Guglielma Pallavicini
Encyclopedia
Guglielma Pallavicini the Lady of Thermopylae, was the last Pallavicino
heir to rule in Bodonitsa
. She was but an infant when she succeeded her father Albert
in 1311. She shared the margraviate with her mother Maria dalle Carceri
and later with her stepfather Andrea Cornaro
and her own husband Bartolomeo Zaccaria
.
The succession of all Latin fiefs
in Greece was regulated at the time of Albert's death by the Book of the Customs of the Empire of Romania. By custom, the inheritance was split between the widow and daughter. Maria soon remarried to Andrea in order to protect the margraviate from Catalan
incursions.
In 1327, Guglielma married the Genoese
Zaccaria, who had been captured while repelling, alongside Andrea Cornaro, an invasion of Alfonso Fadrique
of Athens
. In 1334, Bartolomeo died and Guglielma married Niccolò Zorzi
, a Venetian
. This marriage was especially important after the death of Cornaro, for it allowed her to remain in residence on Negroponte
and to reconcile her claims to the castle of Larmena with La Serenissima's
. In fact, Guglielma had contacted the Republic beseeching one of their own as a husband. Zorzi arrived in Bodonitsa in 1335.
Guglielma and Niccolò continued the annual tribute of four destrier
s made to the Athenian Catalans. Peace did not attend their house, however. Venice continued the dispute over Larmena and even sought the arbitration of the bailiff
of Catherine II
, Princess of Achaea
, the legal souzerain of Euboea
and Bodonitsa. The bailiff decided for Venice. This strained the marriage, with Guglielma accusing her husband of "cowardice and bias [towards Venice]." Guglielma further believed that he ignored the interests of her child by Bartolomeo, Marulla, in favour of his own offspring. Guglielma had saved a large amount of money for her daughter, but deposited in a Venetian bank. The marchioness was finally whipped into a fury by the execution of her relative Manfredo, ordered by her husband. While the execution had been legal, Guglielma stirred the people against Zorzi, who was forced to flee to Negroponte.
The ensuing battle between husband and wife was anything but pretty. He went to Venice and appealed to the Senate, which demanded the return of him to his position or the relinquishing of his property, which she held. She refused and the bailiff of Negroponte was order to sever all communication between Bodonitsa and the island. The Catalans, who had initially been asked to stay out of the fray, were now pressed by Venice to intervene for peaceful settlement, along with Joan I of Naples
, head of the Angevins
, and Humbert II, Dauphin of Vienne, then a papal naval commander. This failing, Marulla's money was confiscated and Niccolò compensated from the funds. Guglielma still refused to readmit her husband to her court. Despite the pleadings of Pope Clement VI
, she preferred to heed the advice of her own nationalist bishop Nitardus of Thermopylae.
In 1354, Niccolò finally died and Guglielma immediately installed their eldest son, Francis
, as co-ruler. With him ruling beside her, she was on good terms again with Venice and was included in the treaty subsequently signed with the Catalans. She died in 1358 and was succeeded by Francis. She left two other sons who later ruled Bodonitsa: Giacomo
and Niccolò III
.
Pallavicini
The Pallavicini, Pallavicino, were an Italian noble family descended from Oberto I . The first Pallavicino fief was created by Oberto II, who received them it by Frederick Barbarossa in 1162...
heir to rule in Bodonitsa
Margrave of Bodonitsa
The margraviate or marquisate of Bodonitsa , today Mendenitsa, Phthiotis , was a Frankish state in Greece following the conquests of the Fourth Crusade. It was originally granted as a margravial holding of Guy Pallavicini by Boniface, first king of Thessalonica, in 1204...
. She was but an infant when she succeeded her father Albert
Albert Pallavicini
Albert Pallavicini was the fifth margrave of Bodonitsa from his father's death until his own in 1311. His father was Thomas, a great nephew of the first margrave Guy. Albert married Maria dalle Carceri, a Venetian noblewoman from Euboea. He even obtained a sixth of that island with the official...
in 1311. She shared the margraviate with her mother Maria dalle Carceri
Maria dalle Carceri
Maria dalle Carceri was the wife of Albert Pallavicini who succeeded to half of the marquisate of Bodonitsa on his death in 1311. While she avoided submitting her principality to the Catalan Company, she could not avoid paying an annual tribute of four destriers.Maria was descended from a Lombard...
and later with her stepfather Andrea Cornaro
Andrea Cornaro
Andrea Cornaro of the House of Cornaro, was the husband of Maria dalle Carceri, widow of Albert Pallavicini. He married Maria in 1312 and co-governed her half of the marquisate of Bodonitsa until his death....
and her own husband Bartolomeo Zaccaria
Bartolomeo Zaccaria
Bartolomeo Zaccaria was the first husband of Guglielma Pallavicini and thus Margrave of Bodonitsa in her right...
.
The succession of all Latin fiefs
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
in Greece was regulated at the time of Albert's death by the Book of the Customs of the Empire of Romania. By custom, the inheritance was split between the widow and daughter. Maria soon remarried to Andrea in order to protect the margraviate from Catalan
Catalan Company
The Catalan Company of the East , officially the Magnas Societas Catalanorum, sometimes called the Grand Company and widely known as the Catalan Company, was a free company of mercenaries founded by Roger de Flor in the early 14th-century...
incursions.
In 1327, Guglielma married the Genoese
Republic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
Zaccaria, who had been captured while repelling, alongside Andrea Cornaro, an invasion of Alfonso Fadrique
Alfonso Fadrique
Don Alfonso Fadrique was the eldest and illegitimate son of Frederick II of Sicily. He served as vicar general of the Duchy of Athens from 1317 to 1330....
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....
. In 1334, Bartolomeo died and Guglielma married Niccolò Zorzi
Nicholas I Zorzi
Nicholas I Zorzi was the Margrave of Bodonitsa, first member of the Zorzi family of Venice to hold the post, from 1335 to his death...
, a Venetian
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...
. This marriage was especially important after the death of Cornaro, for it allowed her to remain in residence on Negroponte
Negroponte
Negroponte can refer to:*the Greek island of Euboea, called Negroponte in Italian**Chalkis, the island's capital, named Negroponte during the Middle Ages...
and to reconcile her claims to the castle of Larmena with La Serenissima's
La Serenissima
La Serenissima is a British early music/period instrument ensemble founded in 1994 by violinist Adrian Chandler, who has served as the group's director since its creation...
. In fact, Guglielma had contacted the Republic beseeching one of their own as a husband. Zorzi arrived in Bodonitsa in 1335.
Guglielma and Niccolò continued the annual tribute of four destrier
Destrier
The destrier is the best-known war horse of the medieval era. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. It was described by contemporary sources as the Great Horse, due to its size and reputation....
s made to the Athenian Catalans. Peace did not attend their house, however. Venice continued the dispute over Larmena and even sought the arbitration of the bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
of Catherine II
Catherine II of Valois, Princess of Achaea
Catherine of Valois was titular Empress of Constantinople from 1308 to her death as Catherine II, Princess consort of Achaea from 1332 to 1341, and Governor of Cephalonia from 1341 to her death.-Life:...
, Princess of Achaea
Princess of Achaea
This is a list of the princess consorts of Achaea, the consorts of the Princes of Achaea.The Principality of Achaea had three princesses by their own rights: Isabella, Matilda, and Joan. Their husbands were not consorts...
, the legal souzerain of Euboea
Euboea
Euboea is the second largest Greek island in area and population, after Crete. The narrow Euripus Strait separates it from Boeotia in mainland Greece. In general outline it is a long and narrow, seahorse-shaped island; it is about long, and varies in breadth from to...
and Bodonitsa. The bailiff decided for Venice. This strained the marriage, with Guglielma accusing her husband of "cowardice and bias [towards Venice]." Guglielma further believed that he ignored the interests of her child by Bartolomeo, Marulla, in favour of his own offspring. Guglielma had saved a large amount of money for her daughter, but deposited in a Venetian bank. The marchioness was finally whipped into a fury by the execution of her relative Manfredo, ordered by her husband. While the execution had been legal, Guglielma stirred the people against Zorzi, who was forced to flee to Negroponte.
The ensuing battle between husband and wife was anything but pretty. He went to Venice and appealed to the Senate, which demanded the return of him to his position or the relinquishing of his property, which she held. She refused and the bailiff of Negroponte was order to sever all communication between Bodonitsa and the island. The Catalans, who had initially been asked to stay out of the fray, were now pressed by Venice to intervene for peaceful settlement, along with Joan I of Naples
Joan I of Naples
Joan I , born Joanna of Anjou, was Queen of Naples from 1343 until her death. She was also Countess of Provence and Forcalquier, Queen consort of Majorca and titular Queen of Jerusalem and Sicily 1343–82, and Princess of Achaea 1373/5–81....
, head of the 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 Humbert II, Dauphin of Vienne, then a papal naval commander. This failing, Marulla's money was confiscated and Niccolò compensated from the funds. Guglielma still refused to readmit her husband to her court. Despite the pleadings of Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI
Pope Clement VI , bornPierre Roger, the fourth of the Avignon Popes, was pope from May 1342 until his death in December of 1352...
, she preferred to heed the advice of her own nationalist bishop Nitardus of Thermopylae.
In 1354, Niccolò finally died and Guglielma immediately installed their eldest son, Francis
Francis Zorzi
Francis Zorzi , called Marchesotto, was the Margrave of Bodonitsa, a member of the Venetian Zorzi family, from 1345 to his death....
, as co-ruler. With him ruling beside her, she was on good terms again with Venice and was included in the treaty subsequently signed with the Catalans. She died in 1358 and was succeeded by Francis. She left two other sons who later ruled Bodonitsa: Giacomo
Jacob Zorzi
Jacob Zorzi was the Margrave of Bodonitsa from 1388 to 1410. He was the last true ruler of Bodonitsa.Jacob was the eldest son of Francis Zorzi, of Venetian origin, and Euphrosyne Sommaripa, of the Cyclades. He succeeded his father around 1388 on the latter's death and under the regency of his mother...
and Niccolò III
Nicholas III Zorzi
Nicholas III Zorzi or Giorgi was the Margrave of Bodonitsa, a member of the Zorzi family of the Republic of Venice, from 1416 to 1436, though the title was purely nominal by then. Before becoming margrave in an exchange with his nephew Nicholas II, he was the baron of Carystus...
.
Sources
- Setton, Kenneth M. Catalan Domination of Athens 1311–1380. Revised edition. Variorum: London, 1975.
- Miller, W. "The Marquisate of Boudonitza (1204-1414)." Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 28, 1908, pp 234-249.
- Latin Lordships of Greece: Boudonitza.