European Kingdoms

Kingdom of Thessalonica (Fourth Crusade State)
AD 1204 - 1246

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From the start, the capital of the newly-created Eastern Roman empire was based at Constantinople, dedicated by Emperor Constantine 'the Great' in AD 330. In AD 395, the Roman empire finally suffered a permanent split, creating formal Eastern Roman and Western Roman empires within Europe and beyond, acknowledging what had existed in practise for many years.

With the defeat of the 'Dynasty of the Angeli' by the Fourth Crusade in Constantinople in 1204, Latin rulers governed the city and much of the former empire, backed by Venice and France. The leader of the Fourth Crusade also set up other minor Crusader states in Greece, but other territories were lost, including the Albanian principality of Arbanon.

The established Eastern Roman authorities (without the emperor himself) withdrew to Nicæa in Anatolia, while rival claimants also established holdings in Trebizond, Epirus, and in what was now the kingdom of Thessalonica (which also included the autonomous state of Athos). Small crusader states were founded thanks to Boniface, marquis of Montferrat, notably Achaia, Athens, and Naxos.

After private plunder had reigned unchecked in Constantinople for three days, the leaders of the crusaders elected Baldwin of Flanders as their 'Emperor of the East', and handed him the ruined city of Constantinople, half of it devoured by the flames of two consecutive sieges. The Venetians claimed 'a quarter and half-a-quarter' of the empire, which they took in the form of Crete, the Ionian Islands, the ports along the west coast of Greece and Albania, nearly all the Aegean islands, and the land around the entrance to the Dardanelles.

An influential Italian nobleman, Boniface was made king of Thessalonica, and he paid homage to Baldwin for a fief which consisted of Macedonia, Thessaly, and inland Epirus. It also consisted of the autonomous monastic state of Athos.

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(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from The History of the Medieval World: From the Conversion of Constantine to the First Crusade, Susan Wise Bauer (2010), from The Despotate of Epiros, Donald McGillivray Nicol (Blackwell & Mott, 1957), and from External Links: History of the Byzantine Empire (Live Science), and The Cambridge History of the Byzantine Empire, Jonathan Shepard (Ed, Revised Edition, Cambridge University Press, 2008, and available via the Internet Archive), and Byzantine Empire, CWC Oman (Fisher Unwin, 1892, and available via Heritage History), and The Forgotten History of Greece's Kingdom of Thessalonica, Nick Kampouris (Greek Reporter).)

1204 - 1207

Marquis of Montferrat. Latin founder. Killed.

1205 - 1207

With the Fourth Crusade at Constantinople having splintered control of the lower Balkans into many pieces, the powerful Asens of Bulgaria have been able to make good progress in expanding their empire.

When the Fourth Crusade took control of Constantinople in AD 1204, with the help of the Venetians, they inherited a reduced Eastern Roman empire (click or tap on map to view full sized)

The Battle of Adrianople on 14 April 1205 sees Baldwin I of Constantinople being defeated by Tsar Kaloyan before being captured and taken into captivity where he dies. Just two years later Boniface suffers a similar fate, being defeated in battle by the Bulgarians. His vassal, Otho de la Roche of Athens, remains loyal to the Latin emperors.

1207 - 1224

Infant son under a regency. Fled into exile.

1207 - 1222

During the minority of Demetrius the lands of his kingdom are stripped away, province by province, by the Eastern Roman rulers of Epirus, the able Michael I and Theodore Komnenos Ducas. The kingdom additionally faces numerous major threats from the 'Second Bulgarian Empire' which seeks to conquer as many Roman territories as possible.

Ivan Asen leads his troops in revolt against Eastern Roman occupation of Bulgaria in this modern artistic recreation

1222 - 1224

Thessalonica's capital is taken by Epirus in 1222, and the kingdom soon comes to an end. Demetrius flees into exile and later cedes his claim to Thessalonica to other rulers.

Theodore of Epirus takes the title 'Emperor of Thessalonica' and moves his court there (also becoming overlord of the autonomous state of Athos), although the kingdom itself is not revived.

1224 - 1230

Emperor in Epirus. Gained Thessalonica. Captured by Asens.

1230

Ivan II Asen wins the Battle of Klokotnitsa, crushing the forces of Theodore Komnenos Ducas. Theodore's empire soon collapses, allowing Ivan Asen to take possession of great swathes of Macedonia, Thessaly, and Thrace, plus Arbanon. Theodore himself is captured and held for the next seven years.

1230 - 1237

Brother. Emperor in Thessalonica. Expelled.

1230 - 1231

Manuel quickly accepts the position of submissive client to the Asen tsar, despite being his son-in-law. The dispossessed Michael II Ducas takes the opportunity to return to Epirus while Manuel is more focussed on Thessalonica.

The South Struma Valley, showing the kind of territory the Romans and Bulgarians alike had to defend or attack, depending upon the prevailing political situation

Michael quickly wins local approval and is restored to command much of his father's territories before Manuel has even realised he is losing part of his own state. Manuel can do nothing but recognise Michael's authority in Epirus.

1237 - 1244

Son of Theodore. Emperor in Thessalonica. Despot (1242).

1237

Theodore Komnenos Ducas is released by Ivan Asen after the tsar marries his daughter. Theodore returns to Thessalonica, deposes his brother (Manuel) and installs his son, John. The deposed Manuel is exiled while Theodore remains the real power behind the throne.

1239

Manuel returns with Nicæan assistance, hoping to take back control. He and Theodore come to an agreement whereby John remains in command of Thessalonica while Manuel receives Thessaly.

Shown here are two sides of a coin which was issued from the Magnesia mint under Theodore II Lascaris, dated to the second year of his brief reign with him shown standing, holding labarum and anexikakia and being crowned by Mary, while Christ is seated on the left

1241 - 1242

Manuel dies in Thessaly in 1241 and Michael II of Epirus moves quickly to take the territory before his uncles in Thessalonica can react. Anyway, John Angelus soon finds his field army being defeated in the same year by Emperor John III Ducas Vatatzes of Nicæa.

His capital is locked into a siege until he surrenders in 1242. John Angelus agrees to drop his claim to the title of 'emperor' and instead accepts the lesser one of 'despot'. He remains a vassal to Nicæa.

1244 - 1246

Brother. Despot of Thessalonica. Exiled.

1246

Thessalonica falls to John III Ducas Vatatzes of Nicæa while Michael II in Epirus remains neutral. John III confers the title of 'despot' upon Michael in 1249, thereby granting him an acknowledgement of legitimacy. Demetrius is captured and exiled to Bithynia.

An icon showing four episodes from the life of Christ which was probably painted in Thessalonica, the most important artistic centre in the crumbling Eastern Roman empire after Constantinople itself