Empire of Nicaea
Βασίλειον τῆς Νίκαιας
Capital Nicaea Common languages Greek Religion
Eastern Orthodox Church Government Monarchy Emperor • 1204 – 1222
Theodore I Lascaris • 1222 – 1254
John III Ducas Vatatzes • 1254 – 1258
Theodore II Lascaris • 1258 – 1261
John IV Lascaris • 1259 – 1261
Michael VIII Palaeologus Historical era High Medieval •
1204 •
July 1261
The Empire of Nicaea (Greek : Βασίλειον τῆς Νίκαιας ) was the largest of the Byzantine Greek states founded by the nobility of the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople was conquered during the Fourth Crusade . It lasted from 1204 to 1261.
Founded by the Laskaris Dynasty it would be the Byzantine rump-state to recapture Constantinople in 1261 and reform the Byzantine Empire and is seen as the continuation of the Byzantine Empire.