Thomas Kantakouzenos

Thomas Kantakouzenos
Noble family	Kantakouzenos
Died	25 July 1463
Religion	Orthodox Christianity

Thomas Kantakouzenos (Serbian: Toma Kantakuzin; died 25 July 1463) was a Byzantine aristocrat, a member of the Kantakouzenos family, who became a Serbian magnate and general that served Despot Đurađ Branković. He was the brother of Irene Kantakouzene, the Despotess consort.

The Byzantinist Donald Nicol, who researched the family's history, categorically identifies him as the brother of George Palaiologos Kantakouzenos; Giovanni Musachi makes him the brother of Irene Kantakouzene, wife of Serbian Despot Đurađ Branković, but incorrectly states Thomas was the son of the Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos, an error DuCange repeats. Instead, he is more probably the son of Demetrios I Kantakouzenos.

He was one of the many Greeks who entered the service of Despot Đurađ Branković following his marriage to Irene Kantakouzene in 1414. Ragusan documents show he was present at the Despot's court in 1433 and 1435. In 1439 he took part in the defense of the Smederevo castle against the Ottoman Turks; historian Doukas records that when the castle fell after a siege of three months, the defenders who subsequently did homage to Sultan Murad II included Branković's son Grgur and Thomas Kantakouzenos. Despite this ceremony, Kantakouzenos carried on the fight on behalf of his brother-in-law, leading the Despot's army to victory over Bosnian king Stephen Thomas on 16 September 1448, which restored Srebrenica and Višegrad to Serbian rule. In 1452 he led another Serbian army that invaded the Principality of Zeta, but was routed on 14 September by vojvoda Stefan Crnojević.

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