Military Failure and Mystical Refuge (1328–1354)

Abstract

Abstract This chapter elaborates on the notion of military failure and mystical refuge after the loss of Anatolia. The reign of Andronikos III was the last who tried to ensure Romans made a concerted effort to defend their territories with arms while simultaneously recovering losses. However, Andronikos III’s push to restore the pride of Roman arms ended when he passed from an unspecified illness, which resulted in losing his progress with the remaining territories after the Black Death. The chapter looks into how Dušan and Serbia benefitted from the Roman civil war. It also mentions that Ioannes VI Kantakouzenos failed to remedy the ills of the Roman state.