Georgian soldiers, though it is unclear whether this was an official Georgian intervention into Trapezuntine politics by King George V of Georgia, or whether the troops were just mercenaries and locals. It is unknown why these diverse groups preferred Anna over other possible candidates. She was of the Grand Komnenos dynasty, but she was also not only a woman, but also a former nun who had left her convent under questionable circumstances. Her brothers were dead but there were living male members of her family, most prominently Alexios II's brother Michael and Michael's son John, though both resided far away in Constantinople. Rustam Shukurov speculated in 1995 that Anna may have attempted to reinforce her legitimacy by noting that her name formed the end of an inverse AIMA-sequence and that she was thus destined to rule. Anna marched at the head of her army directly on Trebizond without encountering any opposition. Numerous locals even joined and reinforced Anna's army on their way. Shortly before Anna arrived at the capital, Irene's popularity and support had plummeted due to losses during raids by the neighbouring Aq Qoyunlu. The raiders had reached as far as the walls of Trebizond itself, while Irene's mercenaries from Constantinople fled without fighting. The raiders burned the countryside and left a number of unburied bodies so great that there was widespread fear that there would be an outbreak of disease. In the face of this, Irene abdicated the throne a few days prior to Anna's arrival. Immediately upon her arrival to Trebizond on 17 July 1341, Anna was admitted into the city and recognized as the new empress. Reign Though she was preferred over Irene, Anna being a woman meant that many among the Trapezuntine nobility viewed the senior-most male heir, Anna's uncle Michael, as more suitable to rule the empire. The , as well as several unaffiliated noble families, such as the Tzanichitai, Doranitai, Kamachenoi, Kabazitai and Meizomatai, were just as opposed to Anna as they had been to Irene. However, the , previously Irene's key supporters, switched over to Anna's side. On 30 July 1341, less than two weeks after Anna's accession, Michael arrived in Trebizond, accompanied by the Niketas Scholares and Gregory Meizomatis. The reason for his appearance was not actually to claim the throne, but rather that he had been selected by the regents of Andronikos III Palaiologos's young son, John V Palaiologos, as