The Albanian-Epirote War of 1381–84 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 ...

. During the war, Thomas would be given the nickname "Albanian-slayer", due to the cruelty he displayed towards Albanian prisoners.

Prelude

In 1381, Thomas, after having successfully repulsed repeated Albanian attacks, passed to the offensive. He sought assistance first from his

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages, a group of Low Germanic languages also commonly referred to as "Frankish" varieties * Francia, a post-Roman ...

neighbors and then turned to the

Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...

for support. The Ottomans promptly responded by dispatching an auxiliary force to aid him. In return for their help in his fight against Arta, he allowed the Ottomans to seize Dryinoupolis.

War

In 1381,

, accompanied by Ottoman auxiliary forces, launched an invasion of the

. He managed to expand his control in Dryinopolis, Velas, Boursina, Krezounista, Dragomi and

Vagenetia Vagenetia or Vagenitia () was a medieval region on the coast of Epirus, roughly corresponding to modern Thesprotia. The region likely derived its name from the Slavic tribe of the Baiounitai. It is first attested as a '' sclavinia'' under some sor ...

and most of the land previously under the control of the Malakasioi tribe. As such the Albanian pressure against Ioannina seized. The Albanians, in particular the

Mazreku Mazreku (archaic forms: Masarecu, Masareccu, Meserechus, Mânzaraku, Mazaraki or Mazarek) is an Albanian tribe or ''fis'' from the Dukagjin highlands. Historically they were one of the most widespread tribes, and placenames related to them are fo ...

of the Kalamas area, held firm against him.Hammond, 1976 & ps
'"The Albanians and in particular the Mazarakii of the Kalamas valley held firm against him. In 1385 he was assassinated by some of his own bodyguards"'' (Epeirotica 2.230), p. 59. On 5 May of 1382 the Ottoman commander, Shahin Pasha, returned and captured the fortress of Revnikon, not far to the south-west of

Konitsa Konitsa (, see also Konitsa#Name, names in other languages) is a town of Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina in Epirus (region), Epirus, Greece. It is located north of the capital Ioannina and near the Albanian Border crossings of Albania, border. ...

. Thomas was then able to enforce the submission of the Zenevesaioi and the lands of the Malakassaioi up as far as Katounai. Meanwhile Gjin Boua Spata, perhaps being afraid that Thomas’s Ottoman allies might be turned loose on his own Despotate advanced to a place called Aroula, south of Ioannina and from there he sent forward his Italian son-in-law, Marchesano, as his ambassador and finally a marriage alliance was to be arranged. Gjin Spata was to be offered the hand in marriage of Thomas’s sister Helena, thus securing a lasting peace between the Despotates of Arta and Ioannina.

References

Sources

* * *{{cite journal , last1=Sansaridou-Hendrickx , first1=Thekla , title=The Albanians in the Chronicle(s) of Ioannina: An Anthropological Approach , journal=Acta Patristica et Byzantina , date=2010 , volume=21 , issue=2 , pages=287–306 , doi=10.1080/10226486.2010.11879131 , s2cid=163742869 , issn=1022-6486 , url=https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10226486.2010.11879131 , url-access=subscription Wars involving Albania 14th century in Greece History of Aetolia-Acarnania Medieval Epirus 1380s conflicts