The Byzantine Empire had ruled over the Morea for centuries before the rebellion. During this time, several thousand Albanians had settled in the area.After the Battle of Varna in 1444, the Ottoman Turks had a free hand in dealing with the remnants of the Byzantine Empire, which had been in decline for over a century. In 1446, the Ottomans invaded the Byzantine Morea which was then jointly administrated by the two brothers, the Despots Constantine and Thomas Palaiologos. The brothers successfully resisted the invasion, but at the cost of devastating the countryside of the Morea, and the Turks carrying off 60,000 Greek civilians back to their territory.Murad II, the Ottoman Sultan, concluded a peace treaty which resulted in the brothers paying a heavy tribute to the Turks, accepting vassalage to them and a promise not to oppose them in the future, for Murad had to deal with his own internal conflicts elsewhere.
Upon the death of Byzantine Emperor John VIII Palaiologos in Constantinople in October 1448, the imperial throne fell to Constantine, who was crowned on 6 January 1449 in Mystras before departing for the capital. Two months later, he assumed his new role in Constantinople as Emperor Constantine XI. His younger brothers, Thomas and Demetrius remained in charge of the Morea as joint Despots in his place. Despite assurances to Constantine that they would pledge support to one another, both Thomas and Demetrius coveted the other's lands - in addition, they pressed claims against Venetian port possessions in the Morea, alienating the only power capable of aiding them in resisting the Turks.The mutual hostility went to the point that both despots requested military aid from the Turks against the other. During the final siege of Constantinople, the new Sultan, Mehmed II invaded the Morea again as a distraction to prevent the brothers sending any provisions to Constantinople.
The Albanian Revolt of Morea of 1453 was a failed peasant rebellion carried out against the rule of the brothers Thomas and Demetrios II Palaiologos, rulers of the Byzantine Despotate of Morea in the Peloponnese peninsula.Shortly after the fall of Constantinople and the death of the last Byzantine Emperor Constantine XI, 30,000 Albanians under Peter Boua rose in revolt against the two brothers, Thomas and Demetrius II, due to the chronic insecurity and tribute payment to the Turks.The Albanians were later joined by the local Greeks, who by then had a common leader in Manuel Kantakouzenos. Kantakouzenos was hailed as their common Despot, and the rebels asked for Venetian help, while the two brothers asked for Mehmed's help in putting down the rebellion. The situation was further confused by a second rebellion led by Giovanni Asen Zaccaria, who claimed to be the "Prince of Achaia" representing the remains of the Latin element in the Morea. Before the rebellion, Zaccaria had been imprisoned by Thomas but managed to escape during the confusion.
Aftermath
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By 1454, both rebellions were put down, but only after a full-scale invasion by the Turks and the restoration of the now completely humiliated Despots. Tribute was reinstated to the same levels and the Despots were to continue their vassalage as before. From the rebel leaders, Boua was pardoned by Mehmet and later became a spokesperson for the Albanian people, Zaccaria fled and ended up as a pensioner in Venice and later the Papal Court, while Kantakouzenos escaped and disappeared from history.
Manuel Kantakouzenos (usurper)
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Manuel Kantakouzenos was a rebel leader who started a revolt against the Palaiologos family in the Byzantine Despotate of the Morea.
He was the grandson of Demetrios I Kantakouzenos, the last Kantakouzenos governor of the Morea.Shortly after the fall of Constantinople and the death of the last Byzantine Emperor, Constantine XI, Manuel joined 30,000 Albanians in a revolt against the two brothers, Thomas and Demetrios II, rulers of the Byzantine Morea.
It was public knowledge that the two brothers hated one another, and using this situation to his advantage, Manuel headed this revolt in 1453. He was soon proclaimed by the Albanians as a Despot and in order to please them, he took the Albanian name "Ghin" and also called his wife "Cuchia".
His situation was favorable in the beginning, but that quickly changed. The Palaiologos brothers soon realized that they needed outside help to succeed and appealed to the Ottomans and Venice to receive it.The Ottoman overlord of the Morea made the decision that the province would stay in the hands of Thomas and Demetrios II. Because of this, any power fighting against the Morea would also face the Ottoman Empire. With minimal Ottoman support, the brothers ceased their hostilities and joined together to fight Manuel. With this assistance, the revolt was overpowered and put down the next year, in 1454.
Albanians of Morea
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