The Albanian-Epirote War of 1374–75 was waged between the

Despotate of Arta The Despotate of Arta (; ) was a despotate established by Albanians, Albanian rulers during the 14th century, after the defeat of the local Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros II Orsini, by Albanian tribesmen in the Battle of Achelous (1359), Battle of ...

, led by

Gjin Bua Shpata Gjin Bua Shpata (sometimes anglicized as ''John Spata'') ( 1358 – 29 October 1399) was an Albanian ruler in Western Greece with the title of Despot. Together with Pjetër Losha, he led raids into Epirus, Acarnania and Aetolia in 1358. He was ...

and the

Despotate of Epirus The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek Rump state, successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the ...

, led by

Thomas II Preljubović Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the ...

Background

In 1367, Pjetër Losha together with his son, Gjin, launched an invasion into

's despotate. During their campaign, Pjetër laid a three-year siege on the

Ioannina Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...

. In 1370, the siege and thus the war ended with a ceasefire, in which

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

's daughter Irina, was forced to marry Gjin, son of Pjetër Losha. In 1374, Pjetër Losha died of the plague in Arta, after which Gjon Bua Shpata took over the city. At this time, he was not bound by an agreement with Thomas; he waged war against Thomas in the same year.

War

Shpata quickly invaded

's realm.

's forces met Shpata's army near Arta, where Shpata decisively defeated the army of

then withdrew and barricaded himself in his capital of Ioannina. Not soon after that, Shpata laid siege to Ioannina and ravaged the country-side. The siege only ended when Thomas brought peace by betrothening his sister Helena to Gjon Bua Shpata the following year.

Aftermath

Although Shpata made peace with Thomas, the

Malakasi Malakasi () is a village and a former municipality in the Trikala regional unit, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Meteora, of which it is a municipal unit. The municipal unit has an area of 15 ...

, who were an Albanian tribe acting independently and stood under no order from Shpata, continued to fight with Thomas until they were finally defeated in 1377 and 1379.

References

{{Reflist Wars involving Albania 14th century in Greece History of Aetolia-Acarnania Medieval Epirus Conflicts in 1374