Duchy of Neopatras | ||||||||||
Under the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Sicily (Crown of Aragon) | ||||||||||
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Capital | Neopatras | |||||||||
Languages |
Catalan (official), Greek popularly |
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Religion |
Roman Catholic officially, Greek Orthodox popularly |
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Government | Duchy | |||||||||
Historical era | Middle Ages | |||||||||
• | Catalan capture of Neopatras | 1319 | ||||||||
• | Neopatras conquered by Nerio I Acciaioli | 1390 | ||||||||
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Coat of Arms of the Duchy of Neopatras
The Duchy of Neopatras (Catalan: Ducat de Neopàtria; Modern Greek: Δουκάτο Νέων Πατρών; Latin: Ducatus Neopatriae) was one of the Crusader States set up in Greece after the sacking and conquest of the Byzantine Empire during the Fourth Crusade. It was situated in Central Greece, centered on the city of Neopatras (Νέαι Πάτραι, Neai Patrai), modern Ypati) in the Spercheios valley, west of Lamia.
When the Greek ruler of Thessaly, John II Doukas, died in 1318 without heir, his domains fell into anarchy. The Almogavars of the Catalan Company, who had recently conquered most of the Duchy of Athens to the south of Thessaly, took advantage of the situation to push north. The Catalans took Neopatras in 1319, and by 1325 had also conquered Zetounion, Loidoriki, Siderokastron and Vitrinitsa, as well as—apparently briefly—Domokos, Gardiki and Pharsalus. The central and northern part of Thessaly remained in Greek hands under a series of local magnates, some of whom recognized Byzantine suzerainty, like Stephen Gabrielopoulos of Trikala; others, however, like the Maliasenos family around Volos, turned to the Catalans for support. The territory conquered by the Catalans was divided into five captaincies.