William Frangipani

Frankish Greece

Byzantine advances under Andronikos Asen, headed an unsuccessful movement to offer the Republic control of what remained of the Principality.^[1][4]

Glarentsa.^[5][6] In 1329 he was named as bailli of the Principality, as John of Gravina had left the Morea for Italy. He was the first cleric to be appointed to the post, which he kept until 1331. Aside from adjudicating differences between the various feudal lords, his main responsibility during those years was the provisioning of the Achaean fortresses with grain, which had to be imported from Italy.^[7][8]

Bertrand des Baux, in early 1336, his relations with the princely administration deteriorated quickly: William refused to pay homage to the Prince any longer, and his acquisition of Venetian citizenship signalled the definitive breach.^[10] Consequently, when Frangipani died in 1337, Bertrand laid siege to Patras hoping to reduce it to obedience before the arrival of his successor, Roger. Pope Benedict XII reacted by declaring the city "land of the Holy Roman Church" and placed the Principality under the interdict. As a result, Bertrand had to retreat, and the Archbishop became independent, although his secular fiefs still owed allegiance and services to the Prince.^[11][12]