It is generally accepted that the first Tzamantouroi are Michael and Manuel Laskaris. Charles du Fresne, sieur du Cange first made reference to the name Tzamantouros as the “cognomentum” of Manuel Laskaris . The PLP records the brothers as “Laskaris, Manuel Tzamanturos” and “Laskaris, Michael Tzamanturos” respectively. Why, then, and when they were named as such? In order to approach this question, it first needs to reveal how they were described in sources. Our main subjects of investigation are George Akropolites and George Pachymeres, who narrate brothers’ activities during reigns of Theodore II Laskaris and Michael VIII Palaiologos respectively. George Akropolites, contemporary and acquaintance with Manuel and Michael Laskaris, offers …show more content…
Most of them said that it was necessary for the emperor to cross the Hellespont and stem the Bulgarian offensive. This did not please the aforementioned uncles of the ruler, and the emperor paid more attention to them for many reasons. The legitimacy of their family compelled him and their advanced age constrained him, while, in addition, the fact that they had become experienced in many things persuaded him no less. For, having become fugitives at the time of the emperor John’s accession, they spoke with many masters and wandered about various places so that, after the fashion of poetry, ‘they saw cities and learned minds’ [Homer, Odyssey, 1.3]. But although they were truly knowledgeable, they did not think straight about Roman affairs, their reason being that they had been slighted, first by their brother, the emperor (for neither of them had been raised to a dignity befitting the brothers of an emperor) then also by their relation-in-law the emperor. They had become fugitives from the empire of the Romans and felt ill-will towards them [the Romans]. Some might allege that these were excuses, while in truth it was the unstable and unsteady nature of humankind that made them the way they were. This did not escape