Lordship of Chios facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lordship of Chios
Χίος
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| Genoese lordship in Byzantine territory | |||||||||
| 1304–1329 | |||||||||
 Flag
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| Capital | Chios | ||||||||
| Area | |||||||||
| • Coordinates | 40°38′N 22°57′E / 40.633°N 22.950°E | ||||||||
| Government | |||||||||
| • Type | Feudal lordship | ||||||||
| Lord | |||||||||
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• 1304–1307
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Benedetto I Zaccaria | ||||||||
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• 1314–1329
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Martino Zaccaria | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||
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• Established
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1304 | ||||||||
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• Reconquest by the Byzantines
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1329 | ||||||||
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• Capture of Chios by the Genoese
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1354 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Greece | ||||||||
The Lordship of Chios was a small, independent area ruled by the Zaccaria family from Genoa. Its main part was the island of Chios in the eastern Aegean Sea. At its biggest, it also included other islands near modern-day Asia Minor. Even though it was supposed to be under the control of the Byzantine Empire, the Zaccaria family ruled Chios almost completely independently. This lasted from when they took the island in 1304 until the Greek-Byzantines took it back in 1329. The local Greek people helped the Byzantines. Chios would later come under Genoa's control again in 1346 through a group called the Maona of Chios and Phocaea.
Contents
History of Chios
How the Lordship Started
The Lordship of Chios started in 1304. A rich man from Genoa, Benedetto I Zaccaria, took control of the island of Chios. Chios belonged to the Byzantine Empire at the time. Benedetto already ruled another place called Phocaea on the coast of Asia Minor. He told the Byzantine emperor, Andronikos II Palaiologos, that he took Chios to stop Turkish pirates from getting it.
The emperor couldn't send an army to stop Benedetto. So, he agreed to let Benedetto rule Chios as a fief, which is like a rented land. At first, it was for 10 years, but they kept renewing the agreement every five years.
Zaccaria Family Rule
Benedetto died in 1307. His son, Paleologo Zaccaria, took over Chios. Paleologo died in 1314 without children. So, the island then went to his cousins, Martino Zaccaria and Benedetto II Zaccaria.
Chios was a small but very rich place. It made about 120,000 gold coins (called hyperpyra) each year. Over the next few years, Martino made Chios the center of a small kingdom. This kingdom included several other islands near Asia Minor, like Samos and Kos.
Martino had a small army and navy. He was very successful against Turkish pirates. People at the time, including the Pope, praised him. In 1325, Philip II, who was the Latin Emperor of Constantinople, even called him "King and Despot of Asia Minor."
End of the Lordship
Even though Martino was connected to the Latin Emperor, things were good with the Byzantine Empire while Andronikos II was emperor. In 1324, the agreement for Chios was renewed again. However, Martino started acting more and more like a completely independent ruler. Around 1325, he even kicked his brother, Benedetto II, out of power as co-ruler of Chios.
In 1328, a new, young emperor named Andronikos III Palaiologos took over the Byzantine throne. A leader from Chios named Leo Kalothetos went to the new emperor. He asked the emperor to take Chios back from Martino. Andronikos III agreed right away.
The emperor found a reason to act: Martino had built a new fortress without permission. Andronikos III sailed to Chios with a large fleet. Martino hid in his castle. But when he saw that the local Greek people were joining the emperor, and his own brother had surrendered, Martino decided to give up too.
At first, Benedetto II was offered the chance to rule Chios for the emperor. But he wanted the same power and rights his brother had, which Andronikos III would not allow. So, Leo Kalothetos was chosen to rule Chios instead.
Chios went back to Byzantine control. It stayed that way until 1346. Then, a Genoese man named Simone Vignose captured it. He took advantage of a civil war happening in the Byzantine Empire. Chios then became the main place for a company called the Maona di Chio e di Focea. The Giustiniani family ruled it until 1566, when the Ottoman Empire finally took control.
Rulers of Chios
Here are the people who ruled the Lordship of Chios:
- 1304–1307 Benedetto I Zaccaria
- 1307–1314 Paleologo Zaccaria
- 1314–1329 Martino Zaccaria, with
- 1314 – around 1325 Benedetto II Zaccaria
