Esau de' Buondelmonti

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Esau de' Buondelmonti
Despot
Roman Catholicism

Esau de' Buondelmonti (Greek: Ησαύ Μπουοντελμόντ) was the ruler of Ioannina and its surrounding area (central Epirus) from 1385 until his death in 1411, with the Byzantine title of Despot.

Life

Esau was the son of the

in February 1385.

Esau reversed the unpopular policies of the tyrannical Thomas, recalling the exiled nobles and reinstating Matthew, the bishop of

, this recognition helped strengthen and legitimize his position.

Esau found it difficult, however, to reach an agreement with the Albanians. In 1385 Gjin Bua Shpata, despot of Arta, advanced on Ioannina, but Esau managed to prepare the defences so efficiently, that the Albanian leader withdrew. Esau was forced to follow Thomas' policy of seeking Ottoman support against the Albanians, going to the court of Sultan Murad I to pay homage in 1386. This alliance brought a respite to the fighting in Epirus, but the conflict flamed up again after the Battle of Kosovo and death of Murad in 1389. Once again Ioannina was threatened, and once again Esau succeeded in weathering the storm by seeking and obtaining Ottoman support.

Returning to Ioannina after 14 months (1399–1400) at the Ottoman court under

, which was resolved through diplomacy. In January 1396 Esau married Shpata's daughter Irene as part of the peace settlement. But peace remained elusive. No longer needing Turkish support, Esau had clashed with the Turks and defeated them, becoming increasingly confident in his power.

In 1399 Esau, supported by some Albanian clans, marched against his wife's brother-in-law Gjon Zenebishi of Gjirokastër. Now Esau was routed and captured, and much of his land was occupied by Zenebishi. The neighboring magnates determined to restore the captured despotes and secured Venetian intercession in his favor. Esau returned to Ioannina in 1400, and reigned on in relative peace until his death on February 6, 1411.

Family

Esau does not appear to have had children by his first wife Maria Angelina Doukaina Palaiologina or by his second wife Irene Shpata. By his third wife Jevdokija Balšić he had three children, including:

• Giorgio de' Buondelmonti, who succeeded as briefly as ruler of Ioannina, before he was deposed by the local nobility, who surrendered their city to Carlo I Tocco.

References

• ISBN 0-472-08260-4
  .
• ISBN 0-19-504652-8
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• OCLC 563022439
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• ISBN 978-0-521-13089-9
  .
• Soulis, George Christos (1984), The Serbs and Byzantium during the reign of Tsar Stephen Dušan (1331–1355) and his successors,
  ISBN 0-88402-137-8

Preceded by Maria

Ruler of Epirus 1385–1411

Succeeded by Giorgio