Francesco I of Lesbos
Encyclopedia
Francesco I Gattilusio
, Lord of Lesbos (died 6 August 1384) was the first member of the Gattilusio family to rule the Aegean Island of Lesbos.
. The parents of Francesco I and his brother Niccolò of Ainos
are not known. He was also a Patrician of Genoa.
Francesco enters historical record as a freebooter, a term used for pirates. In 1354, Francesco and his crew landed on Tenedos. The island served at the time as residence to John V Palaiologos
, one of three co-emperors to the throne of the Byzantine Empire
. His co-emperors were his father-in-law John VI Kantakouzenos
and brother-in-law Matthew Kantakouzenos
. John V and his in-laws were in conflict at the time.
John V and Francesco entered an alliance. He would help his new ally regain control of Constantinople
. In return he would be given the hand of Maria Palaiologina, a sister of John V, in marriage.
In early December 1354, Francesco led a minor fleet to Constantinople. They approached the city late at night and pretended that they were in need of assistance. They claimed that one of their ships was sinking and requested help in salvaging the cargo from shipwreck
. Promising a share of it to the sentries of the city for their help. Seeing a chance to profit, the sentries opened a gate. Francesco then led about five hundred armed forces through the gate. They took command of the Walls of Constantinople
and rose the citizens from their sleep with shouts in favor of John V. Riots in favor of John V soon started. By 4 December 1354, John VI resigned his title and retired to a monastery.
and Anna of Savoy
.
On 17 July 1355, Francesco was further rewarded by the title of Archon
(Lord) of Lesbos. John V had offered him the island as dowry
for his sister.
In 1366, Francesco joined with Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy
in a campaign to restore the stability of the Byzantine Empire. They jointly captured Gallipoli
from Murad I
of the Ottoman Empire
after two days of fighting.
In 1369, Francesco accompanied John V on his trip to Rome
which was designed to reconcile the Eastern Orthodox Church
with the Roman Catholic Church
.
On 6 August 1384, an earthquake
affected Lesbos. Francesco I, Maria and their two eldest sons, Andronico and Domenico, were all killed. However the third son Jacopo survived. He succeeded in the rule of Lesbos under the name Francesco II.
Gattilusio
The Gattilusi were a powerful Genoese family who controlled a number of possessions in the northern Aegean from 1355 until the mid 15th century....
, Lord of Lesbos (died 6 August 1384) was the first member of the Gattilusio family to rule the Aegean Island of Lesbos.
Freebooter
The Gattilusio family came from the Republic of GenoaRepublic of Genoa
The Most Serene Republic of Genoa |Ligurian]]: Repúbrica de Zêna) was an independent state from 1005 to 1797 in Liguria on the northwestern Italian coast, as well as Corsica from 1347 to 1768, and numerous other territories throughout the Mediterranean....
. The parents of Francesco I and his brother Niccolò of Ainos
Niccolò of Ainos
Niccolò Gattilusio was the first member of the Gattilusio family to rule the city of Aenos .The Gattilusio family came from the Republic of Genoa...
are not known. He was also a Patrician of Genoa.
Francesco enters historical record as a freebooter, a term used for pirates. In 1354, Francesco and his crew landed on Tenedos. The island served at the time as residence to John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos
John V Palaiologos was a Byzantine emperor, who succeeded his father in 1341, at age nine.-Biography:...
, one of three co-emperors to the throne of the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. His co-emperors were his father-in-law John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos
John VI Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was the Byzantine emperor from 1347 to 1354.-Early life:Born in Constantinople, John Kantakouzenos was the son of a Michael Kantakouzenos, governor of the Morea. Through his mother Theodora Palaiologina Angelina, he was a descendant of the reigning house of...
and brother-in-law Matthew Kantakouzenos
Matthew Kantakouzenos
Matthew Kantakouzenos or Cantacuzenus was Byzantine Emperor from 1353 to 1357.-Life:...
. John V and his in-laws were in conflict at the time.
John V and Francesco entered an alliance. He would help his new ally regain control of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. In return he would be given the hand of Maria Palaiologina, a sister of John V, in marriage.
In early December 1354, Francesco led a minor fleet to Constantinople. They approached the city late at night and pretended that they were in need of assistance. They claimed that one of their ships was sinking and requested help in salvaging the cargo from shipwreck
Shipwreck
A shipwreck is what remains of a ship that has wrecked, either sunk or beached. Whatever the cause, a sunken ship or a wrecked ship is a physical example of the event: this explains why the two concepts are often overlapping in English....
. Promising a share of it to the sentries of the city for their help. Seeing a chance to profit, the sentries opened a gate. Francesco then led about five hundred armed forces through the gate. They took command of the Walls of Constantinople
Walls of Constantinople
The Walls of Constantinople are a series of defensive stone walls that have surrounded and protected the city of Constantinople since its founding as the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire by Constantine the Great...
and rose the citizens from their sleep with shouts in favor of John V. Riots in favor of John V soon started. By 4 December 1354, John VI resigned his title and retired to a monastery.
Lord
Francesco had managed to regain control of the capital for John V and removed his main rival from the political field. John V completed their agreement by making Francesco his brother-in-law. The bride, Maria Palaiologina, was a daughter of Andronikos III PalaiologosAndronikos III Palaiologos
Andronikos III Palaiologos, Latinized as Andronicus III Palaeologus was Byzantine emperor from 1328 to 1341, after being rival emperor since 1321. Andronikos III was the son of Michael IX Palaiologos and Rita of Armenia...
and Anna of Savoy
Anna of Savoy
Anna of Savoy, born Giovanna, was a Byzantine Empress consort, as the second wife of Andronikos III Palaiologos.-Family:She was a daughter of Amadeus V, Count of Savoy and his second wife Maria of Brabant. Her maternal grandparents were John I, Duke of Brabant and Margaret of Flanders...
.
On 17 July 1355, Francesco was further rewarded by the title of Archon
Archon
Archon is a Greek word that means "ruler" or "lord", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem ἀρχ-, meaning "to rule", derived from the same root as monarch, hierarchy, and anarchy.- Ancient Greece :In ancient Greece the...
(Lord) of Lesbos. John V had offered him the island as dowry
Dowry
A dowry is the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings forth to the marriage. It contrasts with bride price, which is paid to the bride's parents, and dower, which is property settled on the bride herself by the groom at the time of marriage. The same culture may simultaneously practice both...
for his sister.
In 1366, Francesco joined with Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy
Amadeus VI, Count of Savoy
Amadeus VI , nicknamed the Green Count was Count of Savoy from 1343 to 1383. He was the eldest son of Aimone, Count of Savoy and Yolande of Montferrat....
in a campaign to restore the stability of the Byzantine Empire. They jointly captured Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
from Murad I
Murad I
Murad I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1361 to 1389...
of the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
after two days of fighting.
In 1369, Francesco accompanied John V on his trip to 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...
which was designed to reconcile the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
with the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
.
On 6 August 1384, an earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
affected Lesbos. Francesco I, Maria and their two eldest sons, Andronico and Domenico, were all killed. However the third son Jacopo survived. He succeeded in the rule of Lesbos under the name Francesco II.
Children
Francesco and Maria Palaiologina had three known children:- Andronico Gattilusio (c. 1356 - 6 August, 1384).
- Domenico Gattilusio (c. 1358 - 6 August, 1384).
- Francesco II of LesbosFrancesco II of LesbosFrancesco II Gattilusio, Lord of Lesbos was the second ruler of an independent Lesbos from 1384 to his death.He was the third son of Francesco I of Lesbos and Maria Palaiologina...
(c. 1365 - 26 October 1404).
External links
- Gattilusio family
- His listing in "Medieval lands" by Charles Cawley. The project "involves extracting and analysing detailed information from primary sources, including contemporary chronicles, cartularies, necrologies and testaments."
- "The Lesbian ancestors of Prince Rainier of Monaco, Dr. Otto von Habsburg, Brooke Shields and the Marquis de Sade" by William Addams Reitwiesner, an extensive article on the Gattilusio and their descedants