Nicholas III of Saint Omer (died 30 January 1314) was one of the most powerful and influential lords of
Frankish Greece
The ''Frankokratia'' ( el, Φραγκοκρατία, la, Francocratia, sometimes anglicized as Francocracy, "rule of the Franks"), also known as ''Latinokratia'' ( el, Λατινοκρατία, la, Latinocratia, "rule of the Latins") and ...
. He was hereditary
Marshal of the
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea () or Principality of Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire, which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom ...
, lord of one third of
Akova and of one half of
Thebes. He also served on three occasions as ''
bailli
A bailiff (french: bailli, ) was the king's administrative representative during the ''ancien régime'' in northern France, where the bailiff was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in h ...
'' of the Principality of Achaea (1300–1302, 1304–1307, ca. 1311–14).
Life
Nicholas was the son of
John of Saint Omer,
Marshal of the
Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea () or Principality of Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire, which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom ...
, and
Margaret of Passavant,
[PLP 24700] and the grandson of
Bela of Saint Omer Bela of Saint Omer was a French knight, descended from a Fauquembergues family who were castellans of the eponymous castle of Saint-Omer.Lognon (1969), p. 244
His father, Nicholas I of Saint Omer, received lands in Boeotia in the aftermath of ...
, who first received one half of
Thebes for his domain from the
Duke of Athens
The Duchy of Athens ( Greek: Δουκᾶτον Ἀθηνῶν, ''Doukaton Athinon''; Catalan: ''Ducat d'Atenes'') was one of the Crusader states set up in Greece after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade as part of ...
(who held the other half). From his father, who died before 1290, Nicholas inherited a third of the
Barony of Akova
The Barony of Akova was a medieval Frankish fiefdom of the Principality of Achaea, located in the mountains of eastern Elis in the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece, centred on the fortress of Akova or Mattegrifon (situated near Vyziki in the Tr ...
(originally the inheritance of his mother), as well as extensive lands in
Messenia
Messenia or Messinia ( ; el, Μεσσηνία ) is a regional unit (''perifereiaki enotita'') in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region, in Greece. Until the implementation of the Kallikratis plan on 1 January 2011, Messenia was a ...
and the post of Marshal of Achaea.
[Perra (2011)]
Νικόλαος Γ΄
/ref>
He fought in the campaigns of 1291/92 against the Byzantine Greeks
The Byzantine Greeks were the Greek-speaking Eastern Romans of Orthodox Christianity throughout Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. They were the main inhabitants of the lands of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire), of Constantinople ...
of the Despotate of Epirus, and inherited rule over one half of Thebes from his uncle Otho of Saint Omer Otho of Saint Omer was the lord of half of Thebes in Frankish Greece from 1294 to ca. 1299.
He was a younger son of Bela of Saint Omer and Bonne de la Roche, sister of the Lord of Athens and Thebes, Guy I de la Roche. Upon their marriage, in ...
at his death, sometime before 1299. He was consequently a man of influence in the affairs of Frankish Greece
The ''Frankokratia'' ( el, Φραγκοκρατία, la, Francocratia, sometimes anglicized as Francocracy, "rule of the Franks"), also known as ''Latinokratia'' ( el, Λατινοκρατία, la, Latinocratia, "rule of the Latins") and ...
. It was on his advice that Guy II de la Roche
Guy II de la Roche, also known as Guyot or Guidotto (1280 – 5 October 1308), was the Duke of Athens from 1287, the last duke of his family.''The Latins in Greece and the Aegean from the Fourth Crusade to the End of the Middle Ages'', K. M. S ...
, the young Duke of Athens, was wed to the daughter and heiress of Princess Isabella of Villehardouin
Isabella of Villehardouin (1260/1263 – 23 January 1312) was reigning Princess of Achaea from 1289 to 1307. She was the elder daughter of Prince William II of Achaea and of his third wife, Anna Komnene Doukaina, the second daughter of Michael II ...
, Matilda of Hainaut
Matilda of Hainaut ( French: ''Mathilde de Hainaut''; November 1293 – 1331), also known as Maud and Mahaut, was Princess of Achaea from 1316 to 1321. She was the only child of Isabella of Villehardouin and Florent of Hainaut, co-rulers of Ac ...
, in an effort to improve the relations of the two most powerful, and often rival, Frankish states of Greece, and establish an alliance between them. In 1300–1302, during Isabella's absence in Italy, Nicholas served as the ''bailli
A bailiff (french: bailli, ) was the king's administrative representative during the ''ancien régime'' in northern France, where the bailiff was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in h ...
'' (representative) of Achaea's suzerain, King Charles II of Naples.
In 1301, Princess Isabella married her third husband, Philip of Savoy. The new Prince quickly made himself unpopular in Achaea by his arrogance, despotic manners, and disregard for the principality's feudal customs. When Philip, immediately after his arrival, arrested the chancellor Benjamin of Kalamata Benjamin of Kalamata was the longtime chancellor of the Principality of Achaea in Frankish Greece from 1297 until at least 1324.
Benjamin first appears in 1297, when, following the death of the Prince of Achaea, Florent of Hainaut, his widow, Prin ...
, Nicholas confronted the new prince at Glarentza
Glarentza ( el, Γλαρέντζα), also known as or Clarenia, Clarence, or Chiarenza, was a medieval town located near the site of modern Kyllini in Elis, at the westernmost point of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece. Founded in t ...
and vehemently protested this act; violence was averted through the intervention of Isabella and Philip's counsellors.[Longnon (1969), p. 266] In 1302/3 Nicholas campaigned alongside his liege-lord Guy II of Athens in Thessaly
Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, The ...
, to aid the local ruler John II Doukas
John II Doukas, also Angelos Doukas ( Latinized as Angelus Ducas) ( gr, Ἰωάννης Ἄγγελος Δούκας, Iōannēs Angelos Doukas), was ruler of Thessaly from 1303 to his death in 1318.
John II Angelos Doukas was the son of Constanti ...
in repelling an Epirote invasion. The Epirotes were pushed back, and the Frankish army raided as far as the Byzantine province around Thessalonica
Thessaloniki (; el, Θεσσαλονίκη, , also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece, with over one million inhabitants in its metropolitan area, and the capital of the geographic region of ...
, from where they withdrew at the request of the Empress Yolande of Montferrat
Yolande of Montferrat ( – 1317 in Constantinople) (also known as Violante, then Empress Irene) was the second wife of Andronikos II Palaiologos and thus Empress of the Byzantine Empire. She was the heir of the Margraviate of Montferrat.
Born i ...
.
In 1303/4, Charles II of Naples launched an attack on Epirus, as the Epirote regent, Anna Kantakouzene, refused to re-affirm Epirote vassalage to Naples. An Achaean contingent, under Philip of Savoy and with Nicholas present, joined the Neapolitan forces. The combined force laid siege to the Epirote capital, Arta, but suffered losses for little gain and withdrew with the onset of autumn.[Longnon (1969), p. 267] Charles was determined to renew his attack the next spring, but Anna of Epirus managed to sabotage his plans by bribing Philip of Savoy to stay at home. As an excuse for his refusal to campaign, Nicholas counselled Philip to call a parliament at Corinth
Corinth ( ; el, Κόρινθος, Kórinthos, ) is the successor to an ancient city, and is a former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese (region), Peloponnese, which is located in south-central Greece. Since the 2011 local government refor ...
. When Philip left later that year for Italy, to settle his claim to Piedmont
it, Piemontese
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
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, demographics1_title2 ...
, Nicholas was appointed ''bailli'' in his absence. Nicholas remained in the post until 1307, when the new Prince, Philip I of Taranto
Philip I of Taranto (10 November 1278 – 26 December 1331), of the Angevin house, was titular Latin Emperor of Constantinople (as Philip II) by right of his wife Catherine of Valois–Courtenay, Despot of Romania, King of Albania, Prince of A ...
, named Guy II of Athens instead.
Nicholas also emerged as the patron of Princess Isabella's younger sister, Margaret of Villehardouin Margaret of Villehardouin (Greek: Μαργαρίτα Βιλλεαρδουίνου; 1266 – February/March 1315) was the daughter of William II of Villehardouin, Prince of Achaea, and his third wife Anna Komnene Doukaina.
Biography
In ca. 1276, ...
, who had several enemies on account of her own claims on the Principality. In this role, in 1304 he opposed Philip of Savoy and helped Margaret secure part of the inheritance of her husband, the count of Cephalonia Richard Orsini
Richard Orsini ( it, Riccardo Orsini) was the Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from before 1260 to his death in 1303/4, and also Captain-General of Corfu in 1286–90, Count of Gravina in 1284–91. He also served as the Angevin ''bail ...
, from her stepson, John I. According to the Aragonese version of the ''Chronicle of the Morea
The ''Chronicle of the Morea'' ( el, Τὸ χρονικὸν τοῦ Μορέως) is a long 14th-century history text, of which four versions are extant: in French, Greek (in verse), Italian and Aragonese. More than 9,000 lines long, the ''Chr ...
'', he also served once more as ''bailli'' after Gilles de la Plainche (attested in office in 1311), possibly until his death, when he was succeeded by Nicholas le Maure. It is possible, however, that this reference is a confusion with his previous two tenures.[Bon (1969), p. 187]
Nicholas was married, sometime after 1294, to Guglielma Orsini, daughter of Richard Orsini and widow of the Grand Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
John Chauderon, but the marriage remained childless. When Nicholas died on 30 January 1314, it signalled the end of the Saint Omer line.
References
{{reflist, 2
Sources
* {{La Morée franque
* {{Setton-A History of the Crusades , volume = 2 , chapter = The Frankish States in Greece, 1204–1311 , pages = 234–275 , last = Longnon , first = Jean , chapter-url=http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/History/History-idx?type=article&did=History.CrusTwo.i0021&id=History.CrusTwo
* {{cite encyclopedia , last = Perra , first = Foteini , script-title=el:Οικογένεια Σεντ Ομέρ , year = 2011 , encyclopedia = Encyclopedia of the Hellenic World, Boeotia , publisher = Foundation of the Hellenic World , url = http://www.ehw.gr/l.aspx?id=12951 , language = el
* {{Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit , title=24700. {{lang, grc, Σαῖντ ̓Ομέρ, Νικόλας IIΙ. ντὲ , volume=10
{{s-start
{{s-bef, before=Otho of Saint Omer Otho of Saint Omer was the lord of half of Thebes in Frankish Greece from 1294 to ca. 1299.
He was a younger son of Bela of Saint Omer and Bonne de la Roche, sister of the Lord of Athens and Thebes, Guy I de la Roche. Upon their marriage, in ...
{{s-ttl, title=Lord of one half of Thebes , years=before 1299 – 1311
{{s-non, reason=Catalan
Catalan may refer to:
Catalonia
From, or related to Catalonia:
* Catalan language, a Romance language
* Catalans, an ethnic group formed by the people from, or with origins in, Northern or southern Catalonia
Places
* 13178 Catalan, asteroid #1 ...
conquest
Conquest is the act of military subjugation of an enemy by force of arms.
Military history provides many examples of conquest: the Roman conquest of Britain, the Mauryan conquest of Afghanistan and of vast areas of the Indian subcontinent, t ...
{{s-bef, before=Richard Orsini
Richard Orsini ( it, Riccardo Orsini) was the Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from before 1260 to his death in 1303/4, and also Captain-General of Corfu in 1286–90, Count of Gravina in 1284–91. He also served as the Angevin ''bail ...
{{s-ttl, title=Angevin
Angevin or House of Anjou may refer to:
*County of Anjou or Duchy of Anjou, a historical county, and later Duchy, in France
**Angevin (language), the traditional langue d'oïl spoken in Anjou
**Counts and Dukes of Anjou
* House of Ingelger, a Frank ...
''bailli
A bailiff (french: bailli, ) was the king's administrative representative during the ''ancien régime'' in northern France, where the bailiff was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in h ...
'' in the Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea () or Principality of Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire, which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom ...
, years=1300–1302
{{s-vac, reason=Direct administration by Prince Philip of Savoy, next=himself
{{s-break
{{s-vac, reason=Direct administration by Prince Philip of Savoy, last=himself
{{s-ttl, title=Angevin
Angevin or House of Anjou may refer to:
*County of Anjou or Duchy of Anjou, a historical county, and later Duchy, in France
**Angevin (language), the traditional langue d'oïl spoken in Anjou
**Counts and Dukes of Anjou
* House of Ingelger, a Frank ...
''bailli
A bailiff (french: bailli, ) was the king's administrative representative during the ''ancien régime'' in northern France, where the bailiff was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in h ...
'' in the Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea () or Principality of Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire, which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom ...
, years=1305–1307
{{s-aft, after=Guy II de la Roche
Guy II de la Roche, also known as Guyot or Guidotto (1280 – 5 October 1308), was the Duke of Athens from 1287, the last duke of his family.''The Latins in Greece and the Aegean from the Fourth Crusade to the End of the Middle Ages'', K. M. S ...
{{s-bef, before= Gilles de la Plainche
{{s-ttl, title=Angevin
Angevin or House of Anjou may refer to:
*County of Anjou or Duchy of Anjou, a historical county, and later Duchy, in France
**Angevin (language), the traditional langue d'oïl spoken in Anjou
**Counts and Dukes of Anjou
* House of Ingelger, a Frank ...
''bailli
A bailiff (french: bailli, ) was the king's administrative representative during the ''ancien régime'' in northern France, where the bailiff was responsible for the application of justice and control of the administration and local finances in h ...
'' in the Principality of Achaea
The Principality of Achaea () or Principality of Morea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire, which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. It became a vassal of the Kingdom ...
, years=after 1311–1314
{{s-aft, after= Nicholas le Maure
{{s-end
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nicholas 03 Of Saint Omer
13th-century births
1314 deaths
People of the Duchy of Athens
Baillis of the Principality of Achaea
Marshals of the Principality of Achaea
Medieval Thebes
Saint Omer family
14th-century people of the Principality of Achaea