Antonio I Acciaioli
Encyclopedia
Antonio I Acciaioli called the Bastard, was the illegitimate son of Nerio I of Athens
and his longtime mistress Maria Rendi. He became Duke of Athens on the death of his father (1394), but was expelled within the year by the Republic of Venice
, the executor of Nerio's will. During his warlike career as duke from 1402 to his death, he was a terror to his neighbours, but kept his domains internally peaceful.
By his father's will he inherited the castle of Livadia
and the government of the city of Thebes
. He supported Theodore I Palaeologus, Despot of Morea, against the Despot of Epirus, Carlo I Tocco
. In 1397, he invaded Attica
with expansionist intentions.
In 1400, Venice appointed one of her own, Nicolò Vitturi, podestà
in Athens
. In 1402, Antonio besieged the city and took it, being proclaimed duke by the populace. In August, Venice offered 8,000 hyperpers for the city and in November Tommaso Mocenigo was sent to offer 1,700 ducat
s. In January or February 1403, Vitturi finally surrendered the castle and in that latter month, Bernardo Foscarini, the Venetian bailiff
of Negroponte
was captured in battle. On 31 March 1405, a peace treaty was signed between Antonio and Venice.
Antonio's career was militaristic and adventuresome. In 1406, he took Staria and in 1410 joined the Ottoman Turks
to devastate Venetian Nauplia. In 1419, a peace between the Turks and Venice called on Mehmed I
to ask Antonio to cease harassing the Venetians. In 1423, he was at war with Theodore II of Morea and occupied Corinth
.
Antonio never forgot his Florentine roots and he strove to make Athens a like capital of culture: by renewing the monuments, by patronising letters, and encouraging chivalry. On 7 August 1422, he conceded privileges to Florentine merchants in Athens. In that year, Alfonso V of Aragon
asserted his claim by appointing Tommaso Beraldo, a Catalan
, duke. Giovanni Acciaioli, Antonio's uncle and archbishop of Thebes, who was then in Rome
, was sent to Venice to appeal the appointment of Tommaso to the senate there, but the pleas were ignored. Antonio died still in power in January 1435 and left the duchy to his nephews Nerio II
and Antonio II
under the regency of his widow Matilda Melissene, who never gave him children.
Nerio I Acciaioli
Nerio I Acciaioli was as Italian aristocrat from Florence who rose to power in Frankish Greece during the last decades of the fourteenth century, eventually becoming Duke of Athens....
and his longtime mistress Maria Rendi. He became Duke of Athens on the death of his father (1394), but was expelled within the year by the Republic of Venice
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, the executor of Nerio's will. During his warlike career as duke from 1402 to his death, he was a terror to his neighbours, but kept his domains internally peaceful.
By his father's will he inherited the castle of Livadia
Livadeia
Livadeia is a city in central Greece. It is the capital of the prefecture Boeotia. Livadeia is located 130 km NW of Athens, E of Nafpaktos, ESE of Amfissa and Desfina, SE of Lamia and west of Chalkida. Livadeia is linked with GR-48 and several kilometres west of GR-3. The area around Livadeia...
and the government of the city of Thebes
Thebes, Greece
Thebes is a city in Greece, situated to the north of the Cithaeron range, which divides Boeotia from Attica, and on the southern edge of the Boeotian plain. It played an important role in Greek myth, as the site of the stories of Cadmus, Oedipus, Dionysus and others...
. He supported Theodore I Palaeologus, Despot of Morea, against the Despot of Epirus, Carlo I Tocco
Carlo I Tocco
Carlo I Tocco was the ruler of Epirus from 1411 until his death on July 4, 1429.-Life:Carlo I was the son of Count Leonardo I Tocco of Cephalonia and Leukas by Maddalena de' Buondelmonti, sister of Esau de' Buondelmonti of Epirus...
. In 1397, he invaded Attica
Attica
Attica is a historical region of Greece, containing Athens, the current capital of Greece. The historical region is centered on the Attic peninsula, which projects into the Aegean Sea...
with expansionist intentions.
In 1400, Venice appointed one of her own, Nicolò Vitturi, podestà
Podestà
Podestà is the name given to certain high officials in many Italian cities, since the later Middle Ages, mainly as Chief magistrate of a city state , but also as a local administrator, the representative of the Emperor.The term derives from the Latin word potestas, meaning power...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. In 1402, Antonio besieged the city and took it, being proclaimed duke by the populace. In August, Venice offered 8,000 hyperpers for the city and in November Tommaso Mocenigo was sent to offer 1,700 ducat
Ducat
The ducat is a gold coin that was used as a trade coin throughout Europe before World War I. Its weight is 3.4909 grams of .986 gold, which is 0.1107 troy ounce, actual gold weight...
s. In January or February 1403, Vitturi finally surrendered the castle and in that latter month, Bernardo Foscarini, the Venetian bailiff
Bailiff
A bailiff is a governor or custodian ; a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed...
of Negroponte
Negroponte
Negroponte can refer to:*the Greek island of Euboea, called Negroponte in Italian**Chalkis, the island's capital, named Negroponte during the Middle Ages...
was captured in battle. On 31 March 1405, a peace treaty was signed between Antonio and Venice.
Antonio's career was militaristic and adventuresome. In 1406, he took Staria and in 1410 joined the Ottoman Turks
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
to devastate Venetian Nauplia. In 1419, a peace between the Turks and Venice called on Mehmed I
Mehmed I
Mehmed I Çelebi was a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1413 to 1421. He was one of the sons of Bayezid I and Valide Sultan Devlet Hatun Mehmed I Çelebi (Ottoman: چلبی محمد, Mehmed I or Mehmed Çelebi) (1382, Bursa – May 26, 1421, Edirne, Ottoman Empire) was a Sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
to ask Antonio to cease harassing the Venetians. In 1423, he was at war with Theodore II of Morea and occupied Corinth
Corinth
Corinth is a city and former municipality in Corinthia, Peloponnese, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Corinth, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit...
.
Antonio never forgot his Florentine roots and he strove to make Athens a like capital of culture: by renewing the monuments, by patronising letters, and encouraging chivalry. On 7 August 1422, he conceded privileges to Florentine merchants in Athens. In that year, Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous KG was the King of Aragon , Valencia , Majorca, Sardinia and Corsica , and Sicily and Count of Barcelona from 1416 and King of Naples from 1442 until his death...
asserted his claim by appointing Tommaso Beraldo, a Catalan
Catalan people
The Catalans or Catalonians are the people from, or with origins in, Catalonia that form a historical nationality in Spain. The inhabitants of the adjacent portion of southern France are sometimes included in this definition...
, duke. Giovanni Acciaioli, Antonio's uncle and archbishop of Thebes, who was then in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, was sent to Venice to appeal the appointment of Tommaso to the senate there, but the pleas were ignored. Antonio died still in power in January 1435 and left the duchy to his nephews Nerio II
Nerio II Acciaioli
Nerio II Acciaioli was the Duke of Athens on two separate occasions from 1435 to 1439 and again from 1441 to 1451. He was a member of the Acciaioli family of Florence, the son of Francesco Acciaioli, Lord of Sykaminon. His rule was contemporaneous with a renewed Italian philhellenism and...
and Antonio II
Antonio II Acciaioli
Antonio II Acciaioli was the Duke of Athens from 1439 to 1445.He was a son of Francesco and Margareta Malpigli and grew up in Florence until 1413, when his uncle Antonio I called he and his brother Nerio II to Greece to live at his court. When the elder Antonio died in January 1435, he left the...
under the regency of his widow Matilda Melissene, who never gave him children.