Leonardo III Tocco
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Leonardo III Tocco, last ruler of Epirus from 1429 to 1479, died c. 1499.
[edit] Life
Leonardo III Tocco was the son of Carlo II Tocco (count of Cephalonia and Zante, duke of Leukas, and ruler of Epirus) and Ramondina of Ventimiglia. On his father's death in October 1448, Leonardo succeeded as a minor to all his titles and possessions. He reigned as ruler of Epirus from Arta until March 24, 1449, when the city was taken by the Ottoman Turks.
His mainland possessions reduced to three fortresses, Leonardo established himself in Angelokastron. In 1460 this city was also lost to the Turks, leaving only Vonitsa in the possession of Leonardo, who moved to his islands. A new Turkish advance in 1479 captured Vonitsa and then Cephalonia, Leukas, and Zante later the same year. Deprived of both Epirus and the Ionian Islands, Leonardo fled to the Kingdom of Naples, where he was invested with several fiefs by Ferdinand I of Naples. He died in c. 1499.
[edit] Family
Leonardo III Tocco had one son from his first marriage to Milica of Serbia:
- Carlo III Tocco, who died in 1518.
By his second marriage to Francesca Marzano, Leonardo III Tocco had four children:
- Ramondina Tocco, who married Federigo Pico della Mirandola.
- Leonora Tocco, a nun.
- Maria Tocco, who married Pietro Talamanca.
- Ferrante Tocco, who died in 1535.
| Preceded by Carlo II |
Ruler of Epirus 1448–1479 |
Succeeded by (none) |
[edit] References
- The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium, Oxford University Press, 1991.
- George C. Soulis, The Serbs and Byzantium, Athens, 1995.
- John V.A. Fine Jr., The Late Medieval Balkans, Ann Arbor, 1987.
