Francesco I Gattilusio facts for kids
Francesco I Gattilusio was an important ruler of the island of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea. He was the first person from the Gattilusio family to rule Lesbos. He ruled as a "vassal," which means he was loyal to the Byzantine emperor and helped him.
A Daring Adventurer
The Gattilusio family came from a powerful city called Genoa. We don't know much about Francesco's parents.
Francesco first appears in history as a "freebooter" or adventurer. This means he was like a pirate or a daring sailor who sometimes took things. In 1354, Francesco and his crew landed on an island called Tenedos. At that time, the island was home to John V Palaiologos. John V was one of three people who claimed to be the emperor of the Byzantine Empire. The other two were his father-in-law and brother-in-law. These three were in a big fight, a civil war, over who should rule.
John V and Francesco made a deal. Francesco would help John V take back control of Constantinople, the capital city. In return, John V would let Francesco marry his sister, Maria Palaiologina.
In December 1354, Francesco led his ships to Constantinople. They arrived late at night. They pretended that one of their ships was sinking and asked for help. They told the guards they needed help saving their cargo and promised the guards a share of it. The guards saw a chance to get rich and opened a gate. Francesco then led about 500 armed men inside. They quickly took control of the city walls. They woke up the citizens by shouting in favor of John V. Soon, people started rioting to support John V. By December 4, 1354, John VI, one of the rival emperors, gave up his title and went to live in a monastery.
Ruler of Lesbos
Francesco had helped John V take back the capital city and remove his main rival. John V kept his promise. He made Francesco his brother-in-law by letting him marry Maria.
On July 17, 1355, Francesco received another reward. He was given the title of "Archon," or Lord, of Lesbos. John V gave him the island as a "dowry" for his sister. A dowry was a gift given to the groom's family when a woman got married.
In 1366, Francesco joined forces with Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy and Louis I of Hungary. They worked together to help the Byzantine Empire become strong again. They fought against the Ottoman Empire and captured the important city of Gallipoli. After that, Amadeus and Francesco's ships sailed to the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria. They captured several castles and towns like Skafida, Sozopol, Mesembria, Emona, and Anchialo.
In 1369, Francesco went with John V on a trip to Rome. John V hoped to get help from Western countries for his weakened empire. He even changed his religion to Catholicism to try and get their support.
On August 6, 1384, a big earthquake hit Lesbos. Francesco I, his wife Maria, and their two oldest sons, Andronico and Domenico, all died in the earthquake. A friend wrote that the two sons' future wives arrived from far away and searched for their fiancés among the ruins. But Francesco's third son, Jacopo, survived. He became the new ruler of Lesbos and was known as Francesco II.
Family
Francesco and Maria Palaiologina had three known children:
- Andronico Gattilusio (born around 1356 – died August 6, 1384).
- Domenico Gattilusio (born around 1358 – died August 6, 1384).
- Francesco II Gattilusio (born around 1365 – died October 26, 1404).
