Battle of Megara
Part of theCrusades
Date 1359 Location Megara Gulf 37°57′N23°20′E / 37.950°N 23.333°E /37.950; 23.333 Result Christian victory
Belligerents
Republic of Venice Knights Hospitaller	Turks
class=notpageimage| Approximate location within Greece

TheBattle of Megara occurred in 1359 between an alliance of the Christian states of southern Greece (theDespotate of the Morea, thePrincipality of Achaea, theKnights Hospitaller and theRepublic of Venice), and of aTurkish raiding fleet. The battle was a victory for the allies.

Against the growing menace of Turkish raids in theAegean Sea, a league was formed, probably at the initiative ofManuel Kantakouzenos, theDespot of the Morea. It comprised theByzantines of the Morea, thebailli of thePrincipality of Achaea,Walter of Lor, theSignoria of theRepublic of Venice, and theKnights Hospitaller ofRhodes.^[1]

According to theAragonese version of theChronicle of the Morea, the allies campaigned in theMegarid, where their navy, composed of Venetian and Hospitaller ships (the latter under thepreceptor ofKos, Raymond Berenguer), attacked a Turkish corsair fleet. The allies destroyed 35 Turkish vessels, forcing the surviving Turks to retreat to theirCatalan ally,Roger de Llúria, the ruler of theDuchy of Athens.^[1][2] TheChronicle of the Morea asserts that after the battle, the land contingents of the participants returned home, but according to the history ofJohn VI Kantakouzenos, Manuel's father, the allies launched an invasion of Llúria'sBoeotian possessions.^[1]

In 1362, Roger de Llúria found himself embroiled in a dispute with the VenetianBailo of Negroponte, Peter Gradenigo, that soon led to war. As a result, in early 1363 he allowed Turkish mercenaries to enter his capital,Thebes. There they remained until a peace with Venice was concluded in July 1365.^[3] Accordingly, the battle was often dated to the summer of 1364, but various proposals have been made by modern scholars ranging from 1357 to 1364. The dating of the battle remains uncertain, but based on the bailliage of Walter of Lor, a datec. 1359 is most likely.[4]^[5] With the revised chronology, it may be that the Turks Llúria allied himself with were the survivors of Megara.^[5]

• Luttrell, Anthony (1975)."The Hospitallers at Rhodes, 1306–1421". InSetton, Kenneth M.; Hazard, Harry W. (eds.).A History of the Crusades, Volume III: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. Madison and London: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 278–313.ISBN 0-299-06670-3.
• Setton, Kenneth M. (1975)."The Catalans in Greece, 1311–1388". InSetton, Kenneth M.; Hazard, Harry W. (eds.).A History of the Crusades, Volume III: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. Madison and London: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 167–224.ISBN 0-299-06670-3.
• Topping, Peter (1975)."The Morea, 1311–1364". InSetton, Kenneth M.; Hazard, Harry W. (eds.).A History of the Crusades, Volume III: The Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries. Madison and London: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 104–140.ISBN 0-299-06670-3.

• 1359 in Europe
• 14th century in Greece
• Conflicts in 1359
• Battles involving the Principality of Achaea
• Battles involving the Despotate of the Morea
• Megara
• Naval battles involving the Byzantine Empire
• Naval battles involving the Knights Hospitaller
• Naval battles involving the Republic of Venice
• Battles of the Crusades

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