The history of the Byzantine empire provides rewarding opportunities for discovery. The late medieval small state of Trebizond is a hidden gem, only studied by a handful of modern scholars. Between its foundation in 1204 and conquest by the Ottoman sultan Mehmed II in 1461, Trebizond made its fortunes as an Eastern Black Sea outlet for the silk roads through Tabriz to Central Asia. Its ruling family was closely related to the Byzantine imperial families in the middle and late medieval period. Its population was multiethnic, and multireligious. Studying Trebizond provides a novel and unique case study for late medieval history in Anatolia and the Caucasus, an Eastern centre of Byzantine culture.

This talk gives an overview of the fascinating historical landscape of Trebizond, from the perspective of global history. It is based on the speaker’s doctoral research, which examined the political relationship between Trebizond and Constantinople.

Speaker
Dr. Annika ASP
Independent Scholar

ZOOM Meeting ID: 990 8868 4183
Meeting link: https://cuhk.zoom.us/j/99088684183