Byzantine Constantinople, the walls of the city and adjoining historical sites
John Stuart Mill · en
Andronicus had been excluded from the succession to the throne, on
account, it is said, of his indifference to the financial straits of his
father, when the latter was detained at Venice for inability to meet the
demands of creditors. The disinherited prince, seeking an opportunity
for revenge, found a kindred spirit in a son of Amurath I., Saoudji, who
was jealous of his younger brother Bajazet, because he was the Sultan’s
favourite child. The two princes, bound by a common grievance, joined
forces to supplant their respective parents on the throne, and raised
the standard of revolt. Amurath crushed the rebellion with remorseless
severity, and after putting out the eyes of his own son, called upon the
emperor to punish Andronicus in the same manner. Andronicus was
consequently committed to the Tower of Anemas, along with his wife and
his son John, a child only five years old, and there he and his little
boy underwent the operation of being blinded. The cruel deed was,
however, performed so imperfectly that Andronicus recovered the use of
one eye, while his son suffered only from a squint. Two years were thus
passed in the tower, after which the prisoners were released, either
through the intervention of the Genoese, at the price of the concession
to them of the island of Tenedos, or in compliance with the demand of
Bajazet.
[Illustration: Entrance of Passage From The Stairway in “The Tower of
Anemas” To Chamber D In “The Tower of Isaac Angelus.” (For this view I
am indebted to the late Dr. Ledyard.)]
Free to act, Andronicus made terms both with the Sultan and the Genoese,
and relying upon their favour, suddenly appeared before the capital. As
the emperor and his son Manuel happened to be staying at the Palace of
the Pegè, outside the walls, they were easily captured, and upon the
surrender of the city they were, in their turn, sent, along with
Theodore, to the Tower of Anemas, “as Zeus cast his father Chronos and
his brothers Pluto and Poseidon into the nether world.”
[Illustration: Corridor in the Original Western Terrace Wall of the
Palace of Blachernæ (Looking South-West).]