John III

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John III

, Byzantine emperor of Nicaea

John III (John Ducas Vatatzes) (do͝oˈkəs vətătˈzēz), d. 1254, Byzantine emperor of Nicaea (1222–54), successor and son-in-law of Theodore I. He extended his territory in Asia Minor and the Aegean islands but failed (1235) to take Constantinople from the Latins, although he was aided by Ivan II of Bulgaria. Subsequently Ivan, the Cumans, and the Latins of Constantinople allied themselves against John, who held his own. John joined the Turks against the Mongol invaders. He annexed Salonica (Thessaloníkai) in 1246 and reduced the despotat of Epirus to vassalage, thus nearly recovering the territories of the Byzantine Empire. He maintained close relations with the German emperor, Frederick II, whose daughter he married. During his reign the empire flourished. He was succeeded by his son Theodore II.

John III

, king of Poland

John III (John Sobieski) (sôbyĕˈskē), 1624–96, king of Poland (1674–96), champion of Christian Europe against the Ottomans. Born to an ancient noble family, he was appointed (1668) commander of the Polish army. He defeated (1673) the Ottomans at Khotin shortly after the death of King Michael, and in 1674 he was elected to succeed Michael. John's plans to recover East Prussia led him to conclude alliances with France (1675) and Sweden (1677) against Frederick William of Brandenburg (the Great Elector). However, the emphasis of his foreign policy changed when Sultan Muhammad IV and the Hungarians under Thököly advanced against Austria. Realizing the danger to all Europe, John allied (1683) with Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I and, leading combined imperial and Polish forces, raised the siege of Vienna and defeated the much larger Ottoman army under Kara Mustapha. Despite Leopold's ungrateful reception, John continued his campaign and pursued the Ottomans into Hungary. In 1684 he formed a Holy League with the pope, the emperor, and Venice. In 1686 he made a treaty with Russia that confirmed Russian suzerainty in E Ukraine. However, John's attempts (1684–91) to secure access to the Black Sea by wresting Moldavia and Walachia from the Ottoman Empire were unsuccessful. His loss of military prestige encouraged the nobles to oppose him at home. John's death, followed by the choice of the elector of Saxony as King Augustus II of Poland, marked the virtual end of Polish independence.

John III

, king of Portugal

John III (John the Fortunate), 1502–57, king of Portugal (1521–57), son of Manuel I. His reign saw the Portuguese empire at its apogee. The great Asian possessions were extended by further conquest, and systematic colonization of Brazil was begun. However, in Portugal itself decadence had set in with the decline of both agriculture and the population. Portugal's African exploits were abandoned, but many black slaves were brought into the country. The Inquisition was introduced (1536) by John, who was devoted to the clerical party. The court was corrupt, though the king was not. Literature flourished early in his reign, but Portugal was falling into the stagnation that characterized the disastrous reign of Sebastian, who succeeded him.

John III

1. 1507--57, king of Portugal (1521--57): his reign saw the expansion of the Portuguese empire overseas but the start of economic decline at home

2. surnamed Sobieski. 1624--96, king of Poland (1674--96). He raised the Turkish siege of Vienna (1683)

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

References in periodicals archive ?

(35) For an insight into the relations between John III and Charles V, see Diffie & Winius, v.1, 1985, pp.280-285.

The terrestrial sphere of "the spheres" tapestries--revisited

Andrew and the Conception of the Virgin in December (cited by Agnes and John III): a well-trodden path.

A time to read and a time to write: dates, days, and saints in the Paston letters

(52) The separate including this abridged version of the revels (including, unlike many other versions, the law sports) might have appealed to John III, a budding playwright himself, or Richard I, a soon-to-be lawyer.

The miscellaneous contents of Arbury Hall MS 414

Threnologia dramatica is a funeral poem, or a lament, in honour of King John III of Sweden, who died in 1592.

The Early Latin Poetry of Sylvester Phrygius

Joe and John III started boxing apples for their parents at the market before they were 10 years old, Joe said.

Whatcom's open markets: veggies just a few miles from the farm

She matured into an astute queen, stateswoman and politician in her own right: qualities recognized early on by her husband, John III, who granted her his complete trust and enormous authority.

Catherine of Austria: a Portuguese Queen in the shadow of the Habsburg Court?

Upon arriving in Lisbon in February 1528, Mendoza informed John III of the situation in England, where Henry VIII had begun proceedings to divorce Catherine of Aragon.

Aude Viaud, ed. Correspondance d'un ambassadeur castillan au Portugal dans les annees 1530: Lope Hurtado de Mendoza

"My grandfather really was a pioneer in the high-performance industry," says John III, who goes by the nickname "Sporty" coined by his grandfather when John III was a tot.

Path of generations: family ties fuel Bandimore Speedway. (Family Owned 2003)

Like other costly artifacts--tapestries, precious books, paintings--the manuscripts were regarded as symbols of the prestige and power of important rulers, and many were offered as gifts, to Henry VIII, John III of Portugal, Pope Leo X, Frederick the Wise of Saxony, Duke Wilhelm IV of Bavaria, and others.

The Treasury of Petrus Alamire: Music and Art in Flemish Court Manuscripts, 1500--1535

Already in 1531 John III applied to Pope Clement III for permission to institute an Inquisition on the Spanish model.

Padre Oliveira's outburst

Rockefeller then impetuously proposed the UN take over the (now-defunct) Center Theater at Radio City, but hastily withdrew the offer after protests from brothers Laurence, David, Winthrop and John III. Now Nelson was about to become the man of the hour.

The United Nations at 50: the Zeckendorf connection

He later became leader of the opposition during the reign of John III Sobieski (1674-96) and an agent of King Louis XIV in Poland.