The Franks in the Peloponnese

Extract

The period which succeeded the fourth crusade is perhaps the most intricate period in the history of Greece. The capture of Constantinople which then took place, and the partition of the Eastern Empire between the invading Powers, displaced for a time and permanently enfeebled the Byzantine government, and the various western principalities which arose on its ruins had no real bond of unity, nor strength to impart vitality to them severally. Hence their subsequent history is composed of a succession of struggles and changes, accompanied by shiftings of boundaries which are almost bewildering. According to the treaty of partition which was ratified beforehand by the attacking parties, the empire was to be divided into three parts, one of which should be assigned to the Latin emperor who was to rule at Constantinople, another to Venice, and a third to the remaining powers who took part in the expedition: but in practice this was never carried out, and large portions of the conquered territory fell to the share of adventurers. The position of Emperor of Romania was conferred on Baldwin, Count of Flanders; most of the islands, as might be expected, passed into the hands of Venice; Boniface, Marquis of Monferrat, who had held the office of commander-in-chief of the Crusaders, was established as King of Salonica, with the province of Macedonia; other chieftains occupied various parts of Greece Proper as feudatories of the empire; and Athens itself became the seat of an important principality under a Burgundian nobleman, Otho de la Roche, who received the title of Μέγας Κύριος, or Grand-sire, which was subsequently exchanged for that of Duke. It is in imitation of this title that Dante, who was a contemporary of this dukedom during its flourishing period, speaks of Theseus as ‘Duca d'Atene,’ while he calls Pisistratus ‘Sire’ of the same city. Hence, also Shakespeare, following the Italian writers, introduces Theseus as Duke of Athens, in Midsummer Night's Dream It is noticeable also that though the majority of these new occupants were not French either by descent or by political allegiance, yet the French language was so generally spoken by them that the name Frank, which I have introduced into the heading of this paper, came to be used at that time, as it is at the present day, in those countries as a common title for the inhabitants of Western Europe.