| Barony of Geraki | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barony of thePrincipality of Achaea | |||||||
| 1209–1260s | |||||||
 Map of the Peloponnese with its principal locations during the late Middle Ages | |||||||
| Capital | Geraki | ||||||
| Area | |||||||
| • Coordinates | 36°59′N22°42′E / 36.983°N 22.700°E /36.983; 22.700 | ||||||
| • Type | Feudal lordship | ||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||
• Established | 1209 | ||||||
• Byzantine reconquest | 25 March 1260 | ||||||
| |||||||
TheBarony of Geraki was a medievalFrankish fiefdom of thePrincipality of Achaea, located on the western slopes ofMount Parnon inLaconia, of thePeloponnese peninsula inGreece, and centred on the castle ofGeraki (Greek:Γεράκι, Ἰεράκιον;French:Le Gi[e]rachy;Italian:Zirachi, Zerachi).[1] After the fall of Geraki to theByzantines, the ruling family, the Nivelets, retained their baronial title and were compensated with new lands in Messenia, as theBarony of Nivelet.
The Barony of Geraki was established ca. 1209, after the conquest of thePeloponnese by theCrusaders, and was one of the original twelve secularbaronies within thePrincipality of Achaea. The barony, with six knight's fiefs attached to it, was given toGuy of Nivelet, who built the fortress of Geraki near ancientGeronthrae.[2][3] Like theBarony of Passavant in western Laconia, Geraki was built as a stronghold in an unruly border region. It was not until ca. 1248, with the fall of the lastByzantine fortress,Monemvasia, that Laconia was fully pacified, and Geraki's purpose was to keep watch over the rebelliousTsakones who inhabited the northernParnon.[4][5]
Guy of Nivelet, who is securely attested ca. 1228/30, was succeeded as baron byJohn of Nivelet, perhaps his son.[6] In the 1260s, Geraki fell to the resurgent Byzantines, but it is unclear exactly when.George Pachymeres mentions it as one of the fortresses (along withGrand Maigne,Mystras and Monemvasia) that PrinceWilliam II of Villehardouin agreed to hand over as ransom for his release from captivity. In reality, although Geraki was most probably not immediately surrendered, its exposed position made it vulnerable and it likely fell, if not in the first Byzantine offensives of 1263–64, then certainly by ca. 1268/70.[7]
Following the loss of Geraki, the Nivelet family was compensated with new lands inMessenia. They kept their baronial title, but the new "Barony of Nivelet" was no longer a distinct geographical entity, but apparently an assemblage of dispersed fiefs tied to the family.[8] The Nivelets survived until 1316, when the family was dispossessed due to the firm support of the then baron (Karl Hopf hypothetically names himJohn II) to theunsuccessful venture ofFerdinand of Majorca to seize the Principality. After defeating Ferdinand, PrinceLouis of Burgundy had the last Nivelet baron executed and gave his lands to one of his own followers,Dreux of Charny.[9]
