TheFrankish Occupation (Greek:Φραγκοκρατία,romanized: Frankokratia;anglicized as'Francocracy'), also known as theLatin Occupation (Λατινοκρατία,Latinokratía) and, for theVenetian domains,Venetian Occupation (Βενετοκρατία / Ενετοκρατία,Venetokratía / Enetokratía), was the period inGreek history after theFourth Crusade (1204), when a number of primarily French and Italian states were established by thePartitio terrarum imperii Romaniae on the territory of the partitionedByzantine Empire.
The terms'Frankokratia' and'Latinokratia' derive from the name given by theOrthodox Greeks to theWestern French and Italians who originated from territories that once belonged to theFrankish Empire, as this was the political entity that ruled much of the formerWestern Roman Empire after the collapse of Roman authority and power. The span of theFrankokratia period differs by region: the political situation proved highly volatile, as the Frankish states fragmented and changed hands, and the Greek successor states re-conquered many areas.
With the exception of theIonian Islands and some islands or forts whichremained in Venetian hands until the turn of the 19th century, the end of theFrankokratia in most Greek lands came with theOttoman conquest, chiefly in the 14th to 17th centuries, which ushered in the period known as "Tourkokratia" ("rule of the Turks"; seeOttoman Greece).
TheLatin Empire (1204–1261), centered inConstantinople and encompassingThrace andBithynia, was created as the successor of the Byzantine Empire after the Fourth Crusade, while also exercising nominal suzerainty over the other Crusader principalities. Its territories were gradually reduced to little more than the capital, which was eventuallycaptured by theEmpire of Nicaea under the rule ofMichael VIII Palaiologos in 1261.
ThePrincipality of Achaea (1205–1432), encompassing theMorea orPeloponnese peninsula. It quickly emerged as the strongest state and prospered even after the demise of the Latin Empire. Its main rival was the ByzantineDespotate of the Morea, which eventually succeeded in conquering the Principality. It also exercised suzerainty over theLordship of Argos and Nauplia (1205–1388), and most of the other Latin states. In the 1380s, it fell under the control ofNavarrese Company and they ended their vassalage to the Angevin kings of Naples in 1404.
TheDuchy of Naxos or of the Archipelago (1207–1579), founded by theSanudo family, it encompassed most of theCyclades. In 1383, it passed under the control of the Crispo family. In 1418, Naxos became officially a vassal of Venice. The Duchy became an Ottoman vassal in 1537 and was finally annexed to the Ottoman Empire in 1579.
TheMarquisate of Bodonitsa (1204–1414), like Salona, was originally created as a vassal state of the Kingdom of Thessalonica but later came under the influence of Achaea. In 1335, the Venetian Giorgi family took control and ruled until the Ottoman conquest in 1414.
TheCounty of Salona (1205–1410), centred at Salona (modernAmfissa), like Bodonitsa, was formed as a vassal state of the Kingdom of Thessalonica and later came under the influence of Achaea. It came under Catalan (thus became part of the Aragonese realm) and later Navarrese[citation needed] rule in the 14th century, before being sold to theKnights Hospitaller in 1403. It was finally conquered by the Ottomans in 1410.
TheTriarchy of Negroponte (1205–1470), encompassing the island of Negroponte (Euboea), originally a vassal of Thessalonica, then of Achaea. It was fragmented into three baronies (terzi or "triarchies") run each by two barons (thesestieri). This fragmentation enabledVenice to gain influence by acting as mediators. By 1390 Venice had established direct control of the entire island, which remained in Venetian hands until 1470, when it wascaptured by the Ottomans.
Lemnos formed a fief of the Latin Empire under the Venetian Navigajoso family from 1207 until conquered by the Byzantines in 1278. Its rulers bore the title ofmegadux ("grand duke") of the Latin Empire.
Genoese attempts to occupy Corfu and Crete in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade were thwarted by the Venetians. It was only during the 14th century, exploiting the terminal decline of theByzantine Empire under the Palaiologos dynasty, and often in agreement with the weakened Byzantine rulers, that various Genoese nobles established domains in the northeastern Aegean:
TheGattilusi family established a number of fiefs, under nominal Byzantine suzerainty, over the island ofLesbos (1355–1462) and later also the islands ofLemnos,Thasos (1414–1462) andSamothrace (1355–1457), as well as theThracian town ofAinos (1376–1456).
Crete, also known as Candia, (1211–1669),[1] one of the Republic's most important overseas possessions, despite frequent revolts by the Greek population, it was retained until captured by the Ottomans in theCretan War.[2]
Corfu (1207–1214 and 1386–1797), was captured by Venice from its Genoese ruler shortly after theFourth Crusade. The island was soon retaken by theDespotate of Epirus but captured in 1258 by theKingdom of Sicily. The island remained under Angevin rule until 1386 when Venice reimposed its control, which would last until the end of the Republic itself.
Lefkas (1684–1797), originally part of the Palatine county and the Orsini-ruled Despotate of Epirus, it came under Ottoman rule in 1479, and was conquered by the Venetians in 1684, during theMorean War.
Zakynthos (1479–1797), originally part of the Palatine county and the Orsini-ruled Despotate of Epirus, it fell to Venice in 1479
Cephalonia andIthaca (1500–1797), originally part of the Palatine county and the Orsini-ruled Despotate of Epirus, they came under Ottoman rule in 1479 and wereconquered by the Venetians in December 1500.[3]
Nauplia (Italian Napoli di Romania), acquired through the purchase of the lordship ofArgos and Nauplia in 1388,[7] held until captured by the Ottomans in 1540.[8]
Argos, acquired through the purchase of the lordship ofArgos and Nauplia but seized by theDespotate of the Morea and not handed over to Venice until June 1394,[7] held until captured by the Ottomans in 1462.[9]
Athens, acquired in 1394 from the heirs ofNerio I Acciaioli, but lost to the latter's bastard sonAntonio in 1402–03, a fact recognized by the Republic in a treaty in 1405.[10]
Parga, port town on the coast of Epirus, acquired in 1401. It was governed as a dependency of Corfu, and remained so even after the end of the Venetian Republic in 1797, finally being ceded by the British toAli Pasha in 1819.[4]
Lepanto (Naupaktos), a port inAetolia, briefly seized by a Venetian captain in 1390, in 1394 its inhabitants offered to hand it over to Venice, but were rebuffed. Finally sold to Venice in 1407 by its Albanian ruler,Paul Spata,[11][12] lost to the Ottomans in 1540.[8]
Patras, held in 1408–13 and 1417–19 in lease, for 1,000 ducats per year, from theLatin Archbishop of Patras, who thus hoped to thwart a Turkish or Byzantine takeover of the city.[13][14]
Monemvasia (Malvasia), a Byzantine outpost left unconquered by the Ottomans in 1460, it accepted Venetian rule, until captured by the Ottomans in 1540.[15]
Vonitsa on the coast of Epirus, captured in 1684 and held as a mainland exclave of the Ionian Islands until the end of the Republic.
Preveza on the coast of Epirus, occupied during theMorean War (1684–99), recaptured in 1717 and held as a mainland exclave of the Ionian Islands until the end of the Republic.
The entirety of the Peloponnese orMorea peninsula was conquered during theMorean War in the 1680s and became a colony as the "Kingdom of the Morea". It wasreconquered by the Ottomans in 1715.
Maltezou, Chrysa A. (1988). "Η Κρήτη στη Διάρκεια της Περίοδου της Βενετοκρατίας ("Crete during the Period of Venetian Rule (1211–1669)")". In Panagiotakis, Nikolaos M. (ed.).Crete, History and Civilization (in Greek). Vol. II. Vikelea Library, Association of Regional Associations of Regional Municipalities. pp. 105–162.
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