Nicaea

An ancient city in northwestern Anatolia, now İznik, that served as the seat of Byzantine government in exile after the Fourth Crusade.

Antigonia: A Hellenistic city founded by Antigonus I Monophthalmus in northwestern Anatolia. Antigonus founded the settlement later renamed Nicaea.
Theodore I Laskaris: The first emperor of Nicaea, who established a Byzantine successor state after 1204. He founded the government in exile based at Nicaea.
First Council of Nicaea: A Christian council convened in 325 that addressed Arian controversy and issued the Nicene Creed. The council made the city a landmark in Christian history.
Byzantine Empire: The medieval continuation of the Roman Empire centered on Constantinople. Nicaea's rulers claimed continuity with this empire after Constantinople fell.
Lysimachus: A Macedonian general who ruled Thrace and parts of Asia Minor after Alexander the Great's death. He renamed the city Nicaea in honor of his wife.
John III Vatatzes: A Byzantine emperor of Nicaea who strengthened its economy and expanded its territory. His reign consolidated the empire centered on the city.
Second Council of Nicaea: A Christian council held in 787 that affirmed the veneration of icons. This later council reinforced Nicaea's religious prominence.
Empire of Nicaea: A Byzantine successor state based in western Asia Minor from 1204 to 1261. It was the political entity whose government operated from Nicaea.
Bithynia: An ancient kingdom and Roman province in northwestern Asia Minor. Nicaea became one of Bithynia's leading cities.
Michael VIII Palaiologos: The Byzantine emperor who retook Constantinople in 1261 and founded the Palaiologan dynasty. His recovery of Constantinople ended Nicaea's role as the imperial seat.

Linked from 8 pages