The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Greek lands. The Crusader states, c. ... The Entry of the Crusaders into Constantinople (Eugène Delacroix, 1840). ...

Boniface of Montferrat, the leader of the crusade, was expected by both the Crusaders and Byzantines to become the new emperor after the conquest of Constantinople in 1204. However, the Venetians felt Boniface was too closely tied to the Byzantine Empire, as his brother Conrad had married into the Byzantine royal family. The Venetians wanted an emperor whom they could control more easily, and elected Baldwin of Flanders emperor of the new Latin Empire. Boniface of Montferrat (c. ... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... Byzantine Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Map of Constantinople. ... // Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ... Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venetian: Venezsia) is the capital of region Veneto, and has a population of 271,663 (census estimate January 1, 2004). ... Conrad of Montferrat (c. ... Baldwin I (July 1172 – 1205, Bulgaria), the first emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople, as Baldwin IX Count of Flanders and as Baldwin VI Count of Hainaut, was one of the most prominent leaders of the Fourth Crusade, which resulted in the capture of Constantinople, the conquest of the... The Latin Empire, Empire of Nicaea, Empire of Trebizond and the Despotate of Epirus. ...

Boniface reluctantly accepted this, and set out to conquer Thessalonica, the second-largest Byzantine city after Constantinople. At first he had to compete with Emperor Baldwin, who also wanted the city, but Boniface won this dispute by handing over his territory on Crete to the Venetians. He then went on to capture the city later in 1204 and set up a kingdom there, subordinate to Baldwin, although the title of "king" was never officially used. Late 13th and 14th century sources suggest that Boniface based his claim to Thessalonica on the statement that his younger brother Renier had been granted Thessalonica on his marriage to Maria Komnene in 1180.^[1] Coordinates 40°38′ N 22°57′ E Country Greece Periphery Central Macedonia Prefecture Thessaloniki [1] Population 607,987 source (2006) Metropolitan area population 2,395,220 Area 17. ... For the famous World War II battle, see: Battle of Crete For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ... Renier of Montferrat (1162–1183) was the fifth son of William III of Montferrat. ... Maria Komnene or Comnena (Greek: Μαρία Κομνηνή, Maria KomnÄ“nÄ“), (1152–1182) was the eldest daughter of the Emperor Manuel I Komnenos by his first wife, Bertha of Sulzbach. ...

The kingdom occupied land along the Aegean coast of Thrace, Thessaly, and Macedonia, but the interior borders were undefined as the kingdom was constantly at war with the Bulgarians, who wanted to capture the remnants of the Byzantine Empire for themselves, and the Despotate of Epirus, one of the Byzantine states-in-exile trying to reconquer Constantinople. The kingdom also faced attacks from the deposed Byzantine emperor Alexius III, who had fled to Corinth, although he was quickly defeated. After this victory Boniface captured the island of Euboea and helped some other Crusaders establish the Duchy of Athens and the Principality of Achaea, which became vassal states of Thessalonica. Look up Aegean Sea in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Thrace (Bulgarian: , Greek: , Latin: , Turkish: ) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. ... Map showing Thessaly periphery in Greece Thessaly (Θεσσαλια; modern Greek Thessalía; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is one of the 13 peripheries of Greece, and is further sub-divided into 4 prefectures. ... The Despotate of Epirus was one of the medieval Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire, founded in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. ... This is a list of Byzantine Emperors. ... Alexius III Angelus, Byzantine emperor, was the second son of Andronicus Angelus, nephew of Alexius I. In 1195, while his brother Isaac II was away hunting in Thrace, he was proclaimed emperor by the troops; he captured Isaac at Stagira in Macedonia, put out his eyes, and kept him henceforth... Corinth, or Korinth (Greek: Κόρινθος, Kórinthos; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is a Greek city-state, on the Isthmus of Corinth, the narrow stretch of land that joins the Peloponnesus to the mainland of Greece. ... Euboea or Negropont (Modern Greek: Εύβοια Evia, Ancient Greek Εúβοια Eúboia; see also List of traditional Greek place names), is the largest island of the Greek archipelago. ... // Duchy of Athens A small crusader state which was established after the Sack of Constantinople (1204) by the Crusaders. ... The Principality of Achaea was one of the three vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire after the capture of Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade. ...

Boniface's rule lasted less than two years before he was ambushed by Kaloyan of Bulgaria and killed on September 4, 1207. The kingdom passed to Boniface's son Demetrius, who was still a baby, so actual power was held by various minor nobles. These nobles immediately rebelled against the Latin Empire, but they were crushed by Emperor Henry of Flanders in 1209. Henry's brother Eustache then became regent for Demetrius. Taking advantage of this situation, Michael I of Epirus, a former ally of Boniface, attacked the kingdom in 1210, as did the Bulgarians. Henry of Flanders eventually defeated both. Michael's brother Theodore continued the assault on the kingdom after Michael's death in 1215. Over the next nine years Theodore gradually conquered all of Thessalonica except the city itself, as the Latin Empire could spare no army to defend it while they were busy fighting the more powerful Byzantine Empire of Nicaea. In 1224, just as Demetrius had become old enough to take power for himself, Theodore finally captured Thessalonica and the kingdom became part of the Despotate of Epirus. Kaloyan Asen, Kalojan, Johannizza, John, The Romankiller (c. ... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... Events Stephen Langton consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury June 17 by Pope Innocent III Births September 8 - King Sancho II of Portugal October 1 - King Henry III of England (d. ... Demetrius or Demetrios of Montferrat (Italian: Demetrio di Monferrato; Greek: Δημήτριος, Dēmētrios), (1205–1230), king of Thessalonica from 1207 to 1224. ... Henry (c. ... Events Albigensian Crusade against Cathars (1209-1218) the Franciscans are founded. ... Events End of the reign of Emperor Tsuchimikado, emperor of Japan Emperor Juntoku ascends to the throne of Japan Otto IV, Holy Roman Emperor excommunicated by Pope Innocent III for invading southern Italy in 1210 Gottfried von Strassburg writes his epic poem Tristan about 1210 Beginning of Delhi Sultanate Births... // Events A certified copy of the Magna Carta June 15 - King John of England forced to put his seal to the Magna Carta, outlining the rights of landowning men (nobles and knights) and restricting the kings power. ... The Empire of Nicaea was the largest of the states founded by refugees from the Byzantine Empire after Constantinople was conquered during the Fourth Crusade. ... // Events Foundation of the University of Naples Livonian Brothers of the Sword conquers Latgallians Last of Arabs expelled from Sicily Births Deaths Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht (born 1153) Hojo Yoshitoki, regent of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan (born 1163) Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon...

The kingdom was claimed by titular kings of the house of Montferrat until 1284 and also by the Dukes of Burgundy; Baldwin II of Constantinople had promised the title to Hugh IV should he regain the Latin Empire. Montferrat was a marquisate in Lombardy during the Middle Ages. ... // Events War and politics King Charles II of Naples is captured in a naval battle off Naples by Roger of Lauria, admiral to King Peter III of Aragon. ... The Duchy of Burgundy, today Bourgogne, has its origin in the small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Balds kingdom of West Franks. ... Baldwin II (1217—1273) was the last emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. ... The Latin Empire, Empire of Nicaea, Empire of Trebizond and the Despotate of Epirus. ...

[edit] Kings of Thessalonica

• Boniface of Montferrat (1204–1207)
• Demetrius of Montferrat (1207–1224)
  • ? (regent, 1207–1209)
  • Eustache of Flanders (regent, 1209–1216)
  • ? (regent, 1216–1224)

Boniface of Montferrat (c. ... // Events February - Byzantine emperor Alexius IV is overthrown in a revolution, and Alexius V is proclaimed emperor. ... Events Stephen Langton consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury June 17 by Pope Innocent III Births September 8 - King Sancho II of Portugal October 1 - King Henry III of England (d. ... Demetrius or Demetrios of Montferrat (Italian: Demetrio di Monferrato; Greek: Δημήτριος, Dēmētrios), (1205–1230), king of Thessalonica from 1207 to 1224. ... Events Stephen Langton consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury June 17 by Pope Innocent III Births September 8 - King Sancho II of Portugal October 1 - King Henry III of England (d. ... // Events Foundation of the University of Naples Livonian Brothers of the Sword conquers Latgallians Last of Arabs expelled from Sicily Births Deaths Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht (born 1153) Hojo Yoshitoki, regent of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan (born 1163) Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon... Events Stephen Langton consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury June 17 by Pope Innocent III Births September 8 - King Sancho II of Portugal October 1 - King Henry III of England (d. ... Events Albigensian Crusade against Cathars (1209-1218) the Franciscans are founded. ... Events Albigensian Crusade against Cathars (1209-1218) the Franciscans are founded. ... // Prince Louis of France, the future King Louis VIII, invades England in the First Barons War Henry III becomes King of England. ... // Prince Louis of France, the future King Louis VIII, invades England in the First Barons War Henry III becomes King of England. ... // Events Foundation of the University of Naples Livonian Brothers of the Sword conquers Latgallians Last of Arabs expelled from Sicily Births Deaths Cathal Crobdearg Ua Conchobair, King of Connacht (born 1153) Hojo Yoshitoki, regent of the Kamakura shogunate of Japan (born 1163) Monarchs/Presidents Aragon - James I King of Aragon...

[edit] Titular Kings of Thessalonica

• Demetrius of Montferrat (1225–1230)
• Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor (1230–1239)
• Boniface II of Montferrat (1239–1253)
• William VII of Montferrat (1253–1284)
• Hugh IV of Burgundy (1266–1271) (rival claimant)
• Robert II of Burgundy (1273–1305) (rival claimant until 1284)
• Hugh V of Burgundy (1305–1313)
• Louis of Burgundy (1313–1316)
• Eudes IV, Duke of Burgundy (1316–1320?) (rights may have been sold; no longer claimed after 1320)

Frederick II (December 26, 1194 – December 13, 1250), of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, was a pretender to the title of King of the Romans from 1212 and unopposed holder of that monarchy from 1215. ... Boniface II (July 1202 – 12 June 1253), called the Giant, was the Margrave of Montferrat from 1225 until his death. ... William VII (circa 1240 – 6 February 1292), called the Great (Italian: il Gran Marchese), was the twelfth Margrave of Montferrat from 1253 to his death. ... Hugh IV of Burgundy (March 9, 1213 – October 27, 1271) was duke of Burgundy between 1218 and 1271. ... Robert II of Burgundy (1248–March 21, 1306) was duke of Burgundy between 1272 and 1306. ... Hugh V of Burgundy (1282–May 9, 1315) was Duke of Burgundy between 1306 and 1315. ... Louis of Burgundy, Prince of Achaea and titular King of Thessalonica (1297 – August 2, 1316) was a younger son of Robert II, Duke of Burgundy and Agnes of France. ... Eudes IV of Burgundy (1295 – April 3, 1350) was Duke of Burgundy from 1315 until his death. ...

[edit] Notes

1. ^ E.g. Salimbene de Adam, Chronicle, 1966 edition vol. 2 p. 790. Cf. (Runciman 1951-1954, vol. 3 p. 125), and for full discussion (Haberstumpf 1995, p. 56-67).

Salimbene di Adam or Salimbene of Parma (9 October 1221– 1290), was a Franciscan friar and chronicler who is an important source for Italian history of the 13th century. ... The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Greek lands. ... The Kingdom of Thessalonica was a short-lived Crusader State founded after the Fourth Crusade over the conquered Greek lands. ...

[edit] Bibliography

• Haberstumpf, Walter (1995), Dinastie europee nel Mediterraneo orientale. I Monferrato e i Savoia nei secoli XII–XV, Torino
• Runciman, Steven (1951-1954), A history of the Crusades, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press

[edit] See also

• Roman and Byzantine Greece
• Montferrat