Page:The Fall of Constantinople.djvu/94

76 THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE. wild adventures were regarded as the faults of youth, which by this time had probably passed away. As soon as Andronicos heard of the divisions in the court he saw that his chance was come. Apparently on his last submission he had taken the oath which he had refused on a former occasion. The terms of this oath bound him to oppose with all his power anything which tended to the dishonor or was against the interest of the emperor. He was careful to keep the letter of his oath and scrupu- Heintrignes lously auxious to sccm to regard it, but he was also forthethrone. crafty cnough to avail himself of its terms to com- pass his own purpose. He wrote to the young emperor, to the patriarch, and to others in authority, that, in honor of the memory of Manuel, he wished to put an end to the open prof- ligacy of the court and to get rid of the protosebastos. Nice- tas says that as his letters were full of quotations from St. Paul, and gave the impression that he was sincere, they pro- duced a very marked effect, and caused many to believe that he was anxious mainly for the salvation of the state and the welfare of the young prince. On his journey to Constantino- ple he everywhere made the same professions, and was in con- sequence welcomed by the people, was received with imperial honors, and increased the number of his followers. Few were found to resist the patriotic professions of one who seemed to burn with zeal for the public weal, and who professed to have no other design than that of setting the child emperor free. His first check was at Kicsea, a city which is about seventy miles from the capital. The governor, John Comnenos, a brother of the protosebastos, was so convinced of his powers of persuasion that he refused to see him, and shut his gates against him. Andronicos thereupon crossed over to Nicome- dia, the modern Ismidt. Andronicos Angelos, two of whose sons subsequently came to the throne, was sent against him, but was defeated. Andronicos then pushed boldly on to Constantinople, and on the hills opposite Prinkipo lit a great number of fires, in order to make the people of the capital believe that he was accompanied by a large army. The protosebastos was greatly alarmed at his approach, and