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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 Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
in 1286–90,
Count of Gravina The counts of Gravina, later the dukes of Gravina, were medieval rulers of Gravina in Puglia, in the old Kingdom of Sicily and the Kingdom of Naples. The county was settled on various royal favorites, and was held by members of the Neapolitan royal ...
in 1284–91. He also served as the Angevin ''
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 ...
from 1297 to 1300.


Biography

Richard is generally thought to be the son of
Matthew Orsini Matthew Orsini ( it, Matteo Orsini; died after January 1238) or Maio Orsini was a Count palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos. Life Matthew's origin is obscure. He is generally considered the scion of the noble Roman Orsini family, and according ...
, Count palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos, and a daughter of the ''
sebastokrator ''Sebastokrator'' ( grc-byz, Σεβαστοκράτωρ, Sevastokrátor, August Ruler, ; bg, севастократор, sevastokrator; sh, sebastokrator), was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers wh ...
''
John Komnenos Doukas John Komnenos Doukas ( el, Ιωάννης Κομνηνός Δούκας, ''Iōannēs Komnēnos Doúkas''), Latinized as Comnenus Ducas, was ruler of Thessalonica from 1237 until his death in 1244. John was the eldest son of Theodore Komnenos D ...
. However, given the long period between the beginning of Matthew's reign in the first years of the 13th century and the attested date of Richard's death, it is possible that another character is to be intercalated between Matthew and Richard, perhaps the "count Theodore" referred to in a document from 1264 (possibly Matthew's son and Richard's father). It is unclear when exactly Richard became Count palatine; he is not specifically recorded by name in a document until 1264. However, according to the testimony of the later chronicler Marino Sanudo Torcello, he was still a minor around 1262, when
William II of Villehardouin William of Villehardouin (french: Guillaume de Villehardouin; Kalamata, 1211 – 1 May 1278) was the fourth prince of Achaea in Frankish Greece, from 1246 to 1278. The younger son of Prince Geoffrey I, he held the Barony of Kalamat ...
assumed the regency for the county after his return from Byzantine captivity. Some authors date his accession as early as 1238, the date of the last document referring to Matthew Orsini, often assumed as the date of his death. If so, Richard was then perhaps the "Count of Cephalonia" referred to in a
Venetian Venetian often means from or related to: * Venice, a city in Italy * Veneto, a region of Italy * Republic of Venice (697–1797), a historical nation in that area Venetian and the like may also refer to: * Venetian language, a Romance language s ...
attempt to form an alliance of the Frankish rulers of Greece in aid of the beleaguered Latin Empire of Constantinople. Already since his father's time, the county palatine was a vassal 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 through it, after the Treaty of Viterbo, of the
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples ( la, Regnum Neapolitanum; it, Regno di Napoli; nap, Regno 'e Napule), also known as the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was ...
. In this capacity he also held the post of
Captain-General Captain general (and its literal equivalent in several languages) is a high military rank of general officer grade, and a gubernatorial title. History The term "Captain General" started to appear in the 14th century, with the meaning of Command ...
of
Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...
and
Butrint Butrint ( el, Βουθρωτόν and Βουθρωτός, ''Bouthrōtón'', la, Buthrōtum) was an ancient Greek and later Roman city and bishopric in Epirus. "Speakers of these various Greek dialects settled different parts of Greece at differe ...
on the
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...
n shore in 1286–90. In 1291/92, he participated with 100 knights in a campaign to aid the ruler of
Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinri ...
, Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas, against the Byzantines who were besieging
Ioannina Ioannina ( el, Ιωάννινα ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. According to the 2011 census, the c ...
, along with 400–500 cavalry from Achaea under Nicholas III of Saint Omer. In exchange, Nikephoros sent his daughter, Maria, as a hostage to Cephalonia. After the Byzantines were repelled, she was wed to Richard's son and heir, John I Orsini. This aroused the indignation of Nikephoros, who had not been consulted, and who was not mollified until 1295, when the young couple came to live at his court. Following the death of the Prince of Achaea, Florent of Hainaut, his
widow A widow (female) or widower (male) is a person whose spouse has died. Terminology The state of having lost one's spouse to death is termed ''widowhood''. An archaic term for a widow is "relict," literally "someone left over". This word can so ...
, Princess Isabella of Villehardouin appointed Richard to rule in her stead 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 ...
'' and withdrew to the castle of
Kalamata Kalamáta ( el, Καλαμάτα ) is the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula, after Patras, in southern Greece and the largest city of the homonymous administrative region. As the capital and chief port of the Messenia regi ...
. His tenure appears to have been peaceful as regards the conflict with 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 Mystras, but the issue of the succession remained open as Isabella had but one daughter, Matilda of Hainaut (born 1293). On the suggestion of Richard Orsini, the young heiress of Achaea was engaged to the young
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 ...
, Guy II de la Roche. Their marriage took place in 1305. Richard kept his post until 1300, when he was replaced by Nicholas III of Saint Omer, at the advice of chancellor Benjamin of Kalamata. This began a period of rivalry between Richard and Benjamin; in 1303, Richard's friends at court persuaded Prince Philip of Savoy to detain Benjamin, who was released after paying 20,000 ''
hyperpyra The ''hyperpyron'' ( ''nómisma hypérpyron'') was a Byzantine coin in use during the late Middle Ages, replacing the ''solidus'' as the Byzantine Empire's gold coinage. History The traditional gold currency of the Byzantine Empire had been the '' ...
'' as ransom. In turn, Benjamin gained the ear of the Prince, and forced Richard to give up the same sum in exchange for possession of half a village, which returned to the princely domain following Richard's death. Richard was killed in 1303 or 1304 by one of his own knights, a man named Lion.


Family

Richard married twice: his first wife is unknown, and his second, in 1299, was
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, ...
, sister of Princess Isabella. From the first marriage, he had four children: a son, John I Orsini, and three daughters. His three daughters all married into the high nobility of Achaea: one, Guillerme, married the Grand Constable
John Chauderon John Chauderon (french: Jean Chauderon; died 1294) was the Baron of Estamira and Grand Constable of the Principality of Achaea, the strongest of the principalities of Frankish Greece. He succeeded his father, Geoffrey Chauderon, Baron of Estami ...
, who died in 1294, and after that Nicholas III of Saint Omer; the second married John of Durnay, Baron of Gritzena; and the third married Engilbert of Liederkerque, a nephew of the Prince Florent of Hainaut, who succeeded Chauderon as Constable. From the second marriage, Richard had a daughter, but she died as an infant.


References


Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Orsini, Richard 13th-century births 13th-century rulers in Europe 14th-century rulers in Europe 1300s deaths Baillis of the Principality of Achaea
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...
Counts of Gravina History of Corfu
Richard Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'stro ...
13th-century people of the Principality of Achaea