…at Epirus in western Greece. The Serbian…
1425 CE
…at Epirus in western Greece.
The Serbian King Stefan Uroš IV Dušan, taking advantage of the civil war between John V Palaiologos and John VI Kantakouzenos, had conquered Epirus in 1348, with a number of Albanian mercenaries assisting him.It is during this time that an Albanian presence in Epirus is first mentioned.
The imperial authorities in Constantinople had soon reestablished a measure of control by making the Despotate of Epirus a vassal state, but meanwhile Albanian clans had invaded, seized most of the region, and founded two local, short-lived entities, centered in Arta (1358–1416) and Gjirokastër (1386–1411) by the Losha and Zenebishi clans, respectively.
Only the city of Ioannina had remained under Greek control during this time.
Although Albanian clans had gained control of most of the region of Epirus by 1366-7, they had not succeeded any Greek or Serbian central authority in the region but have remained divided in clans.
Ioannina had become a center of Greek resistance, and the Greeks of Ioannina had offered power to three foreign rulers during this time, beginning with Thomas II Preljubović (1367–1384), followed by Esau de' Buondelmonti (1385–1411), and finally Carlo I Tocco (1411–1429).
The latter finally succeeds in ending the rule of the Albanian clans and unifying Epirus.
Locations
Groups
Commodities
Subjects
Regions
Southeast Europe
View →Subregions
