John VIII Palaiologos
The emperor who led the Greek delegation to Ferrara and Florence in 1438 and 1439 and gave his agreement to the union of the churches, which most of his clergy and people would not accept.
Doukas says that John had planned the union of the churches beforehand and sailed to Italy with the patriarch and bishops at the pope’s expense (Doukas, History 31.1 (Bekker p. 212)). The pope’s decree at Ferrara records that he reached Venice on 8 February 1438 and refused to go to Basel (Council of Florence, Ferrara, session 4 (9 April 1438)). The bull of union states at its head that it is issued with the agreement of John Palaiologos, emperor of the Romans (Council of Florence, Florence, session 6 (Laetentur caeli)).
On his return he sent envoys to reassure the Ottoman sultan Murad, who feared that the journey had produced an alliance against him, that it had concerned only the faith (Doukas, History 31.6–8 (Bekker p. 215)). See the Council of Florence Proclaims Reunion.
In the timeline
- 6 July 1439, firm dateThe Council of Florence Proclaims Reunion
Pope Eugene IV and the Byzantine emperor John VIII proclaim the reunion of the Latin and Greek churches at Florence on 6 July 1439, in a decree affirming the Filioque and papal primacy. Mark of Ephesus refuses to sign, and the union finds little acceptance in Constantinople.
Primary sources
History
- Doukas, History 31.1 (Bekker p. 212)archive.org
- Doukas, History 31.6–8 (Bekker p. 215)archive.org
Decrees of the Council of Ferrara and Florence
- Council of Florence, Ferrara, session 4 (9 April 1438)papalencyclicals.net
- Council of Florence, Florence, session 6 (Laetentur caeli)papalencyclicals.net