Carlo I Tocco
Encyclopedia
Carlo I Tocco was the ruler of Epirus
from 1411 until his death on July 4, 1429.
of Cephalonia and Leukas by Maddalena de' Buondelmonti, sister of Esau de' Buondelmonti
of Epirus. Leonardo I Tocco (who was count of Cephalonia 1357–1376 and duke of Leukas 1362–1376) was himself the son of Guglielmo II Tocco (governor of Cephalonia 1328–1335) and Margherita Orsini, sister of Nicholas Orsini
and John II Orsini
, rulers of Epirus and counts of Cephalonia. In this way, Carlo Tocco inherited a claim to Epirus from both the Orsini and the Buondelmonti.
Carlo I had succeeded his father Leonardo I as count of Cephalonia and duke of Leukas in 1376. He shared power with his brother Leonardo II, who was invested with the island of Zante as apanage in 1399. The inheritance from his father-in-law Nerio I Acciaioli
, Duke of Athens
gave Carlo a claim on Corinth
and Megara
in 1395, and he intermittently became involved with the affairs of the Peloponnese
, holding parts of Elis
from 1402 until ceded to the Byzantines in 1427 following the Battle of the Echinades
.
From 1405 Carlo controlled several fortresses on the mainland, including Argyrocastron
. He was invited as the successor of his uncle Esau de' Buondelmonti in Ioannina
after the rejection of the latter's widow and son in February 1411. Nevertheless, he had to overcome the determined opposition of the Albania
n clans, and in particular of Despot Jacob Bova Shpata of Arta
.
In spite of Jacob Shpata's victory over Carlo in 1412, the Albanians failed to take Ioannina. On the contrary, not long after Maurice died, and Jacob was killed in battle in 1416, Carlo advanced on Arta and obtained its surrender in 1416. Arta was entrusted to Carlo's younger brother Leonardo II, and now the Tocchi controlled all major towns in Epirus. In 1415 he was granted the title despotes
by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos
. Apart from his conflict with the Byzantine rulers of Morea
(the Peloponnese) over Elis, Carlo spent the remainder of his reign in relative peace.
Although he had several illegitimate children, he was succeeded by his nephew Carlo II Tocco
, the son of Leonardo II. His niece Maddalena Tocco married Constantine XI
.
, Duke of Athens
. By a relationship with an unnamed mistress, Carlo had five illegitimate sons:
which was evidently written by one of his contemporaries, covering 1375-1425, including therefore the period of Carlo's rule.
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...
from 1411 until his death on July 4, 1429.
Life
Carlo I was the son of Count Leonardo I ToccoLeonardo I Tocco
Leonardo I Tocco was the Count palatine of the islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from 1357 until his death, and later lord of Ithaca, Lefkada, and the port of Vonitsa as well....
of Cephalonia and Leukas by Maddalena de' Buondelmonti, sister of Esau de' Buondelmonti
Esau de' Buondelmonti
Esau de' Buondelmonti, ruler of Epirus in Ioannina from 1385 to his death in 1411.Esau was the son of the Florentine nobleman Manente Buondelmonti and Lapa Acciaiuoli, sister of Niccolò Acciaiuoli of Corinth and the grandson of the great Χρηστόφορxοςστασία XXIV...
of Epirus. Leonardo I Tocco (who was count of Cephalonia 1357–1376 and duke of Leukas 1362–1376) was himself the son of Guglielmo II Tocco (governor of Cephalonia 1328–1335) and Margherita Orsini, sister of Nicholas Orsini
Nicholas Orsini
Nicholas Orsini was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1317 to 1323 and ruler of Epirus from 1318 to 1323....
and John II Orsini
John II Orsini
John II Orsini, also John Komnenos Doukas or Comnenus Ducas , was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1323 to 1324 and Despot of Epirus from 1323 to 1335....
, rulers of Epirus and counts of Cephalonia. In this way, Carlo Tocco inherited a claim to Epirus from both the Orsini and the Buondelmonti.
Carlo I had succeeded his father Leonardo I as count of Cephalonia and duke of Leukas in 1376. He shared power with his brother Leonardo II, who was invested with the island of Zante as apanage in 1399. The inheritance from his father-in-law Nerio I Acciaioli
Nerio I Acciaioli
Nerio I Acciaioli was as Italian aristocrat from Florence who rose to power in Frankish Greece during the last decades of the fourteenth century, eventually becoming Duke of Athens....
, Duke of Athens
Duchy of Athens
The Duchy of Athens was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade, encompassing the regions of Attica and Boeotia, and surviving until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century....
gave Carlo a claim on Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
and Megara
Megara
Megara is an ancient city in Attica, Greece. It lies in the northern section of the Isthmus of Corinth opposite the island of Salamis, which belonged to Megara in archaic times, before being taken by Athens. Megara was one of the four districts of Attica, embodied in the four mythic sons of King...
in 1395, and he intermittently became involved with the affairs 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...
, holding parts of Elis
Elis
Elis, or Eleia is an ancient district that corresponds with the modern Elis peripheral unit...
from 1402 until ceded to the Byzantines in 1427 following the Battle of the Echinades
Battle of the Echinades (1427)
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...
.
From 1405 Carlo controlled several fortresses on the mainland, including Argyrocastron
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
. He was invited as the successor of his uncle Esau de' Buondelmonti in Ioannina
Ioannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
after the rejection of the latter's widow and son in February 1411. Nevertheless, he had to overcome the determined opposition of the Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n clans, and in particular of Despot Jacob Bova Shpata of Arta
Arta, Greece
Arta is a city with a rich history in northwestern Greece, capital of the peripheral unit of Arta, which is part of Epirus region. The city was known in ancient times as Ambracia . Arta is famous for its old bridge located over the Arachthos River, situated west of downtown...
.
In spite of Jacob Shpata's victory over Carlo in 1412, the Albanians failed to take Ioannina. On the contrary, not long after Maurice died, and Jacob was killed in battle in 1416, Carlo advanced on Arta and obtained its surrender in 1416. Arta was entrusted to Carlo's younger brother Leonardo II, and now the Tocchi controlled all major towns in Epirus. In 1415 he was granted the title despotes
Despotes
Despot , was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent...
by the Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos
Manuel II Palaiologos or Palaeologus was Byzantine Emperor from 1391 to 1425.-Life:...
. Apart from his conflict with the Byzantine rulers of Morea
Despotate of Morea
The Despotate of the Morea or Despotate of Mystras was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid-14th and mid-15th centuries. Its territory varied in size during its 100 years of existence but eventually grew to take in almost all the southern Greek peninsula, the...
(the Peloponnese) over Elis, Carlo spent the remainder of his reign in relative peace.
Although he had several illegitimate children, he was succeeded by his nephew Carlo II Tocco
Carlo II Tocco
Carlo II Tocco was the ruler of Epirus from 1429 until his death.-Life:Carlo II was the son of Count Leonardo II Tocco, the younger brother and co-ruler of Carlo I Tocco, count of Cephalonia and Zante, duke of Leukas, and ruler of Epirus. In 1424 Carlo II and his sisters were adopted by their...
, the son of Leonardo II. His niece Maddalena Tocco married 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...
.
Family
Carlo I Tocco had no children from his marriage to Francesca Acciaioli, daughter of Nerio I AcciaioliNerio I Acciaioli
Nerio I Acciaioli was as Italian aristocrat from Florence who rose to power in Frankish Greece during the last decades of the fourteenth century, eventually becoming Duke of Athens....
, Duke of Athens
Duchy of Athens
The Duchy of Athens was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade, encompassing the regions of Attica and Boeotia, and surviving until its conquest by the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century....
. By a relationship with an unnamed mistress, Carlo had five illegitimate sons:
- Memnone of AcarnaniaAcarnaniaAcarnania is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today it forms the western part of the prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania. The capital...
- Ercole
- Turno
- Antonio
- Orlando of Reniassa
Chronicle of the Tocco family of Kefalonia
Significant information about Carlo I Tocco is found in Chronicle of the Tocco family of KefaloniaChronicle of the Tocco family of Kefalonia
The Chronicle of the Tocco family of Kefalonia or simply Chronicle of the Toccos is a chronicle in fifteen syllable blank verse written in medieval Greek, which refers to the era of the Tocco family and especially to the years of Carlo I Tocco, Count palatine of Kefalonia and Zakynthos and...
which was evidently written by one of his contemporaries, covering 1375-1425, including therefore the period of Carlo's rule.