County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos (Despotate of Epirus)

This article is about the specific polity County Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos (Despotate of Epirus) and therefore only includes events related to its territory and not to its possessions or colonies. If you are interested in the possession, this is the link to the article about the nation which includes all possessions as well as all the different incarnations of the nation.

If you are looking for the page with the statistics about this polity you can find it here:All Statistics

A polity in the ionian islands that emerged from the conquest of the islands by the Kingdom of Sicily. It was a vassal of Naples or the Despotate of Epirus for certain periods, but for most of its time it was a de facto independent domain under the rule of Italian families like the Orsinis and the Toccos. It ceased to exist when it was divided between the Ottoman Empire and the Republic of Venice.

Establishment

January 1319: Nicola, who had inherited the county of Cephalonia from his father in 1317, saw his chance to seize power in Epirus in 1318. His uncle Thomas, weakened by the Byzantine invasion, was isolated without allies, and the pro-Byzantine faction of the Epirot nobility resented the capture of his own wife, Anna Palaiologina. Nicola took Arta by surprise, had Thomas murdered, freed his widow from prison, married her and proclaimed himself lord of Epirus.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

Disestablishment

January 1324: In 1323 Nicola of Epirus was murdered by his brother Giovanni, who became the new prince of the Despotate as John I but lost Cephalonia.