Battle of Neopatras

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Battle of Neopatras
Part of the
Byzantine-Latin Wars

Map of the Byzantine Empire and the Latin states in southern Greece c. 1278
Date1274/75 (or 1272/73)
Location
Neopatras (modern Ypati in Phthiotis, Greece
)
Result
Byzantine
defeat
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire
Principality of Thessaly
Duchy of Athens
Commanders and leaders
John Palaiologos
Alexios Kaballarios †
John I Doukas
John I de la Roche
Strength
reportedly ~30,000 300–500

The Battle of Neopatras was fought in the early 1270s between a

John I Doukas, ruler of Thessaly
. The battle was a rout for the Byzantine army, which was caught by surprise and defeated by a much smaller but more disciplined force.

Background

In 1259, the

Latin states allowed him to carry out the reconquest of Constantinople in 1261 and to re-establish the Byzantine Empire, with himself as emperor.[2] The Nicaean forces failed however to subdue Epirus: John Doukas quickly returned to his father's allegiance, and the local population remained loyal to Michael II. The Nicaeans were expelled from the area in 1259, and then defeated and driven out from Thessaly as well in 1260.[3]

In 1266 or 1268, Michael II of Epirus died, and his possessions were divided among his sons: his eldest legitimate son,

Neopatras.[4] Both brothers were hostile to the restored Byzantine Empire, which aimed to reclaim their territories, and maintained close relations with the Latin states in southern Greece. Nevertheless, Michael VIII tried to attach them to him through dynastic marriages: Nikephoros was given his niece Anna Kantakouzene, while one of his nephews, Andronikos Tarchaneiotes, was wed to the daughter of John Doukas, who in addition received the light title of sebastokrator.[5] Michael failed in his aim, however, as both, and particularly John, remained ill-disposed towards him. Following the deeply unpopular Union of the Churches in 1274, the two even provided refuge for the many dissenters and critics of Michael's religious policies.[6]

Nevertheless, through the negotiations, the Act of Union and the submission of the

See of Rome, Michael averted the danger of a concerted Latin attack on his state, and was free to move against his enemies. Immediately, he launched offensives against the Sicilian holdings in Albania, and against John Doukas in Thessaly.[7]

The battle

For the campaign against Thessaly (the date is uncertain, most recent scholars favour 1272/3 or 1274/5),

despotes John Palaiologos, and the general Alexios Kaballarios. This force was sent against Thessaly, and was to be aided by the Byzantine navy under the protostrator Alexios Doukas Philanthropenos, who was to attack the Latin principalities and prevent them from aiding John Doukas.[8]

Doukas was caught completely by surprise by the rapid advance of the imperial forces, and was bottled up with few men in his capital, Neopatras, which the Byzantines proceeded to lay siege to. Doukas, however, resorted to a ruse: he climbed down the walls of the fortress with a rope and, disguised as a groom, he managed to cross the Byzantine leaguer. After three days, he reached

Duke of Athens.[9]

The two rulers concluded a treaty of alliance, by which John de la Roche's brother and heir,

Cuman contingent abruptly switched sides. Despite John Palaiologos's attempts to rally his forces, they fled and scattered.[12]

Aftermath

Main article: Battle of Demetrias

At the news of this success, the Latins became emboldened and assembled a fleet to attack the Byzantine fleet, which was anchored at Demetrias (near modern Volos). Initially, the Latins made good progress, inflicting many casualties on the Byzantine crews. But just as victory seemed imminent, John Palaiologos arrived with reinforcements and turned the tide of the battle. Despite this victory, however, the despotes was shattered by the disaster of Neopatras: he resigned his post and died later the same year.[13]

Notes

Jesuit scholar Pierre Poussines, who placed the events in 1271.[14] A. Failler re-dated the events to 1272/3,[15] a date also adopted by other scholars, like Alice-Mary Talbot in the Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium.[16] Deno J. Geanakoplos placed the Thessalian campaign after the Council of Lyon, hence in late 1274 or early 1275,[17] and his dating has been adopted by a number of recent scholars like Donald Nicol and John Van Antwerp Fine.[18][19]

References

  1. ^ Geanakoplos 1959, pp. 62–72; Fine 1994, pp. 162–163.
  2. ^ Geanakoplos 1959, pp. 73–74.
  3. ^ Fine 1994, pp. 163–164.
  4. ^ Nicol 1993, p. 58; ODB, "John I Doukas" (A. M. Talbot), pp. 1044–1045; Fine 1994, p. 169.
  5. ^ ODB, "John I Doukas" (A. M. Talbot), pp. 1044–1045; Nicol 1993, pp. 58–59; Setton 1976, p. 423.
  6. ^ Nicol 1993, p. 59.
  7. ^ Geanakoplos 1959, pp. 277–279; Fine 1994, pp. 186–188.
  8. ^ Nicol 1993, p. 59; Geanakoplos 1959, p. 282; Fine 1994, p. 188; Bartusis 1997, pp. 60–61, 264.
  9. ^ Setton 1976, p. 423; Geanakoplos 1959, p. 283.
  10. ^ Fine 1994, p. 188.
  11. ^ Fine 1994, p. 188; Geanakoplos 1959, p. 283.
  12. ^ Setton 1976, p. 423; Fine 1994, p. 188; Geanakoplos 1959, p. 283.
  13. ^ Nicol 1993, p. 59; Geanakoplos 1959, pp. 283–284; Fine 1994, p. 190; Bartusis 1997, p. 61.
  14. ^ Setton 1976, p. 423.
  15. ^ Failler 1981, pp. 189–192.
  16. ^ ODB, "John I Doukas" (A. M. Talbot), pp. 1044–1045.
  17. ^ Geanakoplos 1959, pp. 279, 282.
  18. ^ Fine 1994, p. 188.
  19. ^ Longnon 1969, p. 257.

Sources

  • Bartusis, Mark C. (1997). The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society, 1204–1453. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press.
    ISBN 0-8122-1620-2
    .
  • Failler, A. (1981). "Chronologie et composition dans l'Histoire de Georges Pachymérès". Revue des études byzantines. 39: 145–249.
    doi:10.3406/rebyz.1981.2121
    .
  • ISBN 0-472-08260-4
    .
  • OCLC 1011763434
    .
  • ISBN 0-19-504652-8
    .
  • Longnon, Jean (1969) [1962]. "The Frankish States in Greece, 1204–1311". In
    ISBN 0-299-04844-6
    .
  • ISBN 978-0-521-43991-6
    .
  • ISBN 0-87169-114-0
    .

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