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Civil War between Andronikos II and Andronikos III (1320s)

Type Event Region Balkans Time 1321–1328

From 1321 to 1328, a civil war erupted in the Byzantine Empire between Andronikos II Palaiologos and his grandson Andronikos III, sweeping across Thr…

Timeline

  1. 1321–1322Constantinople · ThraceIn 1321, the young Andronikos III, whose conflicts with his grandfather Andronikos II over power distribution, foreign policy, and fiscal reform had intensified, openly rebelled with the backing of supporters, formally starting the civil war.
  2. 1322–1327Thrace · ThraceBoth sides repeatedly fought in Thrace, the Gallipoli Peninsula, and along the Marmara Sea coast, each relying on Serbian, Bulgarian, and various mercenary forces. The war consumed vast resources, left border defenses hollow, and allowed Ottoman and Catalan forces to expand their influence.
  3. 1328Constantinople · ThraceIn 1328, Andronikos III, with allied support, captured Constantinople; Andronikos II was forced to abdicate and enter a monastery. The civil war ended, but the empire was gravely weakened, reducing its ability to defend the Anatolian frontier.

Sources