1. When John assumed the throne he took the name of Alexios, this is why he is known as Alexios III Grand Komnenos. See Miller, W., Trebizond, the Last Greek Empire (London 1926), p. 55. 2. John rose to the throne of Trebizond after the resign of Michael Grand Komnenos (1341/1344-1349) and his retirement to the cloister of Saint Savvas. The emperor Michael was forced to resign by the internal disputes and the repetitive raids of the Turcomans he faced. See Ahrweiler, Ε., «Αυτοκρατορία της Τραπεζούντας», in: Ιστορία του Ελληνικού Έθνους Θ': Υστεροβυζαντινοί χρόνοι (1204-1453) (Αθήνα 1980), p. 334. 3. In the narthex of the church of the monastery there were the images of Alexios III Grand Komnenos, his wife Theodora Cantakouzene and Eirene of Trebizond, who held a model of the temple in her hands. In 1834 the portrait of Eirene of Trebizond was replaced by the portrait of the despot Andronikos Komnenos. See Bryer, A. – Winfield, D., The Byzantine Monuments and Topography of the Pontos Ι (Washington D.C. 1985), p. 244. |