Battle of the Olive Grove of Kountouras
Battle of the Olive Grove of Kountouras | |||||||||
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Part of the Fourth Crusade | |||||||||
An olive grove in Greece | |||||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||||
Frankish Crusaders | local Greeks and Melingoi | ||||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
William of Champlitte Geoffrey I of Villehardouin | Michael I Komnenos Doukas | ||||||||
Strength | |||||||||
500 or 700 foot and horse | c. 4,000 or 5,000 foot and horse | ||||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||||
Light | Heavy |
The Battle of the Olive Grove of Kountouras took place in the summer of 1205, in Messenia in the Morea peninsula, between the Frankish Crusaders and the local Byzantine Greeks, resulting in a victory of the Franks and the collapse of the local resistance.
In 1204, Constantinople, the capital city of the Byzantine Empire was taken by the Crusaders of the Fourth Crusade and the Republic of Venice. This led to the collapse of the Byzantine Empire and the establishment of the Latin Empire and other Crusader states in Greece.
Meanwhile, a Crusader force of between 500 and 700 knights and infantry under the command of William of Champlitte and Geoffrey I of Villehardouin advanced into the Morea to deal with Byzantine resistance. In the olive grove of Kountouras in Messenia, they confronted an army of around 4,000–5,000 local Greeks and Slavs under the command of a certain Michael, sometimes identified with Michael I Komnenos Doukas, the founder of the Despotate of Epirus. In the ensuing battle, the Crusaders emerged victorious, forcing the Byzantines to retreat and crushing resistance in the Morea. This battle paved the way for the foundation of the Principality of Achaea.
Background
The army of the
Eager to share in the spoils of the Fourth Crusade, Villehardouin had left the
The towns of
Battle
At this point, the Greeks of
The events of the conquest are narrated by two sources, the various versions of the
The exact location of the olive grove of Kountouras in Messenia is unknown. The Greek version of the Chronicle records, apart from the owner's name (Kountouras or the variant form Koundouron), a location named Kepeskianous (Κηπησκιάνους), while a variant form is recorded as Kapsikia (Καψικία).
Aftermath
The Battle of the Olive Grove of Kountouras was decisive for the conquest of the Morea by the Franks, as it represented the last general effort of the local Greeks to resist.
After their victory, the Crusaders rested for a while in the rich plain of Messenia. Champlitte called a council of war to determine their future strategy, and sent the fleet, which until then had accompanied them, home. In late 1205 or 1206, the Crusaders went on to capture Arkadia, whose siege lasted for some time, as well as the fortress of
References
- ^ Fine 1994, pp. 62–63.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 27–28.
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 64.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 30–36.
- ^ a b c Fine 1994, p. 69.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 36–37.
- ^ a b Miller 1908, p. 37.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 37–38.
- ^ Bon 1969, p. 60.
- ^ a b c Miller 1908, p. 38.
- ^ Bon 1969, pp. 60–61.
- ^ Fine 1994, pp. 69–70.
- ^ Longnon 1969, p. 237.
- ^ Fine 1994, pp. 66–67, 70.
- ^ Loenertz 1973, pp. 377–381, 388–391.
- ^ a b Bon 1969, p. 61.
- ^ "Romans" (Rhomaioi) was the name that the Byzantine Greeks were using to describe themselves (cf. Names of the Greeks)
- ^ Lurier 1964, pp. 119–120.
- ^ a b Bon 1969, pp. 61–62.
- ^ Lurier 1964, pp. 120–121.
- ^ Lurier 1964, p. 120.
- ^ a b Bon 1969, pp. 241–242.
- ^ a b Bon 1969, p. 63.
- ^ Bon 1969, pp. 61, 63.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 38–39.
Sources
- Bon, Antoine (1969). La Morée franque. Recherches historiques, topographiques et archéologiques sur la principauté d'Achaïe [The Frankish Morea. Historical, Topographic and Archaeological Studies on the Principality of Achaea] (in French). Paris: De Boccard. OCLC 869621129.
- ISBN 0-472-08260-4.
- Loenertz, Raymond-Joseph (1973). "Aux origines du despotat d'Épire et de la principauté d'Achaïe". Byzantion (in French). 43: 360–394.
- Longnon, Jean (1969) [1962]. "The Frankish States in Greece, 1204–1311". In ISBN 0-299-04844-6.
- Lurier, Harold E., ed. (1964). Crusaders as Conquerors: The Chronicle of Morea. New York and London: Columbia University Press. LCCN 62-9367.
- OCLC 563022439.