Battle of the Echinades (1427)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Echinades was fought in 1427 among the Echinades
islands off western Greece
between the fleets of Carlo I Tocco
and the Byzantine Empire
. The battle was a decisive Byzantine victory, the last in the Empire's naval history, and led to the consolidation of the Peloponnese
under the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea.
in the north and west, the Byzantine Greek
Despotate of the Morea in the south and east, and Argos and Nauplia
, Coron
and Modon and some attendant forts, held by the Republic of Venice
. The Byzantines were actively trying to conquer the ailing principality, all the while the menace of the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire
threatened all of them. Carlo I Tocco
, the ruler of the County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
, of Lefkada
and of the Despotate of Epirus
, took advantage of the Byzantine-Achaean struggles to extend his domains into the Peloponnese: in 1407–1408 his troops seized and plundered the fortress of Glarentza
, in the northwestern Peloponnese, and in 1421 he bought permanent possession of it from Oliverio Franco, who had seized it from the Achaean prince Centurione II Zaccaria
three years earlier.
In February 1423, a shaky truce was brokered between Zaccaria, Tocco and the Byzantines by the Venetians, who were eager to establish a common front against the Ottomans, but this did not prevent a major Ottoman raid into the peninsula by Turahan Bey
in summer 1423, nor did it stop the aggressive Byzantine despot, Theodore II Palaiologos, from raiding Venetian territory and even capturing Centurione Zaccaria in June 1424. The Byzantines initially seemed content to let Tocco alone, as he too had open scores with Zaccaria, but war between the two powers was provoked in late 1426, when Tocco's forces seized the animals of Albanian
herders during the latter's annual migration from the Byzantine-controlled central uplands to the plain of Elis
.
, personally travelled to the Peloponnese, and the Byzantine forces laid siege to Glarentza by land and sea. Tocco assembled a fleet from his domains in the Ionian Islands
and Epirus, augmented by ships from Marseilles, and placed it under the command of his illegitimate son, Torno. The Byzantine fleet, under a certain Leontarios (probably Demetrios Laskaris Leontares
), met the Latin fleet at the Echinades and dealt it a crushing blow: most of Tocco's ships were captured, many of the crews were killed and over 150 men were taken prisoner. Torno himself was barely able to escape. The victory was recorded in a lengthy anonymous panegyric
to Manuel II Palaiologos
and his son John VIII, which is also the main source of information about the battle.
This defeat ended Tocco's ambitions in the Peloponnese: in a negotiated settlement, John VIII's brother Constantine Palaiologos (later last Byzantine emperor as Constantine XI
) married Maddalena Tocco, Carlo's niece, and received the Tocco family's Peloponnesian domains as her dowry
. Based in Tocco's former domains, and under Constantine's leadership, the Byzantines went on to reduce the last remnants of the Achaean principality. Patras
fell in May 1430, and by 1432, Constantine and his brothers had deposed the last Latin feudatories and restored the entire peninsula, with the exception of the Venetian possessions, to Byzantine control.
Echinades
thumb|300px|The EchinadesThe Echinades are a group of islands in the Ionian Islands, off the coast of Acarnania, Greece...
islands off western Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
between the fleets of Carlo I Tocco
Carlo I Tocco
Carlo I Tocco was the ruler of Epirus from 1411 until his death on July 4, 1429.-Life:Carlo I was the son of Count Leonardo I Tocco of Cephalonia and Leukas by Maddalena de' Buondelmonti, sister of Esau de' Buondelmonti of Epirus...
and the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. The battle was a decisive Byzantine victory, the last in the Empire's naval history, and led to the consolidation of the Peloponnese
Peloponnese
The Peloponnese, Peloponnesos or Peloponnesus , is a large peninsula , located in a region of southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth...
under the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea.
Background
In the early 15th century, the Peloponnese peninsula was divided between three powers: the Latin Principality of AchaeaPrincipality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom of Thessalonica, along with the Duchy of Athens, until Thessalonica...
in the north and west, the Byzantine Greek
Byzantine Greeks
Byzantine Greeks or Byzantines is a conventional term used by modern historians to refer to the medieval Greek or Hellenised citizens of the Byzantine Empire, centered mainly in Constantinople, the southern Balkans, the Greek islands, Asia Minor , Cyprus and the large urban centres of the Near East...
Despotate of the Morea in the south and east, and Argos and Nauplia
Argos and Nauplia
During the late Middle Ages, the two cities of Argos and Nauplia formed a separate Lordship within the Frankish Principality of Achaea in southern Greece....
, Coron
Koroni
Koroni or Coroni is a town and a former municipality in Messenia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pylos-Nestoras, of which it is a municipal unit. Known as Corone by the Venetians and Ottomans, the town of Koroni Koroni or Coroni is a...
and Modon and some attendant forts, held by the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
. The Byzantines were actively trying to conquer the ailing principality, all the while the menace of the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
threatened all of them. Carlo I Tocco
Carlo I Tocco
Carlo I Tocco was the ruler of Epirus from 1411 until his death on July 4, 1429.-Life:Carlo I was the son of Count Leonardo I Tocco of Cephalonia and Leukas by Maddalena de' Buondelmonti, sister of Esau de' Buondelmonti of Epirus...
, the ruler of the County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
The County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos existed from 1185 until 1479, as part of the Kingdom of Sicily.The title and the right to rule the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos was originally given to Margaritus of Brindisi for his services to William II, king of Sicily, in...
, of Lefkada
Lefkada
Lefkada, or Leucas or Leucadia , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece, connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Lefkada . It is situated on the northern part of the island,...
and of the Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
, took advantage of the Byzantine-Achaean struggles to extend his domains into the Peloponnese: in 1407–1408 his troops seized and plundered the fortress of Glarentza
Glarentza
Glarentza is a medieval city located next to the location of today's Kyllini in the Ilia prefecture, Greece.Glarentza, a corruption of Clarentia or Clarence, was an important city, mint and port during Frankish rule in the Peloponnese...
, in the northwestern Peloponnese, and in 1421 he bought permanent possession of it from Oliverio Franco, who had seized it from the Achaean prince Centurione II Zaccaria
Centurione II Zaccaria
Centurione II Zaccaria , scion of Genoese powerful merchant family established in the Morea, was installed as Prince of Achaea by Ladislaus of Naples in 1404 and was the last ruler of the Latin Empire not under Byzantine suzerainty....
three years earlier.
In February 1423, a shaky truce was brokered between Zaccaria, Tocco and the Byzantines by the Venetians, who were eager to establish a common front against the Ottomans, but this did not prevent a major Ottoman raid into the peninsula by Turahan Bey
Turahan Bey
Turahan Bey or Turakhan Beg was a prominent Ottoman military commander and Ottoman governor of Thessaly from 1423 until his death in 1456. He participated in many Ottoman campaigns of the second quarter of the 15th century, fighting against the Byzantines as well as against the Crusade of Varna...
in summer 1423, nor did it stop the aggressive Byzantine despot, Theodore II Palaiologos, from raiding Venetian territory and even capturing Centurione Zaccaria in June 1424. The Byzantines initially seemed content to let Tocco alone, as he too had open scores with Zaccaria, but war between the two powers was provoked in late 1426, when Tocco's forces seized the animals of Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
herders during the latter's annual migration from the Byzantine-controlled central uplands to the plain of Elis
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
.
Battle and aftermath
The Byzantine emperor, John VIII PalaiologosJohn VIII Palaiologos
John VIII Palaiologos or Palaeologus , was the penultimate reigning Byzantine Emperor, ruling from 1425 to 1448.-Life:John VIII Palaiologos was the eldest son of Manuel II Palaiologos and Helena Dragaš, the daughter of the Serbian prince Constantine Dragaš...
, personally travelled to the Peloponnese, and the Byzantine forces laid siege to Glarentza by land and sea. Tocco assembled a fleet from his domains in the Ionian Islands
Ionian Islands
The Ionian Islands are a group of islands in Greece. They are traditionally called the Heptanese, i.e...
and Epirus, augmented by ships from Marseilles, and placed it under the command of his illegitimate son, Torno. The Byzantine fleet, under a certain Leontarios (probably Demetrios Laskaris Leontares
Demetrios Laskaris Leontares
Demetrios Laskaris Leontares or Leontarios was an important Byzantine statesman and military leader of the early 15th century, serving under the emperors Manuel II Palaiologos and John VIII Palaiologos.- Life :...
), met the Latin fleet at the Echinades and dealt it a crushing blow: most of Tocco's ships were captured, many of the crews were killed and over 150 men were taken prisoner. Torno himself was barely able to escape. The victory was recorded in a lengthy anonymous panegyric
Panegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
to Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine Emperor from 1391 to 1425.-Life:...
and his son John VIII, which is also the main source of information about the battle.
This defeat ended Tocco's ambitions in the Peloponnese: in a negotiated settlement, John VIII's brother Constantine Palaiologos (later last Byzantine emperor as Constantine XI
Constantine XI
Constantine XI Palaiologos, latinized as Palaeologus , Kōnstantinos XI Dragasēs Palaiologos; February 8, 1404 – May 29, 1453) was the last reigning Byzantine Emperor from 1449 to his death as member of the Palaiologos dynasty...
) married Maddalena Tocco, Carlo's niece, and received the Tocco family's Peloponnesian domains as her dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
. Based in Tocco's former domains, and under Constantine's leadership, the Byzantines went on to reduce the last remnants of the Achaean principality. Patras
Patras
Patras , ) is Greece's third largest urban area and the regional capital of West Greece, located in northern Peloponnese, 215 kilometers west of Athens...
fell in May 1430, and by 1432, Constantine and his brothers had deposed the last Latin feudatories and restored the entire peninsula, with the exception of the Venetian possessions, to Byzantine control.