Anna Anachoutlou
After Basil's death, his widow Irene Palaiologina, genealogically unconnected to the ruling Grand Komnenos dynasty of Trebizond, seized power as empress regnant.
Despite being a woman and up until recently a nun, and there being several possible male heirs of her dynasty, Anna attracted considerable support from the provincials of the empire, from ethnic minorities such as the Laz and Zan peoples, and from Georgian soldiers, either mercenaries or forces sent by King George V of Georgia.
Though militarily successful, defeating a raiding force of the Aq Qoyunlu in 1342, Anna's internal and economic policy drew some opposition from her own supporters.
Anna Anachoutlou, born in the late 13th century,[1] was the eldest daughter of Alexios II Megas Komnenos, who ruled the Empire of Trebizond from 1297 to 1330.
[1][4] Though there were close religious ties between Trebizond and Jerusalem in this period,[4] Anna's association with this monastery is only supported by a single document of questionable authenticity.
[11] It was widely suspected that Irene Palaiologina had played some role in Basil's death, especially given that she profited of it by seizing the Trapezuntine throne for herself immediately thereafter.
The Scholarioi considered themselves champions of the memory of Basil and their native rights, according George Finlay opposing Irene as a "Constantinopolitan stranger".
[13] According to Nicephorus Gregoras, some among the Trapezuntine nobility who opposed Irene hoped to proclaim one of Basil's young illegitimate sons as emperor and rule through him as a puppet.
As such, she sent messengers to her father in Constantinople, requesting him to send her a noble whom she could marry and maker her co-ruler, and who would command her armies, lead her administration and help her to suppress her enemies.
[3] In June/July 1341, Anna escaped her convent,[2] persuaded by elements of the Trapezuntine nobility, and travelled to the lands of the Laz people, east of Trebizond, where she was proclaimed empress in opposition to Irene.
[3] Anna was preferred as empress by the ethnic minorities of the empire, such as the Laz and Zan peoples, as well as most of the provincial population, given that she belonged to the Grand Komnenos dynasty, rather than the foreign Palaiologos family.
[19] Rustam Shukurov speculated in 1995 that Anna may have attempted to reinforce her legitimacy by noting that her name formed the end of an inverse AIMA-sequence[c] and that she was thus destined to rule.
[20] Shortly before Anna arrived at the capital, Irene's popularity and support had plummeted due to losses during raids by the neighbouring Aq Qoyunlu.
[22] On 30 July 1341, less than two weeks after Anna's accession, Michael arrived in Trebizond,[19] accompanied by the Scholarioi Niketas Scholares and Gregory Meizomatis.
[23] Irene was sent back to her family in Constantinople, whereafter she disappears from history,[2][25] and Michael was sent as a prisoner to the town of Oinaion and was later transferred to somewhere in the region of Limnia in the westernmost parts of the empire.
[1] Though Anna was militarily successful; defeating a second raid by the Aq Qoyunlu in August 1342,[1][26] her internal and economic policies disappointed some of those who had supported her accession.
[1] Anna was not opposed only by the Scholarioi, but also internationally by the Palaiologoi of the Byzantine Empire, disappointed with Irene's deposition, as well as the republics of Venice and Genoa.
