Born in the noble Chrysoloras family, his relationship with the more famous
Manuel Chrysoloras is unclear. He was friends with Manuel II and from 1403 to 1408 he served as
mesazōn in
Thessaloniki, under John VII Palaiologos. The last datable event of his life is his participation in the synod that elected
Patriarch Joseph II (1416). However, Vasilios Pasiourtides argued that he could have survived Manuel II (d. 1425). Unlike Manuel Chrysoloras, Demetrios Chrysoloras was firmly against the Church union and wrote against the Latins,
Thomism and
Demetrios Kydones. He was in epistolary contact with Manuel II and the distinguished scholar
John Chortasmenos. Among his surviving works are six speeches for the festivals of
Orthodoxy; a praise of
St Demetrios, which he wrote during his time in Thessaloniki; a short treatise on the
Hodegetria; two panegyrics to Manuel II, one of which in the form of an epistolary collection, and the other being a long letter that compares Manuel II to the ancient rulers of Rome; a dialogue against Kydones and
Thomas Aquinas. While at Thessaloniki, he also composed the preambles for two acts issued by John VII. Many of his works are still unedited. == Notes ==