Perhaps Manuel gazed upon the fading silhouette of Constantinople from the ship's deck, wondering when—if ever—he would return to his capital. Constantinople was besieged by the Ottomans and likely to fall without military assistance. Indeed, this was the reason why Manuel now embarked on a journey to Europe. He would not return for almost four years.
Struggles and conflicts
Having acceded to the Byzantine throne as the sole emperor in 1391 at the age of 41, Manuel was no stranger to disturbance. As a young man, he had been embroiled in several episodes of civil strife between his family members for the imperial throne. Throughout his life, he had witnessed the rapid dwindling of his empire in the face of the Ottomans. Manuel had also been obliged to accompany the Ottoman sultans in their campaigns, literally fighting for his enemy.
But in 1394, Manuel declined the summons from Sultan Bayezid I. The sultan promptly arrived in
