“ROB. et THE DESPOTATE OF EPIROS 1267-1479 A contribution to the history of Greece in the middle ages DONALD M. NICOL Kons reve Moen Ces nd sn Harry Lamune mee "ing Clege Users of Las CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS Cambridge London New York New Rechelle ‘Melbourne SydneyPubte ty the Pree Syn of she Unies of Cambie ‘The Pit Being. Trumplngon Stee, Combvsge es 18 {East sh Sue New York fone, USA 296 Pescone! Puade Middle Pak, Mctoune 3505 Astra (© Cambridge Univers Pres 1585 it pained 18 Prise in Gree Briain te Unvety Press, Cabeidge “Library of Congres aloe ctr munber: 83-2108 rsh Litrary Cataloging Pacton Data Niel, DM. "Hp (Gree) Hine 1 te s2s3 Dioors ssn 0 s21 26190 2 Contents Prafce Lin of abbveviaions ‘Map: Epias in the fourtacch comury Inwoduetion “The restored Despotate— 1267-85 piros between Kay and Byzastum~ 2285-1306 French, Byzantines end Venetians in Bpitos~ 1294-131 “The allan abertnce: the Ori family 1318-37 “The Byzantine estoration= 1337-48 ‘The Serbian occupation = 1348-59 ‘The Serbian Despotte of Toannine and the Albsnisn Despotte of Art 3359-84 “The Tallsn restoration: Biau Buundelmonst and Calo Toes 1384-1411 “The reunited Despotate~ 1411-29 “The Turkish conquest and the end of the Despoate— 39-79 “The administration andthe esonomy ‘The church and cular ie Epilogse Genelia robes Biography Inder 19, 157 eo 23 as 29Preface “The Rourth Crusade ad dhe capeue of Constantinople by the Latins in ‘20g ieeporely shattered the stucturef the Byzantine Empire. One of the snot ending by-produce ofthe disaster was he establishment of ‘paratiststate ia Epics in the north-west of Greece Teeganss acenie ff sesstnce and a haven for refugess Irom the Tat invaders. T. ‘developed ito « powerfal plial and ralitary free whose rulers fr ‘ime claimed the tle of emperors inex. Constantinople was recovered fom he Latin in 1261 and the Byzantine Empirewarretored. But he {lero Epos stbboeniy refined vo recognise the ne eepmne. Greek frst then ilian, Sebi and Albanian, they perpuated the autonomy tof ther provine wel into the fifeenh century, suing to aia ‘entity agaist he competing sims of he emperors of Cansaninople, ‘he Angevin kings of Naples the merchants of Venice und nally the ‘Onoman ‘Turks At leat siace the nineteenth century ths defiantly {independent fragment ofthe Byzantine world hasbeen Known 38 the [espotte of Epitos. In 1957 [pebliheda woseander that en which [etemptes to put together is poli nd ecclesiastical history from {204101267 Tchss ong heen my itenion to uruethe matter ti end fo the fitch century, when Epiros together with thereat of Greece and stem Europe were rept ite the Ottman Eipite. This Vhave fom toed p do and the rn are st Toth inthe pees: volume. Temay bethought that should fst have corrected the faults and filled the gaps in my eater volume oa the subject, or that should have fevgiten that Yohime to take account of new mera ond research Dublied since 1957, Theater course considered and rejected aly becaive our knoiedge of the story of Eplros in the period between ‘4 and 1361 has ot heen substaally enriched by the discovery of ‘ow souuce material nthe past eaty-ve years. The mos important ‘Mito othe testy soatees fr that period har been the publcton of ‘numberof previous unedited eters o John Apokaukes, metropolitan [I Naupltos, These cast some new light onthe church aml society of Fizos inthe 12205, Are historians have given some welcome attention 0Preface the monuments of the district and numikmaits have adranced the Clascaton of the coinage af Epos and Thenaonica i the ciy ‘aircon century. But the mest important corrections have bees made by reasessment ofthe exiting evidence about the origin ofthe soled Despotte of Epiros and about its early form and development. These new iverprecations wete mainly the work of Lien Stitmon, Bidar Ferjnti andthe te Pere Reprond-Joseph Lean, O.P-jandT have Gacempied 19 incorporate hem) inte aa ineoductory chapter ‘ecapiulatingthecutinesoftheistorvof pros Beer the ar 1205 na 1267, “The empire of Nicaea, che Byzantine government in elle in Asia ‘Mino after dhe Fourth Crusade, has been re-examined in a valuable ‘stay by Michael Angoldj and ahistory of Thessaly inthe cireeth and oareenth centuries Was published by Ferjanie 1974. But no one bas sar ewritten the history ofthe rival goserament inex in Epes td {here 8 no. substan!’ study of is survival a8 an independent ‘mination after 1261. The oly monograph carving the history of Epis from the thirteenth century tls eanques bythe Turks remains ‘harpublshed in 895 bythe Greck scholar Teunnes Romanos, ented Hixoveal Treatise om the Doprate of Epirs. Romanos, lke every Sbsequent historian of medacral Greece, relied herily on the fneycopacdic and gothcally monumental Gschclte Grcholands of ‘Karl opt, pblished ia 1867 Hop! fequenly lass sight of the wood in ‘is fl contemplation of the tees But in one respect at east e supplies information about the history of Eptve whic can no loager be ‘ther checked or challenged. For he had access ote ah los cegsters af the Angevin Kingdom of Naples, hich were destroyed in the Second ‘Work War. The kings of Naples claimed sazecaineyoFer Epios in che thirteenth and fourteenth cnturice and thelr archives wote no let lnportane than those of Venice, whose interes i pzos were of @ siferent natare ‘Among recent new editions of or commentaries upoa the teary sources forthe period from 1257 101479 special mention shouldbe made of ther of Leandros Vranousi onthe Chronclesot Firs. There ate flso helpfl commentaries on the Bet books of the History of George Pachymeres by Albert Faller; and 4 commentary, with Geman ‘ransation, on the History of Nikephoros Grepors by Jen Lous van Dieten. The Chronicle eennin, which narates the histor of hat ty for most of the last ty yeas of the fourteenth century, was calf smmperfecaynowa t Hopf and Romanos Nether new ofthe existence ofthe Chronicle ofthe Tocco family, which relates the expt of Calo ‘Toceo, Despor of Epinor in the st hal of the ent cet, abd which was edited By Giuseppe Sched ia 1975. The topography of (Preface “Thessaly aud Hells adiably laminate in de st volume of the Taba Import Bysavtin published in Vienna in 1976, and an Incspensle compendium ofthe tpogtepiy and historia! georanhy (otEpirs the third and companion volume inthe same veries, ened. ‘Nikools und Kephallo, which speared is 1981 have interpteted the word Epos ints Hera sense of the mainland” apd the word Despottem ts sri sense of the terror ruled bythe ‘Grock Despots and their successors, The history of te ofsore Fenian Tends, which were for most ofthis period under Fala ules therefore teste ony insofar at iluence tae of the tania, Likewise te Iistory of Albania, whish lay beyond the sorhera frontiers of the Despair ereated onl insofar asthe Albanians penetrated intoand osineted the original terry ofthe Despots in northern Greece Ti may please dty wo record my sincere hunks tothe Soci or Epicoie Studien in Tounnina, and particularly to its remarlable President, Constantine Phronaos, for ter genroushep und hospitality {doing two extended sojourns in Fpiros in cecentyens. My thanks are tro deo my fends and colleagues ate University of lennina who ‘orded me evry fait fr completing my work, London bax. 83Abbreviations “rhe following abbreviations ae ase Tor periodic collections of Souices ane eference works aaa faa acsalbVen aD are 4st ‘spn 8 BP BEG BHO BMGs 2NT BS. Bz. cra sue DIEE bvL obs Ep. Cheon Bp Het os) yoBo “Apowlorsd “Avihome & 'ADMGy Actas Diplomate: Alboriae media atts iusran- ta ed. L de Thalldcry,C. nee E. de Suey (Avia thane Veneta Steloram NIV et XV, 3 Yaleotni “Apne rbr Belov Archicumn Prism Proctor ‘areici StovizoIaliane “arco Stora per e Province Napoletane Byonion ‘Byrom Ferschungen Loenerers Ry Byeantina ot Prac Gracea, 2 Dibhographia Hogoeraphica Gasca 8. T. Halk Bysauine and Modern Gratk States ‘Bysonsnschenagrichisch Jabber Bysansneslvica Byzantine Zeshrft ‘Corpus Font Hiri Byoantinae ‘Corpus Seriptorion Hiterae Byventnae Sekvon “Toroparie nai "Bevohepets "Bempeiag abo: Diplomatarion Voret Levntioum, . G. M. Taomas sng R Pred "Eecmpie “Exapeiag Buiovavey Es0050v “Hapa Xpowee “Tiesipacn ‘Eovin elrbach er eterohscon Byzannisie Jobrbuch der erechichen yzaninichon “Garlichaft(MPG NH oce pup Rep RHSEE RSBN TAEE rp ™ w aRVI [Miklosch, and Maier, J, Actace Diplomat gros Imei a acre profana Migne, J.P Patoliae cous completes. Soret race-atne Niog "Ezanvowvio Ovienalia Chana Periodica Prosoporaphtches Lexan der Palilogenzett, eB. ‘Trapp eons des Boer Byaantnes, Revue bstorigue di aden eurepbon [isita di Sou Bisons ¢ Neolnich pnoraunseh vai Hout Tpmoonotets Tabs Import Byzansn, od. H. Banger Travan ot Mamoires Visantis Promo Zoormik Radova Viantoloteg Insta plo in the foueerh cent PtIntroduction “Thehistory of pitos sen independent Byzantine province inthe noth= Siem of Gresce began with the Fourth Crusade a Apell 1204 the “rvaders and ther Venesin accompliescapared Constantinople and ppoined a emperor and a patriarch oftheir own. The then turned to ‘he conquest ofthe provinces ofthe Byzantine Emplte io Burope and in [Bsa Minor. Thesalonica pasted to Boniface of Moptferaty the leader of ‘hecrusadeandfomtherehe planned and ceeted he Latin invasion of (Greece, A ruonber of Greeks joined him. Arpong them was Miche! ‘Komnene Doula a bastard som ofthe sebaotrator John Doukas and a ‘oui the Emperors lene Hand Alesos I Angeos Micha didnot Say lng in the service ofthe Latins le deserted Bonfice and croied ‘ver the mountsne to jai hie ela, the Byzantine govexmor of Art ‘Thre ie sete, married she governoe’s daoghter and became the teceped lender and protecor ofthe Greek inhabitants of Epos, pros memsthe mainland. Sorounded by secon he wes and sath any high mountains on the north and eas, Ks geography promotes a Spit of independence. At the hegnning of the thireesth centr its {dependence became a face. The rest of tbe Greek tor wes 10 be fbjected to the Latins o the French and Telian erasers and thelr Urseendans- But Epos was for + lng time to renin free from thelr oa and infuence. Michael Doulas was not without experience as & ‘provincial governor InEpiros he tok oer the Byzantine dministeation ‘hich ad beet centre’ om the city of Ama, capital ofthe there of [Nikopolis, Included in bls domain were she districis of Aitolia and ‘Akar Thespian Toaninathe prince known at OL Epis, hove inhabitant were mainly Gredk-speaking. Nev Epires lay further {Othe north and comprised te theme of Dyzrchion (Durazzo) andthe ‘never cin fhe Vie gna, the unk oad which ad for centuries Tinked the ports op the Adsase Sea with ‘Thewalonica and ‘Corstaninople; Many ofthe inhabitants of New Epirs were Altenians ‘hosp the teenth century, were beginning to form ident fable shal tit oc clans, The ollsoreisandof Cephalnis, Ihaka and ZakyaosThe Desporate of Epias (oe Zante) were under foreign rule even tefore 1206, having been spproprited by an Taian adventurer called Maio Orsini: while the ‘sland of Corts was to be eanquered by Venice in 1207 “Michael Doulas appointed himself a leader and defender of the mainland of Epson aust the Latins Itused tobe supposed tbat be eld ‘he oficial and imperil ie of Despot and was thus the founder of what Istercame to becallea the Deporte of Epis. This a lacy. None of ‘the contemporary sourecs sugges that Michael el any sch le The Venetians seem to have thought eat his Tanily name of Doulas was csuivlene tothe Latin tle of diy but chy mover edrese no Despot The leader of the other Greck resistance movement which arose in the rans ofthe Byzantine Empire after 1204 et Nias in Ase Mino, oon adopted the ile of eenperer, By 20 dong he staked his ein othe {uoae st Constantinople in anticipation of the day when the Latina ‘would be expelled. Nicsea cme tobe regarded st lest bythe eartern (Greeks, athe politica and ecclesiastical centre of theempieinexlesthe sestof the emperor and he paearch. But irs dieu or the emperors fc Nicoeatoeaforcethelrauhority over the distant and volated province Sf Epirs. There the spin of independence ouished uncheckal i ot ‘ehallenged for many year "The ongns ofthe ‘Desporate’of Epos cannot therefore be refereed ‘ack to Michael Doukas. Miche was no more than local dys, omen Hike Leo Sgouros, lord of Argos ad Corinth, or his relive ‘Mane! Kemrzes, who ha carved out his ow estate in Macedonia ‘Thestaly before 1294. The emperor historian John Cantacuzene wing any yur ater, believed rat the Grek ulersofEptovate the Fourth Cruse held mandate From the Byzanine emperurs in Nicaea Who tcrusted them with an annual command’ ofthe province * Is cerain| ‘at when Michels brother Theodore Komenos Deukas let sia ‘Minor for Epiros about 1207 he wes made wo sear am oath of alt (© the emperor st Nien Tt no fons certaia tht that emperor and ie Stem, cn du Depot ce. A pepe a eee EB “ipg ous Bs Pere, Depo Vt moms onan eae eisai Gat ands rs ogo tthe Cte eat Bilan. ns pcm Baas ae, pppoe se BN ‘Neat lipsosne eps apa eam 9p Hes B,C Beato henna econ Seam ow ps ary Pe, = ‘Mada Tasanoe Dutt ip Clr, Go), 7-200 Se Tac ng er Be. Sep OB, Gp Rois Opa A Hecaer 1 ei 93h p26 1-0 28, PE Eta Balao Wp af Gt te al ped at a ast Ineroducion etn omy pie teen of ce wr seme ope or er cee Sea cle tebe Beeson hry ee ee ee Bia mae Nant of fe enter ae onnet as pane ae aoe eee ence Nese eae cee ee ee ea Saatten a bren trostaaprcares ee be ogee Minho ssp tala cee eee arse caenoechonce Sire attend ate apace ebetacener a he ee ee cette taal ae Boe Se er San Doa de tn cee eeerE rey Soe it na cr ecuaarenerent eich eee wreactealin mea htonas ccd ser ea ee ee yeni wal re Sie nan Midaine eke Coca ute Hea a en i eee ce Caer a tae anor intoe eiat ee ee seats cats tt ee eae enn od oe cain oe Tata kins Pea a St = sleeve by wre idl Tee ning eo ea canaghecnan tote eee tar ae serie ta oe See Shh ee ata ie cane trogen aan re Ducsinlaes tans bcterocr sot Han aetna einclrarcomsy at eae et ings te ns tc Sra tam, a oD er Gorath etry merth tats gece spel aki aac Be i Tce ane er Oats, Beetle Fae crea ee OP ee Epica Eocorte op recension Sonor emaring Ne tae aThe DesptateofEpites (or Zante) were under foregn rule even before 1204, having been ppropested by an Talan adventurer called Malo Orsini; while the ‘land of Cocts watt be conquered by Venice i 1207 ‘Michael Doskar appoint himself a leer and defender of the rmsinland of Epos gana he Latins Itgreo besuppore hat be held the oficial and imperial ls of Despot and was thus the founder of what Inter came toe called he Despotate of Epes. Thissa flay, None of the contemporary sources suggests tht Michael held any such tile, The ‘Venetians sum to have thought ttt hit family name of Doulas wan equivalent to the Latin tile of dx, but they never adesed hin Despot! The leader ofthe oer Greek esistance movement Wai aos inthe ruin of te Byznsine Empireater 1204 a Niacin Asia Minor, ‘90m edepted the tie of emperor. By 9 doing he stake his ai othe throne at Constantinople in anticipation of the day when the Latins ‘would be expelled. Nicaca came o be segaded a least By the exter (Gros, athe poliea and oclesiastieal centre ofthe empire ine, the seatof theempecor and the pararch, Butt was dieu fo the emperors st Nieseatoenfore shel authriy over the dstantand isolated province [of Rpiros. There the spirit of independence ourished unchecked if not ‘unchallenged for many yeas. "Tae origins of the Despotate of Epos cannot sherefore be refereed tack to Micha! Doak. Michael was no more than Leal dass, omens ike Leo Spots lord of Argo and Corinth, or his reve ‘Manvel Kemzes, who aa carved out his own esatein Macedonia sd ‘Thestly blore 12. Th emperor historian John Cantacuzene, wing spany seat ster, belived that the Grek rulersof Epos ate the Fourth (Crate Held a mandate um the Byzacine emperors in Nicaea who caurusted them wih “annual command’ af the province * Tis cen ‘hat when Michael's brotner Theodore Komnenos Doula let Ass “Minor for Episos about £207 he was made seas an oath of fyalty <0 the emperor at Ncoen? Tt lw certain that that emperor and is ‘Mid! ua Tato Dani Cony 50 9), 7-0 say si ee Rate tmp Mir VoL Seopa CSHB 8-3, ery pam a ae Coe * Gap Rapa Spr Anabel 9h 9.26 1 2-28, "PS" Benes Mca crs oe pend td 2 Irevodion snes ely ted ns pi secs oreo eat hn cer Seated tat bee Seen echoes Se ene ee enone Bein aes Saag sre Peseta co maane Sid see cy ome ear TN tac a SEE Se ca la temies o SESE Siete ace recgeple ane ewan mms eerie Peete sr tye sic eo Sc coe apni oneal ‘hich sno hi Ba cv ae ne go hears Dapr Sifu ereinson oat anes ec hin lee tocar neers ‘i itt Biceps etn et Snir ican ain Das Oe ae SED aa Sun cero Gu Soest eat craic Sores thei er ee Senay ae yeaa es ‘Boop wit Soe mete ee et ole BELO umS SNe cto Sek oct os layover ming he cer fate inaraicatoannenparvancee ‘Ser i ge ie ean an oe te rei cinthtananeee ane tnd so/Seilac eae rhe tea ance hs ieSihgiammet Dusen dinero Bane ASST Sama ese gee ee ee Zee 2 ais “DUT FS Sin «tyre Cami 3 ‘Eyre i ey crs il tran rt Ths oe ‘ioe Nth no eg nda be ace the ce cen at ‘EC Mus of Bp, nd anh Tso mend of Ge oper ‘Boststosnd tebe eel Rote Reds cee eas, io oon arora Bp. Choy aH GHD, es aThe Desptat of Epioe 1210 Michael Doulas persuaded them that he could save them the Iroble by contenting to gover Epiros se thei agent and in thir Imeress, He became, or petendet to become, the vasa of Venice. He ‘made simular agreements With the crusades who had ocupied Thesaly [Nor without reson di the Latins come to regard Mictue! Doukas 35 ‘heir meet prfious enemy. Within few years he had broken all is sgrcements His amy invaded Thessaly, ecapering Larissa and other Peet, He then stacked Durzzo and Corts, both of which he had recovered from the Vensians by 1214. When he ded probably carly {rp ita fact that he wae mater ofllthe hand ros Neupakte inthe south to Dussizo in the nor. Bate also controled a large part of ‘Thesaly;and, while Arta emuined his capstay he bad transformed the «ity of Teaming into «second entre of amination snd defence Eploo “Michael vax succended by his hal-beosher Theodore Komnenos| Doulas. Theodore was not content 10 be gover of « Byzantine province owing a nomial aleiance 1 an emperor in faraway Nieae, Hin ambition seas to make Epiror base forthe reconguent om the [Latins ist ot Thesslonica end then of Constantinople tel 1217 be ‘nade his ame more widely known by ambushing and capueing the newiy appointed Latin emperor of Constansnople, Peter of Courensy, ‘shoud esl tterapeed to reach his capita by the overland route fom the est Then, ina bilne series of military campaian, ‘Theodore ‘ove the emining Latins cut of Thesaly and beat beck the Bulgarians ‘who ind oerupied waters Macedonia. His amis encircled abd lid Sege to Taesnonics. Under Theodore the state of Epic became 2 ‘serious val wo the Empire of Niaes, He proclaimed its independence in ‘clesistial a+ well as political ais and he was strongly supported by {he fica of church and stare whom he appointed without reference t0 ‘the emperor and the patriarch in Nien. The climax of his achievements tame in December 1234 when bis oops entered Thostlonca. Soon ‘Mtereards, perhaps in 1227. he was crowned emperor ofthe Rerpans by ‘he autocephalousarcishop of Ochrid, Demetrios Chomasanos. A second Byzantine Empire in ele had bea created" “The pen of in nn ee po nd Ni wa cel (RB. Rarus Tie Ens Conc toute Ka ose ‘Bop et re-rann Tsay th Settee Eeseluoo fui Bey Uonere Stes mt aes [en Ariots on Metapen oe Newpaes e Aatiea BN. a PIS, (pamecumes de Toe Bra a fF Cag min de at Inroducion Ix sas a short-lived creation, but while i sted the Empire of “Thestlance exended from Duretzot Adriaople, fom Ochre the Gulf Coin In Maze 1239, when bev within sehing distance of (Coestansinople; Tacodore unwsly turned aside to invade Bulgari, At “Klolotien on the Maria rverhe wns defeated ad taken prisoar by he ‘Bulgarian tats Jon Ason, who followed up his wctory by pouring romps jnto Macedonia and New Epirs. Thessionice war lowed to remain Gresk under the rae of Theodore’ brather Manuel, who coninued 0 {all binseif emperor, Bur the empire which he governed was much ‘ede in ize and dependent for ie eureval on the pool of he Bulgarien war? “The abrspt cllpss of Thcodre's empire demonstrated how faplea ssruceare rs, ute ft that tha been crest and the ope that st ‘ould be revived fired the imagination of the Geeks of Epis for many yeas to come, Theodore consved wo reuen fo Thesslon in 1237, though not ae emperor, He had been blinded during hie expt Bulgar, Heejctd bis brother Manuel snd declared his oom on John to beemperor inhi place. Thodore’s humiliation came the end not Fra Bulgaria, where John Asen ded in 124, tut from Nise, In 1242 the ‘emperor of Nicaea, John Vettes, marched on Thesaonic and freed Jo to reaounce his imperil tle and to accept te lessee dignity of Despot. Four seus Iter Vatatzes took Joba's brother and reluctant sucessor Demetios nto capiviy. Thestalonica and it surroundings ‘terenow anneeed to the empire red from Nicaea under the commana ‘fe military governor sppointed rom there. Thre was no longer eal trsperce a8 European sll "The rivalry becwoan the Grecks of Nite and the Greeks of Epis hat ot however, been extinguished. After Theodor’ defeat in 1230 ls fephew Michal I, son ofthe first Michse! Dosa, had come tack to [Area to enim hie Reriage- He ha been eld whea his father dis ane Ietad maried Tenders ofthe rly of Ptaliphs, who was ate tobe fevered us Saat Theodora of Arta. The Life of St Theodor, weten 0 the hire century, ts ac of wha Koowa abou the ees caresr fof her hosband* Michee! Komaenos Angelos Doulas has more elsim ee 1 ne ora heen ad A a) ‘Re aie acre o Feaece eae Aa yan este (ou sy way Be Re Seen," xy hn Sea dpa to pn oh on ‘5 Fey “Sahil Cr Nanelo Aawwe Gngovigh (The Theselcian Enger «Hepa Sa i Bt tan porThe DesptateofEpitot than ther ifthe rhs uncle to be called the founder af what cameo bekaown asthe Despotae of Epica. By 246, when Thessalonics was Sally incorporated into the Fimpiteof Nica, the people of Epics and ‘of much of Thessaly had come to acknoedge hi a thet rae He ‘began to see himself a ei tothe peril i in Eure, is ambition ss encouraged by his uncle Theodore, who had retired ois ale at \Vodens in western Macedonia, where lay the frontier between the ‘eritores of Eire and those of the Empine of Nice In 1351 Michie] TT cried afte o eros that frie. He was obliged to make peace withthe Emperor John Vataes, whonow removedthe elderly Tendore from the sene of his are ramphs and tok hm ay tend ie dys 488 prisanee io Asia Minor ‘The peace bevween the rival Greek sates was tobe confirmed bythe imarvuge of the emperor's granddaughter Maria to. Michae!s von [ikephows. At ihe same time both fer and son were honoured with the tle of Despor grails beste on thet bythe emperor The act ‘vis calculated 0 define thee state of subservience to hie ator. The ‘marrage of Nikephoros othe princess Maia of Nicaea eas led ul 1256, two years after the dest of John Vatatss and the accession of ‘Theodore TY Laskar. Te brought aot peace but war- For Laskaris Imposed certain condions onthe vetlment whic the Despite] ‘ought to be dishonourable and unaceptable. In zevenge he took t ‘stm ncting the Altenins to help him dive ou the imperial pesoas Irom the tas of Macedonia His ntl succes napred him eo ope ‘hate too might ad Thetalnies to ie dominions and reste heal empire “The history of Epiros was, however, o be permanently acted by an vent hat eearted in 1257. In chat year Manired of Hoenn, Yon ‘tthe Emperor Frederic laf Sicily sent an armada acto th se Italy and occupied a ange stretch of the cost of Albania tnd New piros!* Duzezo fll to him aswell asthe ports of Valona snd Karina ‘nd the inland forest of Brat. Before long he sie he nnd of (Gort. These had been prize posesions ofthe rulers of Epos. The Despot Michal had ben taen by surprise: But he ound a wis toot FETs coments ented etgbe e eter te paraory SE Pea ares we Src oer ae nee en aerate Seebren eran ae oma cae eae SG Cast est ai ea 6 Iron is losses while at the Same time winning a powerful aly i his conic. tt the Empice of Nicaea He ore hs daughter Helena mariage © King Manfred. Since her dows was to consist of most ofthe places in pire which he had aleudy occupied, Manfred was pleased oaecepethe offer. This unexpceted development established a lnk between Epos fd the south of aly which was never thereafter tobe broken unt he ‘Turkish conquest inthe fifteenth century. Michie] won the suppor of nother foreignally fa te peron of Willam of Vileardouin the French pincecf Acta, to whom he pave his second daughter Anna nmareiage ‘ih the help of Manfed of Sicily ana William of Achaiy Michael fl, atident ogo 0 war with the emperor of Nicaea fo the possession of ‘Thessslonica and then perhaps of Constantinople, The long rvaey tetweun the Gross of Eros andthe Greeks of Ncrea was nove tobe fought out on the Bld of bate "Thode 1 Laskar, emperor at Nica dein August 1258 leaving Safe son, Jobn TV. He was succeoded fst as tegen an then as tenperor by Michael Palailogos, nown as Michael VII. Ie was he who ‘ssembledthearmy, under the command his brther John Pazilog, ‘Bac was to go the defence of Thetalnies again the Despot Michal of Tpnos and his frean ais. ‘The bar hat was to detsrine he faut of Epos of Nese an ultimately of Constantinople and the Byzantine ‘Empire Was fought at Pelagonia in Macedonia inthe summer of 1259. ‘The grand allance on which Michael IThad pied his hopes broke up cron before the fighting. Began. Michael und his son’ Nikephoros ‘camped by night His egiimate son John Doukas deserted tothe ‘remy; and Willa of Vllchardou andthe carary that Mane ba sent were cus ofan captured, The army of Nicara then invaded Epos ‘4 Thessaly. The Despot Michel wes chased fom Arta‘ Venitsa and ‘ook refuge onthe island of Cephalonia wth the Orsini fami, 0 whom Ihe was related, Arta Jonnina and other towns in Epiros asf north Durazzo were occupsd by gartisns of roops frm Nice looked as if the days of Epizote independence Were ove. "The bate of Pelagonia was the prelude wo the reconquest of ‘Constantinople fom the Latins July 1261 «sal force from Nicos, Jed by Alexos Stategopoule wo ha fought tha atl nteres the ley almost by chance. Te Latin emperor and his Venetian ends Ded fod in August Michel Palilogos took up residence in Constantinople sremperorof the restored Byzantine Empire By then, however, Micha! ‘of Epos had aed, Head sled bac rom hisislnd efugetoVonise fd rom there fought his way into his capital at Arta. His son John had ‘repented and coined him with an army of Vacs fom Thestaly. His est son, Nikephoros had been eo. aly and. retuned wih ‘einforcments supplied by Manfred. The soldiers of Michael VIII who‘The Despoat of Bpiros Ind occupied Epos were few in number and quickly dispersed. The { Sahubiant of Ara und Toznnina welcomed the reutn of thls Despot. || They made it abundendly clea that they would athe: be governed by | thee ative rulers than be incorporated a provincia igo the revved Byeantine Empire ‘Afer the recovery of Coastansnople in 226%, Michae! of Epiros ‘bstnatlyrefesed to admit deft orto recoite the new emperor's jurisdiction over his ervtory, He rose tothe attack egin before the ear ‘vas out He had the loyalty of hs people and he hed the support of ‘Manfred of Sicily, who a ost his oyereas posession of Durazzo and ‘erat, Alexios Sttaegopoulos sent out from Constantinople with 4 farms, was defeated, ttken prisoner and shipped a «hostage to Kal, [Michae's pious wife Theodor red to restrain her husbae. She went ‘mission of peace to che emperor and handed him her yourg3o0 Jon fsa sccuriy. Bur Michael repeatedly thwarted her eft. fn 1362 end ‘gain in 1263 che emperor's brother, John Paailogos, the victor st Pelagoniacame west enforce submission ofthe antuly Despot Bat sven John was realed eo take command in Asa Minor, Michel I ‘once broke the peace that had Been forced pon hit “The emperor then seolved to deal withthe mater in person end arched to Thessloica a the head fs lrge army. In the rmer of £269 Michoe was ehasened ino acceping and signing a more fora and solemn rey, His son Nikepores, whose fist wile nd did, was ‘matey the emperor's niece, Anna Palajoloina. At uneasy pea as hus ‘tabled between Epiros and Byzaium. Esry in 136s he caper sethismice with an escort to Epis, where her marriage to Nikep ros {ook place in te sre Fear. Nakeporos wat ivited fo Constantinople sn here the emperor contre hi right to the tide and rank of Despot before sending him home lade with sf." His fther Michel I, the frst Despor in Epiro, dle some to yee later, adhe ded t peace With the new regime in Byzancam againt which be had ‘busht 80 bitery, His new dauphter in-law, Anta Palologine, Moped that the peace woul noc be disturbed. As Basia of Epite, wie ofthe Despor \ikephoros, Ans was o play a orinant role in ites for ney all ‘century, She tok her cue fom he suey mother-in-law Theodora of At, by tempering the aggresive insets ofthe male msmber ofthe family ino which she had rsa, “7 oe ea he ey A Fa, he ‘Gouge Pym Dr Hehe Paw od Bee (CSHB go a3, Ciena toed pa Pt, De Meh al: Nap Gree Sys Flea Slopes SHB, sso ees tata I The restored Despotate ~ 1267-85 ‘The Despot Michael, the fist of the rulers of Epiros to be 40 esignsted, died ate in 1257 or early in 1368" He lett thee sont, Nikephoros, John and Demetsos. Toba was in Cansansnople, where had ben aken asa hostage in 1261. Head maried dager ‘ofthe ebatoeator Constantine Terskis a token farther pat inthe ‘atirs of Epirus. Demetrios wa is boy* Michels principal ie was his eldest son Nikepboros who had aleady been ereteds Despot. Bute bat aio to shink ois legiinat son Joba Doulas, who ad more han expla hib teeachery at Pelagonin before reining to his castle at [Neopatrs in southern Thessly, The bastard Jan woald neha taken Kindly co being ignored inthe apportionment of his fther's est In his wil herfore Michel I, whom Gregor describes ‘ale of pices and Thessaly’ divided his dominions beeen fit ewo son, Nikephoros and John. The dvsion recognised the fc that Epis ead “Thestaly were ii many ways separate geographical ents cu ff from ‘ach other ty the Pindos mountains. Gregora gives the fullest aczount of ‘the mater, even shough he expresses himself im pedenticalyazchale ‘Gresk terms. John Doulas inherited that part of northern and cera {Gresce whch comprised the countey ofthe Plasgias and Pbitans, "Tyee tos eh ca termine nce bv cece beget “yom og eh See Naame, Soc gon Wee ‘ai 8 Arg © Romy ena, DIGEaty eb gay eae xatle wn Dae Medel Mops (Queer Dee el nee e Ger Pome, Fa eat sayeees SS St ‘Pun Be Mh Pay eat 24h 26 i o7-8 COSMIC. 95% 2B ‘SFhime rae ace The Rows ach Be sk rah aes fe sy Pranmpape End ys ep td ok Serhan reaThe Despoat of Epis ‘he Thesslansand Orolian Lokiansa district boundedon the north by “Mount Olympos and on the south by Mount Parassos. Nikepharos recived tha part of north-western Greece known as Old Epiros. Te Include thelande of the Tesprosians, Akaraanians and Dolopetyas well 1 thetalands of Keskya (Corfu), Kepllense (Cephalonia) and That, torus bounded on she west bythe Adtiatc an Tonan ses, on the north ‘bythe mountains knowns Pydnosand Alsaerauaion, on theca by the titer Aebeloos, and onthe south by Cart and Cephalonia” ‘Gregor carcfulto dene the new Despor'sterstry ax Olé Epiror, the dntriet covering the former Theme of Niopelis, extending fort Tannin inthe north to Naupakosin the south, we is capalat Ara. New Eizo, the coutey the north of the Akokeraunian promontory fad the ba of Valona (Avlona) included in the former ‘Theme of Dyrzachion, was ao longer within the Despoate. Ithadbee occupied by ‘he Byzantine ary ater the bate of Pelagoia. The Emperor Michael \VIT in is called Autobiography claimed tat his troops had overran luo, oth the one and ehe other a8 ell ak pur of Tray and hac ‘dvaiced a fos Duran * Miche! I had ese in expelling tara fiom Old Epos. But when be did they were sll in contol at last of Durazzo, ‘Nikeporos therfore inherited a dominion which oul! hardly be compared in tlze oF prestige with tht onc rule by his preatunele “Thence. Bvt was Of manageable proportions and Nikepores ile tohis or devices might have Been content a Pachymeres says he Wy tolivearpeace with bisneghbors He wes connected with mot of Urs bbymarniage One cf his ster had eri the French prince of Achaity Wiliam of Vileharouin, whose principality lay across the water fm [Naupaktos. Another sister eleng, bad become the wifeand was by 1267 ‘he widow of Mantes of Sic. His own wife, the Boafine Anna whom het marie in 1365, war «nice ofthe Emperor Micheel VI who fad coals is sight wo the tele of Despot Niephoros had the Desting of Byzantium and the support of hs frends in Tay whose ‘oon possessions on the coast of New Epos, aquired though the ‘narrage of Helens Manfred, be a the good sense not to coatst. His fal-bother Joba Doulas om the other hand wes ft fom content with ‘he litle ream in Theva which be hd inherited. Theemperor was able {0 peiy him ora while by binging im into the imperial amily. Joba's sre 4p 8 Grom hn 9 ie eh tag SR a ss os, “DiC Ra rh is aan te. Oumenunat tan ‘The ratored Depoare daughter wat marred to 2 nephew of Michie! VIT1, Andronkos “Taresaneoters and Joba hielo Beld no ote, was armed lutasohraor and so given an’ honoured place in. the Byuanine ‘coablsment For som years thereafter there as peace between Epizos and the restored Byzantine Empire. The emperst hoped that in due course it ‘ers and is people would forget their obstinate claim to inéependence fod return wo the imperial fold as subjects of the government in CConasantinnple, His niece, the hasilier Anna, whom he ha given ia marrage tothe Desps Nikephoros might be relied upon oinunce et Inusbana inthis drecon. Anna Palsiologins was che thie daughter of Jon Cantacuzene and Eieneo Eulogia Michael VIP's favourite ste She was devoted to the interests of er family in Constantinople and losked for ways of reconciling them with those of her husband in Epizos* [eas doubtless thanks oer that Niephoros remained foro lang a peace His widowed mother, she saintly Theodora, had retire! tothe ‘Convent which she sd founded in Arta and renounotdthe thing of thie ‘ror She too hadi tobe wn agent of peace aa reconciinin. Her ‘lace was now tobe taken by Anna who fOr the next Ory eas, Was to {xerlae a dominating end often soothing atuencs on the airy of [Epios. But it was ot eat for her wo undermine the long aditon of Independent sovereignty ip the Despotte of which het hasband was the symbol and the heir ‘The Episotes, who had become acastomed £9 ‘managing theirow abr, were aot yer disposed wo Siling down asthe subjets of an emperor in faraway Constantinople ‘Both they andthe emperor, however, were soon fo be made aware ‘that Epon layin the path ofthe moet ambitions and determined enemy ofthe restored Byzantine Empires hares of Anjou, Charles, the brother (of King Louis [Xf France, had emerged es the pope'schampion aginst, the Hohentnfen Manired of Sil. In Februnry 1266 he deleted ‘Manfred inate at Benevento an became effectively kingof Naples end Sey. Manfed's widow Helena, the user of Nikephors of Epos, was condemned o spend te rer of her young ifeas a prisoner. Two jours Inte, atthe bute of Tapiacosan, Chales of Anjoo compesed. is telumpl in Tal by dsposessing the las ofthe els to Mae's til ach De Mad Pale 6 tp al AB, 8 (96 64.8 Fen oe» Uf XIV cb Bley an te at Se ‘Seo ee! 2803p ee BLM Nil Ph nome Fay of Korat Catone. 100-1 ‘Burhans as Stn Waagus, Be ge) pt SSUES Leas house de Mb ete, ok 0 ete nore ‘Set Jobsite ne Ucoun Xp Hap rp SH LeThe Desprat of Epiter Even before hat event however he id openly proclaimed his inten tomountscampsignorasrusadeforthe reeoveryofCanstantinopl fas {he Greeks. In May 1267, inthe palace of Pape Clement IV at Viesbo, ‘eeaty was drawn up between the paris interested in hi projec. They sere the eed Latin Emperor Bulawin I; the princeof Acais, Wii of Vilehardouin; and Charles himsel twas agreed that Villeherouin Should acknowledge the suzrainty of the house of Anjou over Als ‘riniplity, on condition that his daughter Isabelle married Cherle's fon Phiip; and that Baldwin should eede to Chaves his rights over ‘Achainand over the possessions ofthe ate Manfted in Epros and Cort, ‘awin'seward wart eno esr than hs own enstatement as ermperoe 4 Constantinople within st years “The pst of the testy lating to Epizos as signed on 27 May 125. Baldwin made over to Chaves ‘all the terry which Michacicios (Michael ID the Despt bad granted... either as dowry or by any other title to his daughter Helena, widow of the late Maneed Prince of “Taranto, and which the stme Manet and te late Philip China, bis ‘admiral inthe sid Kingdom, had held es long. they lived” The Teary (oF Vitec thus afirmed thatthe dowry which Helena brought © ‘Mania atthe sco thir marrage sn 1239 now belonged to Manes etl by $a, Te Sion Vagrant, 9) sD Se A ri tales ater eres ‘Sie Bete tuo Tana Ramee oe oe Geisha ec enero beoies Sarioes Remaael all et Gta ie ecbe econ Serer hal Se Rig eae eter SETS Sete eee see tae brine ase BSE uh eee Retr et Urbs esc kdl Sai Vdece grey arte et etait rn Sd ect at eee teeter ede Tete te ome euch Fea nb tab aah canes Tegan rc a ta ti fotos KM Sen Fu Pap ote one aN Te Pah oad Hel ct aan oe in cat aie ah ca a i Stara Pee hm a arene Fone eee ia gat hn weer oe ‘Hernan tno hp. carer eae B es Ce, 1954p. 104, 8. Borsa La pla bist Carle E i ho The rtd Deptate conqueror, Charles of Anjou. The orginal exten of that dowry has een the subject of much discussion. It ad erainly icles the harbor of ‘ala and the nesby castle of Kenn, ap well the sland of Cort which’ Manfred ad assigned 10 his admiral Philip Chinurdo (oe China}. Some sy that iad alo included Durazao inthe north and ‘Bueno (Boutheo0s in the south® But the ine of Manfred death fp 12g6 bir oversea terrors had been reduced to mite modest ‘mension. The city of Durazzo had been occupa by the amy of ‘Michael VITT after the butte of Pelagons in 1339. A Greck bishop, Nitetas of Thesslonie, had been appointed to the ee by the pater ‘forthe end of 1260;und Durazzo seems to have remained in Byzantine Jans une 3275 "Fanher to the south in New Epitos, however, Philip Chinardo stayed ‘nas regent over Manes terntorcs with his eadguarters st Kanins, stubborly ignoring the fact thatthe Kingdom of Nepes was under new ‘management after 1265; while thee of hissons held tse land ferressaf Bera. In th ast years his fe the Despot Michael I of Epis tied 0 tum shi station oh ow advantage He arranged ¢ tement with CGhinardo of the Kind thit he had eater ertenged with Matted. ‘Chinando married sinter of Michaels wife Theodor, a widowed lady ‘witha corm past. Hes dowey was declared tobe thease af Kanna and the idnd of Corfu, But the wedding Was haraly over when Micha ‘contrived o have Chinardo ambushed and who own by arsasin. Tis {ul deed is eleciystrbuted to. Michael IT and not so his son [ikephores.Temusthave heen pepetetein 126608 exly 1267, ence "gamete erties ert! ereiee ionicity apg i Sto ema tamemee eer eeniry ia pee ican Sere ace Sines See ee decmeaaee Fratton art hcaeremerencen Bega reer tee ‘prc inag Vac Kana Char Soper and Hm Ser yn Hep Nt depp ty tastes gers eee pers ee at ei i hp 3 Kei Beds SRASPSE ep tty elcanpeanes cps al tons cred iin ilps tie te ww ts compu eae st ep, tend ster theta of apse C2 Fale RED, 3-9 aPhe Desotaeof Epis CChinardo i fered to as deceased in the Treaty of Viterbo ia May ee By contiving the mareage and then the murder of Pili China, [Michael no doubt Roped to a bck at leat some af the pees New plros chat had been appropriated by the ate Manired. To some extent he ess succes Forsome years afer 1267 hisson and heir Nikephoros ‘ems to ve coaioled dhe cosine south of the bay of Valona aed with [ethenarbour of Butrint and other towns. But thove whom Manfred ad sppossed to hold Valons, Kanna and Bera refused either to surrender tort admit that Caries of Anjou was now thes ford. Valons held ovt fninee him wader i= castelan, Jacques of Baligny Jacopo de alsgnans), who had beens loyal servant of Philip Chard. Carles realinted by arzeting his brother. But oot und 1274 was Jreques persuaded to mbmit. He wat granted some land in Tals and another French goveenor, Henry of Courele, was sent tke command of ‘Valooa tad Kania, Best lie resisted the new rege nde the three sont ofthe late Chiourdo; nd ia Corfu although an Angevin captain general was appoinesd as early as January 1367, it as not uti 1272 that Charles of Anjou was fallin contol. “His plan was tourist Constantinople by ind eadinghisarmy slong she ancien Via Egnatia which ran across she Mountains to Thesslnica by mayof Rest, Ochrida and Vodena (Ede) Ir was he route followed by his Norman predecessoes in Tay in the eleventh and cwelth sencris. In 1385 the Normans had got a fa as Thesslonica. 1 Suet aces fom the sea wes commanded by the esl of Vain, [elo which ny large bay spd hatour sheltered trom al but the north svinds. Ts norheryasces was dhrough the por of Durazzo." Twas & "Fh De MiP pst. Tero of Mt nom ee ital cs Sein, eon oe Spur cad ie slices Cami Chat wcn Thee If Laver hd poe ‘Sesune of Altnn tah Grog hua utr A Habre ‘Eamon tpt Se ore oy a fe a me nsec pues eaten eben Se fae une a se) Soest ope aa i oa al Foy Rey “Aah Raven of vee Tsten (os Lie ‘tre Here en Hong, ste pa ag A ‘He Seen Si grey mona Nn gh Bocei aFyu msn eames Dare Pa eX ‘Sewn hana Gun fata inn sti PPO ober papa fh of porn Aan eel Pe ‘lol Ripa, When ot) (oe cer Suma Koel The razed Deporte wll fori city and it seemed untkely thet Charles could capare it ‘Hor is Byzaatneguvson, But in March 1271 Durazzo was suck by a devastating eathguake. The city Was completly dentroyed exept for scropolis. The survivors, among thom the Greck bishop Nike, fled, Jewving the ruins to be phundered and occupied bythe Albanians sho lived in the neighbourhood. The Byzantine army bad abandoned ican Dian wae defencelen* “The Albanian squaters inthe ruins made comact with the agents of (Churlesat Kanion elore long he Was incontalol Durazzo andad won ‘he support ofthe local Albanians. I February 1272 he signed formal ‘went with hem and wes proclaimed kingof Albania by common consent ‘ofthe ‘shops, counts, barons sors and cizens’ He guaranteed 10 protect them from thei enemies and to honour all the pledges and Davleges accorded to them by Byzantine emperers in times past AS Weargenerl of his new Kingdom of Afbania Charts appointed azo {Chinaro, brother ofthe late Philip; though be was replaced by a French spverner, Anselm of Chas, in 1273. A Latin arcishop of Dureza ‘eas installed by September 1272. The enthquake must have dsrupced ‘thecommercal fen testy. The Venetia, wh had Been aestntonied to doing business there, insrscet hei merchant n Bypar it and 0 sake fr Aa instead. Bu its acropolis was tat and its harbour wes ‘be NH, Th sr in rnin hy ode Seen Be Bil et a eR spas Sa WROTE MCR ngm rai win 8 Them dots Soccer dll ea ea eas Eich came doee eu otie oR irc? ‘lation i igen hea SESE ot cases wi heck nek ietiecrse hates ra Sg ee mae SoReal oes eRe a Maecenas Sie a ‘Terthecrme ufos an cone gee a ‘Ro ses Sesh SEGRE PEELS ibSepephaele te tcyene etr SURI na aaa ata a ached a nti leis Ri See ne ee ee its Seto tem gn ERM en ete oN ‘Serie uta ts Snag. aoe el sree Bar hg 03 SER iS ten ds dns Vine Raman Da Tipe neat ps Nec 15The DopotaceofEpinot Diaranzo was tobe one of Charles's sin bases for iscampeign spainat CConstaminople. Threughout the years 1272 and 1273 4 sees af documents emanating ffom the Kingtom af Nepes tetiies to the building up of huge stocks of arms, provisions and money in Albani specially Durazzo and Vala. Angevin oops pence inland af {ar as Berat, where Gazo Chinardo founded up his three rebellious nephews and seat them es psoners to Train Apulia Atte same tie “Supplies were being shippet the Mores forthe prince of Acie to be involved in the gree cotepise. ‘The Emperor Michael VII ia ‘Constancinople was Serious alismed. In 1272 he wrote othe leading “Albanians of Durazzo and Bera urging tiem o renounce thee legance 'o Ghares o Anjou and his captain Chinstdo, The Albanians passed the [ewes onto Charles who thanked them for tzicloyalty ane warned them sgunat tho decital machinations of the ‘Gresk emperor" The “Albanians were unpredictable alls, however. Many of them bad oped forthe Roman Catholicfathand were dus well disposed obey aking se plous ss Charles of Anjou. Some of them fet more any mith the (Greeks than withthe Latins. But most fhe: would preferto en thoi independence. The Emperor Michod's main hope of detering Charles ly in his negotiations with the papacy Ini view the pope was the oa authoaty Abeto impose moral restraint on Charles, o sanction rt forbids oly ver forthe stration of che Latin Empire of Constantinople I the pope ould be convinced hat the Greeks were read tel the whim between the Catholic an Orthodox Churcher and profs thei edience othe Sce of Rome then he would withieaw is suppor fom the eaite planned at Vitero in 1267. The negations were longs incanclusive Una in September 1272, Gregory X mas lest pope, Gregory took the emperor's proposals and promises svously and insted him to comeor 0 ‘send deegnter 0 Cau ofthe Church tobe eld at Lyons in 1. ‘There the Byzantine Christians could confess the exor oftheir wavs, scknowlalge he primacy of Rome and be welcomed backinto ef! of the Church universal. They and ther emperor would thea be assured of the pope's protection again! their enemics. Michael VILL could we 20 cam paar tnt oh pant 88 Ge Bsr EN ate tod Cate? dito 1rpe Sapa bh. “rin maha F Dols agi ar Kura i cen fete iT ea tn angi pr a py Bey HE NS a ee pects tne ee eed 6 The rcred Despotate other way our of his dilemma. He wa frail ha his army warn strong ‘zough to bert back a determined invader from the mest. Charles of ‘Anjou was already hry entrenched in Albania ad nthe Morea din lance wih the rules of Seri and Bulgaria. Only by doing what the pope asked of them could he Byzantines seve thamselve form a Fepeiton ofthe Fourth Crusade "This clear-cut view ofthe ateratives before them was not shared by the majosty of the emperor's subject. The elegy and the make ia ‘irticlar were loud in their condemnation of the dea of on with, ‘Rome, atleast an Rome's tems. None the lees # small delegation of ‘bshopeand lymenwasintheend tent tothe pope’scounil atl sone and there, im July 1274, the reunion of the Churches of Rome and CConstaminople war declared t have been accomplished, The peor had his reward, The pope instructed Chats of Anjou fo pospode his prepartins. Once the news of the union of Lyons reached Constantinople, however, shee was upras. The emperor sean found ‘hat he could aot impose is will on his church and pepls, To convince fhe pope thet he was doing his est to enforce the union he tok 10 persectting and imprisoning its opponents No alo shem were priest snd monks. They included several members of his own fal. Michael ‘VHT ad aiwaye had is poisel enemies He had sfer al usurped the tivone trom the last ofthe dynasty of Lasars to whom many were sil devoted. ‘The union of Lyonr and its aftermath faled © unite CCarstendom; batitsucceeda in uniting all he iparate cement ofthe opposition the Emperor Michal VII ‘Refuges from his persecatian made chee way co chose prt of the Byzantine werld where the emperor's word was an a tO Epos, 10 ‘Thessaly and to Trebizond. His own sister Fiene, who fad in her widowhood become 8 aun with the name Bulogiy actively encouraged her friends in the church to prepare and disseminate ani-enionst Tteratare and propaganda, She was put in peison and so, ike maay others, beaame mart forthe Othodex faith Thee of her remarible sduughters flowed ier example. Theodore Raculaina, here «recent, ‘widow, ss alo imprisoned. Mana, wile of the tar of Bulgaria (Constantine Tich, wl her influence a orign agent the oppoiton irene’ third daughter us the Fass Anna, wife of the Despet \ikephoros of Epos. er instinct na been to work for peace Dewees [pres and Constantinople. But she could notin conseience agree with she emperor's poly an she was oreid athe way in which he ad treated he mother. The union of Lyons gave co Nikephoros and wo his ha-brothe Join in Thessaly the opportunity topos as champs and defenders of te true Orthodox fath Had not they and tei aceon, when feo face wih he hereeal Latins in Grees, fought 2 phold theThe Despotat of Bpiros uri of cath which the Emperor Mise ad now betrayed? They ‘welsmed the refuges fom the capital with open ems and they elt fee te josie in making fiends with any foreign powers willing and able fo heip in overshroming the impiowy, Latinopite rere of Michael vu ‘The emperors no aso hy is egotations withthe pope shoul preven him from defending his ewn frontiers. Inte sing of 1274 he fendered bis western commander to atace the bees that Charles of ‘Anjou had enabled in Albnis, Beret was recaptured and became the espoin isthe Byzantine counter-offensive®” Miiel VII new et CChares's ands were tied not only ty the mocicerium which Pope Gregory ha uk on his cies but alo by troubeia is own ington in aly. Becwoun 1274 and 1276 there was constant fighting in Albania sand New Epiros; and the Byzantine fet eagety assed by Greek ot Genoese pate ships, made communiccans between Tuly and the ‘maining increaigly dificult.” Dusaozo and Vala, though bacd pressed, remained under Angevin contra, as did Cort and the ‘Albaniao fortes of Koi nthe mountains the north-art cf Dursz20 ‘coms to bave sided with Charles f Anju atleast fram 12772 But the ‘harbour of Butrinto was taken over by the Byzantine army. Butcnt ay (a the mainlnd opposite the northem up of Car wel tthe south of ‘Vala an probably ell within the frontiers of Old Fpl, which the Despot Nikephoros considered to be ht own dozsin.» ‘When Byzantine tonps entered Buirina it was ther fis incsron Jno the Despotate of Epics. Nkephoros needed no further persusion > Cen Ira aan Pty sles 293 zgmas ay ASL, $e infancy yh noe commenter of eee Spon toe Gabeaar one Sais wer 1. FFs ec Monty Crd Ser ont ont Sng epeVne (Vm 9 Se Se a gmt retary pene “Reshecmpi ihn paar Golo po fem pan uit me ve Sste my ang Bu fs ‘a's yma pens ar es hy vay, wen Bots ea ‘pean pea tenrescomente by 2pm acne Tat nT cf ora run dom Impasse ene Shed Ne Hep Gece on fr a fr Zi Le 8 eer eee oe GO. 8 ‘pols Laine wis ete Patios CE TA. Sama es Deen Bile pega a rpms oh pe em, ‘The reored Depetate so throwin hi ot with the foreign enemies ofthe Byzantine emperor. He fet a touch with Charles of Anjou and with Wiliam of Vilehardoui, ‘William now held the principality of Achaig under suzeainy of Chars, tn he wat Brother of Nkeporos. On 12 June 1275 Chats ‘ordered im 20 tas proxy in extracting an omth of homage fom his ‘lai Nikephosoe Komnenoe Doukss In renira for hiv allegiance NNikephoros was o be granted some landed propery in Achaia" The ‘hems to have been the fis step towards the enabustment of dizect feadalrtationship betwen the Despot of Epiros and the king of Naples. Inthe flowing Year 0 separate embasies ar kpown co have crosted ftom Epiros to Tal. The Set sas led by one "Sotinos Laws” and returned to Greece in April 1277. The second consisted of two envoys ‘med a "Stomatos and Focins'. They went hame by way of Brinn In October 1377" "There is no fecord of the business done by these ambassadors, But thereat belie doubt bat they were empowered io discuss the terms {formal llance between the Despot Nikeporos and King Chere. ‘Chases new wat hewn cboot lewas aware tha the Emperos Micha ‘VITT ad embittered many ofhissubjectsand most this potential allies by enforcing the union of Lyoas ater 1274. Angevin agents were Is canuact with Constantine Tick of Bulgaria whose Grek ifthe str of ‘Anos of pire, was sucha bite: enemy ofthat unica, They were alsin ‘onus with Joho Doukas of ‘Thesly, the more woublene of ll “Michael VITTs Grek enemies, John had fought off Byzantine cept fo briag him helinr272-3,inthecouneof which be ad elledon the Iip of the French dake of Athens, Jen deTa Roche. The dake of ‘Athens ie he prince of Achsis, wat arama of Charles of Aajoa. Twas asa Shepton sRltar icin, St, we. 3m (87, 4385 Pl, apr. 36 pat Hea 2 ae ee see ee eer aren ‘Be fasta pw stab Gree ppp ons aad ‘ape si Choe Slr ede Conga Groner Leng a »The Desporar of Epos ‘tual hahis ne een John of Thessaly should become aparey tothe ‘rand alliance aginst the emperor in Constantinople. Theres documen- {ary poof that he iso preiselyin 1273 and that he wason cordial terms ‘with Charles of Anjou far several years therefter Charles addressed hima 1 creas ule The second oftheir dealings vin fact spec and telson ofeommerial ransacions rach the purchase of horses othe Sele of sk. Bur the Emperor Michael evideny thought zat John of ‘Thessaly was something mare than an innocent end of is exam in Italy. The envoys whom Michtel sent to Pope Innocent V in 1276 ‘represented John as being in league with Charles nd wit i son Pip sd they urged the pope to excammuniate him. There eno evidene, ‘owerer shit ie ever besame a evar varl ofthe kingdom of Naples “Thessaly lay somewhat of the route for the mazch fom Albania to Constansinople* ‘On the other hand, Jon of Thessaly made more politcal capital than Is brother Nkeporos out of hse or affected moral indignation over the union of Lyons. Ia the winter of 1276-7 the patriarch of Constantinople; John Beko called consi a conim tho an ‘ocxcommunicateal who refused to aceeptit™ Almostathesame times ‘council was eoavena in Thessaly. It was aendad by about a hundred ‘mon anuber of abbot and git bishops some of tem wadoubielly ‘refuges from Constantinople. Tey solemnly condemned as heretics the pasar, the emperor and the pope Nakephoros seems not to have been party to this counell bute was cles im empathy wih i cousins. Foreals in r277theempets set speci messengers ahi tnd 0 John o ty vo persuade them to dest Irom their an-unionist esis. When es that they werenot soe persuades eens each of therm the sentence of excommuniestion laid upon all opponents the ‘unin of Lyons" The sentence was refined on 16 July 1277 With express mention of the Despot Nikeporos snd the sbuttratr Jon Doukas= “To be excommunicated by a patirch whom both men segarded, of See Nal BF cya an a. SRS tee ‘Meme free, pour Ma Mac, mine ih snore ope Nori rh pase Ene ‘Brenig Prone ran ee, ef. on. eed esc aah Sak aly i chron BEE Miemie Ops p58 <2 os36 p36 lm a) CoanenI ‘mee Ber sv $6236 pp sonan 3) Dn guy on aa eee, Mame fuses) Vann Le fdr Se ie Creep Lae Poni te dd The ratored Despotte professed wo regard, as the polial lackey of here empetor an ave een no great barhip. But the emperor wie infurated. bY thet betinne. Later i the Sear 1277 he sent an army to fore hem ino tbmission, twas commanded by one ofhis own cousins and two of hit dpephew. They goto fusther than Thessaly. There they informed John Dela tit hey hadno tenon of ightng himbocause the shared hs sentiments. Instead they encouraged him 1o invade the emperors teriory wi impunity. Tey were rele of thei commands, erexed land shown ino prin, New olcers were Seat out wo seplace them, But they came to gre in Thessaly largely thnoogh their own incompetence [Michae!VIT had aroused so much boty by his unions policy hati ‘ve ard for him wo fad capable ofcers whom he could tras even fom ‘moon his own relatives" "The popes became increasingly sceptical about the re nature ofthe sion thar had been proclaimed and especially about the emperor's ‘Siete in snaking i aoceptable othe Grek In tay the emperor ed {eretenire Pope Nichols TI that he was doing everything his power toslence the apposion by sending him report drawn up by his Latin protonaty Ogerius. Thevepor:implied hate pope mightlend aang by joining in the excommunication of the ani-usionist nt least of he “aposates and rebels Nikephoros of Epos and Join of Thessaly. The Cenperor pacuary lamented the fact chat both were so powerfull filed and abeted i thei mischief by the Latins of Athens, of [Negroponte and ofthe Morea Ir was indced a curious state of eis that the wo Byranine ‘rebels’ fa northern Greece should so loudly proclaim temssves protectors of the purest Orthodox while Fling 50 Aewsly onthe support oftheir Catholic neighbours. "The empero wie wo undermine the opposition ia Epos by dividing the ranks of the ruling famaly. Demetton, the younger brother of [Nikepotos, had come af age: He was noonger content to lve under his ‘brother's ming ade was Known coe dvi eth his meagre share fis patrimony. He took ocalingMimsef Michal as an aco let 0 ‘he memory of hi father. Pachymeres implies that the emperor had tlready promised to make him his son-in-law, Te ground had been prepared when the mesnage reached him thatthe emperor Would grant ‘im thet of Despot andthe band of princess in marsiage fe would defect and come to Constantinople. Demecros Michael sa more ‘prospects foriscarce therethan in Epis ad in 1277081278 efths| fatve land The emperor kepe is promise. Ia November 1278 the Lage, Me ep. 4-8 366 0. an. Pt De Mic Deca Mime FOr p 536.6 18‘The Desporar of Epios Paaritch John Beko sued special depenston for she marcageof| ‘Michael Kemnenos, sn ofthe ate Despot Michael 11 Doutas, 9 Anne Paleologina Komnene, daughter ofthe Emperor Mictae VIL. Thetext, ‘ofthis document exists, unnecessry though seems to have been. The parmars wo the marsage were disenly related; but, a8 the patsarch Pointed out, asith degre of efiny bad noceonsiuted an impediment to marriage for pariners of imperial rank since the Sixth Oxcumenical ‘Council ® Demetri Micha! ts became, were, Desptof Epos in eal, ofcialy recognised es such and legitimately marsed 10 the lenpecors daughter; and he took an almost feudal oath of alliance, ‘Swearing to be the servant ofthe emperors "The defection of his brother combined with his excommunication By the patrch suzred Nikephoroe to action. In 1278 he doove the {emperors troop ou f Butrint which they had occupied some months beter“ Atte same mee resolved to make hivalbance with Carles of ‘Anjou more formal and mot effective. Charles had reenly become even ‘moreaf a power ip the nd, For when Wiliam of Vilebardouin died ix ‘May 278 his principality of Achaia passed under the dec ule ofthe Kingdom of Naples Thencefrth for several years it wat to BE Axminster by depuis or bales a a colony ofthe Angevn expire. ‘Wiliam fad been she lat herediary Prince of Achain. Hie widow Anna vas ster of Nikeporos of Epirs. Before long she was to take a8 her ao ov etre eer es te et ny fe fare car is tt Sie Ee on ep te dae eae eet Pipe creas ato tit ace Con eeeanare hie mummers ihdottca eat wrens Rr ier ed ee Bee a ach atsteat eben Bebostuten ice aie mric ge trarcie TLS Sie a ie ceoratae agente Atenas ee canes Sage ie ee ements Eicget enh, moan acer FLEE Eh eR ecaiees cesar atte abn es ‘ots mang “broly 2am 6 ee Bee cee See ene SRE TR Beh, ca ca ntmnie er Spe * ‘Bt stn Span comua n Say ad ane 7. Tl nd Tha, sins) Rk we enn Nat The trod Despoate second husband he alot Achaia, Nichola ofc Omer Niepoos Sul pt mate Ceo Ao i sow ne herd Sone ‘fin Mane But becoulcmply soma lectern der Jromow their common cau. of enburing. the emperor it onsarinople, He could code to the Angora tngdom of Aes he few silo tutta bad offer On 4 March 2299 NDepoce {Cored msl to bee vn of Chae and handed vet im nt ity Buoy which be ed recent ecapeurds tsa the twas ‘Sopot and Punomor, Ava lg: oh poole delivered itn Michal to the Angein casllan of Vana, to be taped ‘Girenza nthe More, thre 10 Se Nel at orgs" “Toe dune ef hc tansson were worked eu ¢ mber of diplomat exchanges few weste tr. The thre cioys wo ‘Nhtcpnos had sen ota to neguite he conoa of Buu pel Ahh Apalinontcrmy eon Api 79. Te ea arbor Imuver rere ordre ort her ree nt fom he nue th ie foes a te reece! amiaaton of he Despo, Nepbors ons Deular Among them ne Feanan Par Gaon ‘hom one sa surrised wad aang an inermediary bane Tay InuGrece, Theor svoyeecametan Kis Mag and Nicolo “Kndcopel' perhaps Andtepedn, a Ep ay Enon fn ‘her otce" Whitey ween Tay, owever, Carle Bad en 0 Seabscatersofhisowa to Niephorost dese ete mal ety. ‘Ther umes were Roger aco f Santa Scrrng a the igh TLvie de Raber r Royer O91 ApritChares empowered em © ectvein hsm the Despont ofbonag en Rrsigurre toe ‘et Bt Charls dat wat forthe facies abe rrp Ob Shesane dy bem enporeted he cpa sd eargeer of Cr, Sienna San Felco secure te sbmison sn the Dep itepores noon fe cate of Bacto ta ofa te ter hb vigesan ns hich Monfrel a Php Chi sone Feld and which were now in he Depo’ erty ‘ge ng angi 6 cee ete Sn nae Sse ga by is PR a eet es Stale AU Cong are a SROREUY uc hae Mee SUPER cm osnoger boom ps ii iin rn Frater eben op eos ‘Suinin rh Gspise Bw io p32 wert Ca veed be esis ve at ive ay apt Gp 2m 0 ther anne wet Epo ie he Depart Bomo CF Magn Pep aoe 2 shies 29: ay. 30 pp 3-4: Del a, 3The DespotareofEpitos ‘Taisarrngement resulted in the exenson of the Angin kingdom of ‘Albania wel into Old Epis and the surrender by Nikephoros ofa ‘umber of places on the coast te south ote bay of Valo aed the [Aleekraunin promotor. Cars of Ano cimes wth some justice ‘hat they taal once belonged to the oveaeas posession of Mantred and Chinazdo an that Nikephoror had 2eaccupled thts, Feta nor 0 south they were Chimara, Paovmos, Sopotos snd Butrinto, Chimars, ‘now Himara in Albania wasn ancien ety known fori mineral pings Tews stig bishopric ofthe Metropolis f Naupaktos ® Panormos istobeidentified withthe porn the bay of Panesmon, te modeenPor.o Palermo,a few miles wousesouth of Chima.” Sopot or Suber) hae for long been confused with dhe ofshore isle and port kaon in antiquity a8 Spot, opposite the northern ip of Cort. Infact Sopotne lay afew mules further w the south of Chimar, cle to che present “Albanian vilage of Supot" Butrint, Sopewos and Chinara. were ‘suey close opeher for them tobe placed under she command of fone Angevin casein The Hal detas were aranged Oy yet more ‘envoys um Nikephoros who at ot for home fom Bala td Bindi on 12 Apri 279% ‘Nikephors continued wo rue oer most of Old Epis, from Baten tothe Gulf of Corinth But be ha lst stats an well a tertory. He wat ‘ow not snsply an ally vasa and wubjectf Charles sf Anjou The DDespotte of Bpros had been declared ro be s colony ofthe Angevin kingdom of Naples on much the same terme asthe poincipaly of ‘Aha, although under ative ruler. ‘The whole cntera sear of ASP, 89 6 woe ae 2 Apes A nD Ge Se a a Sess, See sr Peer plc se MN re oni. ame Cnn hunt ‘cai Soon Soa Sou Sy Spe fp. Cr ay, prt emg Nin, BP rahi oat Dun dears Bulan Asp aby 307, Atte sneer he aoe ‘etna Vn te union at aed gh 1.3 me ‘Catone or Mc aac Eben nae Rea Beng Hp, Erde aoe tae pape ‘eg be detect leeds lal fas oka Fees ‘Steno dee ce Coroureeu Venton at ge Ara” Nose gual ‘Stemi ap 0p. oper Ane ccSy ‘Vineness Mou sol et linemen! Sekar pag Ns MME AE Sah We oho seMnoe Roe Sten 0 tm 4 The rotred Deporte ‘he Balan peninsula Som Durazzo down was now under sssrsinty to {Churesof Anjo, His network of alianes covered the nother Balkan kingdoms Serbia and Bulgaria; and he was almost ready 1 mount it rest offensive aloag the Via Egnata from Albani fe to Thesslonicn {iad then to Constantinople Pachymeres reports that his hopes of ‘ctory were 0 igh that hi oicere were begining to divide the towns 4nd provinces of che Byzantine Empire among themselves asthe leaders ‘ofthe Fourth Crusade ad dane in 1304" ‘On 3 Augus 1279 Charles appointed as commander-in-clefofalt his sbanian and Epirotecersvries a kaigh from Burgundy, Hugues le Rovsteu de Sully. His tle wascapain and viar-genen of Albania, ‘Duran, Valona, Sopot, Butrint snd Corfs. Tne following mone soldier, weapons, horses and siege engines were ship across frm Tilyinenormous quansts. TheodTensive was to bein withthe caper, ‘or eecaptare, of Bera hich was il trongly garroned by Byeantine {forces The part played in hose preparations bythe Despot Nikephors Jnnot od, noris i ecorded that he provided any soldier athe vassal of ‘Chutes Bur his support and perhaps also his advice on local conitons ‘aust have bera valuable; and his meseenges are iow to ave passed ‘bck and forth to Tay ia August 1279 and again in March 1280, ‘Nikepboree wat cerualy ware of what wathappeting othe ore of his Despotste and of the aim and object of the enterprize "The emperor in Constaatinople stl chang desperate to the hope that bis Lain enemies would be restrained bythe pope Bt he facade of the sion of se ehurches bad worn chin. In August 1380 Pope Nicholas 1d died and for sit monihs there was no pope to impose restraint Ta February 128 Chiles of Anjou secre the eleeson of «French pope, ‘Marin IV, who could be reed upon to bless his expeiton st t ‘rasce.” By then the cratadehadslready begun. Inthe summer of 1380 logue de Selly led is army of about it thowsand men inland fom Pah De Mh Pata hp snr op ab Hot 29, ere and ne Desperate [Zaecun aTreon stranentrden!obaeorsnpreny neces ‘Stereo wempor to te hare eng ene of he Bap Noor Mie sy AS se 96 AB Recent ne he fecal Sor fend at Naess Rin Slion Pape pee Gua Bet ihr 9. SO Stee pags 0 as‘he Despoat of Bpiros Durazzo tolaysege tothe fortes of Bert the gate to Macedonia ‘When the news reached Constnunople the emperor at once ondered {enforcement abe rushed fo the sepe. They were commande by Bs ‘Grand Demestie, Michael Tarchaeioes, and he mas satopdarche: Join Synadenos, With them wen the renegade brother of Nikeporos of [Bpios, Demetrios Michael. He had lite experience aba sole; bat he probably knew th eran ad he might be ble ocisuade his bothers Nikeploroe and John of Thea Som collaborating wich the enemy." "The sege of Berat continued throughout she winter of 1280. “Tarchaneiotes, who eived therewith ermy eons in 1281, manage to relieve the hungry garriso and inabitnts by fading food on t rat toting them down the rver by aight" Fle hoped to avoid an open batdesandhis hope was realised. Forte impetuous Huguts de Sully fot patience withthe Byaanineacticsand rode out reconnoite wth only {xml bodyguicd, He ws ambushed by some Turkish mercenaries in the Byuitine sry, His horse ws abot fom under him and he was ‘apod. When they heard that cei comumande ad been taken is men tonce tumed and fled in panic, eagerly pursued by the Byzantine Cavalry. Only those who got sross the Vjosa Boose) ever in cme ‘Scaped and tad thei wep tote cons at Kamin, Most of te ofcers ‘snd soles ofthe Angevin army were rounded up by Taraneiotes nd ‘is men together with u mas of Booey. They were taken in chains £0 Constantinople, where the pane figure of Hugues de Sully with Mis ‘ming re hat was paraded ss the sboepiecein wimp procession ‘hough the sees! “The out of te Latina Brat in Apa 126r was famous vcr, The ‘Emperor Miche! VIII vaso proud fit hat he ad ene ofthe bate pained onthe wals ofthe Biacherna palace and fears later Pachyreres| Ent the mk ManionosPlaovder onal stlecall he memorable Sah ‘heimperia triumph n Constantinople The event was commemorated Jnanother form neater the rene of the victory Ta the menastry ceed ofthe Virginat Apollon the north of Valonaare the faded vestiges of ‘valtpsinting poraying the Emperor Michael VII his wife Theodor ‘Pade Mi Pl 38:45. 09-16 vi Upon acne eect 8 be ea en ate Cl Gey pally Seno Ht ‘emer ober Sor ene Pek. De ik Pao ten rng So tS Ha. ‘Hoe co, Suiae Papers. ot Senn Po On te bie le ce ein aan ti. Puch eh Pty 31 $11. Marin munch Plo ona lM. ‘Foun yo no aa sat ep 3" Thereored Daporte sn hi on an hee presumptive Androniks I, Beside the empesor ‘Bands the igure of te Theotokos holding a model ofthe chure. Thie ‘pes porrat group isthe fst ofits ind in Byzantine monumeeil Gr Ie sets faion for future emperess and pines The isciption Puinted ino the group records the privleges of the monastery of [pollonia es chey had been bestowed and renewed by formes emperors and now confirmed by the reigaing Emperor Michael Paaiologs, Its Sbvioasy a cnpy ofa chrysoal aed n 128%/3 By the emperor tthe ‘monastery by way of hankering forthe recent vicory ois army in ‘thatregion-Michacl VII is ented “he New Comsantne’, the mes ‘which lta to be known a the restorer of the empire, The pict dis legend forma bold tnd proud statement of he fecha hs corn: of che Byzantine word was now again united with the city of Constasine™ “The Byzantine army followed up its vicory by advancing on the ‘Angevin bass at Vaioa and Kanina tothe sout and on Durazzo wo the ‘orth. The Albanians of Kris inthe mountains behind Dorizzequicy eased that change was inthe alr and sought she friendship of che ‘Byzantine empewor. Sosa aftr July 1281 Michal VIT rewarded then swith charer of prilegs fo her city and their bishopric ™ Dra tnd Valo, though besieged held ou fr some years more Tn December 1281 thecapain of Durazzo, John Lescet (Giovanni Scot) sen urgeat ‘ppaais to Tay foe reinforcements. Tt as reported thatthe emperors sen, presumably Androniko, ys on his way west with large infty fn cavalry force Lascoe's successor, Gallaume Bernard (Guglielmo | ‘ersard appointed is May 1283, wa son of former Marsal of the ingdom of Albania who kew the country well But hie mame ase inp 1a Ose de cnn te eae eet ‘hen ein te eco i ere Sal To 48 Ae a ‘Maya as ogee aa Hag. tm mace ppnnt st ee nl ocean Ys te 38 Ange Toe "Ei mas hs Comune) pp sash ep aa a9 "Ed “ei ery ere | Reese Reve 9 aia Amant, Br gee s-seb CMa, ‘luli rc Me ol Pa ef Moy Frm Pee Can ot _ ta imbr ir Ste Wengen BE ty. "Sad pt yaa el eu Ca ae Ginn, ce Vane ‘Durer af Imprcr Se re reeo“i e ae Kas SEES Oa pee malty iano ae The rated Depotate providing atleast fotywarthips und oop caserroconvoy the Angeia Aaa from Brindisi by April 1283." ‘Nikeporos of pis, whe was tll Caress asa was evidently no a pany to the Treaty of Orvicto. But a few months later another sgreement was made between Chale, the Latin Emperor Pip and he ge f Venice, with Nikephoros as an equal parmer. On a5 September 1281 Charles reported wos bali in Achaia Philip of Lagoness, tat he ad signed treaty wih the Despot Nieptoros, the Lain emperor tnd he Doge for the porpore of making war on Michal Paaiologos. At ‘he same ume he instructed his bale wo release the boy Michel son of [ikephoros, who had been held hostage at Chintz since April 1279 snd band him back this father or his father’ representative. Whateret ftive part Nikephoros was expected olay in he grand lance agains Constantinople be a now adequately proved his loyalty to his maser (Charles e an obedient and usted “rend and ally "The gand allance never acheved its purpore. In March 1282 the seballion kaon the Sellan Vespers bake outa Palermo in the heat (of Charles empite. His lee wat destred,hisarmy was oN ou of Sicily and his grandioi plate of eater conquest were wrecked. Nine ‘months ae, in December 1282, the Enperor Michael VII died. Atthe ‘moment of his death he was ending an army through Thrace towards ‘Thesslonkaand Thessaly, Now that hsmiost dangerous Latin enemy in the westhad bee humiliate, the emperor was dermind to punish and Ihumiate his most periious Greek enemy, John Doukas of Thessaly, ‘sho hedagain broken is bounds ands oaths. Had his expedition bees cea there can belle doube tit the emperor would then have ‘ured his sttenson co Jo's hall-brother, Nkepboros af Eptos. Bu wa hearted by his death and the wild Tatar mereeaties whom he had gaged to lguidate the lower of Thevaly’ were disbanded end sent tuck to their master, the Khan Nogal ofthe Golden Horde.” "The death of the emperor who bad freed is people into union with ‘he Roman Church deprived th separatist rulers of northern Greece of their adopted role ofpious defender ofthe true and Orthodox faith, Fox tmost the first ac ofthe new emperor, Andonikos I, was renounce the union of Lyons and t proclaim the retoration of Orthodoxy ‘hroghout his dominions, Those who had sullered pesecution of "Tl Tos nd. Geo re Meh. «Res Rin AS 69917. Chis eed Nght | i cma Cl. anon ee Nh pes No mes td tego Miie itm pamelor Rime aioe Pu ayn pp sees Owe 9 essThe Desprareof Epos Imprisonment for their opposition during the previous reign of terror twerenow sere to become te heroes of che hot, Among ther vas the late emperors sister Falogia who had much ifiucnoe over her nephew “Andronton Her daughter Anna, the hasta of Epiro ac wife of Nikephoros, bad grudgingly supported her husband's dealings with ‘Chars of Anjou so loag as chee VII was alive, But she was quick 0 take the inititve in coming totems with the new regime. Assen ashe heard of ber mother's release ffom prison, Anna set cut for Constantinople, Nikephores sent i own personal envoy tothe new emperor. He was the bishop of Kozsle in Thesproi. ews sid that he Jad once served Pip Chinardo as achapainand hate ad pcformed the funeral tes over Php’ head after his murderhis widow, acing the pat of Salome, having id the head ona gokéen later.” tn 1283 {here tere not many bishops about in Constantinople who could De declared re ofthe taitf the dogmatic ctroversier and enmpromses| ‘hahaa darkened the Orthodox Church n rece years. Te good bishop ‘of Kezpe having been consecrated by the metropolitan of Noupaktos in Slane of unionists, war immaculately Orthodox. For hesereasons be {ound himself called upon oorduin nd consecrate the ae patearch of Constantinople, George ox Gregory of Cxprus. Georne who was a layman, hid 0 be tonsured as « monk and ordained ar deacon inthe space ove days. These otic: were performed by the bishop of Kozy “Tradition had it thi prrarcs muse be entraned bythe bishop of Heras, A monk ts foun to fil this see andthe bishop of Kevsle installed him a bishop. Gregory of Cyprus was finally enthroned 3s purarch of Constantinople on 28 March 1283, The new bishop of “Heralea presided at che ceremony essed bythe bishop of Kozyle who, iter thistrief and unexpected motnent of ly, retired a the welomse ‘obscurity of his remure diocese in Epi." "The bases Anna, however, wham he may well have ecorted from Ara, stayed in Constantinople fr while longer. She may have been ‘retent atthe synod held in the Blicheroa palace in Api a8 at which the union ofthe Churehes was formally repainted. ts certain that she tended the synod at Adamytion on the east of Asia Mor ery in 1g, in the company of er mother Euloga and her sister Theodora -Reoulin, book of whom were supporters and frends of che Pasarch {Pah De dnd Pa 9 He “hl pp oe. 11,164 Greg. ere recede hop of Dea Dev) ances scone tonto rte cr mi areca: ‘etnspec of ch inn Png Pe op oe stn, yr Nae nje Canc ret 2° The ratred Depots Grogors. Tt was while Anna was deze or at Cosstantinople that bee ‘Sunn, the new Emperor Andconiks Il, bad words wid he bout dhe ‘roan is Then. Michael VITT had died whes on his way chasis the unruly easrtrator Joba Doukas. Now it seemed cat Jos son and Incie presumptive Michael war ikely to prove even more toublesome ‘than is father. The emperor therefore suggested Ann the she mht lke o do him a service by kidnapping tis dangerous young man ané handing him over. This she promised to do as soon a she got ome to Epson Meanwhile the emperor sent an army and a fet to Thessaly ‘commanded bythe hereof Bert Michae! Tarchanciotes, ow promoted tothe rank protleirior His orders were to cceupy as much teeiory ts possible and wo take custody of Michael Dou if Anna succeeded in fetng ol of him ‘The mlltary par of the plan was a tile ‘Tarshancioteatackedand ocupied Demetris onthe coast of Thess ‘Bat in dhe course ofthe summer e and many of hi troops died of ab epidemic and the survivors withzes with nothing achieved ‘Sometime Iter, however, the deud was done by other means. Anna and Nikeporos ured the young Michel Doukas ovr to Epos wich he promi of mariage to one of thee two daughers end then sent him {der gourd to Constuntinopl. ‘The emperor wae delighted and paid ther a asomne seer fr their cooperation in thi rather underand ‘heme Michal was held in honourable capivity atthe peril court, “Andronikoe I ike his father beeved tat the proslem ofthe separatist (Grech tutes could be soved by marcying their alessio hisown fami He proposed tat Michael of Thessaly should macy his niece, daughter tt the Despt John Asen, formerly tne of Bulgari. But Michael's one ‘Bough was to ecape, He hao be locked up is prison. 1 1299 he ver nearly pot say with the help oFhis poser, an Englishman calle Hen, ‘no anranged for ashing smack carey him o Negroponte, From thee fe could ave tude contact with his wser Helens, wife ofthe duke of ‘Athens Wiliam de ts Roche; for by then his father John Doukas was ‘ead, Br the pian ws fled bythe weather and Michael wes brought backto captivity. Eight Years ater, in 997 eset eto Bsn which ‘jined the place and ded Sighting ikem tiger, hacked to lees by the sce of he Varangin guard eh Dn: on oy on On amd ee fe ioe ah A met See ieee ese Riana remy tareanihie Sse is ietbeieiat «ie oh Bei ta EEE cans TERA ches i xThe Desporare of Epiet John Doukas of Thesaly was undersundsbly ifuristed by the teeacheryofhs brother Niephoros. Hesoon realised by making wo ‘the Desporate, sending an army of Gree and foreign mercenaries ver the hil and shipe to raid Ara from the cout. The Venetians who did ‘busines there steed damage to their property. In #384 they sent an envoy John cocaim compensation. But they ad moet ofthe btn [Nikephoros. Their easel a Cora, who had responsibility fer Ara, wat ordered to ape allemmercial activities inthe Desposateand set ‘tha al) Veneuans resident ix Epiros let as soon ae posible” [Nikephoros and Anos made sure tat thee facts were mae Kosa in Constctnople, The Pasiaech Gregory wrote ser leer to Joha of “Thessaly in 1285 accusing him of unchristian a faecal behavoos Had he ot ofven trra, sist eeenly bat two yeas before, never aack the enperor's fiends, mabe of testy? ‘The Depot [Nikephoros, his brother, was te emperors rend an loyal secant. fe Ind been eportd cat Join had been nepotisting with antes ofthe tsnperors enemies, Stephen Mute, kel of Sebi, and had set is Gdaugher eo the Serban court The paciarch warned! Joba hit his ety and megalomanis might well ond to hi being exsoimunieed fe not mend his ways and abide by his eats and trees the ‘emperor would pur an en to him and is ambition by sending an acy ‘of godless barbarians, presumably the Tetas whom Michael VIET had Proposed to et lore or Theva" “The words of the patric’ leer make i lar that by 1285, if not ‘before, Nikephotos of Epis had made his peace withthe emperor and scceptel his new status as imperial deputy or Uceroy of a eulying province, underoath of slleglance to his Sotereig losd ja Conan: finople ‘This hd come about party at a reslt of the change of emperors and party vhrough the deste” and ae dipiomatic Initiative o is wife Anna, But his constitutional poskon and tha fi ‘Despotate’ were sil ot clea defined. Te wns a sgn of theme that ‘the only ters taco be Found 0 define them were those of were endl society and instttions. The Despat wat sid to be the worm servant or vss ofthe emperor. On the ater hand, although the ae ose 2a ea “om pen an see pp gg (10 and x7 Agu 128). CL HE ore tin sens ae en spp S'S sine en oh Sra Loe ” ‘he rotored Dupotare room for doubt sto whether his testory was betta, there was 90 ube Byzantine nw ad custom his tie Despot was a perec Aistnction which he could ot transit to his hee. Only an emperce ‘ould confer that distinction. There were many anomalies about the aus ef the Despes Niphoros. In 1283 he was sil wad by oath Chaves of Anjou as wells to the emperor in Constninnple. The Sieiln Vespers bad ot caused Charles to abandon hit cline ad possesion in ‘Romani’, im Albania, Epos and the Morea. On 5 December 1283 he reponded os let orbel rom Nizephoos who elt himself threatened by the Byzantine amy whieh was then gradually berating Albania and New Epiros from Anger cceupason, Charles ‘sencordersfo the duke of Athens ad othe bailiof Acne send what help they could o she Despot The agreement reached beoween ‘asta Anna and the Emperor Andronios in Constantinople at about ‘hesame ime probrbiy relieved the presse of Byzantine gpresson op ‘the northem Sondre of the Despotte “This was the last seotded communication between Chases of Aniow and Nikephoros. Charles died on 7 January 1285. Histon anc heir CChacles I was uprisone of the Aragonese wn July 1389, His son-in- law Philp oF Courtenay, cule Latin emperor of Constantinople, bad died in 183, leaving his tle to his intane daughter Catherine. Pope “Martin IVs died in 1285, lhe most inereted partes othe Testy ‘of Orvieto werenow gone." For the moment there wold beno more tlk ‘fa crusade aginst Constantinople. The Venta, who weve to have ‘supplied yome ofthe ships for that crosade, changed thei policy end ‘egovated a ten-year Uety oftheir owa withthe Emperor Andros 1 Tews signed by the Doge in July 1285.” The power and the pretensions of the house of Anjou were henceforth 9 he limited But either Charles I nor his soa Philip was willing to reliaguish his fncesual clam t Albania and New Epis; and both sanded the Despots of Epiros as potenti frends, ais or rasan the furberebce of ehecaim Mec Ren Shae (280 36 Del, Regs Charen 49 37.00 8. {CE dain Dg ee Noa ae ho = Ro oj. a cea ta ca Cran eri eu a8 brought he hicenth enury cle’ " "ue nu aes oe EprRarnneCscnpe sade ad ‘Stay he Doge oa usb eames Pah a3 32 Epiros between Italy and Byzantium — 1285-1306 plros was the most westesycutpostaf the Byzantine work mach lose 19 Taly than to Constantinople. Yer its people were Grock by ange? find Orthodox by faith; and they were loch to se the independence Which they had ejosed fortwo generations. There were those among ‘hess who favoured retaining withthe suppor oftheir ends across ‘he water in Taly and the Morea, Such it seems was the policy of the Despot Nikephoros. There were others hoy like the Salina Anas, favoured some Kind of rapport with Constantinople. In Thesaly BF ‘somtas there was only one ruler and one poi. The ebttrator John DDoukss would have no dealings with the imperial goverament in ‘Ganstancinople; and not without reason, he considered his relives in Epiros to be gui ofthe base eachery to him and tothe cause of independence: For mos of his life John Dovkasremaines hostile ro the Despotte. But he wes dead by Match 13893 and inthe chureh of Porta Panagia which he babu ab years before hex poreayed inthe habit of ‘monk, which sugges thathe had inthe end escaped the mathera With whic the pasar had tnextened him. “He left so smal sone. Csstantine Douas and Theodore Angelos. His eldes son Michael was prisoner in Consantnople.” His widow ‘teed from the world aa na with dhe ue f Hypomono Patience ‘She founded a convent at Lykonsada neat Phanariin Thesaly, for which she sought and obained a charer fom the Emperor Andeoakos 1110 °K Gime fips: Neale rg Owwonig “Ace vy Bikar ‘seh tae nas epg] Rader Hl (Semulinnd ore barter pay See Bop ovens erp, EBS, tio ge, BM Ney Mao The Rok [Moor of Ths ol end Pom he mbt no Eli uret CICS ante Mr Unde, Onions “Aries st ‘ingest een Tt, BEDS ay 2-4 OF, 3sThe Derptate of Epioe [March 128 Her husband would not have been plese by ahi cuncesion to imperil euhorty in his terete. Stl es wold heave fejelced 10 kaoW that, when his widow rere, his to vont were atrusted othe care af Anna of Epiros! This rangement at surely Inve boon made with the consentof the eperr in Cantatinaple wh st nowy oF ata later date, to grant to each of them the tile of “hastokrator By such means the emperor may have hoped to encourage the riegation of Thessaly ito his empite. Tt was soon tobe proved thar ester Thesal nor peas aso beso esi accommodated inthe Byzantine exablshment "1285 Charles If Anjou wasse fee andeturnd 0 Tay esking of [Naples. Before lang he Was scheming to reassert hs father's clair in pisos and the Mores. The principality of Achaia had of laze been ‘managed bya sucesion of bales. In September 1269 Charis It made Jove ot lau hires, Isabel of Vlehardouin, who had alken her Second husband Florent of Hainault Isabelle mas a nicor of [Nikephoros of Epos; and hee mother Anna see of Nkephowos, had rari te last bli of Achaia, Nichols Ti of St Omer.” There were strong family enesions hetween the Despoate of Episos and the princpalty of chain. Charles IT hoped o Weld them into one. Other Tinks he choin were che Toni stn oftore. Cari remained Sly under Angein consol. But Cephalonia, Ita and Zante had at east ‘ince 1264, been ruled by Richard Orsi son of Maio Orsini the Sst, Independent coun ofthe sland "Richard was nominally fevéstory of theprines of Achasand wore king of Naples, on whore behalf acted {orawhileas governor of Corfwand the munlan castle cf Buin” But (Charles IThad no dab tha the ilar x wells the tnd betonged to him and be conidenly dserbed irl a suerin ot oly over 8p, Lamiron, “rineoy agin t_stoepnapss “Anpovin st Me uh tg ye Goa es hy pay Sop ie CE Ret, Tapp ‘ine apr tan Sh By ed pry Stes Ped AD. "Fire my gue gun of the ade pens Bain ‘ip ay aes ed Pte “Tae cereus deco Red Oe inh ro of Latin get Cepaee roue Hh pp vse Crt 8 Teun {Hep Een Raine ts ae a a, Sy BetsApe ag Cte nme se ofa te eso Cand ‘Bor nh a eae tan ged Rao Cnn Ce ed input falar eb sats Bag Sy 3 (cletbcte os era Long pir becom Italy ond Banca Corfu and Ceptalonia bua ovr the principality of Ach, the duchy ‘of Athens andthe Despotate of Epizos” ‘The sccpted methou of consisting conquests and wbstantiating serrtcal claims was by mariage. Nikephoros and. Anna had one sorvving son, Thomas and two mareageble daughter, Thamar and ‘Mane Ic occured to Charles I that Thazar might be stable bride for one of his own sons, iter for his hed sor Rober for is fourth oa Philip of Anjou. In June 1291 heinstructedPltent of Hainault wih ‘be knight Perr Isle Pets Inula) tere over om the Moret ‘o Arta. He gave them complete authori to discuss the possiblity and ‘he terms of uch a mareage =I was frey-cvo years sace Mantred of ‘Seiad married Thamar sunt Helena. That union had provedto bea mixed besing forthe Despoate. The proposal now made by Charles fd i perteuler the term of Thamar dowey, seguied carefl ‘onsierston. The dcussons at Ara ad elsewhee went om for long "The proposal was very much to the taste of those in Bpros who favoured the canauing independence of she Despuate fom Constantinople. But it alarmed the emperor. The coalition of Tay, Eplior aod the Mores was too reminiscent ofthe alliance which had brought about the batleatPelagnta. Thecmiperar was supposed 0 beat peace wih the Morea. In 1296, ater negotiations with envoys fram Florent of Hsinaul, he had sent a plenipotentiary to Carenta to ‘emclude what he hoped would be a isting testy, He war also in ‘ogotntion with the eure of Naples and with the papacy over plan 6 ‘arty his Som and ele Michael Palsiologos co Catherine of Courtenay ‘who had inherited the Latin tile to Coostanioople in 1283 Thi Jnvoled numerous exchanges of embassies Seween Tely aad ‘Capstatinple, and there Was even tlk of eanging a ‘perpetal peace’ The emperor may wel veel ha the only od man ou ie ‘wn chino alice inthe west was the Despot Nikeporom wo hc resumed his attack an imperial ceriary even before 1290" That he did Pace Lena 799,78 ‘ioe Nc wide san shoragen Cari aps bare (Gentoepp. 3 Taare Thar ene! tee sca non Sion Bynes 4 Paid he Bae tps Chee ‘lrg fn ab Hed rar en ermine Tome eRe ge Gee efor Bas - Ror anshon est pr a RIE an Conant ate The Foren Pa Aen a8 ‘Gene ss Pps an Gh Mor 24 Lat Cosa Bay Mt 6 ”The Desporace of Epos so against the advice and wishesof hie wife tna sen ler. The French (Chronic ofthe Mice speaks ofthe ‘great casion" between the Despot and his wife” Anna disapproved of the proposal for her daughter “Thamar io marry son of Chsle 11 She had unother isbn i ind for Thame, In 1292 the emperor, having made his peace with the Latins in the ‘Motes decided thatthe ime ed comet force the bens Destin Epiros into submission, The military exmpaign that he sen tin ie described anly by the various versions ofthe Chronise ofthe Morea" ‘The Byzantine historians jgnoze fe The account inthe Chronicles is loubiless exaggerated. Bus itis ao too fcal and creustantl to be ‘Sismissed us a invention or aroma eson. The date te campaign Is hard to determine. ‘The summer or autumn of 1252 seems most probable The atack wat launched onto fro, ia the orth by land ‘guns Toannina and isthe south by sea apninat Ara. Thee wa ade ap of forty (or sty) Genoese warships carrying Byzantine rps, with ‘en gamsporc vessels They woreto al byway of Cephalonia and enter the Gulfor Ara through the sts of Se Nicholas between Prevez and [Akvon, The army i sid o have numbered fourtecn thousand eavaley nd thny thousand infamy, which ean hardly be the tu. Ie was & ‘motley collection of Greeks, Turks and Cumans™ “The Chronicles report hat dhe commander ofthe expedition was the ‘emperor's Grand Domesic: None of them gives him a name and the Byzantine sources arco a helps idetiying who was Grand Domestic Jn 1292 Icha been suggested tat he was Syrgianns the fathe ofthe ‘more celebrated Syepinnes Pelaolgos. Bu there x no frm evidence that he ever held his tank Is possible dat dhe conamande in Epiros on. a fo 6) 9.25 shen ee oe dn a fee ee ie 8g pp Sehr fe soe ps 3 ‘Goo Nr ase fo Chew td, Wo Fh irs, » Boe ena io ere pa nh cep, teas ‘ihre ue nent Langan atop pe Heme tana cman an ange - Penpeaoone "Gp sy meg tye eg sh ps seg cee "fn occ (Com ha Ss Cir hs £160; Crom Mory] 786, Clvot ota. 4) Phe Pench Chemie ce [ate wretan aprender yd Chas Alt Ty) ah Coe ty se he are, Thee a i ee cgi ora ee, neo “Ae ‘acne 0 ene Fo the sats sot tarour ofS! Mi Toe tee Dik Comp ede. 38, cpg iesomandew$pn,The # iro betwen Fly and Byzantion in 1392 held some other military rank, The Caronices ofthe Mores sometimes used te tile Megas Donatos as «generic ex > describe yzatine generale" The moat likely candidate forthe dbl honour (of having fet the army in Epirs isthe protsrator Michael Gibas ‘Tarchaneotes, the later benefactor ofthe Pummakarstos monastery in ‘Constantinople. The protorator's heroic expe were pied by eke ‘poet Manuel Phils Tt as Tarchanelot who had recaptured Diaz, Kia ane Kenina from the Angevins in the years after te hate = ‘Bera. Phils recor thathe alo stacked the Viator Thessllans ad {nerd a defeat on the scastobytor Theodore™ This he might well Ihave done on his way to Epirsin 129, since the Chronicleof the Mores says tha he imperial army arrived fem Thessaly." That Phles should ‘nae nothing ta eporabous the att genra'scampuign in Epos ot surprising, fori ended in face “The tmy made aight for Joann and ai ege tote forcss fom ‘he landward side of he lake» The Despot Nikepotos, who Wasin Ars, twas advsed by his "brons 0 appeal for help this relative Florent of “rina, prince of Achsia.” Messengers were quit despetched ove ‘she Gulf of Naupaks to Andevide, where they found Florent resiing Seen ges aurea eS cere mereee SEE coment mate ante oe oe ann Ff Sao al es 979) 3 69-28- / Scere eeenee ener hp eeaeae coccinea ‘tar Blagees | Sekopor Be pen nara or apOsTOpaTS at TEES as notnetonn ny eat teste Bgen Scam iain he seers comes Seer ee Siecmemaaeenwe et meme’ See ip aropeamanasice.caoms ie setae roan aaae EA See ita 3°The DespraofEpioe ‘oer a parlenent* They were empowered to pu their case as est hey ‘ould and they found Florent in receptive mood. He put hematter his ‘own barons a meting inthe church of Se Sophia a Arava, They ‘agreed unasimously cits company of four hundred (or Give hundred) ‘iets should poo the Despor's sd on condition that he sent them his fon Thomas asa hostage and pad forthe fll cost of the enterpie Nikephoros, who id been uncertain abot Florent’ reaions Wat relieved when his mesengers reported back to im in Aca He sett it ‘sen Thomas under escort over othe Mores with thre ot fout) month Diy for Floren’s men. Thomas was to be lodged in the ease of (Chloumoutsine Clermons, which had belonged to his unt Anna since the death fhe frst husband William of Vlebardouin ® Florent di well > requires hostage and payment in advance for his cooperation. There were some who remembered how the perilous Greets hed let thee lle fo fend for themselves on the of Pe ‘A te same ime Nikephoros ls eles on the help of Count Richard Onin of Cephalonia. The conditions wore such the same. Richard Undertok to crossover to Epiros with one hundred knights, provided that Nikeptioro pa hisexpensesand sent hielder daughter Mariacobe held ata hostage in Cephaloia. Florent and hs highs weve met by \ikephoros at Lesanaia Akaraanisontherondto Ara He ha brought ‘ith him his Marshal, Nicolas THT of St Omer. Richard of Cephalonia Joined forces with them at Are, Floreat was housed inthe Despo’s palace while te rest were billeted inche castle council war was eld. Alter lengthy exchanges of compliments and plensanties between [Nitephoros and Florent as uncle and nephew, i wae apted that they should all march norh onthe felowing moming fo televe the siege of Tannin." ‘The ‘Grand Domestic’ who was in command of the sege operations had already tard it rumoured thatthe prince of Achaia, is Grand ‘Marsal and the count of Cephalonia hat all come to the aid ofthe Despot, When twas conftmed that theyhadascrled at Ate and Were ontheir way north, heat ance ordered the leet belied atthe rerest Thea eens sey hom Ma Band ot Bip corn nC Mort aac Go Ma ‘Girm er Ss Gon. Mar tale at ay “teeta Pays Coc, Noe ‘ma pte Thc te i Chr Mr ly. eto Aaa ogre Kay Wi {emp at op ays By Mrs ope Ge esi ey Tete ‘Serge ei Ric cr nt a Mops er Ls ot ° Fives beeen Italy and Bysantom to be sounded. It wat a crows decison, Whitever the size of the Desporsour army, hicallies had bought with them a9 morta total cf $00 or 600 men. The Byrantine forces may aot have totaled the "reputed 44000 intntry and cavalry, bu they wer probably superior ppumbers Wet their commande: argued that even iis emperor Were {herein person he could not hold out against the approaching enemy. Tt ‘would be more honourabe to wnckipte certain defend ignominioas Aight by retreating in good order, He therefore let Zoaantna withoat ‘delay and les hit men over the mountate towards Thessaly” ‘The Grecs in the cate at Tounnina at once reported the news by _messenger to Nikephoros and his ales, They uickened thet pece end ‘eahed Toaninain:heevening. Tae French had heen longing ght. ‘They were hiterly disappointed to find thst the enemy hed fed. The allies passed the nighin what hd tly bees the Byzasine amp outside {he este of Toenning anda son it wa ight stout over the ils in rst ofthe reteaing any. At the request of Florent sa hit Marta, Nikephoros seta small coningeat ahead to etch up with the Grand Domestic an ak im to halt and draw up his ores on sate convenient buted; frit was neither enurteovs nor honourable fora gentleman ‘such ashe o ome wo fa in Setech of war and then run way without 4 fight. ‘The Grand Domestic i said to have replied that if he had & [Byzantine army under his command he could poe sone discpline ‘But his troops were manly Turks and Cumans who would bey only their own lenders They made ofa as ab they could ding thei horses o exhaustion and then abandoning them with tel nes wo be found by thes enemies, The Despot sod his slic enthuses but vainly chased them righ ato ienperialteritory, There they plundered and took many pusoners among the surprised population who had Supposed that they were protected by the army thie had gone to Teannina* “Two days later word reached the Despot shit the sixty Genoese sraships had reached Preveza and were athe harbour of St Niches ‘Their men had gone ashore and were pilaging the owns and countryside ontheir way Arta The caplet ofthe Despoate ma in dange. The Genoese were known tobe the best crossbovrmea isthe wort and they ‘na the equipment to lay siege to tect. Psluce Floren was informed. * Qon tar tyr: cw Nor 8a 930-2. Cm Mar a, ‘Samal rt in eae cabThe Dospotare of Epos ‘The Marsal had the trampet sounded; and vhseesauarons of the fastest mounted reops, about one thousand men, were rushed sath ‘em Iounaion. The ret ofthe allied army would follow. Meanwhile, Ihowever the Gencese ships had moved seross rom Prevess to Saagoet, the harbour some dincance south from Arta. There they Ira how the ‘other part of the combined operation hod led eat the mpi sry had fed fom Zosnain and that she Despot ang his riers were on thet ‘yay ro defend Ara. The Genoese captains nonce desided that would ‘be ums to lee thir ships for Tear of being cu lf om them, nce ‘hes had no cavalry for their protectin. They therefore reload ll he sealing lders and tacle which they ha put ashore in preparcon for thesiegeot Ara. Someat their men, however, Greets and Genose, went offen aor, sting fire luge nd cpsuring animals fa ald as ‘Vagencis. They weresurpraed bythe advance company of ene thousand ‘horsemen from loaning, eho Klled some and tock other prisoner" ‘Nikephoros was much relieved 9 reach Arta and fd that hi enemies had doneso damage there. The rid tht some ofthe bad made on the ister was a cmparatively small mater, Nex morning he this lies ‘marched down othe harbour a Salgors and stationed themselves slong ‘te coas to prevent the enemy frm landing 9 take om applies o et, ‘Tae Genoete ships thea weighed anchor inthe evening abd made of for the distct of Xevomers and Vootsa where they pat men eore ty from each ship, wo forage before the Despo'armyrhad time to et these ovedand. They piliged and buemt the counuyside as far at Leuk {Sania Mavs) before rtuming to tht ships, Fually they set sl for ‘Goron inthe south of che Mores on thee way back Contanlanp "The Ganese and their Greck solders are etd to hare been uch impressed by the discipline of the amy of Flgeat of Hainault and by the evident superiority of western, Fronkish ltry techniques nd ‘acces. The French had certainly been applied bythe indi of ‘he Byzantine army at Toannina and aggrieved by what they took be the fowardice ofits eomender. Florent and his Marsal may not have ot ‘he bate thar tey wanted bur they Bad serve the Despot well a they ‘ould now go home. Nikepboror was dies thatthe enetny had ‘nuted so much damage to his etary. But he was gle hat the ting ‘was over an suitably gratefl to his ales. He encerined them in ne Spl; and Florent afer expressing hi thanks and inaking pledges of undying frends, Jett Area with his pea and wens straighe back to (Careataa by wey of Naupakios and Paes. The Despots son Thomas ‘hm rs 919-65 Che. Mey Se I eS AUR Ce Meroe Firs beacon Italy ond Byzantion ‘wat then brought from Chloumouts and escorted back to hit fthce at ‘Ara, The prince of Achaia had fully and honourbly erode aca ‘wih the Despot of Epiros.™ ‘Count Richard of Cepbaionis was aot so punctiows, When he earned this stnd wits is hundred knights he detned to enour hs agreement handing over Mars, the daughter of Nikephens, worn he had bel asa hose. Hosts he eranaed that she showld marzy Bit fldest son John Orin, The maeage wa to have important and last fcnsequences for the Despont of Epror in ter sears, Butt the time [ikephosos was justifiably indignant and annoyed. There wes litle thet he could do wbout it fore had no lat wth which to make wae (Cephalonia, Rchued credo make his peace by sending no Grek Speuhing Franciscans toexpain how he had been unde to fia uable bride for hin son euewhere in Romani. He apologised for having arranged the marrage without the consent ofthe ride’ father ao ‘make amends he promised henceforth to be personaly at the service of Nikephoros ad ro defen his calm and is honour in whstever ay the Despor miaht devise or commmaad.* He promiee i adlton to ake covert ison so ether the castle of Keronoi athe southern cn of CCephaini or te whole sland of hak, which might enable o Keep ‘ie wife Maris in ritable pe “The second of these promises was certainty never fled In January 1295 Meret of Hainault was told wo lok int the mtr. Iapeats that (Coun: Richard had also heed himself oa part of Maras dowry. Her Sather however, demanded that she ad her husband should come ad ‘ese inthe Desptate; and before long he fund himself very taken with ‘he young John Orsini who had bea thrust upon him as a son-in-law pparetly making overt him the land of Lets ogo with land ‘or thai, Which he was supposed w have recive fom i he. Join tnd Maria cemained in Epiros until the acldental death of Richard (Orsn' in 1303, when John suceeded 10 the eounty of Cepbalona"| Gr: et fa sgn so he hte, att orld al card rtd ae irs Schnee dtasfe ta Sener atenciasgies tt pore any cS bee A Taree Ses npn ine hmm «Ci ie s-seb Oa ones st at Nasa Sh ge koe Bestest ee sen rai Eee ee tl Rigs php hyp SUIT inte ea ahi laa ao Seana tee SRR Pan ooe a soe ea 8