Chalcocondyles

Chalcocondyles (Χαλκοκονδύλης in Greek), also seen as Chalcocandylis (Χαλκοκαντήλης) or Charchandylis (Χαρχαντήλης), was an old noble family of Athens which was elected during the Florentine possession of the city. The actions of the family originate back in the 11th century. The most important members of this family have been:

# Georgios (possibly 1390 - 1466). In 1435 he visited Sultan Muratt the Second as a sender of Maria Melissini, a widow of Antonios Atzagiolli the Second, for his consent for the understanding, from himself and Maria, of his noble power in Athens. While he was away, however, their oppositions sent Maria and his family away from Athens and, when he returned, he was arrested and sent to the Sultan, who imprisoned him. The same fate had another mission to the Sultan himself, which was assigned by the Duke of Morea, Constantinos Palaiologos.
# Demetrios (Athens, 1423 - Milan, 1511), scholar: see Demetrius Chalcondyles.
# Theophilos (Florence, 1486 - 1510). Demetrios' son. He taught Greek Literature at the University of Pavia (see Pavia) when he was very young and he translated some works of Cicero. He was murdered by some of his rivals.
# Laonicos (Athens, before 1430 - possibly Italy, 1490), historian: see Laonicus Chalcondyles.

Many have been written about this family, especially about Laonicos Chalcocondylis since he was one of the most important historians of the time. See for example K. Kambouroglou's 'The Chalcocondylis" and W. Miller's "The last Athenian historian, Laonikos Chalkokondyles".

Descendants of the family still exist, under the name "Psimicakis-Chalcocondylis" in Athens, Greece.

ee also

*Byzantine scholars in Renaissance