County palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
Encyclopedia
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 1185.
Following Margaritone (Margaritus of Brindisi), the county passed on to a branch of the family of Orsini until 1325, when it passed briefly to Angevins
and then, from 1357, to the Tocco family
until 1479, when it was broken up by Venice and the Ottoman Turks: Zakynthos was put under direct rule of Venice and Cephalonia was occupied for 21 years by the Turks.
Count palatine
Count palatine is a high noble title, used to render several comital styles, in some cases also shortened to Palatine, which can have other meanings as well.-Comes palatinus:...
of Cephalonia and Zakynthos existed from 1185 until 1479, as part of the Kingdom of Sicily
Kingdom of Sicily
The Kingdom of Sicily was a state that existed in the south of Italy from its founding by Roger II in 1130 until 1816. It was a successor state of the County of Sicily, which had been founded in 1071 during the Norman conquest of southern Italy...
.
The title and the right to rule the Ionian islands of Cephalonia and Zakynthos
Zakynthos
Zakynthos , also Zante, the other form often used in English and in Italian , is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea. It is the third largest of the Ionian Islands. It is also a separate regional unit of the Ionian Islands region, and the only municipality of the regional unit. It covers an area of ...
was originally given to Margaritus of Brindisi
Margaritus of Brindisi
Margaritus of Brindisi , called the new Neptune, was the last great ammiratus ammiratorum of Sicily...
for his services to William II
William II of Sicily
William II , called the Good, was king of Sicily from 1166 to 1189. William's character is very indistinct. Lacking in military enterprise, secluded and pleasure-loving, he seldom emerged from his palace life at Palermo. Yet his reign is marked by an ambitious foreign policy and a vigorous diplomacy...
, king of Sicily, in 1185.
Following Margaritone (Margaritus of Brindisi), the county passed on to a branch of the family of Orsini until 1325, when it passed briefly to Angevins
Capetian House of Anjou
The Capetian House of Anjou, also known as the House of Anjou-Sicily and House of Anjou-Naples, was a royal house and cadet branch of the direct House of Capet. Founded by Charles I of Sicily, a son of Louis VIII of France, the Capetian king first ruled the Kingdom of Sicily during the 13th century...
and then, from 1357, to the Tocco family
Tocco family
The family of Tocco was a noble house from Benevento of Longobard origins, which in the late 14th and 15th centuries came to prominence in western Greece as rulers of the Ionian Islands and the Despotate of Epirus.-History:...
until 1479, when it was broken up by Venice and the Ottoman Turks: Zakynthos was put under direct rule of Venice and Cephalonia was occupied for 21 years by the Turks.
Orsini family
- Matthew I Orsini, 1195–1238
- Matthew II Orsini, 1238–1259
- Richard I Orsini, 1259–1304
- John I Orsini, 1304–1317
- Nicholas OrsiniNicholas OrsiniNicholas Orsini was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1317 to 1323 and ruler of Epirus from 1318 to 1323....
, 1317–1323 - John II OrsiniJohn II OrsiniJohn 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....
, 1323–1325
House of Tocco
- Leonardo I ToccoLeonardo I ToccoLeonardo 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....
, 1357–1376 - Charles I Tocco, 1376–1429
- Charles II Tocco, 1429–1448
- Leonardo III ToccoLeonardo III Tocco-Life:Leonardo III Tocco was the son of Carlo II Tocco and Ramondina of Ventimiglia. On his father's death in October 1448, Leonardo succeeded as a minor to all his titles and possessions...
, 1448–1479