OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 173

bation of the Turkish sultan announced his su- chap.premacy, and the approaching downfall of the *j XVI1,eastern empire. By the hands of two illustriousdeputies, the imperial crown was placed atSparta on the head of Constantine . In thespring he sailed from the Morea, escaped theencounter of a Turkish squadron, enjoyed theacclamations of his subjects, celebrated the fes-tival of a new reign, and exhausted by his dona-tives the treasure, or rather the indigence, of thestate. The emperor immediately resigned to hisbrothers the possession of the Morea; and thebrittle friendship of the two princes, Demetriusand Thomas, was confirmed in their mother’spresence by the frail security of oaths and em-braces. His next occupation was the choice ofa consort. A daughter of the doge of Venicehad been proposed; but the Byzantine noblesobjected the distance between an hereditary mo-narch and an elective magistrate; and in theirsubsequent distress, the chief of that powerfulrepublic*was not unmindful of the affront.. Con-stantine afterwards hesitated between the royalfamilies of Trebizond and Georgia; and the em-bassy of Phranza represents in his public and pri-vate life the last days of the Byzantine empire . b

The protovesliare,or great chamberlain, Phran- Embassiesza, sailed from Constantinople as minister of abridegroom; and the relics of wealth and luxury 1452 -were applied to his pompous appearance. Hisnumerous retinue consisted of nobles and guards,of physicians and monks: he was attended by a

6 Ptaranea (1. iii, c, 1-G) deserves credit and esteem.