Finished Andronikos' reign summary. I'm still not exactly sure what to do with Thomas'... any ideas? Requests? I might also postpone it a bit so I can move onto the maps for what's going on in the world in 1297 as well. Lot's of interims coming!
Pros: By territory gained, wealth amassed, and court glitter, likely the greatest Komnenid Emperor. Segeo's great rebellion was defeated early in his reign (though this had more to do with the skills of Andronikos' Megas Domestikos). Azov and the rest of the Transpontic coast was regained. Romanion made territorial inroads into Hungary, as well as solidifed northern Italy and gained control of the French coast, turning the Mediterranean into truly a Roman lake. Subjugated the lords of France (albeit loosely). Destroyed the ambitions of Gabriel Komnenos, and turned Persia into a vassal (albeit a very powerful one). Created by treaty with Kublai Khan the Romano-Mongol Kingdom of Transoxania (also known as Gok Rum in Turkic). Reformed the Roman military as well as bureaucracy from top to bottom, including creating the
Oikoi. Well beloved by the public and the church. Master manipulator.
Cons: Vicious and mean behind closed doors. Lackluster battlefield commander, despite skill at recognizing advantageous strategic circumstances. Never close with anyone other than his
Archeoikos Ioannis Angelos and his first wife Cecilia. Often put affairs of the heart relating to Cecilia above the state. Pride often led him into situations and traps that could have otherwise been avoided, and his unwillingness to put his saintly public reputation at stake meant that many troublemakers who would've been executed under an Emperor like Manuel lived on. Never truly corralled the Roman nobility like Emperor Manuel or even Thomas II--nobility amassed huge armies and great power under his reign. Unwillingness to often take the field left army commanders with considerable power. Left a contentious succession amongst numerous sons.
Bottom line: A complicated reign, like most of the Komnenid Emperors. Andronikos undoubtedly amassed an unprecedented amount of glory (His prestige ended up at 65,000, the highest of all the Emperors), wealth and power. However, overconfidence in his own abilities, as well as a bureaucracy built to function with only someone as skilled as himself in charge, left the empire with weakened foundations. His focus on saving the treasury ironically strengthened the nobility to unprecedented levels, and many of his plots made only short term gains in return for long term trouble. His unwillingness to command in the field also led to an increase in the power of the army bureaucracy. While during his life he expanded the Roman Empire to its greatest extent and glory, his mistakes directly led to its ultimate collapse. Ironically, amongst the public his carefully cultivated image of a 'renaissance man' remains--most of the blame for future events were unfairly lumped onto his successors, when the rot became permanent under his watch.