Antoine le Flamenc

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Anthony (also Antoine le Flamenc,[1] Antonio Fiammengo, or Antonius Flamengo) was the Frankish baron of Karditsa (1303 – 1313). He was married to Isabella Pallavicini and co-ruled the March of Bodonitsa with her from 1278 to 1286, when she died.[2] The Livre de la Conqueste refers to him as un des plus sages hommes de Romanie and le plus sage dou duchame.[3]

Anthony was of Flemish ancestry (as his surname indicates) and his forefathers had long been settled in the Holy Land before Anthony rose to prominence in Frankish Greece. By his marriage, while young, to the much older Isabella, he obtained the co-rule of the most important Frankish fief in northern Greece and it was there in the north that his power was to reside for the remainder of his life. On Isabella's death, he disputed the succession to the march with her cousin Thomas Pallavicini, but the arbitration of William I of Athens found in favour of the latter.

Anthony was appointed to act as bailiff and lieutenant of Thessaly by Guy II of Athens in 1303. His son John received a similar post in Thessaly. There they had to deal with annual winter raids of the Vlachs.

In 1308, the Republic of Venice accused Anthony, Guy, Rocaforte, and Boniface of Verona of plotting to invade Negroponte.

He was a loyal follower of Matilda of Hainaut, the wife and duchess of Guy II. He signed a deed relating to her property in the Low Countries (from which both of them hailed) and he was present at her second engagement with Charles of Taranto in Thebes on 2 April 1309.

On 15 March 1311, Anthony fought in the Battle of the Cephissus and was one of the few survivors, though he was captured and held for ransom. In the church at Karditsa is found an inscription probably commissioned by Anthony upon his return from the Cephissus, in fulfilment of a vow.[4]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Sometimes de Flamenc
  2. ^ Hopf.
  3. ^ Miller, 199. Translation: "one of the wisest men in Romania" and "the wisest of the duchy."
  4. ^ Ibid.

[edit] Sources

  • Hopf, Carl. Chroniques gréco-romanes.
  • Miller, William. "The Frankish Inscription at Karditza." The Journal of Hellenic Studies, Vol. 29. (1909), pp. 198-201.
  • Setton, Kenneth M. Catalan Domination of Athens 1311–1380. Revised edition. Variorum: London, 1975.