Andronikos III of Trebizond

Andronikos III Megas Komnenos or Andronicus III (Greek: Ανδρόνικος Γ΄ Μέγας Κομνηνός, Andronikos III Megas Komnēnos), (c. 1310 – 1332) Emperor of Trebizond from 1330 to 1332. He was an eldest son of Emperor Alexios II of Trebizond and his Iberian wife, Djiadjak Jaqeli of Samckhe.

One of his first actions when he became emperor was to put to death his two younger brothers, George Azachoutlou and Michael Achpougas. His other brother Basil managed to escape to Constantinople, where his uncle Michael was probably already residing.

He died in 1332 after a reign of 20 months and was briefly succeeded by his possibly illegitimate son, Manuel II. The crimes of Andronikos had shocked the people of Trebizond and split them into factions, putting the Empire on the verge of civil war. The sources have preserved no other details on the circumstances of his short reign.

References

• W. Miller, Trebizond: The Last Greek Empire of the Byzantine Era, Chicago, 1926.