Despotate of the Morea

The Despotate of Morea was a Byzantine dominion in the Peloponnese.

After the knights of the Fourth Crusade in the year had conquered in 1204 Konstantin Opel and thus destroy the still considerable Byzantine Empire, a number of states began to emerge as the Despotate of Epirus, the Empire of Trebizond, the Empire of Nicaea, the Latin Kingdom of Thessalonica and the Latin Empire as actual rest of the former Eastern Roman Empire. In the Morea ( Peloponnese ), the Latin Principality of Achaea was formed.

In 1259 succeeded Michael VIII Palaiologos to beat the Allied Epirus and echaischen armies at the Battle of Pelagonia goal of capturing the Achaean prince, William II of Villehardouin. Two years later, Michael was able to reconquer Constantinople Opel. 1262 Wilhelm II was released from captivity, but he had the Emperor, the area around the fortress of Mistra, near ancient Sparta, assign, and swear allegiance to him, of which he was of course acquitted after his return in the Morea by the Pope.

The area around Mistra (mainly Laconia ) has now led a Byzantine province of a kephale. The Byzantines initially attempted to retake the rest of the Morea, but were again repulsed. A certain modus vivendi established in the 14th century between the two countries, although mutual forays never completely stopped. Since the mid-14th century, first under the Kantakuzenen and later the Palaiologos, the office of " despots " of the Morea served as Byzantine Sekundogenitur, while the power of Achaia fell into disrepair. In addition, Venice had considerable possessions in the peninsula, such as the massive fortifications of Methoni and Koroni at the western tip of the Peloponnese.

In the 15th century the sons of Emperor Manuel II Palaeologus could eliminate the remnants of the Roman dominion, and with the fall of Patras in 1430 came the peninsula, except the Venetian colonies, again under Byzantine control. 1448 was the despot Constantine in Mistra when Constantine XI. where the last Byzantine emperor. After 1453 Opel Constantinople was conquered by the Turks, and the Morea by the Turks under Sultan Mehmed II Fatih was taken in 1460 ( the Conqueror ).

Designation

The term derives from the Greek word Despotat despotes ( δεσπότης ) for 'Lord' from and, with respect to the Byzantine Despotate no evaluative function. It is therefore in the Byzantine Despotaten not tyrannies within the meaning of despotisms, but only to provinces or principalities within the empire. Accordingly despot in this context is the title of the provincial governor. See also Despot (title).

Byzantine Despot of Morea

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