Megali Maini
Encyclopedia
Megali Maini was a Frankish
castle
in Mani
, Greece
. The castle was built by William II Villehardouin in around 1249 AD. He was captured by the Byzantine
in 1261 and had to give up Maini as part of his ransom.
, which is the most likely as it matches the description.
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in Mani
Mani Peninsula
The Mani Peninsula , also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a geographical and cultural region in Greece. Mani is the central peninsula of the three which extend southwards from the Peloponnese in southern Greece. To the east is the Laconian Gulf, to the west the Messenian Gulf...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. The castle was built by William II Villehardouin in around 1249 AD. He was captured by the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
in 1261 and had to give up Maini as part of his ransom.
Mystery
The location of the castle hasn't been determined. There are suggestions that it is the castle of TiganiTigani
Tigani is a small peninsula in the landscape of Mani in southern Greece. The name is Greek for "frying pan". Tigani is surrounded by the sea except for a narrow strip of land that connects to the mainland. The ruins of a probable medieval castle can be found there...
, which is the most likely as it matches the description.