Matthew Orsini
Matthew Orsini (
Life
Matthew's origin is obscure. He is generally considered the scion of the noble Roman
More recent research has cast doubt on this traditional account: Matthew was most likely from Monopoli in Apulia, and appears to have been unrelated to Margaritus. Even his surname, Orsini, is only attested for his descendants and not himself, and it remains unclear how it became associated with his family.[4] The Aragonese version of the Chronicle of the Morea offers an alternative background, reporting that Maio had been expelled from Monopoli, fled to Cephalonia, and married the daughter of the local Byzantine governor before extending his rule over the neighbouring islands. While previous scholars dismissed this version, it may have been closer to reality according to the historian Andreas Kiesewetter.[5] Kiesewetter suggests that Matthew became master of the islands as late as 1206, following the collapse of the Byzantine Empire due to the Fourth Crusade in 1204.[6]
Following the
Following the defeat of Theodore at Klokotnitsa in 1230, which spelled an end to his imperial ambitions, in 1236 Matthew became a vassal of the Principality of Achaea instead.[12]
The last record of Matthew is a letter sent to him by Pope Gregory IX in January 1238, exhorting him to come to the defence of Constantinople against the Greeks of the Empire of Nicaea.[13][14] Count Richard Orsini is often considered his son and successor, but this is problematic for chronological reasons. It is likely that Matthew was succeeded by another person, possibly named Theodore, who would then be the father of Richard.[15]
References
- ^ a b c Miller 1908, p. 2.
- ^ a b Kiesewetter 2006, p. 339.
- ^ Setton 1976, p. 3.
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, pp. 340–342.
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, pp. 339–343.
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, p. 343.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 29–30.
- ^ Miller 1908, pp. 30, 46–47.
- ^ a b Miller 1908, p. 47.
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, pp. 345–346.
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, p. 348.
- ^ Jean Longnon L’Empire Latin de Constantinople et la Principauté de Morée, Payot, Paris 1949, p. 175
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, p. 351.
- ^ Setton 1976, p. 65.
- ^ Kiesewetter 2006, pp. 351–352.
Bibliography
- Kiesewetter, Andreas (2006). "Preludio alla Quarta Crociata? Megareites di Brindisi, Maio di Cefalonia e la signoria sulle isole ionie (1185-1250)". In Gherardo Ortalli; Giorgio Ravegnani; Peter Schreiner (eds.). Quarta Crociata. Venezia - Bisanzio - Impero latino. Atti delle giornate di studio. Venezia, 4-8 maggio 2004 (in Italian). Venice: Istituto veneto di scienze, lettere ed arti. pp. 317–358. ISBN 8888143742.
- OCLC 563022439.
- ISBN 0-87169-114-0.