John II Orsini
Encyclopedia
John II Orsini, also John Komnenos Doukas or Comnenus Ducas (Greek
: Ιωάννης Κομνηνός Δούκας, Iōannēs Komnēnos Doukas, Italian
: Giovanni II Orsini), was count palatine of Cephalonia
from 1323 to 1324 and Despot of Epirus
from 1323 to 1335.
of Epirus by Maria Doukaina Laskarina. His older brother Nicholas Orsini
had made himself ruler of Epirus in 1318 by murdering their maternal uncle Thomas I Komnenos Doukas
. In 1323 John murdered his brother and succeeded in both Cephalonia and Epirus.
In 1324 John's Angevin overlord, John of Gravina, stopped at Cephalonia on his way to fight the Byzantines in the Peloponnese
and deposed John Orsini as count of Cephalonia, annexing the island to his own domains. Deprived from his family base, John had to conclude peace with Andronikos II Palaiologos
of the Byzantine Empire
and was allowed to establish his control over all of Epirus in exchange for recognizing Byzantine suzerainty. He married Anna Palaiologina, the granddaughter of Demetrios (Michael) Doukas, a son of Michael II Komnenos Doukas
of Epirus, who had entered into Byzantine service. Like his brother, John joined the Eastern Orthodox Church
, and was awarded the title of despotes
by the Byzantine emperor.
In 1331 John was attacked by Walter VI of Brienne
, the titular duke of Athens, and a son-in-law of the Angevin Philip I of Taranto
and Thamar Angelina Komnene. When Walter besieged Arta
, John was forced to accept Angevin suzerainty. This situation was reversed when Walter returned to the Italian Peninsula
, and in 1332 John felt strong enough to invade and annex Thessaly
, which had fallen into anarchy after the death of Stephen Gabrielopoulos. John's success provoked the immediate reaction of Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos
, who asserted his control over at least the eastern portion of the region. Back in Epirus John was divided between pro-Byzantine and pro-Angevin factions among the nobility. He died suddenly in 1335, perhaps poisoned by his wife Anna.
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
: Ιωάννης Κομνηνός Δούκας, Iōannēs Komnēnos Doukas, Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
: Giovanni II Orsini), was count palatine of Cephalonia
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...
from 1323 to 1324 and Despot 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...
from 1323 to 1335.
Life
John was the son of Count John I Orsini of Cephalonia by Maria, a daughter of Nikephoros I Komnenos DoukasNikephoros I Komnenos Doukas
Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas, Latinized as Nicephorus I Comnenus Ducas , was ruler of Epirus from 1267/8 to c. 1297.-Life:Nikephoros was the eldest son of Michael II Komnenos Doukas and Theodora Petraliphaina...
of Epirus by Maria Doukaina Laskarina. His older brother Nicholas Orsini
Nicholas Orsini
Nicholas Orsini was count palatine of Cephalonia from 1317 to 1323 and ruler of Epirus from 1318 to 1323....
had made himself ruler of Epirus in 1318 by murdering their maternal uncle Thomas I Komnenos Doukas
Thomas I Komnenos Doukas
Thomas I Komnenos Doukas ruler of Epirus from c. 1297 until his death in 1318.Thomas was the son of Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas and Anna Kantakouzene, a niece of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos. In 1290 he was conferred the court dignity of despotes by his mother's cousin, Emperor Andronikos...
. In 1323 John murdered his brother and succeeded in both Cephalonia and Epirus.
In 1324 John's Angevin overlord, John of Gravina, stopped at Cephalonia on his way to fight the Byzantines in 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...
and deposed John Orsini as count of Cephalonia, annexing the island to his own domains. Deprived from his family base, John had to conclude peace with Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos
Andronikos II Palaiologos , Latinized as Andronicus II Palaeologus, was Byzantine emperor from 1282 to 1328. He was the eldest surviving son of Michael VIII Palaiologos and Theodora Doukaina Vatatzina, grandniece of John III Doukas Vatatzes...
of 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...
and was allowed to establish his control over all of Epirus in exchange for recognizing Byzantine suzerainty. He married Anna Palaiologina, the granddaughter of Demetrios (Michael) Doukas, a son of Michael II Komnenos Doukas
Michael II Komnenos Doukas
Michael II Komnenos Doukas or Comnenus Ducas , often called Michael Angelos in narrative sources, was the ruler of Epirus from 1230 until his death in 1266/68.-Life:...
of Epirus, who had entered into Byzantine service. Like his brother, John joined the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
, and was awarded the title of 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.
In 1331 John was attacked by Walter VI of Brienne
Walter VI of Brienne
Walter VI of Brienne was Count of Brienne, Conversano, and Lecce, and titular Duke of Athens. Walter was the son of Walter V, Duke of Athens, and Jeanne de Châtillon , the daughter of the Count of Porcien, a constable to King Philip IV of France.As grandson of Hugh of Brienne Walter VI of Brienne...
, the titular duke of Athens, and a son-in-law of the Angevin Philip I of Taranto
Philip I of Taranto
Philip I of Taranto : of the Angevin house, was titular Emperor of Constantinople , despot of Epirus, King of Albania, Prince of Achaea and Taranto, and Lord of Durazzo....
and Thamar Angelina Komnene. When Walter besieged 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...
, John was forced to accept Angevin suzerainty. This situation was reversed when Walter returned to the Italian Peninsula
Italian Peninsula
The Italian Peninsula or Apennine Peninsula is one of the three large peninsulas of Southern Europe , spanning from the Po Valley in the north to the central Mediterranean Sea in the south. The peninsula's shape gives it the nickname Lo Stivale...
, and in 1332 John felt strong enough to invade and annex Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
, which had fallen into anarchy after the death of Stephen Gabrielopoulos. John's success provoked the immediate reaction of Emperor Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia...
, who asserted his control over at least the eastern portion of the region. Back in Epirus John was divided between pro-Byzantine and pro-Angevin factions among the nobility. He died suddenly in 1335, perhaps poisoned by his wife Anna.
Family
By his wife Anna Palaiologina Angelina, John II Orsini had two children:- Nikephoros II OrsiniNikephoros II OrsiniNikephoros II Orsini - Doukas , was the ruler of Epirus from 1335 to 1338 and from 1356 until his death in 1359.-Life:...
, who succeeded as ruler of Epirus - Thomais Orsini, who married Simeon UrošSimeon UrošSimeon Uroš Nemanjić, nicknamed Siniša , also known in Greek as Symeōn Ouresēs Palaiologos , was the Despot of Epirus from 1359 to 1366, and of Thessaly from 1359 until his death in 1370. He governed Epirus and Acarnania under his half-brother Emperor Dušan the Mighty Simeon Uroš Nemanjić,...
Palaiologos, emperor (tsarTsarTsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
) of Serbians and Greeks, who succeeded as ruler of Epirus in 1359. Their daughter MariaMaria Angelina Doukaina PalaiologinaMaria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina was ruler of Epirus from 1385 to 1386. She took the title of Basilissa of Epirus or Empress/Queen of Epirus....
married the later rulers of Epirus Thomas II PreljubovićThomas II PreljubovicThomas II Preljubović or Komnenos Palaiologos , was ruler of Epirus in Ioannina from 1366 to his death on December 23, 1384. He also held the title of Albanian-slayer .-Family:...
and Esau de' BuondelmontiEsau de' BuondelmontiEsau 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...
, ruling Epirus herself after Thomas's death until Esau was made despotes.