View source for Lordship of Chios

{{Short description|Autonomous lordship the Aegean Sea}}
{{Infobox former subdivision
| _noautocat             = no
| native_name            = Χίος
| conventional_long_name = Lordship of Chios
| common_name            = Chios
| subdivision            = 
| nation                 = 
| status_text            = [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]] lordship in [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] territory
| government_type        = Feudal lordship
| title_leader           = Lord
| leader1                = [[Benedetto I Zaccaria]]
| year_leader1           = 1304–1307
| leader2                = [[Paleologo Zaccaria|Benedetto II "Paleologo" Zaccaria]]
| year_leader2           = 1307–1314
| leader3                = [[Martino Zaccaria]]
| year_leader3           = 1314–1329
| capital                = [[Chios (town)|Chios]]
| coordinates            = {{Coord|40|38|N|22|57|E|display=inline,title}}
| today                  = [[Greece]]
| year_start             = 1304
| year_end               = 1329
| event_start            = 
| event_end              = Reconquest by the Byzantines
| date_end               = 
| era                    = [[Middle Ages]]
| event_post             = Capture of Chios by the [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]]
| date_post              = 1346
| image_flag             = Flag of Genoa.svg
| image_border           = 
| flag_type              = 
| flag                   = 
| image_coat             = Coat of arms of Zaccaria (Genoa).svg
| symbol_type            = 
| symbol                 = 
| image_map              = 
| image_map_caption      = 
| p1                     = Byzantine Empire
| flag_p1                = Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century, square.svg
| s1                     = Byzantine Empire
| flag_s1                = Byzantine imperial flag, 14th century, square.svg
}}
The '''Lordship of Chios''' was a short-lived autonomous lordship run by the [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]] [[Zaccaria]] family. Its core was the eastern [[Aegean Sea|Aegean]] island of [[Chios]], and in its height it encompassed a number of other islands off the shore of [[Asia Minor]]. Although theoretically a vassal of the [[Byzantine Empire]], the Zaccaria ruled the island as a practically independent domain from its capture in 1304 until the Greek-Byzantines recovered it, with the support of the local Greek population, in 1329. The island would return to Genoese control in 1346 under the [[Maona of Chios and Phocaea]].

==History==
The lordship was founded in 1304, when the [[Republic of Genoa|Genoese]] noble [[Benedetto I Zaccaria]] captured the [[Byzantine]] island of [[Chios]]. Benedetto, who was already lord of [[Phocaea]] on the coast of [[Asia Minor]], justified his act to the Byzantine court as necessary to prevent the island's capture by Turkish pirates. The Byzantine emperor, [[Andronikos II Palaiologos]], impotent to intervene militarily, accepted the ''fait accompli'' and granted him the island as a fief, initially for a period of 10 years, but which was then renewed at five-year intervals.{{sfn|Nicol|1993|p=113}}{{sfn|Miller|1921|pp=287–289}} Benedetto died in 1307 and was succeeded in Chios by his son, [[Paleologo Zaccaria|Benedetto II "Paleologo" Zaccaria]]. When he died in 1314, the island passed to his sons, [[Martino Zaccaria|Martino]] and his brother, [[Benedetto II Zaccaria|Benedetto III]].{{sfn|Miller|1921|pp=287–289}} Chios was a small but wealthy domain, with an annual income of 120,000 gold ''[[hyperpyra]]''. Over the next few years, Martino made it the core of a small realm encompassing several islands off the shore of Asia Minor, including [[Samos]] and [[Kos]].{{sfn|Nicol|1993|pp=171–172}} Martino, with his small army and fleet, achieved considerable successes against the Turkish pirates, and won praise by his Latin contemporaries, the Pope, and [[Philip I of Taranto|Philip II]], the titular [[Latin emperor of Constantinople]], who in 1325 named him "[[Despot_(court_title)#Latin_Empire|King and Despot of Asia Minor]]".{{sfn|Nicol|1993|pp=142–144, 171}}{{sfn|Miller|1921|pp=289–290}}

Despite Martino's ties to the Latin Emperor, while Andronikos II reigned relations with the Byzantine Empire remained good, and the lease of Chios was renewed in 1324. At the same time, however, Martino's behaviour became increasingly assertive, and in ca. 1325 he ousted his brother as co-ruler of Chios.{{sfn|Miller|1921|pp=290–291}} In 1328 the young and energetic [[Andronikos III Palaiologos]] succeeded his grandfather on the Byzantine throne. One of the leading Chian nobles, [[Leo Kalothetos]], went on behalf of the Chian population to meet the new emperor and his chief minister, [[John Kantakouzenos]], to propose a reconquest of the island. Andronikos III readily agreed, and, finding a pretext in Martino's unauthorized construction of a fortress, sailed with a large fleet against him.{{sfn|Miller|1921|p=291}} Martino barricaded himself in his castle, but after witnessing the defection of the native Greek population, and the surrender of his brother, he too decided to capitulate. Benedetto III was initially offered the right to govern the island in the emperor's name, but his demand to receive the same autonomy and rights as his brother was unacceptable to Andronikos III, and Kalothetos was named instead.{{sfn|Nicol|1993|pp=171–172}}{{sfn|Miller|1921|pp=292–294}}

Chios returned to Byzantine control where it remained until 1346, when the Genoese [[Simone Vignoso]] captured it, taking advantage of the [[Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347]]. The island became the seat of the ''[[Maona di Chio e di Focea]]'' company, and fell under the rule of the [[Giustiniani]] family, who held it until 1566, when it finally capitulated to the [[Ottoman Empire]].

==Lords==
* 1304–1307 [[Benedetto I Zaccaria]]
* 1307–1314 [[Paleologo Zaccaria|Benedetto II "Paleologo" Zaccaria]]
* 1314–1329 [[Martino Zaccaria]], with
* 1314 – ca. 1325 [[Benedetto II Zaccaria|Benedetto III Zaccaria]]

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}

== Sources ==
* {{Essays on the Latin Orient | chapter = The Zaccaria of Phocaea and Chios (1275-1329) | pages = 283–298 | title = Essays on the Latin Orient | chapter-url =https://books.google.com/books?id=Wcw7AAAAIAAJ&l&pg=PA283 }}
* {{The Last Centuries of Byzantium, 1261–1453 | edition=Second}}

{{Republic of Genoa}}
{{Crusader States}}
{{Frankish and Latin Greece}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chios, Lordship}}
[[Category:Lordship of Chios| ]]
[[Category:Lordships of the Crusader states]]
[[Category:Republic of Genoa]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1304]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1329]]
[[Category:Byzantine Empire–Republic of Genoa relations]]