The Double-headed eagle, emblem of the Paleologus dynasty and the Byzantine Empire.

The Palaeologus (Greek: Παλαιολόγος, pl. Παλαιολόγοι) family was the last dynasty ruling the Byzantine Empire. After the Fourth Crusade members of the family escaped to Nicaea and eventually gained control of the empire-in-exile there. Michael VIII Palaeologus became emperor in 1259 and recaptured Constantinople in 1261. Michael's descendents ruled until the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the longest-lived dynasty in Byzantine history. Byzantine Empire emblem File links The following pages link to this file: Byzantine Empire ... Byzantine Empire emblem File links The following pages link to this file: Byzantine Empire ... Two-headed eagle emblem of the Byzantine Empire. ... Byzantine Empire (Greek: Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... // For other uses, see Dynasty (disambiguation). ... Byzantine Empire (Greek: Βυζαντινή Αυτοκρατορία) is the term conventionally used since the 19th century to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... The Fourth Crusade (1201–1204), originally designed to conquer Jerusalem through an invasion of Egypt, instead, in 1204, invaded and conquered the Eastern Orthodox city of Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire. ... Iznik (formerly Nicaea) is a city in Anatolia (now part of Turkey) which is known primarily as the site of two major meetings (or Ecumenical councils) in the early history of the Christian church. ... The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the states founded by refugees from the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople was conquered during the Fourth Crusade. ... The Byzantine Empire in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911) Michael VIII (1225 – December 11, 1282) was the founder of the Palaeologos dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. ... For broader historical context, see 1250s and 13th century. ... Constantinople[1] was the name of the modern-day city of Ä°stanbul, Turkey over the centuries that it served as the second capital of the unified Roman Empire, and after its division into East and West, of the Eastern Roman Empire, also known as the Byzantine Empire (from the city... Events July 25 - Constantinople re-captured by Nicaean forces under the command of Michael VIII Palaeologus, Byzantine Empire re-formed August 29 - Urban IV becomes Pope, the last man to do so without being a Cardinal first Bela IV of Hungary repels Tatar invasion Charles of Anjou given rule of... Combatants Byzantine Empire Ottoman Empire Commanders Constantine XI† Mehmed II Strength 7,000 100,000 Casualties Entire garrison killed or captured Unknown, but heavy The Fall of Constantinople was the conquest of the Byzantine capital by the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Mehmed II, on Tuesday, May 29... Events May 29 - Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). ...

The family motto was "Βασιλεὺς Βασιλέων Βασιλεύων Βασιλευόντων" transliterated as Basileus Basileon, Basileuon Basileuonton ("King of Kings, Ruling Over Rulers"). Because of their intermarriage with Western families, the Palaeologans were the first Imperial family to have crests and coats-of-arms in the Western sense: they used either the Imperial double-eagle sable on a field or; or a field gules, a cross with four outward-facing 'B's or in the quarters. A silver coin of the Seleucid king Antiochus I Soter. ... For a list of words with definitions, see the Heraldic tincture category of words in Wiktionary, the free dictionary In heraldry, tinctures are the colours used to blazon a coat of arms. ...

The Palaeologan dynasty

The Palaeologans were originally petty rulers from Macedonia (Greece). The family was an old one (George Palaeologus was a friend of Alexius I Comnenus), but its earliest generations are unknown. The first to marry into an imperial family was one Alexius Palaeologus, whose wife was a granddaughter of Zoe Dukaina, youngest daughter of Constantine X, and her husband Adrianus Comnenus, younger brother of Emperor Alexius I. Another Alexius Palaeologus married Irene Angelina, eldest daughter of Alexius III and Euphrosyne Camatera. The latter couple's daughter Theodora Palaeologina married her cousin Andronicus Palaeologus, who descended from Zoe. The couple were the progenitors of the Imperial dynasty. Theis son was emperor Michael VIII.   Capital Thessaloniki Peripheries West Macedonia Central Macedonia East Macedonia Population 2,625,681 (2005) Area 34,231 km² Population density 77/km² Website www. ... Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus Alexius I (1048–August 15, 1118), Byzantine emperor (1081–1118), was the third son of John Comnenus, the nephew of Isaac I Comnenus (emperor 1057–1059). ... Constantine X Ducas (1006 - May, 1067) was the emperor of the Byzantine Empire (1059 - 1067). ... Byzantine emperor Alexius I Comnenus Alexius I (1048–August 15, 1118), Byzantine emperor (1081–1118), was the third son of John Comnenus, nephew of Isaac I Comnenus (emperor 1057–1059). ... Alexius III Angelus, Byzantine emperor, was the second son of Andronicus Angelus, nephew of Alexius I. In 1195, while his brother Isaac II was away hunting in Thrace, he was proclaimed emperor by the troops; he captured Isaac at Stagira in Macedonia, put out his eyes, and kept him henceforth...

A modern, romanticized picture of Constantine XI, the last Byzantine Emperor, at the battlements at the Fall of Constantinople.

Michael VIII's son Andronicus II married firstly Anna of Hungary and fathered Michael Palaeologus, sometimes numbered the ninth. His son, the grandson of Andronicus II, was Andronicus III Palaeologus. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (496x700, 120 KB) Summary Constantinos Paleologos, the last Byzantine Emperor at the battlements, dawn of the 29th May of 1453 200 X 145 cm,- oil on canvas, 2003 by Iannis Nikou Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (496x700, 120 KB) Summary Constantinos Paleologos, the last Byzantine Emperor at the battlements, dawn of the 29th May of 1453 200 X 145 cm,- oil on canvas, 2003 by Iannis Nikou Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file... Emperor Constantine XI, the last Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, who reigned from 1448 to 1453. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Ottoman Empire Commanders Constantine XI† Mehmed II Strength 7,000 100,000 Casualties Entire garrison killed or captured Unknown, but heavy The Fall of Constantinople was the conquest of the Byzantine capital by the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Mehmed II, on Tuesday, May 29... Andronicus III Palaeologus (c. ...

John V was the father, with Helena, a daughter of John VI Cantacuzenus, of Andronicus IV Palaeologus and Manuel II Palaeologus. John VI Cantacuzenus (c. ... Andronicus IV Palaeologus or better Andronikos IV Palaiologos (April 2, 1348–June 28, 1385). ... The Byzantine Empire around year 1400. ...

Manuel II was the father of John VIII Palaeologus and Constantine XI, the last Byzantine emperor (Constantine XI Palaeologus), as well as the despots of Morea Demetrius Palaeologus and Thomas Palaeologus. Medal of the emperor during his visit to Florence, by Pisanello (1438). ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Constantine XI Paleologus (sometimes numbered Constantine XII or Constantine XIII), also known as Constantine Drageses, (February 8, 1404 - May 29, 1453) was the last reigning emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 1449 to his death. ... Demetrius Palaeologus or Demetrios Palaiologos (Gr. ... Thomas Palaeologus or Thomas Palaiologos (1409-1465) was Despot of Morea from 1449 until Ottoman conquest in 1460. ...

Demetrius, after giving Mehmed II a pretext to invade Morea, was kept from his throne and remained in captivity. His daughter Helen was a member of the sultan's harem for a time. Thomas, in exile in Venice, sold the Imperial title to Charles VIII of France, who however never used it for formal purposes. Mehmed II (also known as el-Fatih (الفاتح), the Conqueror, in Ottoman Turkish, or, in modern Turkish, Fatih Sultan Mehmet) (March 30, 1432 – May 3, 1481) (Arabic: محمد الثاني) was first the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to 1446, and later from 1451 to 1481. ... The Morea and surrounding states carved from the Byzantine Empire, as they were in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911) The name Morea (Μωρέας) for Peloponnesos first appears in the 10th century in Byzantine chronicles. ... Charles VIII the Affable (French: Charles VIII lAffable) (June 30, 1470 – April 7, 1498) was King of France from 1483 to his death. ...

Thomas' daughter Zoe married Ivan III of Russia and, on rejoining the Orthodox faith, returned to her earlier name Sophia. Her influence on the court curtailed the power of the boyars and eventually led to the proclamation of the lord of Muscovy as the Tsar of all the Russias. Thomas's male-line descendants soon went extinct, and his descent lives on through a daughter and the family of Castriota Dukes of san Pietro di Galatina in south-Italian aristocracy. Zoe Palaiologina (Greek Ζωή Παλαιολόγου, Russian Софья Фоминична Палеолог, around 1455 - April 7, 1503), Grand Duchess of Moscow, was a niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI and second wife of Ivan III of Russia. ... Albus rex Ivan III Ivan III Vasilevich (Иван III Васильевич) (January 22, 1440 – October 27, 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a grand duke of Muscovy who first adopted a more pretentious title of the grand duke of all the Russias. Sometimes referred to as the gatherer of the Russian... A boyar (also spelt bojar; Romanian: boier) was a member of the highest rank of the feudal Ruthenian (Russian) and Romanian aristocracy, second only to the ruling princes, from the 10th through the 17th century. ... Muscovy (Moscow principality (княжество Московское) to Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое Княжество Московское) to Russian Tsardom (Царство Русское)) is a traditional Western name for the Russian state that existed from the 14th century to the late 17th century. ... Look up Tsar in Wiktionary, the free dictionary For the US community of Czar, see Czar, West Virginia. ...

One such female descendant, Princess d'Arenberg, married at the beginning of the 19th century a Pfalzgraf of Zweibrucken, whereby e.g. the Dukes of Bavaria descend from Byzantine Emperors. Also Queen Anne, consort of former king Michael of Romania descends from these Arenbergs, thus being descendant of Byzantine Emperors of Constantinople. Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Pfalzgraf or Count Palatine or Palsgrave functioned, especially in medieval times, as the permanent representative (grafio =scribe rather than Count) of the Frankish king and later Holy Roman Emperor in a pfalz or palatial domain of the crown, of which there were dozens throughout greater Germany. ... Zweibrücken is a city of Germany in Rhineland-Palatinate, on the Schwarzbach River at the border of the Palatine Forest. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Princess Anne, born Anne of Bourbon-Parma, on September 18, 1923 in Paris, France . ... King Michael and Queen Anne King Michael (Romanian Mihai) of Romania (born October 25, 1921) was the son of King Carol II and reigned from July 20, 1927 to June 8, 1930, and again from September 6, 1940 until December 30, 1947. ...

A cadet branch

A younger son of Andronicus II became lord of Montferrat as heir of his mother. His feudal dynasty lived in north Italy, longer than the imperial branch in Constantinople. This inheritance was eventually incorporated by marriage to the Gonzaga family, rulers of the Duchy of Mantua, who descend from the Palaeologans of Montferrat. Later, that succession passed to the Dukes of Lorraine, whose later head became the progenitor of the Habsburg-Lorraine emperors of Austria. Montferrat was a marquisate in Lombardy during the Middle Ages. ... The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708. ... The Duchy of Mantua was an Italian state that was ruled by the Gonzaga family from 1328 to 1708. ... The Duchy of Lorraine was an independent state for most of the period of time between 843 to 1739. ... Habsburg - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Palaeologan emperors

1. Michael VIII Palaeologus
2. Andronicus II Palaeologus, son of Michael VIII
3. Michael IX Palaeologus, co-emperor, son of Andronicus II
4. Andronicus III Palaeologus, son of Michael IX
5. John V Palaeologus, son of Andronicus III (disputed by John VI Cantacuzenus, a maternal relative of the Palaeologans)
6. Andronicus IV Palaeologus, eldest son of John V
7. John VII Palaeologus, son of Andronicus IV
8. Andronicus V Palaeologus, co-emperor, son of John VII
9. Manuel II Palaeologus, younger son of John V
10. John VIII Palaeologus, eldest son of Manuel II
11. Constantine XI Palaeologus, a younger son of Manuel II

The Byzantine Empire in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911) Michael VIII (1225 – December 11, 1282) was the founder of the Palaeologos dynasty that would rule the Byzantine Empire to the Fall of Constantinople in 1453. ... Andronicus II Palaeologus (1260 - February 13, 1332), Byzantine emperor, was the elder son of Michael VIII Palaeologus, whom he succeeded in 1282. ... Michael IX Palaeologus or better Palaiologos (Mikhaēl IX Palaiologos), (April 17, 1278–October 12, 1320), reigned as Byzantine co-emperor with full imperial style 1294/1295–1320. ... Andronicus III Palaeologus (c. ... John V Palaeologus (1332 – February 16, 1391) was the son of Andronicus III, whom he succeeded as Byzantine emperor in 1341, at age nine. ... John VI Cantacuzenus (c. ... Andronicus IV Palaeologus or better Andronikos IV Palaiologos (April 2, 1348–June 28, 1385). ... John VII (1370-1408), surnamed Palaeologus, Byzantine emperor, grandson of John V, initially ruled for only six months in 1390. ... Andronikos V Palaiologos or Andronicus V Palaeologus (Greek: Ανδρόνικος Ε Παλαιολόγος) (c. ... The Byzantine Empire around year 1400. ... Medal of the emperor during his visit to Florence, by Pisanello (1438). ... Constantine XI Paleologus (sometimes numbered Constantine XII or Constantine XIII), also known as Constantine Drageses, (February 8, 1404 - May 29, 1453) was the last reigning emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 1449 to his death. ...

Dynastic relations

Modern day church with Palaeologus flag.

The reconstituted realm was very weak compared with the pre-1204 Empire. The Palaeologan emperors cannot have afforded the earlier luxury of isolation. Imperial marriages and princesses became like traded goods. The future Michael VIII married a Dukas Batatzes, a kinswoman of the Batatzes Lascaris family, in order to solidify his position in the Nicean Empire. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1098x1647, 1012 KB) Summary A picture from modern day Greece (2005), showing the flag of Palaeologus used by a chruch. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (1098x1647, 1012 KB) Summary A picture from modern day Greece (2005), showing the flag of Palaeologus used by a chruch. ...

Michael VIII's sister, Andronicus and Theodora's daughter Irene Palaeologina, was the mother of Maria Cantacuzenus, who married Constantine Tikh and Ivailo of Bulgaria in turn. Tsar Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria (ruled 1257-1277) took the throne of Bulgaria after the assasination of Michael II Asen of Bulgaria in 1256. ... Ivailo was a Bulgarian tsar from 1277 to 1280. ...

Michael VIII was the father of Constantine, who in turn fathered John, who became the father-in-law of Stefan Decansky of Serbia. Stefan Dečanski (ca 1285 - 1331) reigned as king of Serbia from 1321 to 1331. ... Serbia and Montenegro  â€“ Serbia      â€“ Vojvodina      â€“ Kosovo (UN admin. ...

Michael's daughter Irene married Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria, and another daughter, Eudocia, married John II Comnenus of Trebizond, and another daughter, Theodora, David VI of Georgia. Tsar Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria was the son of Tsar Mico Asen and his wife Princess Maria of Bulgaria. ... Categories: People stubs | Emperors of Trebizond | Trapezuntine Empire ... David VI Narin Davit VI Narin (also called the clever) (1225-1293), from the Bagrationi dynasty, was king of Georgia in 1245-1293. ...

Andronicus II married firstly Anna of Hungary and fathered Michael Palaeologus, who predeceased his father but was a co-regent, as such sometimes numbered the ninth. This Michael married a princess of Cilician Armenia. Armenian Cilicia and Crusader States Cilicia The Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia (sometimes referred to as Armenia Minor or Lesser Armenia) was a state formed in the Middle Ages by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasion of Armenia. ...

His son, the grandson of Andronicus II, was Andronicus III Palaeologus. Michael's daughter Thedora married Theodore Svetoslav and Michael Shishman, rulers of Bulgaria, in turn. A daughter Anna married firstly the despot of Epirus and then the Orsini count of Zante, becoming ancestress of Orsini of Zante, later Tocco of Zante and Leucadia. Andronicus III Palaeologus (c. ... Tsar Theodore Svetoslav, also Teodor Svetoslav, was monarch of Bulgaria from 1300 to 1322. ... Tsar Michael Shishman of Bulgaria (ruled 1323-1330) had to face an ingreasingly growing in power Serbia to the west. ...

By his second wife, Yolanda of Montferrat, Andronicus II had Simonis, later the wife of Stefan Milutin of Serbia. His son, Theodoros, became lord of Montferrat as heir of his mother. Theodoros' inheritance was eventually incorporated by marriage to the Gonzaga family, rulers of the Duchy of Mantua. Stephen Uros II Milutin of Serbia was king of Serbia from 1282 to 1321. ... The Gonzaga family ruled Mantua in Northern Italy from 1328 to 1708. ... The Duchy of Mantua was an Italian state that was ruled by the Gonzaga family from 1328 to 1708. ...

Andronicus III married firstly a princess of Brunswick, who died without surviving issue, and secondly Anne of Savoy who was descended from Baldwin I of Constantinople. They were parents of John V Palaeologus. John V was compelled to marry Helena, a daughter of John VI Cantacuzenus. Baldwin I (July 1172 – 1205, Bulgaria), the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the... John V Palaeologus (1332 – February 16, 1391) was the son of Andronicus III, whom he succeeded as Byzantine emperor in 1341, at age nine. ... John VI Cantacuzenus (c. ...

In order to obtain support to remove John VI, John V gave his sister Mary to Lord Gateliusaios, who received the Duchy of Lesbos. The founded the noble family who continued into Italian Genovese aristocracy, being ancestors of the princes of Monaco.

Andronicus IV married Mary of Bulgaria.

Manuel II married a daughter of a regional lord of the dissolved Serbian realm.

Demetrius of Morea's daughter Helen was a member of the sultan's harem for a time.

Thomas' daughter Zoe married Ivan III of Russia. Zoe Palaiologina (Greek Ζωή Παλαιολόγου, Russian Софья Фоминична Палеолог, around 1455 - April 7, 1503), Grand Duchess of Moscow, was a niece of the last Byzantine emperor Constantine XI and second wife of Ivan III of Russia. ... Albus rex Ivan III Ivan III Vasilevich (Иван III Васильевич) (January 22, 1440 – October 27, 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a grand duke of Muscovy who first adopted a more pretentious title of the grand duke of all the Russias. Sometimes referred to as the gatherer of the Russian...

In 1446, Sofia's elder sister Helen was married to Lazar Brankovic, a Serbian prince. Their descendants continued for some time in the Balkans. Thomas's male-line descendants soon went extinct.

Political history

John VIII Palaeologus, Byzantine Emperor, on a Renaissance medal by Pisanello Ferrara.

Under the rule of the Palaeologoi, the fragmented empire still claimed descent from the Roman Empire, but began to focus more on the empire's Greek heritage. The word "Hellene" began to be used again to describe themselves, after having been a synonym for "pagan" for many centuries. The dynasty was a patron of literature and the arts; among others, George Gemistos Plethon came to prominence. The hesychasm controversy also took place during the rule of the Palaeologan dynasty. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1192x590, 98 KB) Summary John VIII Palaeologus, Emperor of Byzantium, by Pisanello Ferrara, Italy, about AD 1438-42--Cast bronze medal-The first Renaissance medal Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1192x590, 98 KB) Summary John VIII Palaeologus, Emperor of Byzantium, by Pisanello Ferrara, Italy, about AD 1438-42--Cast bronze medal-The first Renaissance medal Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... In the traditional view, the Renaissance is understood as a historical age that was preceded by the Middle Ages and followed by the Reformation. ... For other uses, see Roman Empire (disambiguation). ... Note: Hellen was not the same person as Helen of Troy or Helenus, son of King Priam of Troy. ... Paganism (from Latin paganus, meaning a country dweller or civilian) is a blanket term which has come to connote a broad set of spiritual or religious beliefs and practices of natural or polytheistic religions, as opposed to the Abrahamicsadfsadfsdf monotheistic religions. ... Georgius Gemistos ,or Plethon (or Pletho), (c. ... Hesychasm (Greek ησυχασμός, from ησυχία, stillness, rest, quiet) is an eremitic tradition of prayer in Eastern Orthodox Christianity practised (Gk: ησυχάζω: keep stillness) by the Hesychast (Gr. ...

At the later days of their empire the Peloponnese was the largest and wealthiest part of the empire, and was ruled as a Despotate by members of the Palaeologus family, often two or three younger brothers simultaneously. Although they often squabbled amongst themselves they were usually fiercely loyal to the emperor in Constantinople (though sometimes they sought to supplant the emperor and rise to the throne), while their land was surrounded by hostile Venetians and Turks. The capital of the despotate was Mystras, a large fortress built by the Palaeologoi near Sparta. Though Peloponnese is used to refer to the entire peninsula, the periphery with that name includes only part of that landmass. ... Despotism is government by a singular authority, either a single person or tightly knit group, which rules with absolute power. ... View of Venice to San Giorgio Maggiore island from St Marks Campanile. ... For a village in the prefecture of Ioannina, see Ioannina The Vale of Laconia seen from the battlements of Mystras Mystras (also Mistra, Mystra and Mistras Greek: Μύστρας ) was a fortified town in Morea (the Peloponnesus), on Mt. ... Sparta (Doric: Σπάρτα, Attic: Σπάρτη) is a city in southern Greece. ...

The Palaeologoi frequently attempted to reunite the Eastern Orthodox Church with the Roman Catholic Church, hoping this would lead the west to give them aid against the Turks. Every attempt at reunification was strongly opposed by the general population. Pentecost is considered in Eastern Orthodoxy to be the birth of the Church. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Catholicism. ...

The family had connections throughout Europe. They married into the Bulgarian and Serbian royal families, as well as the noble families of Trebizond, Epirus, Genoa, Montferrat, and Muscovy. World map showing Europe Europe is one of the seven continents of Earth which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiographic one, leading to various perspectives about Europes borders. ... Serbia and Montenegro  â€“ Serbia      â€“ Vojvodina      â€“ Kosovo (UN admin. ... The Empire of Trebizond and other states carved from the Byzantine Empire, as they were in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911) The Empire of Trebizond was a Pontic Greek successor state of the Byzantine Empire founded in 1204 immediately before the fall of Constantinople. ... The Despotate of Epirus was one of the medieval Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire, founded in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. ... Location within Italy Genoa (Italian Genova, Genoese (dialect of Ligurian) Zena, French Gênes, German Genua, Spanish Génova, Galician Xénova) is a city and a seaport in northern Italy, the capital of the Province of Genoa and of the region of Liguria. ... Montferrat was a marquisate in Lombardy during the Middle Ages. ... Muscovy (Moscow principality (княжество Московское) to Grand Duchy of Moscow (Великое Княжество Московское) to Russian Tsardom (Царство Русское)) is a traditional Western name for the Russian state that existed from the 14th century to the late 17th century. ...