Symeon I of Trebizond was Patriarch of Constantinople in 1466, then from 1471 to 1474, and finally again from 1481 to 1486. Symeon’s early life is unknown, other than he was a monk from Trabizond. After Marcus II Xylokaraves was installed as patriarch in 1466, a faction of Christians from Trebizond approached the Ottoman Sultan Mechmet II with a monetary offer for his support in an opposition to Marcus, whom they proposed to remove from office in favor of Symeon from Trebizond. Although initially finding the offer comical, the Sultan considered the greed, stupidity, and ungodly manners of his Christian subjects and saw an opportunity for starting a policy of requiring monetary payments for installing new patriarchs to the throne of Constantinople as a regular custom.