European Kingdoms

Fourth Crusade States
Kingdom of Thessalonica (AD 1204 - 1224)

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

The reigning Eastern Romans withdrew to Nicæa in Anatolia, but rival claimants also established holdings in Trebizond, Epirus, and Thessalonica so that, at one point, there were four claimants to the Byzantine (Eastern Roman) throne, as well as the Bulgar and Serb states which also claimed dominance over it.

These small Crusader states were founded by Boniface, marquis of Montferrat in 1204.

(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 Link: History of the Byzantine Empire (Live Science).)

1204 - 1207

Marquis of Montferrat. Founder. Killed.

1224

Falls to the rival Byzantine emperor in Epirus, who takes title of 'Emperor of Thessalonica'.