonged siege of Constantinople; the Byzantines barely held on through their walls and Venetian and Genoese maritime supply, as the empire's survival crisis reached new heights.
3. 1399–1400Western European states · Western EuropeManuel II personally traveled to Western Europe seeking crusade-style military assistance and church support; though received with honors, actual reinforcements were limited, reflecting the late Byzantine reliance on diplomacy for self-preservation.