1311 Battle of the Cephisus and victory of the Catalan Grand Company over the duke of Athens pave way for the conquest of Attica. The Turkish auxiliaries return home. 1315 Victory of Philes Palæologus over Turks at Bizya. 1320 The emperor Michael dies. 1321 Beginning of civil war by partisans of the emperor’s grandson Andronicus led by Cantacuzenus and Synadenus. 1322 Peace of Epibates concludes civil war. 1325 Andronicus compelled to bestow imperial crown on his grandson =Andronicus (III) Palæologus=; the two reign together. 1327 Andronicus II brings charges against Andronicus III. Civil war breaks out again. 1328 Synadenus overcomes garrison of Constantinople. Abdication of Andronicus II puts an end to civil war, but the court remains full of intrigue. 1329 Imperial defeat at Pelekanon by the Ottoman Orkhan. 1330 Surrender of Nicæa to Orkhan. 1330-1337 Ottoman invasions of the European provinces. 1334-1337 Expedition of Andronicus into Epirus. 1337 The Mongols cross the Danube and ravage northern district. =Anne= regent for Nicephorus II, despot of Epirus, turns the despotat over to Andronicus. 1338 Surrender of Nicomedia to Orkhan. 1339 Revolt in the despotat of Epirus put down. 1341 Death of Andronicus. His young son =Joannes (V) Palæologus= succeeds with Empress =Anne= of Savoy as regent. Rebellion of the prime minister =Joannes (VI) Cantacuzenus=, who is proclaimed emperor and guardian of Joannes. He often calls himself Joannes V. Apocauchus and Joannes Apri intrigue against Cantacuzenus. A long civil struggle commences. 1342 Stephen Dushan of Servia allies himself with rebels and invades empire. 1343 Cantacuzenus makes alliance with Turks. The war continues with violence. 1344 Cantacuzenus takes Gratianopolis and makes treaties with Servia and Bulgaria. 1345 Murder of Apocauchus. Vicinity of Constantinople devastated. 1346 Defection of Orkhan from Anne’s cause leads to triumph of Cantacuzenus. Earthquake at Constantinople destroys portion of St. Sophia. 1347 Treaty of Cantacuzenus with Anne recognises right of former to rule for ten years. The Black Death rages. 1350 Cantacuzenus uses money sent by Russians to rebuild St. Sophia to pay Ottoman mercenaries. 1351 Joannes V takes up arms against Cantacuzenus. 1352 Peace with Genoa after three years’ war. Cantacuzenus hires Turkish mercenaries to fight Bulgarians and Servians. 1353 Cantacuzenus proclaims his son Matthæus emperor, and a deadly strife between him and the Palæologus family ensues. 1354 Cantacuzenus dethroned. Joannes V sole emperor. Matthæus Cantacuzenus continues civil war. 1357 Matthæus Cantacuzenus delivered to Joannes by his captors the Servians and made to renounce all rights to the throne.