Please forgive me for not having written a significant introduction to the chronicle attributed to Michael Panaretos, but I am still in the process of working out the exact authorship and text of the work. Please for now enjoy the chronicle and if you have any questions or comments, send me a message on my messageboard.

1. Lord Alexios, the Grand Komnenos, came from the blessed city of Constantinople and marched from Iberia through the zeal and labor of his aunt on his father’s side Thamar and took Trebizond in April, indiction 7, 6712 (1204) aged 22 (2). He reigned for eighteen years and passed away on the Sunday of Orthodoxy, February 1, 6730 (1222), having reached the age of forty.

2. In 6730 (1222), his son-in-law lord Andronikos Gidon Komnenos became emperor. In 6731 (1223), during the second year of Gidon’s reign, the sultan Melik came against Trebizond and nearly all were lost(3). Gidon ruled for thirteen years and passed away in 6743 (1235).

3. He left the empire to his wife’s brother, the eldest born son of Alexios the Grand Komnenos, Lord John Komnenos Axouchos. After reigning for six years, he died in year six thousand seven hundred and forty-six. It is said that as he was playing polo on the polo grounds he fell down and died trampled to pieces.

4. Joannikios then was tonsured and his younger brother Lord Manuel, the Grand Komnenos the greatest captain and most fortunate succeeded to the throne in that same year 6746 (1238). In the fifth year of his reign, in January, indiction 15, 6751 (1243), there was a great fire. After having reigned well and God-pleasingly for twenty-five years, he passed away in March 6771 (1263) (4).

5. And then his son by the Lady Anna Xylaloë, Lord Andronikos Komnenos, by his exhortation and selection became emperor and ruled for three years. He passed away in 6774 (1266) (5). The son of Lord Manuel by the Lady Irene Syrikaina, the Lord George Komnenos, then ruled for fourteen years and was handed over treacherously by his archontes () at/on the border/mountain of Taurezion [Tabriz] (6), and was taken captive in June.

6. And so in that same year his younger brother, lord John the Grand Komnenos, succeeded to the throne and after one year was come upon by Papadopoulos’s rebellion. But he was freed and departed for the City where he was married to the emperor Lord Michael Palaiologos’s daughter, the sister of the emperor Lord Andronikos Palaiologos, the Lady Eudokia Komnene Palaiologina the porphyrogennita. Remember that the emperor lord Michael was still alive, when the marriage of John the Grand Komnenos took place with Palaiologina (7). With Palaiologos's death on December 10, his son Lord Andronikos succeeded him condemning his father for being a Latin-lover.

7. In April 6790 (1282), the king of Iberia, David, came and besieged Trebizond, but was turned away empty-handed.

8. On April twenty-fifth, indiction 11, 6791 (1283), lord John the Grand Komnenos along with Palaiologina, who was pregnant, departed from Constantinople for Trebizond, where Lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos was born in 6792 (1283). Then the raid and capture of Lord George Komnenos, who they called the Vagabond, took place and after him the attack, reign, and sudden flight of the Lady Theodora Komnene, the first daughter of Lord Manuel the Grand Komnenos by Rousoundana from Iberia (8). Again Kalojoannes Komnenos was restored to the throne and after ruling on the whole for eighteen years passed away at Limnia on Friday August 16, indiction 15, 6805 (1297). For in his reign, the Turks took Chalybia and made a great raid so as to make all of the lands uninhabited. After he died, his remains were brought to Trebizond and interred in the church of the Golden Headed Virgin (9).

9. And then his son lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos became emperor and took as his wife the daughter of Pekai from Iberia (10). The widowed Palaiologina departed for the City on June 13, 6806 (1298), indiction 11, and again returned in March 6809 (1301), indiction 14.

10. The emperor lord Alexios then marched out against the Turks and on coming to Kerasunt seized the Koustouganes and many Turks were killed as well in September 6810 (1301) (11). On Thursday December 13 of that same year, the empress lady Eudokia Palaiologina passed away.

11. On Sunday November 30, 6811 (1302), a great fire took place within the city proper. In June of the following year, the arsenal was burned by the Latins when a great battle took place (12).

12. Bayram seized the tented market stalls (tzergas) (13) on October 2, 6822 (1313).

13. In 6827 (1318/9), a great fire was started by the Sinopites and the fire destroyed all of the ornamentation of the city both within and without.

14. Lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos died on Thursday May 3, indiction 13, 6838 (1330), after a reign of 33 years by just 3 months.

16. His son lord Manuel, who was eight-years-old, then became emperor and reigned for 8 months. For in his reign, Bayram came with a large army as far as Asomatos. Many Turks were killed, all of them fled, and many Turkish horses were seized on Sunday August 30, 6840 (1332).

17. On Monday September 22, indiction 1, 6841 (1332), Lord Basil the Grand Komnenos, the son of Lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos and younger brother of the Lord Andronikos came here from Constantinople and took the throne. In addition, he took the lives of the grand dux Lekes Tzatzintaion and his son the grand domestic Tzambas. He then imprisoned his nephew lord Manuel and they stoned to death the grand duchess Syrikaina. On the Sunday of Orthodoxy, February 13, of that same year of 6841 (1333) indiction 1, the grand dux, the eunuch John, caused a disturbance and Lord Manuel was put to the sword.

18. On Tuesday, September 12, indiction 4, 6843 (1334), the empress Lady Irene Palaiologina , the daughter of Lord Andronikos Palaiologos came here, and on Sunday, the 17th of that same month, she was wed to the emperor, Lord Basil.

19. On Friday, July 5, 6844 (1335) Sichasanes [the sheikh Hassan], the son of Tamartases [Timurtash](15), came to Trebizond and there was fighting at the palisade of Saint Kerykios and at Minthrion. God willing, he was turned back by a flood of rain and fled, while at the same time Aftoraymes [Abdul Rahim?], the son of Roustames [Rustam], was killed.

20. On Monday, March 2, 6845 (1336), at the start of Lent, there was an eclipse of the sun from the third to the seventh hours causing the people to cause a disturbance by gathering outside the citadel and throwing rocks at the emperor.

21. On October 5, indiction 7, 6847 (1338), the lord John Komnenos, who later was named Alexios, was born the younger son of Lord Basil. The emperor Lord Basil was wed to the empress, Lady Irene from Trebizond, on July 8, 6847 (1339) (16).

22. The emperor Lord Basil the Grand Komnenos died on Thursday, August 6, indiction 8, 6848 (1340). He ruled for 7 years and 6 months. His sons, the Lord Alexios and the Lord Kalojoannes, were sent to the City along with their mother. The widowed lady Irene Palaiologina then seized the throne. And straightaway the archontes caused a disturbance and split into two factons, Tzanichites, lord Sebastos the grand stratopedarch along with the Scholarioi, the Meitzomatai, Lord Constantine Doranites, the Kabazitai, Kamachenos (17), some of the people, and some of the palace guards held Saint Eugenios, while the Amytzarantai, some of the archontes, and the archons of the imperial exchange along held the citadel with the empress(18).

24. On Friday July 2, 6848 (1340), the grand dux, the eunuch John, came from Limnia with a great army and there was a fight in which they fired on the monastery with a siege engine. The monastery was set fire to and all of its ornamentation was burned off. Tzanichites and the other archontes were imprisoned in Limnia and lost their lives there (20). It was about that same month of that same year that our army came to the summer pastures and captured many Amitiotai and took much plunder, though the sons of Dolinos were killed.

25. On Friday July 5, indiction 9, 6849 (1341), the emperor of the Romans, the Lord Andronikos Palaiologos died. In that same month and year, the archontes at Limnia were murdered. Again, in that same year, on Thursday, July 4, the Amitiotai (21) came and without even putting up a fight the Romans turned to flight and many Christians were killed. All of Trebizond within and without was burned and a great number of people were too, both women and children. After all, of this destruction, there was a sudden plague due to the foul odor of the burnt horses, livestock, and people (22). For before this, the daughter of Lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos, the lady Anna called Anachoutlou, giving up her nun's vows, went to Lazia and seized it. After the fire and the assault took place, Anachoutlou came and took over the empire with a Lazic army on Tuesday, July 17, of that same year. Palaiologina was deposed after a reign of one year and three months.

26. On Monday July 30 of that same year, Alexios's brother, the Lord Michael Komnenos, came from that mighty city [i.e. Constantinople] with three galleys along with Lord Niketas Scholaris and Lord Gregory Meizomates. In the evening, the archontes bending down swore their oaths and the metropolitan Akakios swore on the Evangelist recognizing him as their lord. However, in the morning, the people did not know that they imprisoned him. The Laz seized the galleys and killed many with arrows. On Friday August 3 of that same year of 6849 (1341), the Amitiotai Turks returned, but God willing, they did not prevail over us and departed empty-handed. On the seventh of that same month and year, the lord Michael Komnenos was sent to Oinaion to which he was confined and then to Limnia. On the tenth of that same month and year, Palaiologina was sent on a Frankish galley to the City.

26. On September 10, Lord Niketas Scholaris, Lord Gregory Meitzomates, Lord Constantine Doranites, his son John, Meitzomates' brother Michael, and others of the their faction fled and came by means of a Venetian galley to the City. After staying there until about August 17, they came with lord John Komnenos, the son of lord Michael, in two galleys of their own and three Genoese ones and took over Trebizond on Wednesday September 4, 6851 (1342). He was crowned on September 9, in the pulpit of the church of the Golden-Headed Virgin. At his coronation, the countries were gathered together completely and a terrible persecution and seizure took place. At this time, many of the Amyrtzantarantai archontes were killed and the George's mother, Sargale, was strangled along with Anachoutlou, after a reign of one year, one month, and eight days (23).

27. Because the grand dux, the eunuch, who held lord Michael in Limnia was assassinated in March, the grand dux Scholaris came and took lord Michael, who came and succeeded to the throne on Monday May 3, 6852 (1343). He was crowned in that same month of the twenty-first. As for his son, he was deposed and confined to the cave of Saint Sabas, the lord John having reigned one year and eight months.

28. When the chief archontes were robbed of life, the Lord Niketas Scholaris was honored as grand dux, while was made Gregory Meizomates grand stratopedarch, his son epikernes, John Kabazites grand logariastes, Scholaris's son parakoimomenos, Michael Meizomates amytzantarios, and Stephan Tzanichites grand constable.

29. In November 6854 (1345), the grand dux Scholaris, the grand domestic Meizomates, and others of their faction were imprisoned (24). It was then that lord John Komnenos was sent to the City. In 6855 (1345/6), Saint Andreas and Oinaion were taken.

30. In September, indiction 1, there was a sudden plague, an epidemic, which carried off many including children, husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, and kinsmen. It lasted for seven months.

31. In January 6856 (1347), Kerasunt was taken and burned by the Genovese.

32. On June 29 of that same year, indiction 1, many Turks came to Trebizond led by Aches Aynapees [Ahi Ayna Bey?] from Erzinjan (25), Mahmat [Mehmed] Eikeptaris from Bayburt, Turali bey and Posdoganes [Boz Dogan] from the Amitiotai, and the Cepnis with them. The conflict lasted for three days before they fled empty-handed having been injured, abandoning many Turks along the road.

33. On Tuesday May 5, 6857 (1349), two Frankish galleys came here from Cafa, so a great one of our galleys, a smaller one, and several little barques went out from Daphnai and joined battle with them, but God was not with us and the Franks triumphed. The grand dux John Kabazites, Michael Tzanichites and many others were killed. The galley was burned, while the Franks on the mainland were seized and imprisoned though the galleys departed (26).

34. On June 15 6857 (1349), three galleys came from Cafa again along with a barque from Aminsoun and after many words, annoyances, and demands, peace was made and Leontokastron was surrendered to them. Then frailty prevailed over the lord Michael and the Lord Niketas Scholaris came from Kechrina and became grand dux and married Michael Sampson's daughter. The lord Michael reigned for five years and seven and a half months.

35. On Sunday December 13 6858 (1349), the lord Michael Komnenos was deposed and on Tuesday, the twenty-second of the same month, Basil Komnenos's second son, the lord John who was called after his grandfather Alexios, came and took possession of the empire with the empress his mother, the Lady Irene the Grand Komnene. He was crowned in the church of the Saint Eugenios on January 21 during the festival of the saint (27). As for the lord Michael, he was confined to the cave of Saint Sabas and tonsured. One year later, he was sent to the City along with the tatas Michael Sampson, when the emperor's marriage alliance was to take place.

36. In that same year, a conflict and revolt between the nobles took place and during June the grand stratopedarch, the lord Theodore Doranites, who was called Pileles, was taken along with his brother the protobestarios Constantine, and all his family, and were confined to the homes of the archontes. After the seventh of the month, they were recalled.

37. In January 6869 (1350), the former protovestarios Leo Kabazites was taken and Pileles was elevated to the rank of protovestarios. At the same time, Michael Sampson departed on a galley for the City to make a marriage alliance, take possession of the lady, and return.

38. On May 5 of that same year, the citadel was taken over by Pileles and his supporters, while the grand duke Scholaris was taken prisoner. But the people rose up and he was freed again while the emperor went to Tripolis. Pileles, his son, his son-in-law, and Xenitos’s children were arrested and sent to Kechrina where they were imprisoned.

39. On September 3, indiction 5, 6870 (1350), the lady Komnene, Kantakouzene, the daughter of Nikephoros Kantakouzenos, first cousin to the emperor of the Romans lord John Kantakouzenos, came here from the City by galley and was wed on the twenty first to the emperor in the monastery of Saint Eugenios.

40. On September 22 of that same year, we went with the empress, the emperor's mother, to Limnia against Constantine Doranites, the protovestarios Pileles' brother, who was acting as governor there. After remaining there three months we returned here.

41. In January of that same year, the pikernes John Tzanichites entered and held Tzanicha proper in anarchy. During April of that same year, the emperor and the empress went there and made peace. During July of that same year, Pileles, his son, and his son-in-law were hanged in the fortress of Kenchrina.

42. In August of that same year, the emperor's sister, the lady Maria the Grand Komnene, departed and married Kutlu beg, Turali's son, the emir of the Amitiotai.

43. In that same month and year, Venetian galleys came against Genovese and burned many light boats.

44. In June 6862 (1353), Scholaris fled to Kerasunt, and of the messages and dispatches passed in between [the two cities], who is able to write?

45. On March 21, 6863 (1354), the grand duke Scholaris and his son came against Trebizond with a galley 11 barques and at the same time the protobestarios Basil Choupakas came with him. There were many words and disturbances, but peace was made and they departed for Kerasunt.

46. In May of that same year, the emperor fitted out two galleys and fine little wooden boats and came with his mother the empress, and the metropolitan against Scholaris in Kerasunt, and though Scholaris was in Kechrina, the parakoimomenos was in Kerasunt. After a battle and fighting, there was peace and Kerasunt paid homage to the emperor. But the parakoimomenos went to his father in Kechrina where all of Scholaris's supporters were. On coming to Tripolis, the emperor left the fleet and the empress there and taking command of an army of cavalrymen he went there and blockaded everybody in Kechrina by land and sea. At the time there was fighting, but they paid homage to the emperor and acclaimed him. The emperor and his supporters then returned here, while the Scholaris and his supporters remained there. At that time as well the protovestarios came here from Limnia with his supporters.

47. Around August of that same year, the duke of Chaldia, John Kabazites marched out and took Cheriana and made it our own. At the same time Sorogaina was freed and put under the emperor's thumb.

48. In that same year, the Lord Michael Komnenos left the City and got as far as Soulchation and again went back the other way.

49. In October, indiction 9, 6864 (1355), the grand domestic Meizomates and the grand stratopedarch Sampson went to Tripolis and came until Kechrina and took Scholaris and his supporters, returned here, and there was peace.

50. On Friday November 27, indiction 9, 6864 (1355), we came with the emperor against Cheriana at the Devil's connivance. At first we raided, besieged, and took captives, but around the sixth hour we fled without order when a couple of Turks pursued us. At that time, nearly fifty Christians were killed, many horses were lost, the duke of Chaldia John Kabazites was seized, and if the Lord had not been with us, I myself would have been lost, but God willing, my horse was strengthened and we remained free following behind the emperor until three days later we reached Trebizond.

51. Then the emperor had a son, the Lord Andronikos, by another woman and not the empress.

52. On December 19, indiction 10, 6865 (1356), we set out with the emperor for Limnia and spent Christmas at Kerasunt and Epiphany at Jasonis when fourteen Turks were killed. On reaching Limnia, we turned about, and after spending on the whole three months we returned again to Trebizond in good health.

53. Around April 6, Good Friday, indiction 10 of that same year, the Lady Anna was born to the emperor by our empress, the Lady Theodora.

54. In May, indiction 10, 6865 (1357), the emperor went with an army to the pastures and returned all of the pastures to his rule.

55. On Saturday November 11, indiction 11, 6866 (1357), the despoina of Sinope, the lady Eudokia, the daughter of lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos came here.

56. In that same month and year on Monday the thirteenth, Chatzymyris [haçi emir], Baryam's son entered into Matzouka with a great army due to our neglect in guarding it and seized both livestock and property from Palaiomatzkouka until Dikaisimon.

57. On January 22 of that same year, the emissary John Leontostethos came from Constantinople.

58. On Wednesday, August 22, indiction 11, 6866 (1358), the despoinachat (28), Lady Maria, the sister of the emperor, who was married to the Amitiote Kutlu Beg, came to Trebizond.

59. On Wednesday, August 29, indiction 11, 6866 (1358), the daughter of the emperor, Lord Basil, the Lady Theodora, departed to be married to the emir Chatzymyris [haci emir], Bayram's son, along with lord Basil Choupakas Scholaris as the bridal escort.

60. On Monday September 17, indiction 12, 6867 (1358), a son was born to the emperor after supper who was named Basil after his grandfather.

61. In April, indiction 13, 6868 (1360), the emperor entered into Chaldia to build Tou koukou. But Chotzialatiphes [?] (29) came from Bayburt and thwarted him with three hundred cavalry. It was at this time as well that he removed John Kabazites from his governorship.

63. In 6869 (1360) some six months before on December 6, the emperor departed for Limnia and spent about three and a half months there before returning.

64. That same year, the emissary Leontostethos came from the City so as to seek a marital alliance for the emperor Lord John Palaiologos with our emperor.

65. At suppertime on July 4, indiction 14, 6869 (1361), the grand dux Niketas Scholaris passed away. The emperor mourned him greatly at that time and led his funeral procession wearing white for mourning as it is a custom for lords.

66. On Friday July 23, indiction 14, 6869 (1361), the ruler Chotzialatiphes [hoça latif] entered into Matzouka towards Larachanes and Chasdenica with a select group of soldiers numbering around 400 and more. But the Matzoukitans, having gotten to the passes ahead of time, killed about 200 Turks and more seizing their horses and arms. And as for Chotzialatiphes [hoça latif], they beheaded him and on the following day marched in triumph with their heads throughout all of Trebizond (30).

67. On December 13, indiction 15, 6870 (1361), we departed for Chalybia with the emperor to the castle-house of Chatzymyris [haçi emir], Baryam's son, more like he met us after we reached Kerasunt. From Chalybia we went by land to Kerasunt followed almost servilely by the emir Chatzymyris [haçi emir] and some Turks.

68. In October, indiction 12, 6870 (1361), Achi Ayna Beg coming from Erzingan laid siege to Golacha for about sixteen days with his siege engines and fought violent battles. But God willing, he was able to accomplish nothing and departed empty-handed. It was at this time that the emperor rebuilt the church of Saint Phokas in Kordyle and also built it a monastery.

69. In that same year, a sudden plague took place and lasted for the whole year. Towards the spring and summer it grew the most violent killing and taking many from their homes.

70. Around March of that same year of 6870 (1361), the emperor, the empress, and his mother departed for Mesochaldia because of the plague, while at the same time John Komnenos's escape and coming to Sinope did where he passed away. When the imperial family came back from Chaldia, they did not enter into Trebizond proper because of the virulence of the plague. It was June at this time, so they camped at Saint John 'the Purifier' on Mount Minthros. At this time as well, an ambassador came from çelebi Taceddin for a marriage alliance. Then the people were nearly revolting against the emperor. John Komnenos's son escaped from prison and came to Cafa and then Galata.

71. In April, indiction 1, 6871 (1362) we came by an imperial galley to the Great City, the grand logothetes Lord George Scholaris and the protosebastos and protonotarios Michael Panaretos, who is writing these things, and we made paid awesome homage. We saw the emperor, Lord John Palaiologos, the emperor-monk, Lord Joasaph Cantacuzenos, the patriarch Lord Kallistos, the empresses, the emperor's sons, the capetan (), and the podesta of the Genoese in Galata Leonardo di Muldano. At this time we concluded the marriage agreement that the son of the emperor Palaiologos should marry the daughter of the emperor of Trebizond, lord Alexios Komnenos. On June 5, 6871 (1362) we came [back] so that we could meet his son-in-law, Kutlu Beg, Turali's son. But we did not meet him because a sudden plague fell upon the Turks, so after twenty-seven days we returned to Trebizond.

72. On Saturday October 27, indiction 2, 6872 (1363), while the emperor was sitting by the Saint Gregory river near Katabaton, some of the nobles, the Kabazitai, the grand logothetes Lord George Scholaris and others fell upon him suddenly and pursued him until the citadel. The Kabazitai who fled by land were arrested and taken hold of, while the grand logothetes with his supporters departed for Kerasunt, and then Aminsoun. At the same time, the metropolitan of Trebizond, Niphon Pterygionites, who was privy to the plot, was imprisoned at the monastery of Soumela in Trebizond. On Saturday December 29, the grand logothetes returned through the intervention of Ntzianotos Spinula (31) and Stephan Daknopines.

73. In that same year, 6782 (1363), indiction 2, on March 19, Shrove Tuesday, the metropolitan of Trebizond lord Niphon died after ailing with pleurisy, while still at Soumela. He was interred in the manner of an archbishop in the church of the Golden-Headed Virgin in the tomb of the metropolitan lord Barnabas. The skevophylax Joseph Lazaropoulos was elected and departed for the City.

74. On Monday December 16, indiction 3, 6783 (1363), around day-break a son was born to the emperor who was named Manuel.

75. On Easter Sunday, April 13, 6783 (1364), as the emperor was standing in Meydan, a dispute broke out between the consul and the baile. It was at this time that the metropolitan Lord Joseph came here having been elected to the throne of the Trapezuntines. And on the Tuesday of the resurrection, his enthronement took place.

76. On July 14, indiction 3, 6783 (1363), the emperor's son-in-law, Kutlu Beg came down with his wife, the Lady Maria the Grand Komnene, the despoinachat, to this blessed city of Trebizond and was met by the emperor and entered into the palace. He camped near the church of John 'the Purifier' for around eight days and then departed in peace honored greatly.

77. In the following year the emperor went up to the pastures. And we all with him climbed up from Speila to Phianoe and passed Gantopedin and Marmara along the road and passed though Saint Merkourios. We then went up with foot soldier and cavalry men more than two thousand to Achantakas. We stayed there with the emir for four days and again returned in June, indiction 5, 6785 (1366), descending into Lazica with a force by land and sea along with the empress and the empress mother as well as the emperor's daughter, the Lady Anna the Grand Komnene, who was married to the king of Abazgians and Iberians, Lord Bagratid Bagratian in the country of Long Beaches. But as he was returning the emperor took a side trip by going up to the pasture land of Larachane to Limnion and came as far as Chaldia.

78. On November 12, indiction 6, 6786 (1366), the metropolitan, lord Joseph left the throne of Trebizond and went the Eleos monastery. Around July 19, 6787 (1367), I departed for Constantinople because of the raid the azapika paraskalmia (32) made on the Arianiotai. It was at this time that my beloved son, Constantine, alas the wretched sinner that I am, fell into the sea on the celebration of the Metamorphosis near the monastery of Saint Sophia and died aged fifteen. After him, my other most beloved son Romanos died ailing with a disease that makes it hard to pee, aged seventeen. After remaining there three and a half months, I returned here.

79. In March of that same year, Glitziasthlanes [Kiliç Arslan] came and besieged places of ours in Chaldia. The emperor marched out and went up to there.

80. In January, indiction 7, 6887 (1368), on Epiphany, Golacha was taken by the Turks thievishly. For this reason Chaldia was devastated and some of its people died in wars, others in a treacherous cave there.

81. In that same year, around the end of January, the emperor came to Limnia with a considerable fleet and after staying there four months returned.

82. In May, indiction 8, 6888 (1369), the emperor left with a very small number of soldiers for the pastures around the parts of Marmara. On Saturday on the 21st of that same month they suddenly met with some Turkish cavalrymen numbering around five hundred and some infantrymen around three hundred. About a hundred cavalrymen were about the emperor, but the emperor through joining battle defeated them with open force and pursued them, sending the heads of the Hagarenes and their standard here.

83. On Tuesday August 13, indiction 8 6888 (1369), the metropolitan Lord Theodosios entered into Trebizond and was enthroned. He came from Thessalonika, having lived on the Holy Mountain twenty years, before going to the blessed city of Constantinople and becoming abbot of the monastery of Manganon. Then by vote of the synod, he was elected and sent. On August 6, we came to Lazika and towards the end of the month around the last days of the year 6891 (1372), we met King Bagrat. Then we departed for Bathys and pitched our tents outside [of the city] having with us two galleys and around forty xylaria [small wooden boats]. There we met with Gureli come to pay homage to the emperor and after staying six days we returned in indiction 11.

84. On January 13, as the emperor was going against Cheriana, a great snow storm befell him causing a rout and killing 140 Christians. Some of them died by the sword, but the others, the larger part of them, from the cold in indiction 11, 6881 (1373).

85. On Saturday November 11, indiction 12, 6882 (1373), the son of the Roman emperor Lord John Palaiologos, the Lord Michael, came with two great galleys and a smaller one against our emperor. And after setting there for five days, he went back the other way, having not accomplished anything out of the unexpected. With him was the protovestarios, the Lord John Andronikopoulos, who when Palaiologos departed came and became our emperor's vassal.

86. On Sunday April 16, indiction 12, 6882 (1375), Golacha was taken by the Chaldeans and submitted to the emperor, but straightaway it was again taken by the enemy.

87. On Friday, March 14, indiction 14, 6884 (1376), the son of the emperor, the despot Lord Andronikos the Grand Komnenos fell from the palace of lord Andronikos the Grand Komnenos and emperor. Straightaway he was carried into the palace where he died and was entombed in the Theoskepastos [“Shelter of God”] followed in his funeral procession by the emperor his father and the empresses, his mother and his grandmother (33). The contracts which he had with the king of Tbilisi's daughter, the niece on the sister's side of Achpougas, passed to the younger, legitimate, and lawful son of our emperor, the younger emperor Lord Manuel the Grand Komnenos. And so, as the time for the marriage approached, we set out for Lazica and passed all the summer there near the village of Makraigialoun until August 15. And then she came from Gonia to Makraigialoun and we moved on the following day from there and reached Trebizond on Sunday August 30. Around Saturday September 5 of the new year, indiction 1, 6886 (1377), she was crowned in the imperial [chapel] and named Eudokia, as she was previously called Koulkanchat. On the following day, Sunday September 6, the marriage took place and [ the celebrations] lasted for a week and more. The metropolitan of Trebizond Theodosios wed them, while his father the emperor gave them their crowns (34).

88. After many words and delegations both Roman and Muslim between the emperor and çelebi Taceddin, the emperor set out along with his daughter the Lady Eudokia on August 14, indiction 2. We came until Kerasunt, Then word came from Trebizond that Chliatziasthlanes was about to descend upon Trebizond. The emperor left his daughter in Kerasunt and went with his nobles to Trebizond, where he strengthened city proper and set the countryside in order. Around the last days of September, he set out and picked up his daughter in Kerasunt, and then went until Oinaion, where he met the çelebi and married his daughter, the lady Eudokia, to him on October 8, indiction 3, 6888 (1378). The emperor then took over Limnia.

89. In February, the emperor set out by land and sea against the Cepni. Around Sunday March 4, indiction 3, 6888 (1380), he divided his army into two parts. He sent around 600 foot soldiers to Petroma, while the emperor took the cavalry and a large number of foot soldiers and crossed their lands all along the Philabonites up until their winter quarters, plundering their tents and killing, burning, and ravaging them. He set free many of our people who had been imprisoned at the same time (35) and turned about staying a while at Sthlavopiastes. The six hundred coming from Petroma and ravaged Kotzauta where they slaughtered, plundered, and made a great fire. They descended in war and had a great many clashes with pursuing Turks of whom many fell. The Romans for their part hoping to find the emperor at the beach fought and killed mightily as they were going there. But when they got near the beach of Sthlavopiastes and did not find the emperor as they had agreed, in a short while they turned to flight and as many as forty two Romans fell. The number of Turks, Turk women, and Turk children fallen numbered more than a hundred.

90. On June 19, indiction 5, 6890 (1382), the son of the emperor lord Alexios, the lord Manuel had a son by the lady Eudokia from Iberia, who was baptized by his grandfather the emperor Lord Alexios and his great-grandmother the empress Lady Irene, and the metropolitan of Trebizond lord Theodosios. They called him Basil after his great-grandfather.

91. On July 9, indiction 5, 6890 (1382), the plague broke out and killed many in Trebizond until December and January. It also killed around the great part of Matzouka and Trikomia and the district of Surmena until Dryona.

92. On Wednesday October 24, indiction 10, 6895 (1386), the emperor's son-in-law from Limnia, the emir Taceddin, set out against the emperor's other son-in-law, the son of Chatzymyris from Chalybia, Suleiman Beg, with an army numbering 12,000 and went to Chalybia where Taceddin fell first and was cut to pieces. Of those who were about him, some 3,000 were slain, while the rest fled naked leaving behind some 7000 horses and countless arms.

93. There was a Tartar emir that was a khan so they say and so his name was Tamourlanges Tartar [Tamerlane] , who came out of the mountains of Cathay with a great army numbering more than eight hundred thousand men, so those who know say, and seized all of Persia. Then he came to the mountain ridges of the Iberians and destroyed the fantastic city of Tbilisi in his manner of war, taking captive its king Bagrat the greatest general and his wife our emperor's daughter, the most beautiful Lady Anna, as well as her son David, while he put the people to the sword and destroyed them. He took their possessions and desecrated and burned the icons, while as for how many precious stones, pearls, gold, and silver he carried off, I can not write. This happened on November 21, 6895 (1386).

94. The emperor lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos, the second son of Lord Basil the Grand Komnenos died on March 20 of Sunday of the fifth week, at two in the day, 6898 (1390). He reigned for forty years and three months and was fifty one (36).

95. The emperor Lord Manuel the Grand Komnenos died on March 5, 6920 (1412) and was buried in the Theoskepastos [‘Shelter of God] monastery. He reigned for 27 years.

96. On May 5, 6903 (1395), the empress Lady Eudokia from Iberia, the mother of the emperor Lord Alexios died.

97. On Saturday September 14, indiction 4, 6904 (1395), the empress lady Eudokia came from Constantinople to Saint Phokas with a galley and a gripiares. She had with her brides: for her brother, the emperor Manuel who was a widower Philanthropenos's daughter the Lady Anna, for her nephew the emperor Lord Alexios Kantakuzenos's daughter the lady Theodora. On the following day of Sunday while it was raining they came into Trebizond. The ameriales Scholaris the grand dux served as their escort (37).

98. On Monday, November 12, indiction 5, 6935 (1429), at three in the morning the empress, Lady Theodora Kantakouzene the Grand Komnene, the wife of the emperor lord Alexios, died and was entombed in the great august church of the most holy Mother of God, the Golden Headed Virgin, in the resting place of Gidon, in the vault...(38)

99. In November of that same year, the empress lady Maria came from Gothia, the daughter of Alexios from Theodoro (39) and was married to the pious despot, her husband Lord David the Grand Komnenos.

1. Note: These titles to the sections are by another hand.
2. For Alexios's coming and capture of Trebizond see this post on the foundation of the empire of Trebizond
3. For this event see the considerably more detailed account of John Lazaropoulos edited by Papadopoulos Kerameus in Fontes Historiae Imperi Trapezuntini. St. Petersburg (1891).
4. Of Manuel's government and policies, we have precious little pieces in Greek such as this anecdote from the Life and Miracles of Saint Athanasios as published by Papadopoulos Kerameus in Byzantina Chronika pg. 141:

   In the days of the pious emperor Lord Manuel the Grand Komnenos, a wife of the emir of Sebasteia was afflicted by a terrible demon, so he to the emperor so that she might be cured by the prayers of the Christians. So the emperor summoned the metropolitan then David and handed over the demon infested woman to him. That most holy metropolitan then took her and went to the monastery of Saint Phokas, where he prayed all night long before the coffin of Saint Athanasios and so drove the impure spirit from her so that since that time until the present day that monastery has not ceased by the grace of God to bring about cures. By his interventions, God, have mercy on us.

   And this short marginal note found and expanded upon by Maria Nystazopoulou in 'La Derniere Renconquête de Sinope'. REB 21 (1963) pgs. 241-249:

   On that same day (June 24) in 6762 (1254), Lord Manuel Komnnenos took Sinope.

6. It was in Andronikos II's reign that Sinope was again lost after the short reconquest and not as some have supposed in George’s. This is evidenced by the fact that Andronikos to complete his three years of rule would have had to rule from March 1263 to at least March 1266, which fits nicely in the range established by Nystazopoulou pg. 248 of February 8, 1265 (death of the khan Hulagu) to February 10, 1266 (death of sultan Rukn ed-din). For the actual account of the fall of Sinope by Ibn Saddad see Cahen, Claude. ‘Les Turcomans de Rûm au Moment de l’Invasion Mongole.’ Byzantion 14 (1939) pgs. 137-8.
7. We use ‘archontes’ rather than nobles as some have rendered the word because it implied two things. A person who held perhaps a title like protovestarios and a person who held a practical position in government.
8. For the solution to what was this mystery see Bryer's The Fate of George Komnenos in The Empire of Trebizond and the Pontos. London: Variorum Reprints (1980). n IV. In his article he supposes that it was a mountain near Tabriz.
9. For a more detailed account of this marriage see what Pachymeres says:

   About the Laz princeling John and how the lord made him his son-in-law.

   The emperor not only put his own men in proper order, but also was concerned to abase those not owing him any obedience who had become overmighty. Some, he cut down to size by the sword, who chanced and happened to have autonomy while other times he caused them to overleap the mark and give in to the exactitudes of imperial rule learning themselves to be in danger. Many a time hence, he sent messages to the Laz princeling, John, who swaggered about in the insignia of an emperor though the title of emperor did not belong to him, telling him to do as he wished with his authority, but refrain from using the titles and insignia of an emperor, since it was not appropriate for him to call himself with such a high and prestigious honor of the whole when he held only a part and he, Michael was emperor upon the imperial throne and city, and so not bring confusion to the imperial rank. After trying this many times, he accomplished nothing of substance, nor had he any prospect of being able to accomplish anything. For that barbarian was excessively proud and overlooked his commands and put forward some claims of his own that it was not his to act in since he had received it from his forefathers. Besides that, he said that his men would not permit him to thus lay down his forefather's honor, which had fallen to him after so long a time or themselves to be made inglorious with him being deprived of even a part of the renown of an emperor, since there would lesser significance attached than the greater going with the imperial buskins and imperial title. It was, he said, a window for being looked down upon, degradation, and a sign of peace yielding to all else.

   And so, the emperor decided to bring John about in some other way especially because he was young on the throne. And so, taking care and trying to rebuff any suspicions and not make it seem like he was telling him to do away with his right to the imperial title --he himself would not desire to give up his children‘s rights--, he decided to send ambassadors from amongst his greatest and wisest men so that with a person so ranked his words would have credibility and he would also have the knowledge of letters enough to persuade him and ease all suspicions for the worse. Consequently, he dispatched the grand logothete Akropolites, who was still alive, and the grand oikonomos of the Church, Xiphilinos, to convince him and his men of the advantages of becoming engaged to the emperor's third daughter Eudokia whom he wanted to marry to John. They were to persuade him and his court first them to permit the youth to go to the emperor and then him with warranted hopes of the benefits to be got from agreeing confidently to it.

   Such were the emperor's actions. However, they were able neither to prevail over them on the whole, nor bring him round to it, since for many years prior their rulers had intermarried with their neighbors and amongst themselves, so they thought the emperor was far off and preferred to choose what would bring them the best measurable benefits. Since the ambassadors could not persuade them with wily counsels, saying that their mission had taken second place for them, they returned home to the emperor, having accomplished nothing on the whole. But the emperor did not give up trying and sent off frequent messages one threatening, another holding out as bait the advantages to be got from him should they give in and come forward. In the end, he sent his logothete of the household, Iatropoulos, and a presbyter of the Church with him, the former to act as a messenger offering the honor and advantages to be got from the emperor, while the latter was to was to answer and give credence to what he said since with the Church present through him, naturally knowing nothing, to persuade him there was no deception, easing suspicions, and judge if he should have a child with her and want trouble.

   This said, they persuaded him and swore solemn oaths that John would indeed become the emperor’s son-in-law, would get many benefits, and that his retinue would be received well, then boarding a long boat and heading for the City. As the emperor happened to be away at that present time being at Lopadion having gone on this trip to secure the places along the Sangaris well as on this account to fortify the heights of the city of Achyra, when he reached the Roman border, the ambassadors inspired John's retainers to strip him of the crimson buskins and clothe his feet with black ones since the emperor would soon confer an honor on him. For it had been agreed by them that he was to be arrayed with symbols of a despot, which would pass on to his child, so that he would still have preeminence. Switching the full crimson to ones of purple and crimson should not be unbefitting rather than appearing disgruntling to the emperor.

   This said and done, they continued on their way to the City and disembarked near the harbor of Keras, where they were entertained extravagantly in the houses of the residents of the city. After recovering some days from seasickness and receiving the emperor's bequests, they went to Lopadion. There they were quite friendlily welcomed, boarded a boat, and came to the City. The marriage ceremonies of his daughter he had to rush because the Tochari were reported to be coming out of the west whom he welcomed and honored Nogan sending him off against the sebastokrator John. So at the end of the marriage making month [September according to the abbreviated history of Pachymeres] he celebrated his daughter's marriage. All of the deer-shooting month [October] he spent fitting out his forces and preparing to march.

10. On the short reign of Theodora Komnene see the article of Kuršankis, Michel. L’Usurpation de Théodora. REB (1975).
11. Here is what the Georgian chronciler says Brosset pg. 621 : “L’empereur grec, Kir Mikhaïl Comnène, lui (Beka) avait, en outre donné tout le Dchaneth, et avait épousé sa fille. [The Greek emperor, Kyr Michael Comnenus, had furthermore given him (Beka) all of Dchaneth and married his daughter.]”
12. On Alexios’s great victory see the poem of Stephan Sgouropoulos in Παπαδόπουλος-Κεραμεύς, Ἀθανάσιος (1891) Ἀνάλεκτα Ἱεροσολυμιτικῆς Σταχυολογίας, 1. Saint Petersburg (repr. Bruxelles: Culture et Civilisation, 1963). pgs. 436-7 and also what Lazaropoulos says in his speech about Saint Eugenios: “To this emperor [Alexios II], who was youthful and whose father just died, there passed a tiny piece of his fathers’ inheritance as the godless Hagarenes had overrun and plundered all of it. With Trebizond in such a state that its very walls were being surrounded and attacked by the Turks--what is worse--that nearly all of the lands were in their hands except for however the city of Kerasunt and the area surrounding it including Chalybia, the cities beneath famous Oinaion, the thirteen cities or fortresses of Limnia and those places were wealthy, glorious, and provided troops. So that thrice glorious emperor succeeding to his fathers’ throne as it was said, seen by God on high was given the extension of his rule and victory over his enemies with my great Saint Eugenius as his ally. The emperor gather together an army not easily numbered both by land and sea fitting out triremes to make the sea quake, getting set the imperial tents, and readying his finest commanders seeking out as well public speakers and philosophers, doctors and astronomers, filling them replete with wealth and honor so as to make his actions decorated by words and prudence since he knew all too well their importance.”
13. On this battle with the Latins, see what Pachymeres says 5.29, “In that same year, the ruler of the Laz and son of the emperor's sister, Alexios, who was honored with the rank of despot and held the Table-like city [Trebizond], came into conflict with the Genovese for this reason. It was customary for the Genoese residing in the land to divide up their profits from which they handed over the commercium as it was called in the Roman tongue to the country's officials. When they had increased their numbers in the city and consolidated their exemptions [from taxation] such as the land of Byzantium beyond had conferred upon them for their colonization, security, and the magnificence of their buildings, and so because this they held in contempt that they were deprived of their wares there, and that if that had been honored with exemptions by the emperor, they should enjoy them from the rulers of other places, so they took offence at the accounting [of their wares]. They therefore complained in front of their assembly and sent ambassadors to Alexios setting forth their demands, which he did not at all agree to, and so they straightaway resolved to depart from the country in mass and in droves. And due to the fact that their long boats were moored in the harbor, they ordered a mass withdrawal from the land. They announced it very quickly and were ready. The ruler of the country, however, permitted them to do this and was indifferent to the proceedings so long as the part of the cargo of the above moored ships was paid, since they had come to his land. But they--exhibiting their customary state of mind--resisted his commands and withheld the commericum. And then because of this, he was emboldened to send his Iberians into battle, and so forthwith discord and combat reigned on both sides as they fired on each other leaving a contiguous mass of them dead. Victory fell to the Iberians and the Genoese fared badly. In the end, they could not withstand the Iberian's advances and fearing what would happen next, set fire to the land outside the city, not to gain victory, but to only just escape the evil due in their opponents' confusion. The fire did immeasurable damage to the neighboring areas, but did not less but greater damage to their own. The twelve cargo boats also filled the tally and became a casualty of the fire since they were run ashore in the harbor. Because of this, they were humbled and made peace.”
14. The only reference I can find to this is in a poem by Demetrios Chomatenos in which he refers to the ἐριυφὲς κατάστρωμα τὸ λεγόμενον βαρβαρικῶς τζέργαν, which refers to a covered market stall and fits nicely with the çergi Bryer supposes them to be in his article The Greeks and the Turkomans: The Pontic Exception pg. 143.
15. For these last two sections we can add more precise dating from From Neos Ellenomnemon (1910) by Spyros Lambros pgs. 113-312:

    50. Ἐκοιμήθη ὁ μέγας Κομνηνὸς κύρ Ἀλέξιος μηνὶ Μαὶῳ εἰς τὴν γ' ἡμέρ. ὥρ. ι' τῆς ιγ' ἴνδικτιῶνος τοῦ ςωλη'. Ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τοῦ μακαρίτου εὐσεβεστάτου βασιλέως κυρ. Ἀλεξίου ὁ κύρ. Ἀνδρόνικος ἐβασίλευσεν σὺν θεῷ ἀγίῳ μηνὶ Μαίῳ εἰς τὴν γ' ἡμέρ. ὥρ. ι' ἰνδικτιῶνος ιγ' ἔτους ςωλη'. [The Lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos died on May 3 at the tenth hour of indiction 13, 6838 (1330). The son of the late and most pious emperor Lord Alexios, the Lord Andronikos then became emperor and ruled with holy God on May 3, at the tenth hour of indiction 13, 6838 (1330).]

    Εὑρίσκεται ὅτι ἐβασίλευσε ὁ κύρ. Ἀνδρόνικος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ μεγάλου Κομνηνοῦ κύρ. Ἀλεξίου ὁ αὐθέντης ἐτῶν ιη'. [It is found that the Lord Andronikos, the son of Lord Alexios the Grand Komnenos, was emperor for eighteen year.]

16. In one Armenian colophon of the year 1338 we learn that Timurtash attacked Erzinjan so it is from that area that this expedition set out. See Sanjian, Avedis. Colophons of Armenian manuscripts, 1301-1480. Cambridge, Havard University Press, 1969.
17. For this complicated event, see the letter of the Patriarch of Constantinople here and also Nikephoros Gregoras Book III who says that, “8. That spring as well Basil, who was girded with authority over Trebizond, ended his life after a short illness. I believe that it was it was God’s wrath that took his life suddenly from him. Now, after living with Irene the daughter of the emperor for a short time in a lawful and just manner with the proper degree of concord and chastity, he then bestowed his marital loves on a courtesan [εἰς ἑταιρίδα τινὰ], who was also called Irene. And besides having unlawful intercourse with her, he also started to hate his lawful wife. As time went by, since he saw that the empress would not put up this out of place affair, but cried out to the heavens and earth and announced to everyone the fire of her heart [i.e. rage], he exiled her from his lordly residence [palace]. And he would he put her to a violent end, had not he feared the people who were causing a great deal of trouble and revolting against him because of this. In the hymns and processions on holidays though the names of Basil and Irene were kept, and so because of this Basil was able to sate his lust as well as the inquiry of his people pretending that he was with her because of their like names. Because of this, suspicion grew that by the clandestine plots of Irene Basil happened to die. However, after he had died in this this way or the other way, his lawful wife Irene entered into the palace in full imperial authority and drove from there straightaway the like named woman, the wayward and illegitimate wife of Basil. And so by a common vote of the Trapezuntines she sent her into exile to Byzantium along with her children. (2.) Along with them, she also sent ambassadors to the emperor her father asking that her send her a man to marry her legitimately and to succeed to the throne of her empire. When they got to Byzantium, they heard that the emperor was staying near Thessalonike and so they decided to make the passage there. A year before already, the emperor had set off from Thrace to Macedonia wanting to march to Epirus against his rebelling Akarnanian and Aetolian vassals. However, his usual ailment of the spleen kept him in Thessalonike for a short time...On recovering he departed for Akarnania. There the Trapezuntine ambassadors caught up with him and announce to him the purpose of their embassy. (3.) Due to the delay in between and that a woman could not administrate the hegemony of the Trapezuntines well or properly, some people started to cause strife and stir up the people. Because of this, Irene the empress of the Trapezuntines was forced to send off in all haste triremes with other ambassadors including the arch-sacrificing priest of Trebizond [i.e. the metropolitan of Trebizond] to press her earlier request to the emperor of the Romans. On sailing to Byzantium and not finding the emperor there, they sent off a couple of riders after the emperor, who excelled above the other in birth and rank. When they got to Thessalonike, they did not find the emperor present there. He had already recovered a short time before, as it was said, and left to lay siege to the capital of the Akarnanians. Since it seemed he was going to remain in that country, they sent letters to the emperor informing him of the reason for their coming. (4.)When authority flatters the desiring of womanly appetite, all reigns are thrown off, and so the empress Irene was whispered to be having clandestine intercourse with the Trapezuntine grand domestic. This on reaching the ears of the many people, caused both the people and the nobles [μάλιστα τοὺς εὐγενείᾳ προὔχοντας] to revolt. Some of them sided with Tzanychites [Tzanichites according to Panaretos], who was among the greatest in wealth and honor, while the others sided with the grand domestic. In this way, the city of Trebizond was divided into two with kin strife to end the matter. At this time, they say great numbers of men on both sides were cut down and Tzanichites along with them."
18. To attest to the existence of the Kamachenos family, there is an inscription outside the walls of Trebizond built by Alexios II on a small church of John the Baptist, which says according to Gabriel Millet. ‘Inscriptions Byzantines de Trébizonde.’ Bulletin de Correspondance Hellénique 20 (1896) pgs 496-501, “This site dedicated to Saint John of Petra was built and received by Lord Theodore Kamachenos from Lady Irene Tzanichitissa the [αφεντου (?)] and from his brother Kamachenos, which Lord Gregory and Lord Niketas sold to my father Basiles Thathalanon for the coming years and ever. To the west and east three ourgia and three spithimas, while from north to south it is 12 ourgias. Witnesses there were the servants of our holy lord and emperor the Grand Komnenos, Theodore Tzanichites, Gregory Kamachenos, George Turkopoulos, Theodosios Aaron, Theodore Latzes, and many other witnesses. This church of John the Baptist of Petra was built from the ground up and constructed under by the care and labor of me the priest Barnabas surnamed Thathalanos in 6814 (1306) indiction 4.”
19. Lazaropoulos says:

    “A long time had gone by when calamity not measurable befell this city, since when the emperor Basil the Grand Komnenos went to meek his maker, he left behind two children not yet of mature age and no small sum of money, which caused those in power to start conflicts. They split amongst themselves with some who were called the Amytzantarantai and some who were called the Scholarantai. They denied the children along with their mother the empress their place and sent them to the city of Constantine, while they gave the throne in all truth to the other wife who was called Palaiologina. All of the evils that befell the city, will be spoken of at another time, but not the present.

    “Not long after, they made me too a refugee from my home city. And so I came to the great city of Constantine with God watching out for our God, having in as a small comfort in my exile as my companion my dearest son, Lord Constantine Lazaropoulos. He was endowed facility of nature that he gained an education of the court there and one of our own. The other of my sons named Theophanes I left with my companion in life here, though he lived but a short while before passing on to the next life. Left without him, his mother could not bear to remain in our home city and setting aside everything: her home city, her mother, her family, the house, and all the rest, she boarded a boat and reached the city of Constantine in eight days after an easy voyage, and so once again we became one flesh and blood through the providence of God.”

20. Again see Gregoras above and also the traveler Andreas Libadenos who was residing in the city at this time, “Things were going well for us and we were well, when at this time the terrible end of Basil Komnenos arrived like a terrible concoction of calamity and destruction, a second ten plagues of Egypt more grave for us and the city as malignance tore apart it apart. With his going to meet his make, terrible evils befell us as not yet had the grief subsided than chaotic strife of those in power amongst themselves, alas, began, something outside of God's unutterable providence to strike men dumb.”
21. The Amitiotai in Greek Ἀμιτιῶται have been identified with the Akkoyunlu on the grounds of their leaders later mentioned Turali Beg and Kutlu Beg. The name given to them by Panaretos literally means 'the Turks of Amid' the city in Greek being Αμίδη modern Diyarbekir. It follows the pattern Μελιτηνή where the person from Melitene is designated a Μελιτηνιώτης where a city name ending in eta adds an -ιωτης. For more on the problem of the Akkoyunlu see Bryer "Greeks and Turks" pgs. 133-4.
22. For this attack, Panaretos is the most accurate, but Libadenos is the most moving. Read what he writes, “What happened then? Another disaster lesser than the previous ones befell the city and us, though far greater and more terrible in dishonor. Another utter disaster nearly like the Scylla, the Ambotis, the Gorgon, and the Charybdis, the monsters of the ancients, befell the city, something that for those who endured it brought terrible wailing and unbearable laments. Not yet had the city breathed a year since the Ares of the civil war, when almost to the day and month of Panemos, during which the civil war had broken out, than Persian phalanxes assaulted the city breaking war on the Trapezuntines seizing plunder and destroying everything, desolating the countryside and wreaking utter havoc and chaos. I myself, dear friends, in all truth find myself numb and dizzy recounting these evils that I recall feeling the suffering again with my tongue and hand have stopped because I do not know how I should proceed. Yet collecting myself I proceed onward in my story and I ask those know something to set out with me in telling a part of the story for those who are not familiar with it. So the soldiers were made ready and it was a day for fighting that had been prepared for. To make a long story short, the city people fought with the barbarians and the barbarians won. How great your forbearance is Lord on high, as the city people showed their backs to the Persians and ran for it falling with many of the pursued being killed including all of the light javelin men, the archers, and the so-called shield bearers. They were all at once seized by cowardice and fear making an easy target for Persian cavalry to capture such that all were pitifully killed except for a few swift footed men who fled to the very walls of the city when the Persian phalanx swooped down. The Persians then made brash by their conquests such as barbarians are want to become