Manuel II Palaiologos [SEP] mother
and his wife Helena Kantakouzene. 
Granted the title of "despotēs" by his father, the future Manuel II traveled west to seek support for the Byzantine Empire in 1365 and in 1370, serving as governor in Thessalonica from 1369. The failed attempt at usurpation by his older brother Andronikos IV Palaiologos in 1373 led to Manuel's being proclaimed heir and co-emperor of his father. In 1376–1379 and again in 1390 they were supplanted by Andronikos IV and then his son John VII, but Manuel personally defeated his nephew with
"Manuel II. Palaiologos: Dialoge mit einem „Perser“". Verlag Böhlau, Wien 1966, . (German)
- Athanasios D. Angelou, Manuel Palaiologos, Dialogue with the Empress - Mother on Marriage. Introduction, Text and Translation, Vienna, Academie der Wissenschaft, Vienna 1991.
External links.
- Encyclopedia of Roman Emperors entry
- Manuel Palaeologos Resources, including excerpts from his writings to his son John, on "the virtue of a king"
- Historical contemporary references to Manuel II