Biography
Constantine was born in Constantinople as the eighth of ten children to Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš, and probably granddaughter of the Bulgarian emperor Ivan Alexander. He was extremely fond of his mother and added her surname (Dragases) next to his own dynastic one when he ascended the imperial throne. He spent most of his childhood in Constantinople under the supervision of his parents. During the absence of his older brother in Italy, Constantine was regent in Constantinople from 1437–1440.
Read more about this topic: Constantine XI
Famous quotes containing the word biography:
“Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.”
—James Boswell (1740–95)