Lordship of Negroponte
Encyclopedia
The Lordship of Negroponte was a crusader state established on the island of Euboea
after the partition of the Byzantine Empire
following the Fourth Crusade
. Partitioned into three baronies (terzieri) run by a few interrelated Lombard
families, the island soon fell under the influence of the Republic of Venice
. From ca. 1390, the island became a regular Venetian colony
as the Kingdom of Negroponte (Regno di Negroponte).
), Euboea was awarded to Boniface of Montferrat
, King of Thessalonica
. Boniface in turn ceded the island as a fief to the Flemish noble Jacques d' Avesnes, who fortified Chalkis. After his death in mid-1205 however, the island was ceded to three Veronese
barons: Ravano dalle Carceri
, Giberto dalle Carceri and Pecoraro da Mercanuovo. They divided the island into three triarchies (terzieri
, "thirds"): the northern, based at Oreos
, the southern, ruled from Karystos
, and the central portion, ruled from Chalkis . The city of Chalkis or Negroponte (città de' Lombardi, "city of the Lombards") however was not under the latter's control, but served as overall capital of the island and joint residence of the Lombard rulers and their families. By 1209 however, Ravano had established himself as sole master of Euboea, styling himself as dominus insulae Nigropontis.
Having allied himself with an unsuccessful Lombard rebellion against the Latin Emperor, Henry of Flanders
, Ravano was eager to find a powerful protector. Thus, in March 1209, he signed an alliance with Venice, which recognized Venetian overlordship and gave the Venetians significant commercial privileges. In May, however, in an act of political balancing, Ravano also acknowledged his vassalage to the Latin Empire.
to intervene as a mediator. He partitioned the three baronies in two, creating thus six hexarchies (sestieri). The northern triarchy of Oreos was divided between Ravano's nephews, Marino I and Rizzardo; the southern triarchy of Karystos was divided between his widow, Isabella, and his daughter, Bertha; and the central triarchy was divided between Giberto's heirs, Guglielmo I and Alberto. Provisions were also made that in the case someone among the sestieri died, his inheritor would be the other sestiere of the respective triarchy, and not his children. In actual fact, most sestieri were succeeded by their brothers, sons or nephews, keeping the baronies within the tight circle of the original Lombard families.
In 1255 however, the death of Carintana dalle Carceri, hexarch of Oreos and wife to William II of Villehardouin
, nominal overlord of Negroponte, led to the so-called "War of the Euboeote Succession
", which involved Achaea
and Venice. William claimed for himself his wife's inheritance, while the Lombard barons were unwilling to concede it. On 14 June 1256, Guglielmo of Verona and Narzotto dalle Carceri, the other two triarchs, repudiated their allegiance to William and pledged themselves to Venice. William responded by capturing Chalkis, which the Venetians retook in early 1258. The war ended in the battle of Karydi in May/June 1258, where William defeated the Duke of Athens
, Guy I de la Roche
, who had allied himself with the rebellious triarchs. Finally, in August 1259, Doge
Reniero Zeno
negotiated a peace, followed by a treaty in 1262, which recognized William's suzerainty over the island, but not his possession of the triarchy of Oreoi.
had established itself as the foremost power in the area of the former Byzantine Empire, reconquering several territories from the Latins. Its successes culminated in the recapture of Constantinople in 1261 and the reestablishment of the Byzantine Empire, whose energetic ruler, Michael VIII Palaeologus, sought to reconquer the remaining Latin principalities in southern Greece. To this end, he accepted the services of Licario
, an Italian renegade, who had his base near Karystos
. Under Licario's command, Byzantine troops soon conquered most of Euboea, except Chalkis. After the departure of Licario sometime after 1280 however, with Venetian aid, the island gradually returned to Latin control. By 1296, Bonifazio da Verona had completely expelled the Byzantines from Euboea.
Don Alfonso Fadrique
, vicar-general of the duchy of Athens
and illegitimate son of Frederick III of Sicily
. In 1319, a peace treaty was signed between Venice and Don Alfonso, whereby he retained Karystos, which the Venetians acquired in 1365. When the last triarchs, Niccolo III dalle Carceri and Giorgio III Ghisi, died in 1383 and 1390 respectively, they left their territories to Venice, which thus established complete predominance over the island. Nevertheless, the triarchic system was maintained, with Venetian families appointed to the positions of terzieri, while the Venetian podestà
resided at Chalkis. Venice's rule lasted until 1470, when, during the Ottoman–Venetian War of 1463–1479
, Sultan Mehmed II
campaigned against Chalkis. With the fall of the city on 12 July, the whole island came under Ottoman
control.
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...
after the partition 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...
following the Fourth Crusade
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade was originally intended to conquer Muslim-controlled Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. Instead, in April 1204, the Crusaders of Western Europe invaded and conquered the Christian city of Constantinople, capital of the Eastern Roman Empire...
. Partitioned into three baronies (terzieri) run by a few interrelated Lombard
Lombards
The Lombards , also referred to as Longobards, were a Germanic tribe of Scandinavian origin, who from 568 to 774 ruled a Kingdom in Italy...
families, the island soon fell under the influence of 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...
. From ca. 1390, the island became a regular Venetian colony
Stato da Màr
The Stato da Màr or Domini da Màr was the name given to the Republic of Venice's maritime and overseas possessions, including Istria, Dalmatia, Negroponte, the Morea , the Aegean islands of the Duchy of the Archipelago, and the islands of Crete and Cyprus...
as the Kingdom of Negroponte (Regno di Negroponte).
Establishment
According to the division of Byzantine territory (the Partitio terrarum imperii RomaniaePartitio terrarum imperii Romaniae
The Partitio terrarum imperii Romaniae was a treaty signed after the sack of the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, by the Fourth Crusade in 1204...
), Euboea was awarded to Boniface of Montferrat
Boniface of Montferrat
Boniface of Montferrat was Marquess of Montferrat and the leader of the Fourth Crusade. He was the third son of William V of Montferrat and Judith of Babenberg, born after his father's return from the Second Crusade...
, King of Thessalonica
Kingdom of Thessalonica
The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Byzantine lands.- Background :...
. Boniface in turn ceded the island as a fief to the Flemish noble Jacques d' Avesnes, who fortified Chalkis. After his death in mid-1205 however, the island was ceded to three Veronese
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
barons: Ravano dalle Carceri
Ravano dalle Carceri
Ravano dalle Carceri was a Lombard nobleman. He was one of the first triarchs of Negroponte from 1205.In August 1205 Ravano was among those who led forces in the capture of the island of Euboea from the Byzantine Empire as part of the Fourth Crusade...
, Giberto dalle Carceri and Pecoraro da Mercanuovo. They divided the island into three triarchies (terzieri
Terziere
A terziere is a subdivision of several towns in Italy. The word derives from terzo, meaning "third"; and is thus used only for towns divided into three neighborhoods...
, "thirds"): the northern, based at Oreos
Oreoi
Oreoi is a village and a former municipality in Euboea, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Istiaia-Aidipsos, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,392 . It is the home of a large marble statue of a bull from a funerary monument of the 4th century...
, the southern, ruled from Karystos
Karystos
Karystos is a small coastal town on the Greek island of Euboea. It has about 7,000 inhabitants. It lies 129 km south of Chalkis. From Athens it is accessible by ferry via Marmari from the Rafina port...
, and the central portion, ruled from Chalkis . The city of Chalkis or Negroponte (città de' Lombardi, "city of the Lombards") however was not under the latter's control, but served as overall capital of the island and joint residence of the Lombard rulers and their families. By 1209 however, Ravano had established himself as sole master of Euboea, styling himself as dominus insulae Nigropontis.
Having allied himself with an unsuccessful Lombard rebellion against the Latin Emperor, Henry of Flanders
Henry of Flanders
Henry was the second emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He was a younger son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut , and Margaret I of Flanders, sister of Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders....
, Ravano was eager to find a powerful protector. Thus, in March 1209, he signed an alliance with Venice, which recognized Venetian overlordship and gave the Venetians significant commercial privileges. In May, however, in an act of political balancing, Ravano also acknowledged his vassalage to the Latin Empire.
Succession disputes
However, already after the death of Ravano in 1216, his heirs disagreed over the succession, allowing the Venetian bailliBailli
A bailli was the king’s administrative representative during the ancien régime in northern France, where the bailli was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in his baillage...
to intervene as a mediator. He partitioned the three baronies in two, creating thus six hexarchies (sestieri). The northern triarchy of Oreos was divided between Ravano's nephews, Marino I and Rizzardo; the southern triarchy of Karystos was divided between his widow, Isabella, and his daughter, Bertha; and the central triarchy was divided between Giberto's heirs, Guglielmo I and Alberto. Provisions were also made that in the case someone among the sestieri died, his inheritor would be the other sestiere of the respective triarchy, and not his children. In actual fact, most sestieri were succeeded by their brothers, sons or nephews, keeping the baronies within the tight circle of the original Lombard families.
In 1255 however, the death of Carintana dalle Carceri, hexarch of Oreos and wife to William II of Villehardouin
William II of Villehardouin
William II of Villehardouin, was the last Villehardouin prince of Achaea and ruled the principality at the height of its power and influence.William was the son of Geoffrey I Villehardouin...
, nominal overlord of Negroponte, led to the so-called "War of the Euboeote Succession
War of the Euboeote Succession
The War of the Euboeote Succession was fought in 1256–1258 between the Prince of Achaea, William II of Villehardouin, and a broad coalition of other rulers from throughout Frankish Greece who felt threatened by William's aspirations...
", which involved Achaea
Principality 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...
and Venice. William claimed for himself his wife's inheritance, while the Lombard barons were unwilling to concede it. On 14 June 1256, Guglielmo of Verona and Narzotto dalle Carceri, the other two triarchs, repudiated their allegiance to William and pledged themselves to Venice. William responded by capturing Chalkis, which the Venetians retook in early 1258. The war ended in the battle of Karydi in May/June 1258, where William defeated the 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....
, Guy I de la Roche
Guy I de la Roche
Guy I de la Roche was the Duke of Athens , the nephew and successor of the first duke Otto. After the conquest of Thebes, Otto gave half the city in lordship to Guy....
, who had allied himself with the rebellious triarchs. Finally, in August 1259, Doge
Doge of Venice
The Doge of Venice , often mistranslated Duke was the chief magistrate and leader of the Most Serene Republic of Venice for over a thousand years. Doges of Venice were elected for life by the city-state's aristocracy. Commonly the person selected as Doge was the shrewdest elder in the city...
Reniero Zeno
Reniero Zeno
thumb|Coat of Arms of Reniero Zeno.Reniero Zeno was the 45th Doge of Venice, reigning from January 1, 1253 until his death in 1268.-Life:...
negotiated a peace, followed by a treaty in 1262, which recognized William's suzerainty over the island, but not his possession of the triarchy of Oreoi.
Byzantine interlude
By that time, however, the Empire of NicaeaEmpire of Nicaea
The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the three Byzantine Greek successor states founded by the aristocracy of the Byzantine Empire that fled after Constantinople was occupied by Western European and Venetian forces during the Fourth Crusade...
had established itself as the foremost power in the area of the former Byzantine Empire, reconquering several territories from the Latins. Its successes culminated in the recapture of Constantinople in 1261 and the reestablishment of the Byzantine Empire, whose energetic ruler, Michael VIII Palaeologus, sought to reconquer the remaining Latin principalities in southern Greece. To this end, he accepted the services of Licario
Licario
Licario, called Ikarios by the Greek chroniclers, was a Byzantine admiral of Italian origin in the 13th century. At odds with the barons of his native Euboea, he entered the service of the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos , and reconquered many of the Aegean islands for him in the 1270s...
, an Italian renegade, who had his base near Karystos
Karystos
Karystos is a small coastal town on the Greek island of Euboea. It has about 7,000 inhabitants. It lies 129 km south of Chalkis. From Athens it is accessible by ferry via Marmari from the Rafina port...
. Under Licario's command, Byzantine troops soon conquered most of Euboea, except Chalkis. After the departure of Licario sometime after 1280 however, with Venetian aid, the island gradually returned to Latin control. By 1296, Bonifazio da Verona had completely expelled the Byzantines from Euboea.
Later history
In 1317 however, Karystos fell to the CatalanCatalan 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...
Don 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....
, vicar-general of the duchy 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....
and illegitimate son of Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick III of Sicily
Frederick II was the regent and subsequently King of Sicily from 1295 until his death. He was the third son of Peter III of Aragon and served in the War of the Sicilian Vespers on behalf of his father and brothers, Alfonso and James...
. In 1319, a peace treaty was signed between Venice and Don Alfonso, whereby he retained Karystos, which the Venetians acquired in 1365. When the last triarchs, Niccolo III dalle Carceri and Giorgio III Ghisi, died in 1383 and 1390 respectively, they left their territories to Venice, which thus established complete predominance over the island. Nevertheless, the triarchic system was maintained, with Venetian families appointed to the positions of terzieri, while the Venetian podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
resided at Chalkis. Venice's rule lasted until 1470, when, during the Ottoman–Venetian War of 1463–1479
Ottoman–Venetian War (1463–1479)
The First Ottoman–Venetian War was fought between the Republic of Venice and her allies and the Ottoman Empire from 1463 to 1479. Fought shortly after the capture of Constantinople and the remnants of the Byzantine Empire by the Ottomans, it resulted in the loss of several Venetian holdings in...
, Sultan Mehmed II
Mehmed II
Mehmed II , was Sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to September 1446, and later from...
campaigned against Chalkis. With the fall of the city on 12 July, the whole island came under Ottoman
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...
control.
List of rulers of Negroponte
Note: The sequence of rulers during the 13th century, as well as the familial relations between them, are not very clear, as information about Euboea's internal history is scarce to non-existent, especially for the period 1216–1255. According to the rules of succession laid down on the island's division into thirds and sixths in 1216, on the death of a hexarch, he was succeeded in his domain by his fellow hexarch within their third, and not by the former's heirs. The following outline for the 13th century relies on the reconstruction by J.B. Bury.- Jacques d'Avesnes (1204–1205)
Triarchy of Oreos
| Percoraro de’ Percorari da Mercannuovo (1205–1209) | |||
| dalle Carceri family | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravano dalle Carceri Ravano dalle Carceri Ravano dalle Carceri was a Lombard nobleman. He was one of the first triarchs of Negroponte from 1205.In August 1205 Ravano was among those who led forces in the capture of the island of Euboea from the Byzantine Empire as part of the Fourth Crusade... (1209–1216) |
|||
| Rizzardo dalle Carceri (1216–1220) | Marino I delle Carceri (1216 – before 1255) | ||
| Carintana dalle Carceri (? – 1255) | Narzotto dalle Carceri (before 1255 – after 1262) | ||
| Grapella dalle Carceri (1255 – after 1262) | Marino II (Merinetto) dalle Carceri (before 1270 – 1278) under the regency of his mother Felisa da Verona |
||
| Grapozzo dalle Carceri (before 1270 – ?) | Alice dalle Carceri (? – 1296) with her husband Giorgio I Ghisi (? – 1311) |
||
| Byzantine rule (1275–1280s) | |||
| Ghisi family | |||
| Pietro dalle Carceri (about 1315) | Bartolomeo II Ghisi (1311–1341) | ||
| Giorgio II Ghisi (1341–1358) | |||
| Bartolomeo III Ghisi (1358–1384) | |||
| Giorgio III Ghisi (1384–1390) | |||
| d’Aulnay/de Noë family (under Venice) (1385–1470) | |||
| Januli I de Noë (1385–1394) | |||
| Nicolo de Noë (1394 – before 1426) | |||
| Januli II de Noë (before 1426 – 1434) | |||
| Gioffredo de Noë (1434–1446) | |||
| Januli III de Noë (1446–1470) | |||
| Ottoman conquest (1470) | |||
Triarchy of Chalkis
| dalle Carceri/da Verona family | |
|---|---|
| Giberto I da Verona (1205–1208) | |
| Ravano dalle Carceri Ravano dalle Carceri Ravano dalle Carceri was a Lombard nobleman. He was one of the first triarchs of Negroponte from 1205.In August 1205 Ravano was among those who led forces in the capture of the island of Euboea from the Byzantine Empire as part of the Fourth Crusade... (1209–1216) |
|
| Guglielmo I da Verona (1217 – ca. 1263) | Alberto da Verona (1217 – before 1230) |
| Guglielmo II da Verona Guglielmo II da Verona Guglielmo II da Verona was a Lombard noble, triarch of Negroponte and marshal of the principality of Achaea in Frankish Greece.... (ca. 1263 – 1273/1275) |
|
| Giberto II da Verona (1275–1279) | |
| Maria Navigajoso (1279–1328) | Beatrice da Verona (1279 – after 1310) and her husband John de Noyers (1303–1326) |
| Pietro dalle Carceri (1328–1340) | |
| Giovanni dalle Carceri Giovanni dalle Carceri Giovanni dalle Carceri was a Lord of Euboea.He married as her first husband Florence Sanudo, who became the seventh Duchess of the Archipelago in 1362, daughter and successor of John I, Duke of the Archipelago. Their son was Nicholas III dalle Carceri, who inherited both the Duchy and the... (1340–1358) |
|
| Nicollo dalle Carceri (1358–1383) | |
| Sommarippa family (under Venice) | |
| Maria II Sanudo Maria Sanudo, Lady of Andros -Ancestry:She was a daughter of Florence Sanudo and second husband and cousin Nicholas II Sanudo, seventh and eight consort Dukes of the Archipelago.-Marriage and issue:... (1383 – ?), with her husband Gaspare Sommaripa Gaspare Sommaripa, Lord of Paros -Marriage and issue:He married in 1390 Maria Sanudo, Lady of Andros , and had Crusino I Sommaripa, Lord of Paros, and Fiorenza Sommaripa, wife of Giacomo I Crispo, eleventh Duke of the Archipelago.-References:* *... (1383–?) |
|
| Crusino I Sommaripa Crusino I Sommaripa, Lord of Paros -Ancestry:He was a son of Gaspare Sommaripa, Lord of Paros, and wife Maria Sanudo, Lady of Andros. His sister Fiorenza Sommaripa married Giacomo I Crispo, eleventh Duke of the Archipelago.-Marriage and issue:... (1430–1462) |
|
| Domenico Sommarippa Domenico Sommaripa, Lord of Paros and Andros -Marriage and issue:He married Adriana Crispo , daughter of John II Crispo, twelfth Duke of the Archipelago, and wife Nobil Donna Francesca Morosini, Patrizia Veneta, without issue.... (1462–1466) |
|
| Giovanni Sommarippa (1466–1468) | |
| Crusino II Sommarippa (1468–1470) | |
| Ottoman conquest (1470) | |
Triarchy of Karystos
| dalle Carceri family | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ravano dalle Carceri Ravano dalle Carceri Ravano dalle Carceri was a Lombard nobleman. He was one of the first triarchs of Negroponte from 1205.In August 1205 Ravano was among those who led forces in the capture of the island of Euboea from the Byzantine Empire as part of the Fourth Crusade... (1204–1216) |
|||||
| Isabella dalle Carceri (1216 – ?) | Berta dalle Carceri (1216 – ?) | ||||
| Grapella dalle Carceri (? – after 1262) | Narzotto dalle Carceri (before 1255 – before 1270) | ||||
| Gaetano da Verona | Marino II (Merinetto) dalle Carceri (before 1270 – 1278) under the regency of his mother Felisa da Verona |
||||
| Byzantine rule (1276–1296) | |||||
| Licario Licario Licario, called Ikarios by the Greek chroniclers, was a Byzantine admiral of Italian origin in the 13th century. At odds with the barons of his native Euboea, he entered the service of the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos , and reconquered many of the Aegean islands for him in the 1270s... (1276 – ?) |
|||||
| dalle Carceri/da Verona family | |||||
| Maria da Verona with her husband Andrea Cornaro |
Alice dalle Carceri with her husband Giorgio I Ghisi |
||||
| Pietro dalle Carceri | Bartolomeo II Ghisi | ||||
| Catalan rule | |||||
| Marulla da Verona (1317–1338) with her husband 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.... (1317–1338) |
|||||
| Boniface Fadrique (1338–1365) | |||||
| Direct Venetian rule (1365–1386) | |||||
| Giustiniani Giustiniani Giustiniani is the name of a prominent Italian family which originally belonged to Venice, but also established itself subsequently in Genoa, and at various times had representatives in Naples, Corsica and in the islands of the Archipelago, where they had been the last Genoese rulers of the Aegean... family (under Venice) |
|||||
| Michele Giustiniani (1386–1402) | Andrea Giustiniani (1386 – ?) | Giovanni Giustiniani (1386 – ?) | |||
| Antonio Giustiniani (? – 1406) | |||||
| Zorzi Zorzi The Zorzi or Giorgi was a family of Venetian origin. They throve in the Late Middle Ages, especially in the remnants of the Latin Empire in Greece, where they controlled the Margraviate of Bodonitsa and through marriage the Duchy of Athens until the Ottoman conquest.Under Nicholas I they took... family (under Venice) |
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| Nicolò Zorzi (1406–1436) | |||||
| Jacopo Zorzi (1436–1447) | |||||
| Antonio Zorzi (1447–1470) | |||||
| Ottoman conquest (1470) | |||||