Constantine Arianiti
| Constantine Arianiti | |
|---|---|
 Late 15th-centurymedaldepicting Constantine Arianiti, inscribedconstantinvs cominatvs | |
| Prince ofMacedonia (titular; self-proclaimed) | |
| Reign | c.1494 – 8 May 1530 |
| Successor | Arianitto Arianiti |
| Duke ofAchaea (titular; self-proclaimed) | |
| Reign | c.1494 – 8 May 1530 |
| Despot of the Morea (titular; self-proclaimed) | |
| Reign | 1502/1507 – 8 May 1530 |
| Predecessor | Andreas Palaiologos |
| Rival claimant | Fernando Palaiologos (self-proclaimed) |
| Born | 1456/1457 ProbablyDurrës[1] Albania |
| Died | 8 May 1530 (agedc.73/74) Montefiore Conca |
| Burial | |
| Spouse | Francesca of Montferrat |
| Issue | Arianitto Arianiti Andronica Arianiti Penthesilea Arianiti Ippolita Arianiti Polissena Arianiti Deianira Arianiti Elena Arianiti |
| Dynasty | Arianiti |
| Father | Gjergj Arianiti |
| Mother | Pietrina Francone |
| Religion | Roman Catholicism |
Constantine Cominato Arianiti(Italian:Constantino Cominato Arianiti,[a]Albanian:Kostandin Komneni Arianiti;1456/1457 – 8 May 1530) also known asConstantine Komnenos Arianites,[3]was a 15th and 16th-century Albanian[4]nobleman, military leader, diplomat andpretenderwho lived most of his life in exile in Italy due to the conquest of his homeland by theOttoman Empire.Constantine sought to establish himself as a leader among the Christian Balkan refugees in Italy and claimed lordship over various former Christian lands in Greece, using the titles Prince ofMacedonia,Duke ofAchaeaandDespot of the Morea.
The son ofGjergj Arianiti,an Albanian lord who had fought alongside the Albanian national heroSkanderbegagainst the Ottomans, Constantine was taken to Italy for his safety in 1469, after the death of his father. In Italy, Constantine was noticed byPope Sixtus IV,who provided him with a pension, and he quickly made a successful career for himself. Inc.1489, he married into thePalaeologus-Montferratfamily, a branch of theByzantineimperialPalaiologosdynasty, through marriage toFrancesca of Montferrat,a probably illegitimate daughter ofBoniface III, Marquis of Montferrat.The marriage resulted in Constantine's wealth and status increasing, and also paved the way for his tenure as regent of Montferrat, on behalf of Boniface's young sonWilliam IX,from 1495 to 1499.
In the early 16th century, Constantine served as a diplomat to the popes and the futureHoly Roman EmperorMaximilian I,with both parties finding him to be a talented ambassador. Following his assumption of the titles 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea', to which he had no real claim, in the 1490s, Constantine partook in various schemes to organize expeditions against the Ottoman Empire, being involved in at least three separate crusade-related plans throughout his life. At some point between 1502 and 1507, Constantine assumed the title 'Despot of the Morea', previously legitimately used byAndreas Palaiologos,another title which he had no genealogical claim to. Despite his tenuous association with these titles, Constantine adamantly defended his use of them and, as seen through the roles he was expected to play in the various schemes he engaged in, was ready to risk his life to enforce his claims.
In 1514 of 1515, Constantine was appointed as the local governor of the town ofFanoin theMarch of AnconabyPope Leo X.Constantine may have aspired to become a leading figure among the many Balkan refugees in the March of Ancona, but any such dreams did not come to fruition. Instead, papal taxation policies made Constantine, as the governmental representative, disliked, and contemporary writings mock his insistence on his high-sounding titles. He was removed from office by Leo in 1516, following a riot by the locals, but was reinstated byPope Clement VIIin 1524, whereafter Constantine governed Fano from a mountain fortress atMontefiore Concauntil his death in 1530. His only son,Arianitto Arianiti,continued his father's pretensions by using the title 'Prince of Macedonia', but relinquished Constantine's other titles.
Biography
[edit]Background and early life
[edit]Constantine Cominato Arianiti was born in 1456 or 1457 as the son ofGjergj Arianiti(or 'George Komnenos Arianites').[4][5]Constantine's mother was Pietrina Francone fromApulia,a daughter of Oliviero Francone, anAragoneseofficer inLecce.Constantine had numerous siblings, including two brothers George and Thomas, and several sisters.[1]Through Gjergj, Constantine and his siblings claimed descent from both Albanian andByzantinenoble families.[2]Gjerg had been an Albanian military leader and lord, governing the settlements ofCerminitzaandCatafigoin the vicinity of the city ofRagusa.[4]Their family, theArianiti,claimed to be the same family as the earlier ByzantineArianitesfamily, originally fromConstantinople;modern scholars variously accept[4]or cast doubt[6]on this connection. Through the use of 'Komnenos', Constantine's family also proclaimed a connection to theKomnenosdynasty of emperors, which had ruled the Byzantine Empire 1081–1185.[4]Later historians, such asGeorge Francis Hill,have deemed the use of that name a 'false assimilation' of the name of the famous dynasty.[2]
The Arianiti had grown increasingly influential in Albania just prior to theconquest of the countryby theOttoman Empire.[4]Three of Constantine's sisters were married to highly influential figures: his sisterAngelinawas the wife ofStefan Branković,theDespot of Serbia,his sister Gojisava was the wife ofIvan Crnojević,theLord of Zeta,and his sisterDonikawas the wife of the Albanian national heroSkanderbeg,who led the Albanian resistance against the Ottomans from 1443 to 1468. Their father Gjergj was an ally of Skanderbeg against the Ottomans, though he also sought to depose Skanderbeg in favor of himself, being defeated, pardoned and received back as an ally once again after such a rebellion in 1456. After the death of both Skanderbeg and Gjergj in 1468, the Ottomans slowly managed to crush the Albanian resistance, successfully having incorporate the country into their empire by 1479. During the long and drawn-out process of Ottoman conquest, many of the Albanians who chose to remain Christian fled across theAdriatic Seato Italy. Among these refugees was Constantine, who was taken to Italy for his safety in 1469, at the age of twelve.[7]
Early career and claims
[edit]
Constantine would go on to have a successful career in Italy. In his youth, he was noticed byPope Sixtus IV(r. 1471–1484), who provided him with a pension of 32ducatsa month.[7]From the 1490s onwards, Constantine sought a leadership position among the many Christian Balkan refugees in Italy, following in his father's footsteps. Though his father had only claimed connection to Albania itself, Constantine had wider aspirations and began claiming to be the rightful ruler of the regions ofMacedoniaandThessaly.To cement his claim, Constantine began to use the title 'Prince of Macedonia', and later also added 'Duke of Achaea', presumably adding thePeloponneseto the regions he claimed lordship over.[8]
Although the assumption of Constantine's Greek titles may appear to be nothing more than bombastic and ephemeral pretensions, Constantine was adamant in defending them and ready to risk his own life in attempting to make them a reality. In 1494,Charles VIII of Francepurchased the title 'Emperor of Constantinople' fromAndreas Palaiologos,the nephew of the final Byzantine emperorConstantine XI Palaiologos(r. 1449–1453) and claimant emperor andDespot of the Morea,as part of preparations for a crusade (which ultimately never took place). In the autumn of 1494, Charles and his ambassador,Philippe de Commines,who was a friend of Constantine, met with Constantine inMontferratand agreed to a plan in which Constantine and Martin Albaro, the bishop ofDurazzo,were to stir up a rebellion in Albania as a diversion for Charles' invasion of the Ottoman Empire.[9]The records of these meetings are the first time Constantine's claimed titles are attested.[1]Constantine apparently boasted of his titles to Commines, stating that his rightful lands, Macedonia and Thessaly, "had once been the inheritance of Alexander the Great.[9]As a reward for stirring up rebellion in Albania, Commines hoped that Charles, upon victory against the Ottomans, would reward Constantine by making him the "King of Macedonia".[10]Albaro travelled to Venice to make preparations, but the plan was doomed before it even began given that Albaro proved to be unable to keep it a secret and the information soon leaked to the Ottomans. Alarmed, the Venetian government arrested Albaro in January 1495 and assured the Ottomans that Venice had nothing to do with the plans. Constantine had also been in Venice at the time, but managed to escape imprisonment by fleeing on a ship to Apulia.[9]
Constantine had been in Montferrat since 1486, in service to his nieceMarija Branković,who was married toBoniface III, Marquis of Montferrat.[1]In Montferrat he also metFrancesca of Montferrat,presumably an illegitimate daughter of Boniface, whom he marriedc.1489.[1]The advantageous marriage resulted in Constantine being granted his own castle and accompanying lands, increasing his status and wealth considerably.[1][7]After Boniface's death in 1494, Marija became the regent for her and Boniface's young sonWilliam IX.[2][10]After Marija herself died in 1495, Constantine became the regent and guardian of his nephew.[2][7][10]Constantine's regency in Montferrat lasted for five years. In 1499,Louis XIIof France deposed Constantine during theSecond Italian War,on account of "lukewarmness in the French cause", and had him imprisoned in the city ofNovara.Constantine shortly thereafter managed to escape imprisonment, fleeing south toPisawhere he was appointed to a military command.[2]
Papal and German diplomat
[edit]
From 1501 onwards, Constantine served the Papacy as a diplomat, travelling between Italy and Germany.[2]Although opinion of him later appears to have soured,[1]Constantine initially appears to have been highly skilled, as records exist of Constantine receiving praise both from the popes and fromMaximilian I,theKing of the Romans(who would later rule as Holy Roman Emperor 1508–1519). The contemporary Venetian historianMarino Sanuto the Youngerrecorded that Constantine, in addition to being tall and black-haired, was also a skilled speaker.[2]In 1504, Constantine was sent byPope Julius II(r. 1503–1513) as an ambassador to Maximilian. Constantine's diplomatic ability impressed Julius to such an extent that his monthly pension was increased to 200ducatsand he was put in charge of his own detachment of papal soldiers.[11]The negotiations in which Constantine was involved eventually resulted in the formation of the unsuccessfulLeague of Cambraiin 1508, an alliance to counteract the Ottomans and the Republic of Venice.[12]According to the historian Jonathan Harris, Constantine's involvements in these affairs illustrates his willingness to make good on his claims in Greece and aspire to his father's role of anti-Ottoman leadership.[13]Constantine's contemporaries appear to have respected his claims to lands in Greece, given that Maximilian referred to Constantine by both 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea' when sending him back as an ambassador to Rome in 1504.[8]
After the death of Andreas Palaiologos in June 1502, Constantine added 'Despot of the Morea' to his claimed titles. It is unclear when exactly Constantine began to claim this title, though it may have begun only a few months after Andreas's death given that a letter from Antonio Giustiniani, Venetian ambassador to the Pope, mentions a 'despot' in command of a cavalry unit in October 1502. It is certain that the title was in use by October 1507, when it is among the titles applied to him during his diplomatic travels to Germany.[14]Though Constantine had met Andreas while he was still alive,[15]they were not genealogically related, which makes it unclear on what grounds he could claim to be Andreas's successor as despot. Perhaps he derived his claim through his connection to the Komnenos dynasty, or possibly through his marriage to Francesca of Montferrat. The ruling family of Montferrat, the house ofPalaeologus-Montferrat,were distant relatives of Andreas, being descended from emperorAndronikos II Palaiologos(r. 1282–1328).[9]The title of 'Despot of the Morea' was also claimed byFernando Palaiologos,possibly an illegitimate son of Andreas.[16]
Governor of Fano
[edit]
In 1514 or 1515,Pope Leo X(r. 1513–1521) made Constantine the governor of the town ofFanoin theMarch of Ancona.[13][1]The March of Ancone was a strip of territory facing theDalmatian coastacross the Adriatic Sea, making it a natural launching point for an invasion of the Ottoman Empire's lands in the Balkans. It is probable that Leo intended to use it as such, and appointed Constantine as governor of Fano as part of planning a new crusade. In September 1513, Leo had issued crusade indulgences for the first time in many years and the pope had concentrated efforts on promoting unity among the monarchs of Europe. In 1515, Leo had begun preparing a fleet in Ancona and in 1517, plans were made for a Papal contingent to sail from Ancona and meet up with the fleets of Spain, Portugal and England. Rumors were circulating that Leo had also offered to crownFrancis I of France(r. 1515–1547) as Emperor of Constantinople if he agreed to lead the crusade.[13]Francis was already claiming that title, through inheritance from Charles,[17]and is recorded to have publicly stressed his imperial claim as late as 1532.[18]
Although no crusade ultimately took place this time either, there might also have been another practical reason for Constantine's appointment in Fano. Given the March of Ancona's proximity to the Balkan coastline, the region, along with the southern region of Calabria and the city of Venice, was a natural point of settlement for refugees from Albania and Greece. The port in the city of Ancona was a particularly popular arrival point, and though many refugees moved on and settled elsewhere, there were a considerably number who stayed. By 1520, records indicate that there were about two hundred Greek families living in Ancona. Through using the architectural styles of their homelands and retaining traditions and customs, the refugees and their descendants in Ancona continued to foster links with their pasts. Though Constantine would ultimately not succeed in gaining control of the regions he claimed to be the rightful ruler of, he may have aspired to be accepted by the Balkan refugees in Fano and the rest of the March of Ancona as a leadership figure.[19]
If Constantine had such aspirations, they were not successful.[19]Constantine was not popular among the people of Fano, being disliked not only by the Italians but also by the Albanians and Greeks, who were mostly discontent over the heavy taxations by the Papacy owing to the recent wars in Italy. Though this was thus not Constantine's fault, his high-sounding titles were also a source of mockery among some of the populace. In the comedyLa Cortigianaby the contemporary author, playwright, satirist and poetPietro Aretino,Constantine's titles are explicitly mocked in the text. In the early 1525 edition ofLa Cortigiana,the relevant passage reads "If noble blood were all that was needed to bring honor to men who don't deserve it, then the king of Cyprus and the prince of Fiossa wouldn't be in such bad shape. Signor Constantino would get the principality of Macedonia back; he'd think it beneath his dignity to be governor of Fano" and the later, more restrained, 1534 edition reads "But who is more noble than Signor Constantine who was despot of the Morea and prince of Macedonia and now is governor of Fano?", a more sarcastic and implied, rather than overt, mockery. In 1516, the townsfolk of Fano began rioting, forcing Constantine to flee to the castle. The affair led Leo to depose Constantine and installLorenzo de' Medici, Duke of Urbino,as the governor of Fano in Constantine's stead. Constantine was reappointed as governor of Fano byPope Clement VII(r. 1523–1534) in 1524.[20]During his second tenure as governor, Constantine lived in the nearby mountain village ofMontefiore Conca,also granted to him by Clement, rather than in Fano itself, given that the castle in Montefiore Conca was nearly impenetrable.[1]
Constantine died in Montefiore Conca on 8 May 1530 and was buried inSanti ApostoliorSant'Agostinoin Rome.[1][4]Two of Constantine's claimed titles, 'Prince of Macedonia' and 'Duke of Achaea', were inscribed on his tomb.[8]The precise location of his grave is not known.[1]Constantine's sonArianittocontinued his father's aspirations and pretensions, though the only of his father's titles he is attested to have used was 'Prince of Macedonia'.[8]
Family
[edit]With his wife Francesca, Constantine had one son and six daughters. The names of the children were:[1]
- Arianitto,Constantine's only son. Served as a captain in the army of thePapal Statesuntil his death on 16 November 1551. Arianitto's death ended the male line of the Arianiti family in Italy.[1]
- Andronica,Constantine's eldest daughter. MarriedCarlo III Tocco,the claimantDespot of EpirusandCount Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos.Through their sonLeonardo IV Toccoshe was ancestral to the later members of theTocco family.After Carlo III's death, Andronica remarried, marrying Milanese nobleman Giorgio Secco.[1]
- Penthesilea,Constantine's second daughter. Married Lek Dukagjin of the AlbanianDukagjini family.[1]
- Ippolita,Constantine's third daughter. Married Zanobio de 'Medici of the ItalianMedici family.Remarried in 1532 to Lionello Pio di Carpi of thePio di Savoia family.[1]
- Polissena,Constantine's fourth daughter. Married Rinaldo degli Ottoni di Matelica of theOttoni family.[1]
- Deianira,Constantine's fifth daughter. Married Giorgio Trivulzio of theTrivulzio family.[1]
- Elena,Constantine's sixth daughter. Married Juan de Luna, acastellanin Milan.[1]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^abcdefghijklmnopqrsBabinger 1962.
- ^abcdefghHill 1914,p. 221.
- ^Harris 2013,p. 643.
- ^abcdefgHarris 2013,p. 651.
- ^Constantinidou & Lamers 2019,p. 286.
- ^ΒΡΑΝΟΥΣΗ Έ. Λ. (1970). Οἱ ὅροι «Ἀλβανοὶ» καὶ «Ἀρβανῖται» καὶ ἡ πρώτη μνεία τοῦ ὁμωνύμου λαοῦ τῆς Βαλκανικῆς εἰς τὰς πηγὰς τοῦ ΙΑ ̓αἰῶνος. Byzantina Symmeikta, 2, 207–254. (Vranoussi E.L. (1970) "The terms" Albani "and" Arvanitae "and the first record of the homonymous people of the Balkans in the 11th century sources" ) pp. 246, 247In Greek. Abstract in French.
- ^abcdHarris 2013,p. 652.
- ^abcdHarris 2013,p. 653.
- ^abcdHarris 2013,p. 654.
- ^abcSetton 1978,p. 513.
- ^Harris 2013,pp. 652–653.
- ^Harris 2013,pp. 653, 655.
- ^abcHarris 2013,p. 655.
- ^Harris 2013,pp. 653–654.
- ^Vespignani 2007,p. 109.
- ^Harris 2013,pp. 651, 653.
- ^Potter 1995,p. 33.
- ^Foster 2015,p. 67.
- ^abHarris 2013,pp. 656–659.
- ^Harris 2013,p. 659.
Bibliography
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- Constantinidou, Natasha; Lamers, Han (2019).Receptions of Hellenism in Early Modern Europe: 15th-17th Centuries.Leiden: Brill.ISBN978-9004402461.
- Foster, Russell (2015).Mapping European Empire: Tabulae imperii Europaei.Oxford: Routledge.ISBN978-1315744759.
- Harris, Jonathan (2013). "Despots, Emperors, and Balkan Identity in Exile".The Sixteenth Century Journal.44(3): 643–661.JSTOR24244808.
- Hill, George Francis(1914)."Notes on Italian Medals-XVII".The Burlington Magazine for Connoisseurs.25(136): 221–223+227.JSTOR859716.
- Potter, David (1995).A History of France, 1460–1560: The Emergence of a Nation State.New York: St. Martin's Press.ISBN978-0312124809.
- Setton, Kenneth M.(1978).The Papacy and the Levant (1204–1571), Volume II: The Fifteenth Century.Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society.ISBN0-87169-127-2.
- Shamà, Davide (2013)."I di Tocco, Sovrani dell'Epiro e di Leucade: Studio storico-genealogico".Notiziario dell'Associazione Nobiliare Regionale Veneta(in Italian).
- Vespignani, Giorgio (2007)."Attorno al progetto di Crociata di Alessandro VI (1492–1503). Andrea Paleologo nell'affresco dell'Appartamento Borgia del Palazzo Vaticano"(PDF).Erytheia: Revista de estudios bizantinos y neogriegos(in Italian).28:99–112.ISSN0213-1986.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2021-07-29.Retrieved2021-06-16.