Passavas
Encyclopedia
Passavas or Las is situated on the Mani Peninsula
. In ancient times Las was a Sparta
n possession and in 218 BC the citizens of the city fought and routed and group of Philip V of Macedon
's army. Las became part of the Union of Free Laconians in 195 BC when it separated from Sparta. The Spartans however recaptured the city in 189 BC. Sparta was then taken over by the Achaean League
and Las gained its independence again. When the Romans took over Greece
in 146 BC, Las and the other Free Laconian city continued to have semi-independence. In Roman times, Las had a bath and a gymnasium.
It is not heard of in Byzantine
times until the Frankish conquest of the Peloponnese
when Mani was given to Baron Jean de Neuilly he built a castle
at Las which after then became known as Passavas most probably after the family motto which was: Pas Avant. Even though the barony was small it was important because it held the unruly Maniots
at bay. When the prince of Achaea
, Prince William II Villehardouin was defeated and captured at the Battle of Pelagonia
as well as Baron Jean de Neuilly II the barony passed to his daughter Margaret. She was forced to give up her castle and he barony as part of Villeharouin's ransom.
The castle was once again during the second Byzantine domination but when the Ottoman
s came into the Peloponnese they occupied the castle so they could keep an eye on the Maniots who refused to accept Ottoman rule. In 1601, a Spanish
fleet
led by Alonso de Contreras
that was raiding in the area surprised the Ottoman garrison
and sacked the city. It was regarrisoned in 1669, by the Ottoman general
Kuesy Ali Pasha. The castle captured again in 1684 by the Venetians
and the Maniots. The Venetians carried off the cannons and destroyed the city was it would be used again. When the leader of the Maniots was treacherously executed by the Ottomans, his mother led the men of Skoutari
who dressed up as priests on Easter Sunday and were allowed entry to the castle. When they got in they took out their hidden weapons and not many of the 700 families inhabiting the castle escaped. The castle was abandoned after then and has never been inhabited since.
Mani Peninsula
The Mani Peninsula , also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a geographical and cultural region in Greece. Mani is the central peninsula of the three which extend southwards from the Peloponnese in southern Greece. To the east is the Laconian Gulf, to the west the Messenian Gulf...
. In ancient times Las was a Sparta
Sparta
Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...
n possession and in 218 BC the citizens of the city fought and routed and group of Philip V of Macedon
Philip V of Macedon
Philip V was King of Macedon from 221 BC to 179 BC. Philip's reign was principally marked by an unsuccessful struggle with the emerging power of Rome. Philip was attractive and charismatic as a young man...
's army. Las became part of the Union of Free Laconians in 195 BC when it separated from Sparta. The Spartans however recaptured the city in 189 BC. Sparta was then taken over by the Achaean League
Achaean League
The Achaean League was a Hellenistic era confederation of Greek city states on the northern and central Peloponnese, which existed between 280 BC and 146 BC...
and Las gained its independence again. When the Romans took over Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
in 146 BC, Las and the other Free Laconian city continued to have semi-independence. In Roman times, Las had a bath and a gymnasium.
It is not heard of in Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
times until the Frankish conquest 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...
when Mani was given to Baron Jean de Neuilly he built a castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
at Las which after then became known as Passavas most probably after the family motto which was: Pas Avant. Even though the barony was small it was important because it held the unruly Maniots
Maniots
The Maniots or Maniates are the Greek inhabitants of the Mani Peninsula located in the southern Peloponnese in the Greek prefecture of Laconia and prefecture of Messinia. They were also formerly known as Mainotes and the peninsula as Maina. The Maniots are the direct descendants of the Spartans...
at bay. When the prince of Achaea
Achaea
Achaea is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Greece. It is situated in the northwestern part of the Peloponnese peninsula. The capital is Patras. The population exceeds 300,000 since 2001.-Geography:...
, Prince William II Villehardouin was defeated and captured at the Battle of Pelagonia
Battle of Pelagonia
The Battle of Pelagonia took place in September of 1259, between the Empire of Nicaea and the Despotate of Epirus, Sicily and the Principality of Achaea...
as well as Baron Jean de Neuilly II the barony passed to his daughter Margaret. She was forced to give up her castle and he barony as part of Villeharouin's ransom.
The castle was once again during the second Byzantine domination but when the 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...
s came into the Peloponnese they occupied the castle so they could keep an eye on the Maniots who refused to accept Ottoman rule. In 1601, a Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fleet
Naval fleet
A fleet, or naval fleet, is a large formation of warships, and the largest formation in any navy. A fleet at sea is the direct equivalent of an army on land....
led by Alonso de Contreras
Alonso de Contreras
Alonso de Contreras , was a Spanish soldier, sailor, privateer, adventurer and writer, best known as the author of his autobiography; one of the very few autobiographies of Spanish soldiers under the Spanish Habsburgs and possibly one of the finest, together with the True History of the Conquest...
that was raiding in the area surprised the Ottoman garrison
Garrison
Garrison is the collective term for a body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but now often simply using it as a home base....
and sacked the city. It was regarrisoned in 1669, by the Ottoman general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Kuesy Ali Pasha. The castle captured again in 1684 by the Venetians
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...
and the Maniots. The Venetians carried off the cannons and destroyed the city was it would be used again. When the leader of the Maniots was treacherously executed by the Ottomans, his mother led the men of Skoutari
Skoutari
Skoutari may refer to:*Skoutari, Laconia, a village in the southwestern part of the Laconia prefecture in the east of the Mani Peninsula...
who dressed up as priests on Easter Sunday and were allowed entry to the castle. When they got in they took out their hidden weapons and not many of the 700 families inhabiting the castle escaped. The castle was abandoned after then and has never been inhabited since.