Florence Free Tour

The union was ratified at the Council of Florence in 1439, which John attended with 700 followers including Patriarch Joseph II of Constantinople and George Gemistos Plethon, a Neoplatonist philosopher influential among the academics of Italy. The union failed due to opposition in Constantinople, but through his prudent conduct towards the Ottoman Empire he succeeded in holding possession of the city.

Patriarch Joseph II of Constantinople and George Gemistos Plethon, a prominent Neoplatonist philosopher among Italian scholars, were among John’s 700 adherents who attended the Council of Florence in 1439, where the union was approved. Opposition in Constantinople caused the union to fail, but he was able to maintain control of the city thanks to his wise behavior toward the Ottoman Empire.

Emperor John VIII Palaiologos went to Italy and attended the council of Florence in 1439. In order to make his status as the actual Roman Emperor clear – he signed documents as “emperor and autocrat of the Romans” – and used purple ink to add extra emphasis to that point.