Andronikos Palaiologos, despot of Thessaloniki (1400-1429)

Andronikos was the son of Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos and Helen Palaiologos. He held the position of despot of Thessaloniki from 1408 until the surrender of the city to the Venetians in 1423. Subsequently and until 1429 he lived as a monk in the Pantokrator Monastery of Constantinople or, according to another version, as monk Anthony or Akakios in the Vatopedi Monastery. The gifts that Andronikos offered to the Monastery were valuable. Among them are the icon of the Apostles Peter and Paul (1417) (29), valuable codices, the banner known from earlier designs and in all probability the two wooden carved lecterns, the Jasper, and the one known as the Cross of Constantine the Great.