was but a sunbeam in the midst of the universal degeneracy; or if a
ray of splendour was shed on the empire by his virtues or his
victories, the transient glory was speedily dispelled by irruptions
from without, or intrigue and revolt within. Gradually the work of
decay proceeded, until the vast expanse of the imperial conquests
was contracted to a few provinces, whose capital had been
transferred to the shores of the Bosphorus. A languishing existence
of about six centuries and a half--that is, from the revival of the
western empire in 800 by Charlemagne, to the taking of
Constantinople by the Turks in 1453--was brought to a close by the
death of Constantine Palæologus, the last of a race who had
continued, says Gibbon, 'to assume the titles of Caesar and Augustus
after their dominions were circumscribed to the limits of a single
city, in which the language as well as manners of the ancient Romans
had been long since forgotten!'

The family of Palæologus was of Greek origin, illustrious in birth
and merit. 'As early,' says Gibbon, 'as the middle of the eleventh
century, the noble race of the Palæologi stands high and conspicuous
in Byzantine history. It was the valiant George Palæologus who
placed the father of the Comneni on the throne; and his kinsmen or
descendants continued in each generation to lead the armies and
councils of the state.' The first that wore the imperial purple was
Michael, who was elevated to the throne in 1260. Already he had
distinguished himself as a soldier and a statesman, and had been
promoted in his early youth to the office of 'constable,' or
commander of the French mercenaries. His ambition excited jealousy,
and some acts of imprudence involved him in dangers from which he
thrice escaped. One of those perils was the usual appeal which was
made in the middle ages to the 'judgment of God' to vindicate