Principality of Achaea
Encyclopedia
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea
was one of the three vassal
states of the Latin Empire
which replaced the Byzantine Empire
after the capture of Constantinople
during the Fourth Crusade
. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica
, along with the Duchy of Athens
, until Thessalonica was captured by Theodore, the despot of Epirus
, in 1224. After this, Achaea became for a while the dominant power in Greece
, and in the mid-13th century the court at Andravida
was considered to be the best representation of chivalry
by western Europe
ans.
and Geoffrey I of Villehardouin
, who undertook to conquer the Peloponnese
on behalf of Boniface of Montferrat
, King of Thessalonica
. With a force of no more than 100 knights and 500 foot soldiers, they took Achaea
and Elis
, and after defeating the local Greeks in the Battle of the Olive Grove of Koundouros
, became masters of the Morea
. The victory was decisive, and after the battle all resistance from the locals was limited to a few forts, that continued to hold out. The fort of Araklovon
in Elis
, was defended by Doxapatres Boutsaras
and withstood the attacks until 1213, when the garrison finally surrendered. The fort of Monemvasia
, and the castles of Argos
, Nauplia and Corinth
under Leo Sgouros
held out until his suicide in 1208. By 1212, these too had been conquered, and organized as the lordship of Argos and Nauplia
, and only Monemvasia continued to hold out until 1248. William of Champlitte ruled Achaea until he departed for France
to assume an inheritance, but died on the way there in 1209. He was succeeded by Geoffrey I of Villehardouin, who ruled until his own death in 1219.
peninsula (then known as the Morea
), but it was fairly wealthy, exporting wine, raisins, wax, honey, oil and silk. The capital of the principality was originally at Andravida
. It was bordered on the north by Epirus
and the Duchy of Athens
and surrounded by Venetian
-held territories in the Aegean Sea
, including the forts of Modon
and Coron
on the Peloponnese.
Geoffrey I divided the territory of his new domain among his followers. The Principality was divided into 12 baronies, each of them consisting of several smaller fiefs, which were both territorial and financial units, each corresponding to an income of 1000 hyperpyra. These were: the barony of Akova (Matagrifon) located in Arcadia
with 24 fiefs, of Skorta (in Karytaina
) with 22 fiefs, of Nikli and Geraki with 6 fiefs, of Kalavryta
with 12 fiefs, of Vostitza
with 8 fiefs, of Veligosti
, Gritsena, Passava
(in Laconia
) and Chalandritsa
with 4 fiefs, while the barony of Kalamata
was retained as a personal fief by the Villehardouins. There were also seven clerical baronies, headed by the bishop of Patras. Extensive estates were also granted to the military order
s of the Templars
, the Hospitallers
and the Teutonic Knights
.
, the Prince's chief minister, the marshal
, the constable
, the treasurer, the protovestiarius, in charge of the Prince's personal treasury, and the pourveur des chastiaux, who was responsible for the replenishment of the castles.
The Principality also produced a unique set of laws, the "Assizes of Romania", which combined aspects of Byzantine and French law, and became the basis for the laws of the other Crusader States. Several Byzantine titles
such as logothete
s and protovestarius continued in use, although these titles were adapted to fit the conceptions of Western feudalism
. The Byzantine pronoia
system was also adapted to fit Western feudalism; peasants (paroikoi) technically owned their land, but military duties and taxes that they had not been subject to under the pronoia system were imposed on them by their new French lords.
The Frankish barons were subjected to heavy military obligations. They had to serve four months each year with the Principality's army and further four months of guard duty on various castles. They could not leave the Principality, except with the Prince's permission, and even then had to return within two years and two days or have their property confiscated.
, who ruled until his death in 1245. By confiscating the ecclesiastical taxes, in the years 1221-1223 he built himself a powerful castle at Chlemoutsi
, near modern Kyllini
, which he used as his main residence. Because of this, he came into conflict with the Catholic Church, and was briefly excommunicated by the Pope. When John III of Nicaea
besieged Constantinople in 1236, Geoffrey II came to the aid of the Latin Empire
with 100 knights, 800 archers and 6 vessels.
Under his son and successor, Prince William II Villehardouin, the Principality reached its zenith. William was a poet
and troubadour
, and his court had its own mint
at Glarenza
, and a flourishing literary culture, using a distinct form of spoken French
. In 1249, William II moved the capital of Achaea to the newly-built fortress of Mistra, near ancient Sparta
. In 1255 he became embroiled in the War of the Euboeote Succession
, and in 1259 he allied with Michael II
, despot of Epirus, against Michael VIII Palaeologus of Nicaea. However, Michael II then deserted to join the Nicaean side, and William was taken prisoner at the Battle of Pelagonia
. After Michael recaptured Constantinople in 1261, William was released in 1262 in return for Mistra and the rest of Laconia, which became a Byzantine despotate
, as well as an oath of allegiance to the Emperor.
However, soon after his release, William broke his oath of allegiance, and begun seeking alliances with and help from various Western nations. Informed by the local Byzantine governor of William's actions, Michael VIII sent an army under the command of his half-brother, Constantine
, against William, but the expedition was unsuccessful, the Byzantines first being routed at the Battle of Prinitza
in 1263 and then, after Constantine's return to Constantinople, suffering a heavy defeat at the Battle of Makryplagi
in 1264.
After William, the Principality passed to Charles of Anjou. In the Treaty of Viterbo
(1267), Charles was given Achaea by the exiled Baldwin II of Constantinople
, who hoped Charles could help him restore the Latin Empire. Charles and his descendants did not rule in Achaea personally, but through a series of appointed bailiffs. They did however send money and soldiers to help the principality defend against the Byzantine encroachment.
in return for support in his attempt to reconquer the throne in Constantinople
, an action which ignored the rights of the Villehardouin
Princes of Achaea. The Angevin
kings of Naples subsequently gave Achaea as their fief to a series of their own relatives and creatures, who fought against Princess Margaret of Villehardouin and her heirs.
Charles II of Naples
had at first granted the fiefdom of Morea or Achaea to Princess Isabella of Villehardouin
(from the Villehardouin dynasty), but he deposed her in 1307 and granted it to his son Philip I of Taranto
, who in 1313 transferred it to Matilda (or Mafalda, or Maud) of Hainaut, heiress of Isabella of Villehardouin, who was married to Louis of Burgundy
, titular King of Thessalonica. But Margaret, younger daughter of William II Villehardouin, claimed her rights from 1307. In 1313 she claimed them again without success and then transferred her rights to her daughter Isabelle of Sabran, wife of Ferdinand of Majorca
. The son of Ferdinand and Isabelle, known as James the Unfortunate
, was proclaimed prince of the Morea in 1315 under the regency of his father, who conquered the principality between 1315 and 1316 but was defeated and executed by Louis of Burgundy and Matilda in 1316. In 1316 Louis of Burgundy died and King Robert of Naples
deposed Matilda and gave the principality to his brother John of Durazzo, to whom Matilda was briefly married under duress before being imprisoned.
From 1331 the feudal lords began to recognize the rights of James, and in 1333 the recognition was total. Then John transferred his rights to his sister-in-law, Catherine of Valois
, titular Empress of Constantinople, wife of Philip I of Taranto, whose stepson Robert claimed her rights until 1346 when she died. Then the claim was issued by the son of Philip and Catherine, Philip II of Taranto
. In 1349 James was succeeded by his son James IV
(II of the Morea). In 1364 Robert of Taranto, stepson of Catherine and eldest surviving son of Philip I of Taranto, died. In 1373 Philip II transferred his rights to his cousin, overlord and former sister-in-law Queen Joan I of Naples
, whose third husband James IV of Majorca, when he died in 1375, left her his own claim to the principality, at which point she became more or less uncontested Princess of Achaea. However, when Joan was imprisoned in Naples in 1381, another, much younger, James, James of Baux
, grandson of Catherine and nephew of Philip II, who in 1374 had become titular Emperor of Constantinople, used the opportunity and seized Achaea. In 1383, Achaea was annexed by Charles III of Naples
, successor and murderer of Queen Joan of Naples, who was the grandson of John of Durazzo, and James of Baux was driven away. In 1383 the Vicary government began, lasting until 1396, under the Durazzo kings of Naples.
In 1404, Ladislaus, King of Naples, installed Centurione II Zaccaria
, the lord of Arkadia (modern Kyparissia
), as prince. Centurione continued to hold the post until 1430, when invasions by Thomas Palaeologus, Despot of the Morea, forced him to retreat to his ancestral Messenian castle. He subsequently married off his daughter and heiress, Catherine, to Thomas, and so on his death in 1432, the principality was united with the despotate. In about 1450, his illegitimate son, John Asen, was the focus of rebellions against the despot Constantine Dragases
. The Byzantine reconquest proved short-lived, however, as in 1460, the Ottomans
conquered the Despotate.
began to claim the Principality from 1313 on behalf of his wife Isabelle of Sabran, daughter of Marguerite of Villehardouin, younger daughter of William II
and sister to Isabella of Villehardouin
. The claim passed to Ferdinand and Isabelle's son James III
and thereafter to his son James IV
. He willed his claim to his wife Joan I of Naples, and after his death she held the title relatively without contest.
Although Philip I of Piedmont only held power in Achaea through his first wife, the title Prince of Achaea was claimed by his son by his second wife, James of Piedmont
, and subsequently his sons Philip II
, Amadeo
and Louis
. None of these three had sons and their claim died with Louis.
Centurione II willed his lands to Thomas Palaiologos
, Despot of the Morea and eventual titular Byzantine Emperor, husband of his daughter Catherine Zaccaria. Thomas's son Andreas
later willed all of his titles to Ferdinand II of Aragon
.
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
was one of the three vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
states of the Latin Empire
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
which replaced the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
after the capture of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
during the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica
Kingdom of Thessalonica
The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Byzantine lands.- Background :...
, along with the Duchy of Athens
Duchy of Athens
The Duchy of Athens was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade, encompassing the regions of Attica and Boeotia, and surviving until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century....
, until Thessalonica was captured by Theodore, the despot of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
, in 1224. After this, Achaea became for a while the dominant power in Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, and in the mid-13th century the court at Andravida
Andravida
Andravída is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andravida-Kyllini, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population is about 4,300. Distance from Patras is around 63 km SW and 33 km NW of...
was considered to be the best representation of chivalry
Chivalry
Chivalry is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood which has an aristocratic military origin of individual training and service to others. Chivalry was also the term used to refer to a group of mounted men-at-arms as well as to martial valour...
by western Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
ans.
Foundation
Achaea was founded in 1205 by William of ChamplitteWilliam of Champlitte
William I of Champlitte was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade and became the first prince of Achaea .- Early years and the Fourth Crusade :...
and Geoffrey I of Villehardouin
Geoffrey I of Villehardouin
Geoffrey I of Villehardouin was a French knight from the County of Champagne who joined the Fourth Crusade. He participated in the conquest of the Peloponnese and became the second prince of Achaea ....
, who undertook to conquer the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
on behalf of Boniface of Montferrat
Boniface of Montferrat
Boniface of Montferrat was Marquess of Montferrat and the leader of the Fourth Crusade. He was the third son of William V of Montferrat and Judith of Babenberg, born after his father's return from the Second Crusade...
, King of Thessalonica
Kingdom of Thessalonica
The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Byzantine lands.- Background :...
. With a force of no more than 100 knights and 500 foot soldiers, they took Achaea
Achaea
Achaea is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.-Geography:...
and Elis
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
, and after defeating the local Greeks in the Battle of the Olive Grove of Koundouros
Battle of the Olive Grove of Koundouros
The Battle of the Olive Grove of Koundouros or Koundouras took place in the spring of 1205, in Messinia, Peloponnese, between the Franks and the Greeks, resulting in a victory of the Frankish knights and the collapse of the local resistance....
, became masters of the Morea
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
. The victory was decisive, and after the battle all resistance from the locals was limited to a few forts, that continued to hold out. The fort of Araklovon
Araklovon Castle
Araklovon or Araclovon was a medieval castle of the Byzantine era located in southwestern Peloponnese in Greece. The castle was built on the top of a steep cliff of the Minthi mountain, at an altitude of 980m. The location was strategic; it oversaw the only passage from the port city of Glarentza...
in Elis
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
, was defended by Doxapatres Boutsaras
Doxapatres Boutsaras
Doxapatres Boutsaras was a Byzantine Greek independent lord in the central Peloponnese in the early 13th century. He had his headquarters in the Araklovon Castle, which is located near the Minthi village, in the Municipality of Zacharo. He withstood the attacks of the Franks of the Fourth Crusade...
and withstood the attacks until 1213, when the garrison finally surrendered. The fort of Monemvasia
Monemvasia
Monemvasia is a town and a municipality in Laconia, Greece. The town is located on a small peninsula off the east coast of the Peloponnese. The peninsula is linked to the mainland by a short causeway 200m in length. Its area consists mostly of a large plateau some 100 metres above sea level, up to...
, and the castles of Argos
Argos
Argos is a city and a former municipality in Argolis, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Argos-Mykines, of which it is a municipal unit. It is 11 kilometres from Nafplion, which was its historic harbour...
, Nauplia and Corinth
Acrocorinth
Acrocorinth , "Upper Corinth", the acropolis of ancient Corinth, is a monolithic rock overseeing the ancient city of Corinth, Greece. "It is the most impressive of the acropoleis of mainland Greece," in the estimation of George Forrest. Acrocorinth was continuously occupied from archaic times to...
under Leo Sgouros
Leo Sgouros
Leo Sgouros was a Greek independent lord in the northeastern Peloponnese in the early 13th century. The scion of the magnate Sgouros family, he succeeded his father as hereditary lord in the region of Nauplia...
held out until his suicide in 1208. By 1212, these too had been conquered, and organized as the lordship of Argos and Nauplia
Argos and Nauplia
During the late Middle Ages, the two cities of Argos and Nauplia formed a separate Lordship within the Frankish Principality of Achaea in southern Greece....
, and only Monemvasia continued to hold out until 1248. William of Champlitte ruled Achaea until he departed for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to assume an inheritance, but died on the way there in 1209. He was succeeded by Geoffrey I of Villehardouin, who ruled until his own death in 1219.
Territorial organization
Achaea was rather small, consisting of the PeloponnesePeloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
peninsula (then known as the Morea
Morea
The Morea was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. It also referred to a Byzantine province in the region, known as the Despotate of Morea.-Origins of the name:...
), but it was fairly wealthy, exporting wine, raisins, wax, honey, oil and silk. The capital of the principality was originally at Andravida
Andravida
Andravída is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andravida-Kyllini, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population is about 4,300. Distance from Patras is around 63 km SW and 33 km NW of...
. It was bordered on the north by Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
and the Duchy of Athens
Duchy of Athens
The Duchy of Athens was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade, encompassing the regions of Attica and Boeotia, and surviving until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century....
and surrounded by Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
-held territories in the Aegean Sea
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
, including the forts of Modon
Methoni, Messenia
Methoni is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Its name may be derived from Mothona, a mythical rock. It is located 11 km south of Pylos and...
and Coron
Koroni
Koroni or Coroni is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Known as Corone by the Venetians and Ottomans, the town of Koroni Koroni or Coroni is a...
on the Peloponnese.
Geoffrey I divided the territory of his new domain among his followers. The Principality was divided into 12 baronies, each of them consisting of several smaller fiefs, which were both territorial and financial units, each corresponding to an income of 1000 hyperpyra. These were: the barony of Akova (Matagrifon) located in Arcadia
Arcadia
Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan...
with 24 fiefs, of Skorta (in Karytaina
Karytaina
Karytaina is a village in Arcadia, Greece. It was the seat of the former municipality Gortyna. Karytaina had a 2001 population of 204 for the village and 257 for the municipal district...
) with 22 fiefs, of Nikli and Geraki with 6 fiefs, of Kalavryta
Kalavryta
Kalavryta is a town and a municipality in the eastcentral part of the peripheral unit of Achaea, Greece. It is the southern terminus of the Kalavryta - Diakopto Road and the eastern terminus of the Patras - Kalavryta Road. It is located approx...
with 12 fiefs, of Vostitza
Aigio
Aigio is a town and a former municipality in Achaea, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Aigialeia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. Its population is around 30,000. Aigio is surrounded by trees in the north and cliffs in the...
with 8 fiefs, of Veligosti
Veligosti
Veligosti is a Greek settlement located around 12 km south of Megalopoli, 3 km SSE from the nearest interchange with the GR-7/E65 , about 48 km northeast of Kalamata, about 4 km west of Leontari and about 40 km west-southwest of Tripoli. Veligosti is also in the...
, Gritsena, Passava
Passavas
Passavas or Las is situated on the Mani Peninsula. In ancient times Las was a Spartan possession and in 218 BC the citizens of the city fought and routed and group of Philip V of Macedon's army. Las became part of the Union of Free Laconians in 195 BC when it separated from Sparta. The Spartans...
(in Laconia
Laconia
Laconia , also known as Lacedaemonia, is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. Its administrative capital is Sparti...
) and Chalandritsa
Farres
Farres is a former municipality in Achaea, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Erymanthos, of which it is a municipal unit. Its seat of administration was in the town Chalandritsa. It is on a road connecting Patras and Kalavryta...
with 4 fiefs, while the barony of Kalamata
Kalamata
Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf...
was retained as a personal fief by the Villehardouins. There were also seven clerical baronies, headed by the bishop of Patras. Extensive estates were also granted to the military order
Military order
A military order is a Christian society of knights that was founded for crusading, i.e. propagating or defending the faith , either in the Holy Land or against Islam or pagans in Europe...
s of the Templars
Knights Templar
The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon , commonly known as the Knights Templar, the Order of the Temple or simply as Templars, were among the most famous of the Western Christian military orders...
, the Hospitallers
Knights Hospitaller
The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta , also known as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta , Order of Malta or Knights of Malta, is a Roman Catholic lay religious order, traditionally of military, chivalrous, noble nature. It is the world's...
and the Teutonic Knights
Teutonic Knights
The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary in Jerusalem , commonly the Teutonic Order , is a German medieval military order, in modern times a purely religious Catholic order...
.
Government and administration
The most important secular and ecclesiastical lords participated in the council of the "Grand Court", which was presided over by the Prince. The council had great authority, and its decisions were binding for the Prince. The Principality's higher officials were the chancellorChancellor
Chancellor is the title of various official positions in the governments of many nations. The original chancellors were the Cancellarii of Roman courts of justice—ushers who sat at the cancelli or lattice work screens of a basilica or law court, which separated the judge and counsel from the...
, the Prince's chief minister, the marshal
Marshal
Marshal , is a word used in several official titles of various branches of society. The word is an ancient loan word from Old French, cf...
, the constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
, the treasurer, the protovestiarius, in charge of the Prince's personal treasury, and the pourveur des chastiaux, who was responsible for the replenishment of the castles.
The Principality also produced a unique set of laws, the "Assizes of Romania", which combined aspects of Byzantine and French law, and became the basis for the laws of the other Crusader States. Several Byzantine titles
Byzantine aristocracy and bureaucracy
The Byzantine Empire had a complex system of aristocracy and bureaucracy, which was inherited from the Roman Empire. At the apex of the pyramid stood the Emperor, sole ruler and divinely ordained, but beneath him a multitude of officials and court functionaries operated the administrative...
such as logothete
Logothete
Logothete was an administrative title originating in the eastern Roman Empire. In the middle and late Byzantine Empire, it rose to become a senior administrative title, equivalent to a minister or secretary of state...
s and protovestarius continued in use, although these titles were adapted to fit the conceptions of Western feudalism
Feudalism
Feudalism was a set of legal and military customs in medieval Europe that flourished between the 9th and 15th centuries, which, broadly defined, was a system for ordering society around relationships derived from the holding of land in exchange for service or labour.Although derived from the...
. The Byzantine pronoia
Pronoia
Pronoia refers to a system of land grants in the Byzantine Empire.-The Early Pronoia System:...
system was also adapted to fit Western feudalism; peasants (paroikoi) technically owned their land, but military duties and taxes that they had not been subject to under the pronoia system were imposed on them by their new French lords.
The Frankish barons were subjected to heavy military obligations. They had to serve four months each year with the Principality's army and further four months of guard duty on various castles. They could not leave the Principality, except with the Prince's permission, and even then had to return within two years and two days or have their property confiscated.
The Principality in the 13th century
Geoffrey I was succeeded by his son Geoffrey IIGeoffrey II of Villehardouin
Geoffrey II of Villehardouin was the third prince of Achaea . From his accession to the princely throne, he was a powerful and respected person, and even from France knights came to the principality to enter his service...
, who ruled until his death in 1245. By confiscating the ecclesiastical taxes, in the years 1221-1223 he built himself a powerful castle at Chlemoutsi
Chlemoutsi
Chlemoutsi is a medieval castle in the northwest of the Ilia Prefecture, Greece 12 km west of Andravida, 13 km southwest of Lechaina and 6 km south of Kyllini. It was built by the Crusader rulers of the Principality of Achaea as their main stronghold, and is perhaps the finest...
, near modern Kyllini
Kyllini
There are several places on the Peloponnesus peninsula in Greece named Kyllíni :* Mount Kyllini , the mythological birthplace of Hermes ....
, which he used as his main residence. Because of this, he came into conflict with the Catholic Church, and was briefly excommunicated by the Pope. When John III of Nicaea
John III Doukas Vatatzes
John III Doukas Vatatzes, Latinized as Ducas Vatatzes |Nymphaion]]) was emperor of Nicaea 1221–1254.-Life:John Doukas Vatatzes was probably the son of the general Basileios Vatatzes, Duke of Thrace, who died in 1193, and his wife, an unnamed daughter of Isaakios Angelos and cousin of the Emperors...
besieged Constantinople in 1236, Geoffrey II came to the aid of the Latin Empire
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
with 100 knights, 800 archers and 6 vessels.
Under his son and successor, Prince William II Villehardouin, the Principality reached its zenith. William was a poet
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and troubadour
Troubadour
A troubadour was a composer and performer of Old Occitan lyric poetry during the High Middle Ages . Since the word "troubadour" is etymologically masculine, a female troubadour is usually called a trobairitz....
, and his court had its own mint
Mint (coin)
A mint is an industrial facility which manufactures coins for currency.The history of mints correlates closely with the history of coins. One difference is that the history of the mint is usually closely tied to the political situation of an era...
at Glarenza
Kyllini
There are several places on the Peloponnesus peninsula in Greece named Kyllíni :* Mount Kyllini , the mythological birthplace of Hermes ....
, and a flourishing literary culture, using a distinct form of spoken French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. In 1249, William II moved the capital of Achaea to the newly-built fortress of Mistra, near ancient Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
. In 1255 he became embroiled in the War of the Euboeote Succession
War of the Euboeote Succession
The War of the Euboeote Succession was fought in 1256–1258 between the Prince of Achaea, William II of Villehardouin, and a broad coalition of other rulers from throughout Frankish Greece who felt threatened by William's aspirations...
, and in 1259 he allied with Michael II
Michael II Komnenos Doukas
Michael II Komnenos Doukas or Comnenus Ducas , often called Michael Angelos in narrative sources, was the ruler of Epirus from 1230 until his death in 1266/68.-Life:...
, despot of Epirus, against Michael VIII Palaeologus of Nicaea. However, Michael II then deserted to join the Nicaean side, and William was taken prisoner at the Battle of Pelagonia
Battle of Pelagonia
The Battle of Pelagonia took place in September of 1259, between the Empire of Nicaea and the Despotate of Epirus, Sicily and the Principality of Achaea...
. After Michael recaptured Constantinople in 1261, William was released in 1262 in return for Mistra and the rest of Laconia, which became a Byzantine despotate
Despotate of Morea
The Despotate of the Morea or Despotate of Mystras was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its 100 years of existence but eventually grew to take in almost all the southern Greek peninsula, the...
, as well as an oath of allegiance to the Emperor.
However, soon after his release, William broke his oath of allegiance, and begun seeking alliances with and help from various Western nations. Informed by the local Byzantine governor of William's actions, Michael VIII sent an army under the command of his half-brother, Constantine
Constantine Palaiologos (half-brother of Michael VIII)
Constantine Palaiologos was a son of Andronikos Palaiologos, Grand Domestic of the Empire of Nicaea and an unknown second wife...
, against William, but the expedition was unsuccessful, the Byzantines first being routed at the Battle of Prinitza
Battle of Prinitza
The Battle of Prinitza was fought in 1263 between the forces of the Byzantine Empire, marching to capture Andravida, the capital of the Latin Principality of Achaea, and a small Achaean force...
in 1263 and then, after Constantine's return to Constantinople, suffering a heavy defeat at the Battle of Makryplagi
Battle of Makryplagi
The Battle of Makryplagi or Makry Plagi was fought between the forces of the Byzantine Empire, and the Latin Principality of Achaea. The Byzantines had been weakened and demoralized by the defection of their numerous Turkish mercenaries to the Achaeans...
in 1264.
After William, the Principality passed to Charles of Anjou. In the Treaty of Viterbo
Treaty of Viterbo
The Treaty of Viterbo was a pair of agreements made by Charles I of Sicily with Baldwin II of Constantinople and William II Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, on 27 May 1267, which transferred much of the rights to the Latin Empire from Baldwin to Charles.-Background:The recapture of Constantinople...
(1267), Charles was given Achaea by the exiled Baldwin II of Constantinople
Baldwin II of Constantinople
Baldwin II of Courtenay was the last emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.He was a younger son of Yolanda of Flanders, sister of the first two emperors, Baldwin I and Henry of Flanders...
, who hoped Charles could help him restore the Latin Empire. Charles and his descendants did not rule in Achaea personally, but through a series of appointed bailiffs. They did however send money and soldiers to help the principality defend against the Byzantine encroachment.
The feudal conflict of the Morea (1307-1383)
For this period the principality was under a violent succession dispute, which originated from the dispossessed Latin Emperor Baldwin II's gift of the overlordship of Achaea to Charles I of SicilyCharles I of Sicily
Charles I , known also as Charles of Anjou, was the King of Sicily by conquest from 1266, though he had received it as a papal grant in 1262 and was expelled from the island in the aftermath of the Sicilian Vespers of 1282...
in return for support in his attempt to reconquer the throne in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, an action which ignored the rights of the Villehardouin
Villehardouin
The name Villehardouin may refer to:* Villehardouin, a former commune of the Aube department, now part of Val-d'Auzon*Geoffrey of Villehardouin, knight, crusader , Marshal of Romania and author of the "Chronicle of The Fourth Crusade and The Conquest of Constantinople"*Geoffrey I of Villehardouin,...
Princes of Achaea. The Angevin
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
kings of Naples subsequently gave Achaea as their fief to a series of their own relatives and creatures, who fought against Princess Margaret of Villehardouin and her heirs.
Charles II of Naples
Charles II of Naples
Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:...
had at first granted the fiefdom of Morea or Achaea to Princess Isabella of Villehardouin
Isabella of Villehardouin
Isabella of Villehardouin was the elder daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and of his second wife Anna, the third daughter of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the despot of Epiros....
(from the Villehardouin dynasty), but he deposed her in 1307 and granted it to his son Philip I of Taranto
Philip I of Taranto
Philip I of Taranto : of the Angevin house, was titular Emperor of Constantinople , despot of Epirus, King of Albania, Prince of Achaea and Taranto, and Lord of Durazzo....
, who in 1313 transferred it to Matilda (or Mafalda, or Maud) of Hainaut, heiress of Isabella of Villehardouin, who was married to Louis of Burgundy
Louis of Burgundy
Louis of Burgundy , Prince of Achaea and titular King of Thessalonica, was a younger son of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy and Agnes of France....
, titular King of Thessalonica. But Margaret, younger daughter of William II Villehardouin, claimed her rights from 1307. In 1313 she claimed them again without success and then transferred her rights to her daughter Isabelle of Sabran, wife of Ferdinand of Majorca
Ferdinand of Majorca
Ferdinand of Majorca , Infante of Majorca, was the third son of James II of Majorca, Viscount of Aumelas and Lord of Frontignan....
. The son of Ferdinand and Isabelle, known as James the Unfortunate
James III of Majorca
James III , called the Rash or the Unfortunate, son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabelle de Sabran, heiress of Principality of Achaea, was the King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the last independent king of Majorca of the House of Barcelona.James was born at Catania...
, was proclaimed prince of the Morea in 1315 under the regency of his father, who conquered the principality between 1315 and 1316 but was defeated and executed by Louis of Burgundy and Matilda in 1316. In 1316 Louis of Burgundy died and King Robert of Naples
Robert of Naples
Robert of Anjou , known as Robert the Wise was King of Naples, titular King of Jerusalem and Count of Provence and Forcalquier from 1309 to 1343, the central figure of Italian politics of his time. He was the third but eldest surviving son of King Charles II of Naples the Lame and Maria of Hungary...
deposed Matilda and gave the principality to his brother John of Durazzo, to whom Matilda was briefly married under duress before being imprisoned.
From 1331 the feudal lords began to recognize the rights of James, and in 1333 the recognition was total. Then John transferred his rights to his sister-in-law, Catherine of Valois
Catherine II of Valois, Princess of Achaea
Catherine of Valois was titular Empress of Constantinople from 1308 to her death as Catherine II, Princess consort of Achaea from 1332 to 1341, and Governor of Cephalonia from 1341 to her death.-Life:...
, titular Empress of Constantinople, wife of Philip I of Taranto, whose stepson Robert claimed her rights until 1346 when she died. Then the claim was issued by the son of Philip and Catherine, Philip II of Taranto
Philip II of Taranto
Philip II of Taranto of the Angevin house, was Prince of Achaea and Taranto, and titular Emperor of Constantinople from 1364 to his death in 1374....
. In 1349 James was succeeded by his son James IV
James IV of Majorca
James IV of Majorca was King of Majorca from 1349 until his death.James was the son of James III of Majorca and Constance of Aragon...
(II of the Morea). In 1364 Robert of Taranto, stepson of Catherine and eldest surviving son of Philip I of Taranto, died. In 1373 Philip II transferred his rights to his cousin, overlord and former sister-in-law Queen Joan I of Naples
Joan I of Naples
Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81....
, whose third husband James IV of Majorca, when he died in 1375, left her his own claim to the principality, at which point she became more or less uncontested Princess of Achaea. However, when Joan was imprisoned in Naples in 1381, another, much younger, James, James of Baux
James of Baux
James of Baux , Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383....
, grandson of Catherine and nephew of Philip II, who in 1374 had become titular Emperor of Constantinople, used the opportunity and seized Achaea. In 1383, Achaea was annexed by Charles III of Naples
Charles III of Naples
Charles the Short or Charles of Durazzo was King of Naples and titular King of Jerusalem from 1382 to 1386 as Charles III, and King of Hungary from 1385 to 1386 as Charles II. In 1382 Charles created the order of Argonauts of Saint Nicholas...
, successor and murderer of Queen Joan of Naples, who was the grandson of John of Durazzo, and James of Baux was driven away. In 1383 the Vicary government began, lasting until 1396, under the Durazzo kings of Naples.
In 1404, Ladislaus, King of Naples, installed Centurione II Zaccaria
Centurione II Zaccaria
Centurione II Zaccaria , scion of Genoese powerful merchant family established in the Morea, was installed as Prince of Achaea by Ladislaus of Naples in 1404 and was the last ruler of the Latin Empire not under Byzantine suzerainty....
, the lord of Arkadia (modern Kyparissia
Kyparissia
Kyparissia is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The town proper has around 5,708 inhabitants. The town is located on Greek National Road 9,...
), as prince. Centurione continued to hold the post until 1430, when invasions by Thomas Palaeologus, Despot of the Morea, forced him to retreat to his ancestral Messenian castle. He subsequently married off his daughter and heiress, Catherine, to Thomas, and so on his death in 1432, the principality was united with the despotate. In about 1450, his illegitimate son, John Asen, was the focus of rebellions against the despot Constantine Dragases
Constantine XI
Constantine XI Palaiologos, latinized as Palaeologus , Kōnstantinos XI Dragasēs Palaiologos; February 8, 1404 – May 29, 1453) was the last reigning Byzantine Emperor from 1449 to his death as member of the Palaiologos dynasty...
. The Byzantine reconquest proved short-lived, however, as in 1460, the Ottomans
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
conquered the Despotate.
Princes of Achaea
| Prince | Other titles | Birth | Marriages | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| William I William of Champlitte William I of Champlitte was a French knight who joined the Fourth Crusade and became the first prince of Achaea .- Early years and the Fourth Crusade :... 1205-1209 with his nephew Hugh Hugh of Champlitte Hugh of Champlitte was the nephew of William of Champlitte, the first Prince of Achaea.Hugh and his uncle traveled with the Fourth Crusade and were at the conquest of Constantinople in 1204. They arrived in the Peloponnesus in 1205... as regent and heir |
- | 12th century son of Eudes of Champlitte |
never married | 1209 Apulia Apulia Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and... , Kingdom of Sicily Kingdom of Sicily The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy... |
| Geoffrey I Geoffrey I of Villehardouin Geoffrey I of Villehardouin was a French knight from the County of Champagne who joined the Fourth Crusade. He participated in the conquest of the Peloponnese and became the second prince of Achaea .... 1209-1228 |
- | 12th century {nephew of Geoffrey of Villehardouin Geoffrey of Villehardouin Geoffrey of Villehardouin was a knight and historian who participated in and chronicled the Fourth Crusade... , Marshal of Champagne and of Romania) |
?? | 1228 |
| Geoffrey II Geoffrey II of Villehardouin Geoffrey II of Villehardouin was the third prince of Achaea . From his accession to the princely throne, he was a powerful and respected person, and even from France knights came to the principality to enter his service... 1218-1245 |
- | 1195 son of Geoffrey I of Villehardouin Geoffrey I of Villehardouin Geoffrey I of Villehardouin was a French knight from the County of Champagne who joined the Fourth Crusade. He participated in the conquest of the Peloponnese and became the second prince of Achaea .... |
Agnes of Courtenay 1217 no heirs |
1245 aged 50 Andravida Andravida Andravída is a town and a former municipality in Elis, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Andravida-Kyllini, of which it is a municipal unit. Its population is about 4,300. Distance from Patras is around 63 km SW and 33 km NW of... , Achaea |
| William II William II of Villehardouin William II of Villehardouin, was the last Villehardouin prince of Achaea and ruled the principality at the height of its power and influence.William was the son of Geoffrey I Villehardouin... 1245-1278 |
nominal Duke of the Archipelago Duchy of the Archipelago The Duchy of the Archipelago or also Duchy of Naxos or Duchy of the Aegean was a maritime state created by Venetian interests in the Cyclades archipelago in the Aegean Sea, in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade, centered on the islands of Naxos and Paros.-Background and establishment of the... from 1236 |
after 1195 Kalamata Kalamata Kalamata is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece. The capital and chief port of the Messenia prefecture, it lies along the Nedon River at the head of the Messenian Gulf... castle son of Geoffrey I of Villehardouin Geoffrey I of Villehardouin Geoffrey I of Villehardouin was a French knight from the County of Champagne who joined the Fourth Crusade. He participated in the conquest of the Peloponnese and became the second prince of Achaea .... |
daughter of Narjot de Toucy Narjot de Toucy (died 1241) Narjot de Toucy , lord of Bazarnes, was the son of Narjot II of Toucy and of his wife Agnes de Dampierre.Alongside his father-in-law Theodore Branas and Geoffroy de Merry, Narjot de Toucy formed part of the council that briefly governed Constantinople from 17 December 1219 Narjot de Toucy (died... 1239 no children Carintana della Carceri before 1255 no children Anna Komnene Doukaina 1259 2 daughters |
1 May 1278 |
| Charles I 1278-1285 |
King of Sicily Kingdom of Sicily The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy... to 1282 King of Naples Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of... King of Albania Kingdom of Albania The Kingdom of Albania, or Regnum Albaniae, was established by Charles of Anjou in the Albanian territory he conquered from the Despotate of Epirus in 1271. He took the title of "King of Albania" in February 1272. The kingdom extended from the region of Durrës south along the coast to Butrint... Count of Provence Count of Anjou |
21 March 1226 France Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France was one of the most powerful states to exist in Europe during the second millennium.It originated from the Western portion of the Frankish empire, and consolidated significant power and influence over the next thousand years. Louis XIV, also known as the Sun King, developed a... son of Louis VIII of France Louis VIII of France Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226... and Blanche of Castile Blanche of Castile Blanche of Castile , was a Queen consort of France as the wife of Louis VIII. She acted as regent twice during the reign of her son, Louis IX.... |
Beatrice of Provence Beatrice of Provence Beatrice of Provence , was a countess regnant of Provence. She was also a Queen consort of Sicily by marriage to King Charles I of Sicily.... 31 January 1246 7 children Margaret of Burgundy Margaret of Burgundy, Queen of Sicily Margaret of Burgundy was the second wife of Charles I of Sicily, and by marriage Queen consort of Sicily.The second daughter of Odo, Count of Nevers, and Maud of Dampierre, Margaret was Countess of Tonnerre by inheritance from 1262 until her death... 1268 no children |
7 January 1285 aged 58 Foggia Foggia Foggia is a city and comune of Apulia, Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known as the "granary of Italy".-History:... , Apulia, Kingdom of Naples Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of... |
| Charles II Charles II of Naples Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:... 1285-1289 |
King of Naples King of Albania Count of Anjou |
1254 son of King Charles I and Beatrice of Provence Beatrice of Provence Beatrice of Provence , was a countess regnant of Provence. She was also a Queen consort of Sicily by marriage to King Charles I of Sicily.... |
Maria of Hungary 1270 14 children |
5 May 1309 aged about 55 Naples Naples Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples... , Kingdom of Naples |
| Isabella Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin was the elder daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and of his second wife Anna, the third daughter of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the despot of Epiros.... 1289-1307 with Florent until 1297 with Philip I from 1301 |
- | c. 1260 daughter of Prince William II William II of Villehardouin William II of Villehardouin, was the last Villehardouin prince of Achaea and ruled the principality at the height of its power and influence.William was the son of Geoffrey I Villehardouin... and Anne Komnene Doukaina |
Philip of Sicily, titular King of Thessalonica 28 May 1271 no children Florent of Hainaut Florent of Hainaut Florent of Hainaut was Prince of Achaea from 1289 to his death, in right of his wife, Isabella of Villehardouin. He was the son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland... 16 September 1289 one daughter Philip I of Piedmont 12 February 1301 no children |
23 January 1312 Hainaut County of Hainaut The County of Hainaut was a historical region in the Low Countries with its capital at Mons . In English sources it is often given the archaic spelling Hainault.... |
| Florent Florent of Hainaut Florent of Hainaut was Prince of Achaea from 1289 to his death, in right of his wife, Isabella of Villehardouin. He was the son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland... 1289-1297 with Isabella |
Stadholder of Zeeland Zeeland Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about... Constable of the Kingdom of Naples |
c. 1255 son of John I of Avesnes John I of Avesnes John I of Avesnes was the count of Hainaut from 1246 to his death. Born in Houffalize, he was the eldest son of Margaret II of Flanders by her first husband, Bouchard IV of Avesnes... and Adelaide of Holland Adelaide of Holland Adelaide of Holland or Aleide van Holland was a daughter of Floris IV, Count of Holland and Matilda of Brabant. She was also a sister of William II, Count of Holland and King of Germany... |
Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin was the elder daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and of his second wife Anna, the third daughter of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the despot of Epiros.... 16 September 1289 one daughter |
23 January 1297 aged about 41 Castle of Saint George, Arcadia Arcadia Arcadia is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the administrative region of Peloponnese. It is situated in the central and eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas. In Greek mythology, it was the home of the god Pan... |
| Philip I 1301-1307 with Isabella |
Lord of Piedmont Lord of Piedmont The lordship, later principality of Piedmont was originally an appanage of the Savoyard county and as such its lords were members of the Savoy-Achaea branch of that illustrious house. The title was inherited by the elder branch of the dynasty in 1418, at about which time Savoy was elevated to... |
1278 son of Thomas III of Piedmont Thomas III of Piedmont Count Thomas III , called Thomas of Savoy or de Savoie, was the lord of Piedmont and a claimant to the county of Savoy from 1268.He was the eldest son of Thomas II of Savoy and Beatrice di Fieschi, niece of Pope Innocent IV.... and Guia of Burgundy |
Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin was the elder daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and of his second wife Anna, the third daughter of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the despot of Epiros.... 12 February 1301 no children Catherine de la Tour du Pin 1312 5 children |
|
| Philip II 1307-1313 |
Prince of Taranto Principality of Taranto The Principality of Taranto was a state in southern Italy created in 1088 for Bohemond I, eldest son of Robert Guiscard, as part of the peace between him and his younger brother Roger Borsa after a dispute over the succession to the Duchy of Apulia.... Lord of the Kingdom of Albania titular Latin Emperor jure uxoris from 1313 |
10 November 1278 Naples, Kingdom of Naples son of King Charles II Charles II of Naples Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:... and Maria of Hungary |
Thamar Angelina Komnene 12 July 1294 5 children Catherine of Valois 29 July 1313 5 children |
26 December 1331 aged 53 |
| Matilda Matilda of Hainaut Matilda of Hainaut was the Princess of Achaea from 1313 to 1318.From 1307, when Philip of Savoy relinquished his claim, to 1312, when Isabella of Villehardouin died, Achaea was disputed between two claimants: Isabella and Philip I of Taranto. In 1313, Philip granted it to Matilda, daughter of... 1313-1318 with Louis until 1316 in opposition to Odo from 1316 |
Duchess of Athens 1289-1308 Duchess of Durazzo 1318-1321 |
29 November 1293 daughter of Florent of Hainaut Florent of Hainaut Florent of Hainaut was Prince of Achaea from 1289 to his death, in right of his wife, Isabella of Villehardouin. He was the son of John I of Avesnes and Adelaide of Holland... and Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin Isabella of Villehardouin was the elder daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and of his second wife Anna, the third daughter of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the despot of Epiros.... , Princess of Achaea |
Guy II de la Roche Guy II de la Roche Guy II de la Roche was the Duke of Athens from 1287, the last duke of his family. He succeeded as a minor on the death of his father, William I, at a time when the duchy of Athens had exceeded the Principality of Achaea in wealth, power, and importance.Guy was originally under the tutorship and... , Duke of Athens Duchy of Athens The Duchy of Athens was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade, encompassing the regions of Attica and Boeotia, and surviving until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century.... 1299 no children Louis of Burgundy Louis of Burgundy Louis of Burgundy , Prince of Achaea and titular King of Thessalonica, was a younger son of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy and Agnes of France.... 31 July 1313 no children John, Duke of Durazzo John, Duke of Durazzo John of Gravina , Count of Gravina 1315–1336, Duke of Durazzo 1332–1336 and ruler of the Kingdom of Albania , was a younger son of Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary.... March 1318 no children Hugh de La Palice c. 1321 no children |
1331 aged about 38 Aversa Aversa Aversa is a town and comune in the Province of Caserta in Campania southern Italy, about 15 kilometres north of Naples. It is the centre of an agricultural district, the agro aversano, producing wine and cheese... , Kingdom of Naples |
| Louis 1313-1316 with Matilda |
titular King of Thessalonica | 1297 son of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy Robert II, Duke of Burgundy Robert II of Burgundy was duke of Burgundy between 1271 and 1306, inheriting the title from his brother Eudes of Burgundy, who had no male heirs. Robert was the third son of duke Hugh IV and Yolande of Dreux... and Agnes of France Agnes of France, Duchess of Burgundy Agnes of France , Daughter of France by birth, was the youngest daughter of Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence. She served as regent of Burgundy during the minority of her son.- Family :... |
Matilda of Hainaut Matilda of Hainaut Matilda of Hainaut was the Princess of Achaea from 1313 to 1318.From 1307, when Philip of Savoy relinquished his claim, to 1312, when Isabella of Villehardouin died, Achaea was disputed between two claimants: Isabella and Philip I of Taranto. In 1313, Philip granted it to Matilda, daughter of... , Princess of Achaea 31 July 1313 no children |
2 August 1316 aged about 19 Elis Elis Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit... |
| Odo 1316-1320 in opposition to Matilda until 1318 |
Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks... |
1295 son of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy Robert II, Duke of Burgundy Robert II of Burgundy was duke of Burgundy between 1271 and 1306, inheriting the title from his brother Eudes of Burgundy, who had no male heirs. Robert was the third son of duke Hugh IV and Yolande of Dreux... and Agnes of France Agnes of France, Duchess of Burgundy Agnes of France , Daughter of France by birth, was the youngest daughter of Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence. She served as regent of Burgundy during the minority of her son.- Family :... |
Joan III, Countess of Burgundy 1318 6 children |
3 April 1350 aged about 55 |
| Louis Louis I, Duke of Bourbon Louis I de Bourbon, le Boiteux, the Lame was Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche, and the first Duke of Bourbon.-Life:... 1320-1321 |
Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis | 1279 son of Robert, Count of Clermont Robert, Count of Clermont Robert of France was made Count of Clermont in 1268. He was son of King Louis IX of France and Margaret of Provence... and Beatrix of Burgundy |
Mary of Avesnes Mary of Avesnes Marie of Hainaut was the daughter of John II, Count of Holland and Philippa of Luxembourg, her brother was William I, Count of Hainaut.- Family :... 1310 8 children |
29 January 1342 aged about 62 |
| John John, Duke of Durazzo John of Gravina , Count of Gravina 1315–1336, Duke of Durazzo 1332–1336 and ruler of the Kingdom of Albania , was a younger son of Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary.... 1322-1332 |
Count of Gravina Counts and Dukes of Gravina The Counts of Gravina, later Dukes of Gravina, were the medieval rulers of Gravina di Puglia, in the old Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples. The county was settled on various royal favorites, and was held by members of the Neapolitan royal family from about 1300 until 1385... |
1294 son of King Charles II Charles II of Naples Charles II, known as "the Lame" was King of Naples, King of Albania, Prince of Salerno, Prince of Achaea and Count of Anjou.-Biography:... and Maria of Hungary |
Matilda of Hainaut Matilda of Hainaut Matilda of Hainaut was the Princess of Achaea from 1313 to 1318.From 1307, when Philip of Savoy relinquished his claim, to 1312, when Isabella of Villehardouin died, Achaea was disputed between two claimants: Isabella and Philip I of Taranto. In 1313, Philip granted it to Matilda, daughter of... , Princess of Achaea March 1318 no children Agnes de Périgord 14 November 1321 4 sons |
5 August 1336 aged 42 |
| Robert 1332-1364 |
Prince of Taranto until 1346 titular Latin Emperor from 1346 |
1319 son of Prince Philip II and Catherine of Valois |
Marie of Bourbon 9 September 1347 no children |
10 September 1364 aged about 45 Naples, Kingdom of Naples |
| Philip III 1364-1373 |
Prince of Taranto titular Latin Emperor |
1329 son of Prince Philip II and Catherine of Valois |
Maria of Calabria Maria of Calabria Maria of Calabria was the first Empress consort of Philip II of Taranto, titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople.-Family:... April 1355 5 children Elizabeth of Slavonia 20 October 1370 one son |
25 November 1374 aged about 45 Taranto Principality of Taranto The Principality of Taranto was a state in southern Italy created in 1088 for Bohemond I, eldest son of Robert Guiscard, as part of the peace between him and his younger brother Roger Borsa after a dispute over the succession to the Duchy of Apulia.... , Kingdom of Naples |
| Joan Joan I of Naples Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81.... 1373-1381 |
Queen of Naples Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of... Countess of Provence titular Queen consort of Majorca Kingdom of Majorca The Kingdom of Majorca was founded by James I of Aragon, also known as James The Conqueror. After the death of his first-born son Alfonso, a will was written in 1262 which created the kingdom in order to cede it to his son James... |
1328 Naples, Kingdom of Naples daughter of Charles, Duke of Calabria Charles, Duke of Calabria Charles, Duke of Calabria was the son of King Robert of Naples and Yolanda of Aragon.-Biography:Born in Naples, he became Duke of Calabria in 1309 on his father's accession, and was created Vicar-General of the Kingdom of Sicily... and Marie of Valois |
Andrew, Duke of Calabria Andrew, Duke of Calabria Andrew, Duke of Calabria was the second surviving son of Charles I of Hungary and Elizabeth of Poland... 1334 one son Louis, Prince of Taranto 20 August 1346 2 daughters James IV of Majorca James IV of Majorca James IV of Majorca was King of Majorca from 1349 until his death.James was the son of James III of Majorca and Constance of Aragon... 26 September 1363 no children Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen Otto, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen Otto, Duke of Brunswick and Lunenburg was the fourth and last husband of Joan I of Naples. He also held the title of Prince of Taranto nicknamed as Otto the Tarantine.-Biography:... 25 September 1376 no children |
12 May 1382 aged about 54 San Fele San Fele San Felè is a town and comune in the province of Potenza in the Basilicata region of Italy.-Geography:It is bounded by the comuni of Atella, Bella, Castelgrande, Filiano, Muro Lucano, Rapone and Ruvo del Monte.-History:... , Kingdom of Naples |
| James James of Baux James of Baux , Duke of Andria, was the last titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople from 1374 to 1383 and Prince of Achaea from 1382 to 1383.... 1381-1383 |
Duke of Andria Andria, Italy Andria is a city and comune in Apulia . It is an agricultural and service center, producing wine, olives and almonds... Prince of Taranto titular Latin Emperor |
?? son of Francis of Baux, Duke of Andria and Marguerite of Taranto |
Agnes of Durazzo Agnes of Durazzo Agnes of Durazzo was the Empress consort of James of Baux, titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople. She was the last consort of the Latin Empire.-Family:She was the second daughter of Charles, Duke of Durazzo and Maria of Calabria... 16 September 1382 no children |
7 July 1383 |
| Charles III Charles III of Naples Charles the Short or Charles of Durazzo was King of Naples and titular King of Jerusalem from 1382 to 1386 as Charles III, and King of Hungary from 1385 to 1386 as Charles II. In 1382 Charles created the order of Argonauts of Saint Nicholas... 1383-1386 |
King of Naples King of Hungary King of Hungary The King of Hungary was the head of state of the Kingdom of Hungary from 1000 to 1918.The style of title "Apostolic King" was confirmed by Pope Clement XIII in 1758 and used afterwards by all the Kings of Hungary, so after this date the kings are referred to as "Apostolic King of... from 1385 |
1345 Naples, Kingdom of Naples son of Louis of Durazzo Louis of Durazzo Louis of Durazzo was Count of Gravina and Morrone. He was the son of John of Gravina and Agnes of Périgord.In 1337, he was named Vicar- and Captain-General of the Kingdom of Albania. During the ascension of the Durazzeschi at the court of Naples during the reign of Joan I, he was one of the royal... and Margaret of Sanseverino |
Margaret of Durazzo February 1369 3 children |
7 February 1386 aged about 40 Visegrád Visegrád Visegrád is a small castle town in Pest County, Hungary.Situated north of Budapest on the right bank of the Danube in the Danube Bend, Visegrád has a population 1,654 as of 2001... , Kingdom of Hungary Kingdom of Hungary The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders... |
| Interregnum: At Charles III's death in 1386 the principality entered an interregnum where five pretenders claimed its throne, none having a strong enough claim to be considered a ruler until Peter of Saint Superan, leader of the Navarrese Company Navarrese Company The Navarrese Company was a company of mercenaries, mostly from Navarre and Gascony, which fought in Greece during the late 14th century and early 15th century, in the twilight of Frankish power in the dwindling remnant of the Latin Empire... , declared himself Prince in 1396 with the blessing of Pope Urban VI Pope Urban VI Pope Urban VI , born Bartolomeo Prignano, was Pope from 1378 to 1389.-Biography:Born in Itri, he was a devout monk and learned casuist, trained at Avignon. On March 21, 1364, he was consecrated Archbishop of Acerenza in the Kingdom of Naples... , who claimed ownership of the principality since James of Baux's heirs had forfeited their rights to the Holy See. |
||||
| Pedro Bordo de San Superano Pedro Bordo de San Superano Pedro Bordo de San Superano was one of the captains of the Navarrese Company in the Morea from 1379 until he was made Prince of Achaea in 1396, a post he held to his death.After the remnants of the first Navarrese company moved from Durazzo to the Morea,... 1396-1402 |
- | ?? | Maria II Zaccaria Maria II Zaccaria Maria II Zaccaria , was a sovereign Princess of Achaia, and titular Queen of Thessalonica.She was daughter of Centurione I Zaccaria, Lord of Veligosti, Damala and Chalandritsa. She succeeded her spouse Pedro Bordo de San Superano in 1402... one son |
1402 Modon Methoni, Messenia Methoni is a village and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Its name may be derived from Mothona, a mythical rock. It is located 11 km south of Pylos and... or Coron Koroni Koroni or Coroni is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Known as Corone by the Venetians and Ottomans, the town of Koroni Koroni or Coroni is a... , Byzantine Empire Byzantine Empire The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State... |
| Maria II Zaccaria Maria II Zaccaria Maria II Zaccaria , was a sovereign Princess of Achaia, and titular Queen of Thessalonica.She was daughter of Centurione I Zaccaria, Lord of Veligosti, Damala and Chalandritsa. She succeeded her spouse Pedro Bordo de San Superano in 1402... 1402-1404 |
- | ?? | Pedro Bordo de San Superano Pedro Bordo de San Superano Pedro Bordo de San Superano was one of the captains of the Navarrese Company in the Morea from 1379 until he was made Prince of Achaea in 1396, a post he held to his death.After the remnants of the first Navarrese company moved from Durazzo to the Morea,... one son |
after 1404 |
| Centurione II Zaccaria Centurione II Zaccaria Centurione II Zaccaria , scion of Genoese powerful merchant family established in the Morea, was installed as Prince of Achaea by Ladislaus of Naples in 1404 and was the last ruler of the Latin Empire not under Byzantine suzerainty.... 1404-1432 |
Baron of Arcadia | ?? son of Andronico Asano Zaccaria |
Creusa Tocco c. 1404 one daughter |
1432 Arcadia Kyparissia Kyparissia is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Trifylia, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. The town proper has around 5,708 inhabitants. The town is located on Greek National Road 9,... |
Claimants to the Principality
Ferdinand of MajorcaFerdinand of Majorca
Ferdinand of Majorca , Infante of Majorca, was the third son of James II of Majorca, Viscount of Aumelas and Lord of Frontignan....
began to claim the Principality from 1313 on behalf of his wife Isabelle of Sabran, daughter of Marguerite of Villehardouin, younger daughter of William II
William II of Villehardouin
William II of Villehardouin, was the last Villehardouin prince of Achaea and ruled the principality at the height of its power and influence.William was the son of Geoffrey I Villehardouin...
and sister to Isabella of Villehardouin
Isabella of Villehardouin
Isabella of Villehardouin was the elder daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and of his second wife Anna, the third daughter of Michael II Komnenos Doukas, the despot of Epiros....
. The claim passed to Ferdinand and Isabelle's son James III
James III of Majorca
James III , called the Rash or the Unfortunate, son of Ferdinand of Majorca and Isabelle de Sabran, heiress of Principality of Achaea, was the King of Majorca from 1324 to 1344. He was the last independent king of Majorca of the House of Barcelona.James was born at Catania...
and thereafter to his son James IV
James IV of Majorca
James IV of Majorca was King of Majorca from 1349 until his death.James was the son of James III of Majorca and Constance of Aragon...
. He willed his claim to his wife Joan I of Naples, and after his death she held the title relatively without contest.
Although Philip I of Piedmont only held power in Achaea through his first wife, the title Prince of Achaea was claimed by his son by his second wife, James of Piedmont
James of Piedmont
James was the Lord of Piedmont from 1334 to his death. He was the eldest son of Philip I and Catherine de la Tour du Pin. While his father had abandoned his claim to the Principality of Achaea in 1307, James continued to use the princely title and even passed it on to his successors.James opposed...
, and subsequently his sons Philip II
Philip II of Piedmont
Philip II was the Count of Piedmont and claimaint to the Principality of Achaea briefly from 1367 to his death.He was a son of James of Piedmont and Sibylle des Baux . On 19 September 1362, he married Alix de Thoire de Villars, but he had no children...
, Amadeo
Amadeo, Prince of Achaea
Amadeus or Amedeo of Savoy was the son of James of Piedmont and his third wife Marguerite de Beaujeu. By James' will of 16 May 1366, he was declared his firstborn and heir. In 1367, he succeeded his father in his titles of Lord of Piedmont and Prince of Achaea...
and Louis
Louis of Piedmont
Louis was the Lord of Piedmont and titular Prince of Achaea from 1402. He was a son of James of Piedmont and Marguerite de Beaujeu ....
. None of these three had sons and their claim died with Louis.
Centurione II willed his lands to Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos
Thomas Palaiologos was Despot in Morea from 1428 until the Ottoman conquest in 1460. After the desertion of his older brother to the Turks in 1460, Thomas Palaiologos became the legitimate claimant to the Byzantine throne...
, Despot of the Morea and eventual titular Byzantine Emperor, husband of his daughter Catherine Zaccaria. Thomas's son Andreas
Andreas Palaiologos
Andreas Palaiologos titular Byzantine emperor and Despot of Morea from 1465 until his death in 1502.-Biography:He was the nephew of Constantine XI Palaiologos, the last Byzantine Emperor of Constantinople...
later willed all of his titles to Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand II of Aragon
Ferdinand the Catholic was King of Aragon , Sicily , Naples , Valencia, Sardinia, and Navarre, Count of Barcelona, jure uxoris King of Castile and then regent of that country also from 1508 to his death, in the name of...
.