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Principality of Achaea | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1205–1432/1454 | |||||||||
 Coat of arms of theVillehardouin family (first ruling dynasty)  (last ruling dynasty) | |||||||||
 The Principality of Achaea and the other Greek and Latin states of southern Greece, c. 1210 | |||||||||
| Status | Vassal state* | ||||||||
| Capital | Andravida (1205–1249) Mystras (1249–1261) Aetos (1453–1454) | ||||||||
| Common languages | French officially, Greek popularly, Francograeca dialect | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox popularly | ||||||||
| Government | Feudalmonarchy | ||||||||
| Prince of Achaea | |||||||||
• 1205–1209 | William I | ||||||||
• 1404–1432 | Centurione II | ||||||||
• 1453–1454 | Centurione III | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||
| 1204 | |||||||||
| 1205 | |||||||||
| 1259 | |||||||||
• Angevin takeover | 1278 | ||||||||
• Dissolved by theDespotate of the Morea | 1432 | ||||||||
• Revival of the last dynasty | 1453 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 1432/1454 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Greece | ||||||||
* The principality was a vassal state of, in order, theKingdom of Thessalonica, then theLatin Emperors atConstantinople, theAngevins of theKingdom of Naples, until the purchase of 1404 byCenturione II Zaccaria. | |||||||||
ThePrincipality of Achaea (/əˈkiːə/) orPrincipality ofMorea was one of thevassal states of theLatin Empire, which replaced theByzantine Empire after the capture ofConstantinople during theFourth Crusade.[1] It became a vassal of theKingdom of Thessalonica, along with theDuchy of Athens, untilThessalonica was captured byEpirus in 1224. After this, Achaea became the dominant power inGreece, lasting continuously for 227 years and cumulatively for 229.
Achaea was founded in 1205 byWilliam of Champlitte andGeoffrey I of Villehardouin, who undertook to conquer thePeloponnese on behalf ofBoniface of Montferrat,King of Thessalonica. With a force of no more than 100 knights and 500 foot soldiers, they tookAchaea andElis, and after defeating the local Greeks in theBattle of the Olive Grove of Koundouros, they became masters of theMorea. 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 ofAraklovon[2] inElis was defended byDoxapatres Boutsaras and withstood the attacks until 1213, when the garrison finally surrendered. The fort ofMonemvasia, and the castles ofArgos,Nauplia andCorinth underLeo Sgouros held out until his suicide in 1208. By 1212, these too had been conquered, and organized as the lordship ofArgos and Nauplia, and only Monemvasia continued to hold out until 1248. William of Champlitte ruled Achaea until he departed forFrance 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.
Achaea was rather small, consisting of thePeloponnese peninsula (then known as theMorea), but it was fairly wealthy, exporting wine, raisins, wax, honey, oil and silk. The capital of the principality was originally atAndravida. It was bordered on the north byEpirus and theDuchy of Athens and surrounded byVenetian-held territories in theAegean Sea, including the forts ofModon andCoron on the Peloponnese.
In 1208/9, after Champlitte's departure, William I created a commission, composed of two Latin bishops, twobannerets and five Greek magnates and chaired by himself, to assess the land and divide it, according to Latin practice, infiefs. The resulting register was presented at a parliament held at the princely residence atAndravida, and divided the country into twelvebaronies, mostly centred around a newly constructed castle—a testament to the fact that the Franks were a military elite amidst a potentially hostile Greek population.[3][4] The twelve temporal barons were joined by seven ecclesiastic lords, headed by theLatin Archbishop of Patras. Each of the latter was granted a number of estates asknightly fiefs, with the Archbishop receiving eight, the other bishops four each, and likewise four granted to each of themilitary orders: theTemplars,Hospitallers and theTeutonic Knights.[5] The twelve secular baronies were:[6][7]
| Barony | Fiefs | Territory | First holder |
|---|---|---|---|
| Akova (Mattegrifon) | 24 | Arcadia | Walter of Rosières |
| Karytaina (Chabron) | 22 | Skorta | Renaud of Briel |
| Patras | 24 | N.Achaea | William Aleman |
| Passavant (Passava) | 4 | Mani Peninsula | John of Nully |
| Vostitsa | 8 | E.Achaea | Hugh I of Charpigny |
| Kalavryta | 12 | SE.Achaea | Otho of Tournay |
| Chalandritsa | 4 (later 8) | S.Achaea | Audebert of la Trémouille |
| Veligosti | 4 | S.Arcadia | Matthew of Mons |
| Nikli | 6 | S.Arcadia | William of Morlay |
| Geraki | 6 | E.Laconia | Guy of Nivelet |
| Gritzena | 4 | SE.Messenia | Luke |
| Kalamata | - | S. Messenia | William I of Villehardouin |
Shortly after 1260, a thirteenth barony, that ofArcadia (modernKyparissia) was established, which was also a personal fief of the Villehardouins.[6] Aside from Kalamata (and later Arcadia), which became the Villehardouins' personal fief, the Prince's own domain encompassed the region of Elis, where the capital Andravida, the port ofGlarentza (Clarence) and the fortress ofChlemoutsi (Clermont) were situated,Corinthia, with theAcrocorinth as the chief site, as well as most of Messenia and Laconia around the fertile valley ofEurotas. WhenTsakonia and the other mountainous regions of the southeast were subdued in the late 1240s, these too came under the Prince's control.[8]
The twelve barons retained considerable powers and privileges, so that the Prince was not an absolute sovereign but rather a "first among equals" among them. Thus they had the right to construct a castle without the Prince's permission, or to decreecapital punishment. SinceSalic Law was not adopted in Achaea, women could also inherit the fiefs.[9] The high secular and ecclesiastic lords formed the High Court (la Haute Court) of the principality, presided over by the Prince, which acted as the Prince's advisory council and judged affairs pertaining tofeudal law.[10][7] In addition, a Lower Court (la Court de la Borgesie) is mentioned, which abjudicated in matters of common law.[10]
On the other hand, all vassals owed the Prince four months service in the field and four months garrison duty every year, retiring after the age of sixty, but only if a replacement could be provided. This put the principality on constant war footing. Indeed, the knights of Achaea enjoyed a considerable reputation both in theLevant and in Western Europe.[11][12]
With the Byzantine recovery of the region aroundMystras after 1261, however, the rapid extinction of the original families and the expansion of Achaean influence acrossFrankish Greece, the initial organization of the Principate changed. By the time the principality's laws, theAssizes of Romania, were codified in the 1330s, the peers of the Prince were: theDuke of Athens, theDuke of Naxos, theTriarchs of Negroponte, theMargrave of Bodonitza, theCount palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos, the barons of Patras, Matagrifon and Kalavryta, as well as themarshal of the principality.[6]
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 thechancellor, the Prince's chief minister, themarshal, theconstable, the treasurer, theprotovestiarius, in charge of the Prince's personal treasury, and thepourveur des chastiaux, who was responsible for the replenishment of the castles.
The Principality also produced a unique set of laws, theAssizes of Romania, which combined aspects of Byzantine and French law, and became the basis for the laws of the other Crusader states. SeveralByzantine titles such aslogothetes andprotovestarius continued in use, although these titles were adapted to fit the conceptions of Westernfeudalism. The Byzantinepronoia 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 thepronoia 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.[13] 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.[14]
Geoffrey I was succeeded (1209) by his sonGeoffrey II, who ruled until his death in 1245. By confiscating the ecclesiastical taxes, in the years 1221–1223 he built himself a powerful castle atChlemoutsi, near modernKyllini, 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. WhenJohn III of Nicaea besieged Constantinople in 1236, Geoffrey II came to the aid of theLatin Empire with 100 knights, 800 archers and 6 vessels.
Under his son and successor, PrinceWilliam II Villehardouin (ruled 1245–1278), the Principality reached its zenith. William was apoet andtroubadour, and his court had its ownmint atGlarentza, and a flourishing literary culture, using a distinct form of spokenFrench. In 1249, William II moved the capital of Achaea to the newly built fortress ofMistra, near ancientSparta. In 1255 he became embroiled in theWar of the Euboeote Succession, and in 1259 he allied withMichael II, despot of Epirus, againstMichael VIII Palaeologus of Nicaea. However, Michael II then deserted to join the Nicaean side, and William was taken prisoner at theBattle of Pelagonia. After Michael recaptured Constantinople in 1261, William was released in 1262 in return for Mistra and much of Laconia, which became a Byzantine province (the nucleus of the futureDespotate of the Morea), 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.[15] 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 theBattle of Prinitza in 1263 and then, after Constantine's return to Constantinople, suffering a heavy defeat at theBattle of Makryplagi in 1264.[16][17]
Despite his successes at Prinitza and Makryplagi, the war with the Byzantines had taken a toll on Achaean resources, and their empire remained a looming threat. A proposal to marry William's elder daughterIsabella toAndronikos, eldest son of Michael VIII, was strongly opposed by the Achaean nobility, who had no desire to come under Byzantine rule. Both William and his overlordBaldwin II, now dispossessed of Constantinople, had hoped for aid from KingManfred of Sicily, who had sent troops to aid William at Pelagonia. But Manfred fell under Papal sanction and was killed in 1266, whenCharles of Anjou conquered his kingdom. Charles was now ascendant in Italy, and William and Baldwin came to terms with him in theTreaty of Viterbo (1267). In return for the military aid and funds they so greatly needed, Charles obtained thesuzerainty over Achaea from Baldwin, and the Principality itself from William. The latter was to retain the Principality for life, and it was to pass to his daughter, Isabella, who was to marry one of Charles' sons.[18]
These were hard terms, essentially detaching Achaea from the Latin Empire and making it a dependency of theKingdom of Sicily. Nonetheless, William fulfilled his obligations, leading an Achaean force to aid Charles against the invasion ofConradin at theBattle of Tagliacozzo (1268), and bringing Isabelle to Italy to marry Charles' sonPhilip in 1271.[19] The military support of Charles allowed William to resist the Byzantines, and the last years of his reign were relatively quiet.[20]
However, after the death of William in 1278, the seeds of a calamitous succession dispute were laid. In the normal course of events, Achaea would have passed to acadet branch of theHouse of Anjou. However, his son-in-law Philip had died in 1277 without an heir, and a reversionary clause in the Treaty of Viterbo provided that the Principality would go to Charles of Anjou, rather than Isabelle, should this occur.[20] Charles duly took possession of the Principality, which he ruled through a series ofbailiffs; he would never personally visit it.[21]
A renewed commitment by Charles to retake the Latin Empire (Treaty of Orvieto, 1281) was forestalled by theWar of the Sicilian Vespers, and this struggle with theCrown of Aragon consumed the remainder of his life. His sonCharles II succeeded him in Achaea as well as Sicily (now reduced to theKingdom of Naples), but was a prisoner in Aragonese hands. In the interim, the rule of Achaea devolved upon a series of bailiffs chosen from the Morean nobility. Not long after his release and coronation in 1289, he granted the Principality to Isabelle of Villehardouin upon her marriage withFlorent of Hainaut, in part to redress the grasping application of the Treaty of Viterbo at William's death. However, he retained feudal overlordship over the Principality, and his grant provided that neither Isabelle nor any daughter who was her heir might marry without his consent.[22]
For this period the principality was under a violent succession dispute, which originated from the dispossessedLatin Emperor Baldwin II's gift of the overlordship of Achaea toCharles I of Sicily, in return for support in his attempt to reconquer the throne inConstantinople. This was an action which ignored the rights of theVillehardouin Princes of Achaea. TheAngevin kings of Naples subsequently gave Achaea as their fief to a series of their own relatives who fought against PrincessMargaret of Villehardouin and her heirs.
Charles II of Naples had at first granted Achaea to PrincessIsabella of Villehardouin (of the Villehardouin dynasty), but he deposed her and her consortPhilip I of Piedmont in 1307, stripping them of their rights and granting it to his sonPhilip I of Taranto, who in 1313 transferred it to Matilda (or Mafalda, or Maud) of Hainaut, heiress of Isabella of Villehardouin, who was married toLouis of Burgundy, titular King of Thessalonica. But Margaret, younger daughter ofWilliam II Villehardouin, claimed her rights from 1307. In 1313 she claimed them again without success and then transferred her rights to her daughterIsabelle of Sabran, wife ofFerdinand of Majorca. The son of Ferdinand and Isabelle, known asJames 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 KingRobert of Naples deposed Matilda and gave the principality to his brotherJohn 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. The claim was then issued by the son of Philip and Catherine,Philip II of Taranto. In 1349, James was succeeded by his sonJames 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 QueenJoan 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 the 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 byCharles 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, sold the princely rights toCenturione II Zaccaria, the lord of Arkadia (modernKyparissia). Centurione ruled until 1430, when the Despots of the Morea,Constantine Palaiologos andThomas Palaiologos, conquered the heartland of the Principality in Achaea. Centurione was forced to marry off his daughter,Catherine, to Thomas and to constitute her his heiress. He retreated to his ancestral Messenian castle. Upon his death in 1432, this too was seized by the Byzantines.
Upon the start of thegreat Morean revolt in 1453,John Asen Zaccaria, Centurione's son from his marriage to ascion of the Asen branch of the Palaiologos family,[23] revived the principality and was proclaimed Prince of Achaea by the Latins of Morea, with additional support from the Greek and Albanian rebels. He was recognised as the legitimate ruler of Morea by KingAlfonso of Naples and by theDoge of Venice whom congratulated him as "Prince Centurione III."[24] However, by late 1454, he was defeated by the Turkish allies of Thomas and fled toModon, and then to Italy. In his exile in Rome, the Popes recognised John as the titular Prince of Achaea and offered him a symbolic pension.[25]
The Byzantine reconquest proved short-lived, however, as in 1460, theOttomansconquered the Despotate.
| Family relations of the Princes of Achaea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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