Nicholas Orsini(Italian:Nicolò Orsini;[1]Greek:Νικόλαος Ορσίνι,romanized:Nikolaos Orsini) was aGreek–Italian nobleman who wascount palatine of Cephaloniafrom 1317 to 1323 andrulerof southernEpirusaroundArtafrom 1318 to 1323. The son of CountJohn I OrsiniandMaria,an Epirote princess, he succeeded his father upon the latter's death, and in the next year murdered his uncle,Thomas Komnenos Doukas,and usurped his rule of Epirus. While able to secure his control over southern Epirus, however, the north with the city ofIoanninawere taken over by theByzantine Empire.Nicholas' attempts to ally with theRepublic of Veniceand recover Ioannina failed, and he was in turn killed by his brotherJohn II Orsiniin 1323.
| Nicholas Orsini | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Despot of Epirus | |
| Reign | 1318–1323 |
| Predecessor | Thomas Komnenos Doukas |
| Successor | John II Orsini |
| Count palatine of Cephalonia | |
| Reign | 1317–1323 |
| Predecessor | John I Orsini |
| Successor | John II Orsini |
| Died | 1323 |
| Spouse | Anna Palaiologina |
| Dynasty | Orsini('apostolic' branch) |
| Father | John I Orsini |
| Mother | Maria Komnene Doukaina |
Life
editNicholas was the son of CountJohn I Orsiniof Cephalonia byMaria,a daughter ofNikephoros I Komnenos Doukasof Epirus by Maria Laskaris.[2]His father governed Cephalonia as a vassal of KingCharles II of Naples,[3]and had acquiredLeukasas his wife's dowry. John had a close relationship with his father-in-law, and with his wife lived at the Epirote court atArtauntil 1303, when John succeeded his father,Richard Orsini.[4]John nevertheless joined in attacks on Epirus ordered by hisAngevinsuzerains, King Charles II of Naples andPhilip of Tarantoin 1304 and 1306. John appears to have played a part in instigating these attacks, apparently aiming to become the new ruler of Epirus.[5][6]
Nicholas succeeded to the county on his father's death in 1317, and like his father also set his sights on Epirus.[3][7]In 1318 he surprised and murdered his childless uncle,Thomas I Komnenos Doukasof Epirus,[8][9]and easily subdued the entire southern portion of the principality around Arta. To solidify his position among the local population, Nicholas espousedEastern Orthodoxy,used the Greek language, and married his uncle's widow,Anna Palaiologina,daughter of theByzantineco-emperorMichael IX Palaiologosand granddaughter of EmperorAndronikos II Palaiologos.[3][10]Although Anna was his aunt, the Church appears to have acquiesced to their marriage.[11]The historianDonald Nicolsuggests that Anna may have been involved in Thomas' murder, as he had mistreated her.[12]
The Angevins did not entirely welcome Nicholas' actions, as they clashed with their own claims over Epirus.[3][10]While Nicholas had sworn allegiance to the newPrince of Achaea,John of Gravinain 1318 as the latter's feudal vassal,[11]in the next year, when prompted to render homage as ruler of Epirus as well, he refused.[11][13]At the same time, the Byzantines took advantage of Nicholas' lack of legitimacy to occupy the northern part of the Epirote realm, includingIoannina,which declared itself for the Byzantine emperor as soon as the murder of Thomas became known.[3][14]
When Nicholas sent to Emperor Andronikos to seek recognition of his new status, the emperor agreed to award him the title ofdespot(in 1319/20)[1]in exchange for Nicholas' pledge to recognize the loss of Ioannina.[15]In the meantime, Nicholas tried to form an alliance with theRepublic of Venice,which had wide-ranging commercial and political interests in the area. In May 1320 he sent ambassadors to Venice, offering to acknowledge Venetian overlordship and hand over either the lucrative fishing grounds ofLake Butrint,or the sugarcane plantations ofParga.Not wishing to alienate the Byzantines, the Venetians politely refused.[16][17]Nevertheless, already in 1320, Nicholas began harassing the Byzantine domains in Epirus, and his ties to the Byzantine court ended when his wife Anna died in the same year.[18]
Following the outbreak of aByzantine civil warshortly after, Nicholas saw an excellent opportunity to recover the Epirote to his north. Within a short time, he was besieging Ioannina. He was aided by the Venetians, who under the command ofGiovanni Michielopportunistically attacked the port ofValona.Nevertheless, both attacks were repulsed by the Byzantine garrisons.[17][19]In Ioannina in particular, the local citizens eagerly participated in the defence of both their city and the extensive privileges granted to them by Andronikos II.[20]Shortly after, in 1323, he was killed—either by murder or as a result of a brief conflict—by his brotherJohn II Orsini.[1][3][20]
References
edit- ^abcPLP,224. <Ἄγγελος> Νικόλαος.
- ^Fine 1994,pp. 236, 247.
- ^abcdefFine 1994,p. 247.
- ^Nicol 1984,p. 43.
- ^Nicol 1984,pp. 57–59, 61.
- ^Longnon 1969,pp. 267–269.
- ^Nicol 1984,p. 81.
- ^Miller 1908,p. 249.
- ^Nicol 1984,pp. 80, 81.
- ^abTopping 1975,p. 121.
- ^abcNicol 1984,p. 82.
- ^Nicol 1984,pp. 82–83.
- ^Topping 1975,pp. 121–122.
- ^Nicol 1984,p. 83.
- ^Nicol 1984,p. 89.
- ^Nicol 1984,pp. 89–90.
- ^abMiller 1908,pp. 249–250.
- ^Nicol 1984,p. 91.
- ^Nicol 1984,pp. 91–92.
- ^abNicol 1984,p. 92.
Sources
edit- Fine, John V. A. Jr.(1994) [1987].The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest.Ann Arbor, Michigan: University of Michigan Press.ISBN0-472-08260-4.
- Longnon, Jean (1969) [1962]."The Frankish States in Greece, 1204–1311".InSetton, Kenneth M.;Wolff, Robert Lee;Hazard, Harry W. (eds.).A History of the Crusades, Volume II: The Later Crusades, 1189–1311(Second ed.). Madison, Milwaukee, and London: University of Wisconsin Press. pp. 234–275.ISBN0-299-04844-6.
- Miller, William(1908).The Latins in the Levant: A History of Frankish Greece (1204–1566).London: John Murray.OCLC563022439.
- Nicol, Donald M.(1984).The Despotate of Epiros, 1267–1479: A Contribution to the History of Greece in the Middle Ages.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.ISBN978-0-521-13089-9.
- 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.ISBN0-299-06670-3.
- Trapp, Erich; Beyer, Hans-Veit; Walther, Rainer; Sturm-Schnabl, Katja; Kislinger, Ewald; Leontiadis, Ioannis; Kaplaneres, Sokrates (1976–1996).Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit(in German). Vienna: Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften.ISBN3-7001-3003-1.