Epirus campaign of Andronic III Paleolog

By 1330, Epirus despotate and Thessaly were under the influence of Byzantium. Despot John Orsini , being next to a strong neighbor, was forced to observe the interests of the Byzantine Vasileus in the territories subject to him. Moreover, Epirus despot was very weak. Meanwhile, Northern Epirus and the large city of Ioannina were already part of Byzantium. But everything changed radically in 1331. In the Balkans, the interests of the titular emperor of the Latin Empire, Philip of Tarento, appeared . In 1331, Philip decided to strengthen his influence in Epirus, and then spread his power throughout Greece. He sent from Naples the army of his son-in-law Walter Brienius to Epirus. He soon took Artoo and was able to swear in the despot John. Osmelev, Orsini decided to throw off Byzantine patronage. First, the Epirus despot began an invasion of Thessaly dependent on Byzantium.

Despot John Orsini gathered troops. Using, in 1333, the death of the local ruler Stefan Gabrielopoul , the epyroths invaded western Thessaly and soon captured the region. But to establish themselves in the captured area of ​​Orsini failed. So, in 1333, the Byzantine emperor Andronicus III Paleologus arrived in western Thessaly with an army. The Byzantines easily expelled the Epirus garrison from Thessaly cities. At the same time, Andronic III tried to avoid bloodshed and did not take prisoners. So, to show his goodwill, he sent all the troops of the Epirus despot home unscathed and in complete safety. As a result of this, almost all of Thessaly came under the rule of Byzantium ^{[1] [2]} .

After the failure in western Thessaly in Epirus despotate, a struggle began between the representatives of the Byzantine ^[3] , Italian and Anjou parties ^[4] . As a result of this political instability, in 1335, John Orsini was poisoned by his wife Anna Paleolog ^[5] . Anna became the regent of Epirus with her minor son Nicephorus II Orsini . But she also failed to achieve complete independent rule. So, due to political instability due to the influence of various parties, Anna recognized Byzantine suzerainty, hoping to maintain the independence of the state ^[3] .

Meanwhile, in 1337, having crushed the rebellion in Southern Albania, where the inhabitants rebelled against the power of the Byzantine emperor, Andronicus III and John Kantakuzin with the army, the core of which were Turkish troops, arrived at the borders of Southern Epirus. The emperor intended to take over the entire region. Despotina Anna tried to start negotiations, but Andronicus rejected any proposals for peace and insisted on the surrender of the whole Epirus despot. Anna was forced to agree to these conditions. She recognized the supreme authority of Andronicus, agreed to go to live in Thessaloniki and marry Nicephorus on the daughter of John Cantacuzine Mary. thus the remnants of Epirus despotate were annexed to Byzantium ^{[3] [6]} .

After the complete defeat of Epirus, the Byzantines established a new province on its territory with its capital in Arta. Sinadin , a man from a wealthy family and the capital’s eparch, became her viceroy ^[7] . But the party of Latins, interested in maintaining the independence of Epirus, decided to raise an uprising. For this, she decided to use Nicephorus II, son of the despot John Orsini.

They were able to abduct Nicephorus from Thessaloniki and sent him to Italy with their money. Nicephorus was to recruit a new army and land in southern Epirus. And so began the last campaign in Epirus.

Nicephorus II Orsini was able to recruit an army in Italy, which was supported and supplied with funds by the Kingdom of Naples. With the help of the Latins, Orsini landed in Epirus and, taking advantage of the rebellion of the population against Byzantine rule, captured Arta. Sinadin was thrown into prison. Soon, the Epirots joined Nicephorus, and the Epirus Despotate was temporarily restored. However, Northern Epirus and Ioannina remained under the control of Byzantium. Upon learning of the fall of Arta, Andronic III Paleolog, together with his associate John Kantakuzin again spoke on Epirus. Soon, thanks to the diplomacy of Kantakuzin, Art and 2 strong fortresses in the faces of Thomokastron and Rogoi, fell. Nicephorus surrendered at the mercy of the victors, and Andronicus III exiled him to Thessaloniki. The campaign has ended. ^[eight]

After regaining control of Epirus, Byzantium was last able to expand its territory. Andronic III was able to restore it within the borders of central Greece, most of Albania, Southern Macedonia , Thrace , inflicting devastating defeats on Lesbos and Chios . But his sudden death in 1341 finally put the empire on the brink of destruction. After his death, the heirs of Andronic III began among themselves a large-scale civil war, and all the gains of Andronicus were lost. So, Epirus, Thessaly and Albania by 1348 were captured by the Serbian army under the command of Stefan Dusan . But after his death in 1355, his successors also began feuds. In 1356, Epirus became again an independent state under the leadership of Nicephorus II Orsini. Soon he managed to attach Thessaly to his possessions. Epirus despotism was able to survive until 1479, experiencing severe political instability or short periods of recovery, until he fell before the onslaught of the new dominant state in the Balkans - the Ottoman Empire .

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