Byzantine Empire
Andronikos II Palaiologos
Constantinople, Byzantine Empire
The efforts of Andronikos II (1282 – 1328) and later his grandson Andronikos III (1328 – 1341) marked Byzantium's last genuine attempts in restoring the glory of the Empire. However, the use of mercenaries by Andronikos II often backfired, with the Catalan Company ravaging the countryside and increasing resentment towards Constantinople.