Thomas

Biodata

Background / History

Thomas is the seventh prince of the Palaiologos family and one of Vitus's younger brothers. He and Demetrius were appointed to command Northern and Western Thrace respectively; while Western Thrace was quickly pacified, Northern Thrace remained unstable. 126

During a campaign in Northern Thrace, Thomas and Demetrius quarreled over captured silk, gold, and silver. Thomas offered Demetrius only twenty percent of the spoils, after which Demetrius destroyed a bridge to strand him and monopolize later gains. Thomas withdrew to Western Thrace when Vitus intervened. 126

John VIII later appointed Thomas Garrison General of Northern Thrace. His campaign against smuggling networks was effective but ruthless: Thomas later claimed to have purged more than forty implicated gentry and merchants and confiscated estates worth 50,000 florins. 130 174

Thomas pursued fleeing smugglers across the Wallachian border without authorization, killing one hundred people and capturing 230. The resulting diplomatic dispute led the Imperial Council to strip him of his post as garrison general. 173

Reassigned as an Imperial Envoy, Thomas traveled through the Dnieper region with Varro Santis. Initially resentful of his demotion, he left practical affairs to Varro and gradually accepted a largely ceremonial diplomatic role. 174 175

His northern mission included visits to Lithuania and Novgorod. He returned to Chersonesus in early August after approximately half a year abroad, describing Eastern European instability and Novgorod's trade in furs, beeswax, and timber. His travels also substantially increased his tolerance for alcohol. 182

Vitus later tested Thomas during the Transcaucasian expedition by allowing him to command troops. Thomas proved courageous and willing to lead charges, but Vitus judged him impulsive, inexperienced, and suited only to commanding several thousand men against small or medium-sized enemies. 183

Rather than resume a provincial post in Western Thrace or Epirus, Thomas chose to seek opportunities in Italy. He stayed with the Palaiologos branch of Montferrat, whose prestige toward him had risen after the Eastern Roman Empire's victories. 186 202 213

When Montferrat joined the French offensive against Milan, Thomas volunteered to command its army. He distinguished himself in raids, loot management, and the Battle of the Po Valley, where his wing broke the opposing formation before the French secured victory. 216 217

After the French campaign collapsed, Thomas returned to Constantinople. During the coming war with the Ottomans, he obtained command of a combined heavy-cavalry force and later led a rapid-response unit against bandits and Ottoman remnants in western Anatolia. 222 233 245

Thomas subsequently investigated suspected Ottoman collaborators on Chios, personally reviewing records and interrogating merchants. He also considered opening a Constantinople shop specializing in Chian mastic. 260

Continuing to Lesbos, Thomas learned from Gattilusio that Emperor Albert had died and that the participants in the Italian Wars were discussing a ceasefire. He hastily ended his inspection and returned to Bursa to inform Vitus, who told him that Constantinople already knew and had dispatched Andronikos to the peace conference. 260

During the siege of Trebizond, Thomas assigned Orlando and two other mountain-company commanders to cooperate with allied mountain infantry under Krezer. After the subsequent defeat of the Black Sheep army, he proposed pursuing its retreating forces, but Vitus rejected the suggestion and returned toward Anatolia. 287 292

At the Battle of Konya, Thomas requested permission to fight alongside the reorganized Heavy Cavalry Brigade, of which he had formerly been the superior. Vitus allowed him to take his own cavalry into the attack. Thomas personally broke through the Black Sheep cavalry and joined the assault on its musketeers, contributing to the collapse of the enemy's central army. 310 311 411

On the army's return journey to Constantinople, Thomas boarded ahead of Vitus, bringing dozens of chests of personal belongings and eagerly anticipating reunion with his wife and daughter Zoe. He later accompanied Vitus to inspect the experimental warship Smyrna, agreeing to keep its specifications secret. 323 337

After Jean Coeur fled to Constantinople following his father's arrest in France, Thomas attempted to obtain an imperial audience for him. Vitus refused to shelter Jean openly because of the potential diplomatic consequences and reminded Thomas that he, rather than the emperor, had accepted Jean's money. Thomas subsequently proposed that Jean fund military expenses in return for protection and later told him that his family's difficulties had been settled. 339 345 346

By this period, Thomas had accumulated substantial wealth through several wars and owned numerous residences and properties in Constantinople. He sold one residence to Jean at a high price and invited him to invest in a textile manufactory. Jean distrusted the proposed partnership and considered other investments instead. 346

During the campaign against the White Sheep, Thomas commanded auxiliary brigades and Armenian volunteers rather than cavalry. His forces handled supply transport, trench digging, and the clearance of outlying strongpoints. He took his nephew Leo on an expedition with 3,000 soldiers against four targets north of Erzurum, using the operation to teach him practical lessons in reconnaissance and locating concealed provisions. 411 413

At Lake Van, Uzun Hasan attempted to attack Thomas's eastern position from both north and south, considering it the Roman army's weakest point. Thomas's auxiliary brigades held their positions with firearms, wagon forts, and bayonet squares until the White Sheep center collapsed and the attackers withdrew. Vitus's assessment of his brother had improved: Thomas remained somewhat below the standard of a frontier general but was more than capable of serving as a Legion Deputy Commander. 415

Thomas subsequently received command of Western volunteer knights organized into heavy-cavalry battalions. Unlike in his youth, he was no longer enthusiastic about this assignment, having come to regard traditional knightly cavalry as flashy but impractical. 420

During the Egyptian campaign, Thomas tested insect-repelling pyrethrum incense after learning about it from Leo. He helped arrange a river crossing, imposed precautions against crocodile attacks, and prepared siege works after his troops landed on the east bank on June 20. On July 5, he led reinforcements toward Cairo; after news arrived that Vitus had captured the city, his orders changed to occupying six towns and clearing the supply route between Cairo and Damietta. 427 428 429 431

After reporting the recruitment of Coptic Auxiliary Brigades, Thomas was appointed to occupy Cyrenaica and establish the Cyrenaica Borderland Region. He and his staff chose Hesperides Harbor as its capital. By February 15, 1453, he was living there with his family and received Edric as a new civil official. The region's sparse population, water shortages, limited administrative information, and Berber resistance led Thomas to acknowledge that its governance would require gradual development. 432 447

After returning to Constantinople, Thomas accepted a diplomatic mission to Austria. He reached Vienna in early November, learned that Frederick III's court had moved to Wiener Neustadt, and proceeded to meet the emperor. Remaining in Austria afterward, he observed the northern campaign and became acquainted with the contrasting personalities of Ladislaus V, Frederick III, and Władysław III. He ultimately warned Constantinople that the northern armies would not meaningfully tie down France and that the Eastern Roman Empire would have to rely on itself. 481 486

Personality

Thomas is proud, ambitious, and deeply resentful of being overshadowed by Vitus. He repeatedly asserts that his military education and personal ability qualify him for independent command, even when others question his judgment. 174 214 228

He is restless and action-oriented, preferring battle, hunting, and field assignments to diplomacy or routine travel. His eagerness for glory often makes him hasty, such as his unauthorized Wallachian pursuit and his rush to move heavy cavalry toward the front. 173 233 260

Thomas also has a sharp eye for wealth. In Italy, he personally catalogued plunder, recognized hidden valuables, and arranged higher-value transport and sale of spoils rather than accepting merchants' discounted offers. 216 222

His confidence could become extravagant: while observing the French siege of Genoa, he reasoned that he was approximately equal to Skanderbeg and Jeanne d'Arc and superior to every commander in Northern Italy. He also embellished his Transcaucasian service when seeking command of Montferrat's army, comparing his journey into Georgia to Hannibal's crossing of the Alps. 214 216

Thomas displays aristocratic prejudice, initially questioning Jean Coeur's appointment as Governor of Genoa because of his common birth. Nevertheless, he recognized the political vulnerability of the wealthy but poorly established Coeur family and anticipated that Charles VII might eventually imprison them and confiscate their fortune. 215

Age and combat experience gradually temper his enthusiasm for traditional knightly warfare. Although still disappointed when Vitus assigns him auxiliary troops, he becomes less impressed by the spectacle of fully armored cavalry and more attentive to its practical shortcomings. 411 420

He shows affection toward his family, eagerly returning to his wife and young daughter after campaigning and personally carrying or handing Zoe to servants during palace conversations. With Leo, he combines boastfulness about his own experience with patient instruction in practical soldiering. 323 345 346 413

Thomas's later conduct also shows greater flexibility toward his troops. When Armenian officers requested leave to celebrate Pentecost near Lake Sevan, he granted it after confirming that no large enemy force was nearby, requiring them to return before dusk. 414

Abilities & Skills

Cavalry Command

Thomas commanded a force of approximately 1,120 heavy cavalry: 500 men from the First Legion's Armored Cavalry Battalion, 420 from Vitus's battalion, and 220 foreign noble volunteers. 233

• Led heavy-cavalry reinforcements that decisively defeated Ottoman attackers at a defended crossroads. 235
• Maintained composure despite mockery from dragoons, light cavalry, and mountain infantry over the heavy cavalry's poor mobility in rough terrain. 234
• Objected to Vitus's lighter cavalry re-equipment plan, fearing his men would struggle to adapt to changed tactics and equipment. 245
• His battlefield courage is a strength, but Vitus initially considered his impulsiveness and limited experience serious command limitations. 183
• Led his own cavalry alongside the Heavy Cavalry Brigade during the Battle of Konya rather than resuming command of the entire brigade. 310 411
• Personally penetrated the Black Sheep armored cavalry line and participated in the subsequent flanking attack on its musketeers. 311
• Later commanded Western volunteer heavy-cavalry battalions, including one formed from 320 knights accompanied by more than a thousand squires. 420

Swordsmanship

Thomas received knightly training and is a capable personal combatant. 174

• During an ambush in Italy, he fought in plate armor with a longsword, killing attackers despite being knocked from his horse and struck from behind. 215
• His armor absorbed a spear thrust to the back, allowing him to counterattack and continue toward Montferrat with the sole surviving guard. 215
• Demetrius considers Thomas's martial skill mediocre relative to his ambition, particularly for leading a decisive knightly charge. 228
• During the Battle of Konya, he struck an opposing cavalryman with his lance, then used a one-handed war hammer and kite shield in mounted melee. 311
• Switched to a saber when attacking lightly armored musketeers and drew a spare saber after the first became heavily notched. 311

Security and Suppression

Thomas has experience with internal security, smuggling investigations, and bandit suppression.

• Dismantled Northern Thrace's smuggling network through aggressive investigations, purges, and confiscations. 174
• Was appointed to lead a 2,500-man rapid-response force in western Anatolia, built around mountain infantry, Dragon Cavalry, light cavalry, and horse artillery. 245
• Investigated sixty Italian households on Chios suspected of reselling military supplies to the Ottomans. 260
• Coordinated mountain-company assignments during the siege of Trebizond, placing Orlando and two other commanders under Krezer's operational direction. 287
• Applied experience gained from pursuing smugglers and poachers to searches for concealed enemy provisions, recognizing that apparently depleted villages could retain substantial hidden stores. 413

Spoils Management

Thomas is highly attentive to the economic returns of war.

• Rapidly surveyed estates, located concealed valuables, interrogated servants for inconsistencies, and recorded seized property. 216
• Distributed gold and silver vessels to participating soldiers while storing grain, wine, and textiles for later sale. 216
• Used inland sailboats to transport spoils to Montferrat for consignment, avoiding heavily discounted sales to army merchants. 216
• Managed inventories across Milan, Pavia, and Montferrat and remitted sales proceeds to Constantinople through banking channels. 222
• Converted accumulated war profits into numerous urban properties and explored manufacturing investment through his proposed partnership with Jean Coeur. 346

Infantry and Auxiliary Command

Thomas's later assignments broadened his experience beyond cavalry and internal security.

• Commanded the Armenian First Auxiliary Brigade and an Auxiliary Infantry Brigade from Cappadocia, whose duties included transport, trench construction, and clearing enemy strongpoints. 413
• Explained the complementary roles of reconnaissance cavalry, light artillery, and infantry to Leo, distinguishing targets that a Three-Pounder could destroy from stone positions requiring stronger assault forces. 413
• Deployed three wagon forts against White Sheep troops to the south and several bayonet squares against the enemy's new army to the northeast at Lake Van. His troops maintained a slight advantage in the latter exchange of cannon and musket fire. 415
• Benefited from observing Vitus during the Battles of Sakarya and Konya. By the Lake Van campaign, Vitus judged him more than capable of serving as a Legion Deputy Commander, though still short of being a frontier general. 415
• Prepared siege trenches and artillery positions during the Egyptian campaign and undertook the occupation of towns along the Cairo–Damietta supply route. 429 431
• Reported recruiting Coptic Auxiliary Brigades before receiving his Cyrenaican assignment. 432

Diplomacy and Administration

• Represented the empire in Lithuania and Novgorod and acquired knowledge of northern trade and political conditions, although Varro Santis performed much of the mission's practical work. 174 175 182
• Established Hesperides Harbor as the administrative center of the Cyrenaica Borderland Region with his staff officers and introduced Edric to its judge, garrison commander, and metropolitan. 447
• Recognized that Cyrenaica's weak administrative reach and difficult rural conditions required gradual governance rather than immediate comprehensive control. 447
• Undertook the Austrian mission on the strength of both his imperial standing and his developed abilities. 481
• Assessed the northern coalition's limitations through direct observation and reported that its operations would not adequately distract France from the Eastern Roman Empire. 486

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Longsword 215
• Knightly plate armor 215
• Warhorse and separate riding horses for campaign travel 233
• Light travel armor consisting of an arming doublet, breastplate, and helmet 233
• Telescope, used while observing naval activity and mountain terrain, and during the inspection of the Smyrna 260 291 337
• Lance, used in his charge against Black Sheep cavalry 311
• One-handed steel war hammer with ridged edges 311
• Kite shield 311
• Saber and spare saber carried on his saddle 311
• Helmet decorated with a blue peacock plume, which was cut off by an enemy saber during the Battle of Konya 311 411
• Snow Treading on Dark Clouds — his exceptionally fast black Akhal-Teke horse; carried him in battle and on conspicuous rides through Constantinople. By the later White Sheep campaign, the horse was too old for battlefield service. 311 336 411
• A descendant of Snow Treading on Dark Clouds, used as his replacement mount; similarly magnificent in appearance but inferior in size and explosive power. 411
• Pyrethrum incense, tested among camels near Jaffa as an insect repellent after Leo explained its use. 427

Relationships

• Vitus Palaiologos — elder brother; repeatedly evaluates Thomas's command ability, assigns him field commands, and entrusts him with the Anatolian rapid-response force. 183 245 Vitus's later assessment improves to considering him capable of serving as a Legion Deputy Commander. He subsequently assigns Thomas to establish the Cyrenaica Borderland Region and undertake a mission to Austria. 415 432 481
• Demetrius Palaiologos — elder brother and frequent rival; their dispute over Northern Thracian spoils escalated into Demetrius attempting to strand Thomas behind a destroyed bridge. 126
• John VIII Palaiologos — elder brother and emperor; appointed Thomas Garrison General of Northern Thrace, later removed him from the post and used him as an envoy. 130 173
• Varro Santis — deputy envoy; handled the practical and documentary work of Thomas's Dnieper mission. 174 175
• Gian Giacomo of Montferrat — distant paternal uncle; permitted Thomas to command Montferrat's troops during the French offensive against Milan. 213 216
• Arthur de Richemont — French commander; consulted Thomas about persuading Montferrat to join France and used his troops on the right wing at the Battle of the Po Valley. 215 217
• Romanus Palaiologos — nephew; Thomas interacts casually with him during the Ottoman campaign, including ruffling his hair before leaving to join the cavalry. 233 Thomas later complains of having no one to talk to at a family dinner and asks when Romanus will return and marry. 336
• Orlando — junior officer assigned to Thomas's force; later served in a mountain-infantry company after participating in operations against Ottoman remnants. 263 287
• Unnamed wife — Thomas was already married when Vitus recommended a posting near Constantinople. He eagerly anticipated returning to her after campaigning, and she later lived with him and their children in Cyrenaica. 186 323 447
• Zoe — daughter; still a young child when Thomas returned from campaign and ten years old in February 1453. 323 447
• Andrei — son and Zoe's younger brother; five years old in February 1453. 447
• Alexios — younger son, born during the winter preceding Edric's February 1453 arrival in Hesperides. 447
• Leo — nephew; accompanied Thomas on the clearance of White Sheep strongpoints and received practical military instruction from him. Leo later taught Thomas about pyrethrum incense. 413 427
• Jean Coeur — former Governor of Genoa and wealthy exile; provided Thomas with money or favors in connection with efforts to secure imperial protection. Thomas sold him a Constantinople residence and proposed a textile-manufactory partnership that Jean viewed with suspicion. 339 345 346
• Edric — civil official assigned to Cyrenaica; Thomas recognized him from earlier encounters and respected his ability to calculate military supply accounts mentally. He received Edric's credentials and introduced him to the regional leadership. 447
• Frederick III — ruler visited during Thomas's Austrian mission; Thomas regarded him as hesitant and inadequate as a wartime ally despite his composed demeanor and dynastic ambitions. 481 486
• Ladislaus V — Austrian archduke whom Thomas encountered during his stay in Austria; Thomas judged him indecisive and easily influenced by confidants. 486
• Władysław III — monarch observed during the northern campaign; Thomas found his pride, forthrightness, and devotion to chivalry extraordinary. Their lack of friendship and their countries' recent war left Thomas without suitable grounds to dissuade him from personally seeking a duel. 486

Notable Quotes

“Nothing makes money like war.” 216

“I will never miss a war that will make its name known to future generations!” 223

“This wasn't guesswork. In my younger days, I served as a garrison general in Northern Thrace, spending every day catching smugglers and poachers.” 413

“The king is challenging someone to a duel again? How can such a monarch exist?” 486

Trivia

• Thomas was sixteen and had never been on a battlefield when he was initially appointed to command troops in Thrace. 126
• As a child, he carved the crudest warship drawing among his brothers' markings on a palace wall. 247
• He developed an interest in selling Chios mastic after inspecting its production villages. 260
• Andronikos recalled that Thomas spent his childhood happily in the palace but experienced a period of pessimism at fourteen when he recognized the empire's perilous position. 426
• His northern diplomatic travels left him bearded, unwashed, and resembling a Rus fur merchant until he visited a public bathhouse in Chersonesus. 182
• He tried Constantinople's rail carriage service after returning from Italy, paying two copper coins and riding from the Golden Horn docks to Selimbria Gate. 222 223
• He favors conspicuous clothing; Vitus could recognize his style from the garish coat he wore while riding to the naval harbor. 337
• Snow Treading on Dark Clouds disliked swaying ship cabins, prompting Thomas to warn a servant against being kicked into the sea while loading the horse. 323
• He spent the Armenian troops' Pentecost holiday walking beside Lake Sevan and fishing in the shade. 414
• During the Egyptian campaign, he ordered soldiers to collect water or water horses in groups of at least ten and avoid the riverbank at night after examining crocodiles killed by artillery. 428

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