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Nicholas Orsini

Nicholas Orsini

Male - 1323    Has more than 100 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.

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  • Name Nicholas Orsini 
    Gender Male 
    Death 1323 
    Siblings 2 Siblings 
    Person ID I669397  Geneagraphie
    Last Modified 13 Nov 2009 

    Father Conte Giovanni Orsini   d. 1317 
    Mother Maria Doukas   d. Aft 1304 
    Family ID F294565  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Anna Palaiologina   d. Yes, date unknown 
    Family ID F294566  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 13 Nov 2009 

  • Notes 
    • despot in Epirus

      palatine of Cephalonia from 1317 to 1323 and ruler of Epirus from 1318 to 1323.
      His father governed Cephalonia as a vassal of King Charles II of Naples , and had acquired Leukas as his wife's dowry. Nicholas succeeded to the county on his father's death in 1317, but unlike his predecessors was more interested in intervening in Epirus than in the Latin possessions in southern Greece . In 1318 he surprised and murdered his uncle Thomas I Komnenos Doukas of Epirus and easily subdued the entire southern portion of the principality around Arta . To solidify his position Nicholas also married his uncle's widow, Anna Palaiologina, daughter of Michael IX Palaiologos , and was conferred the title of despotes .
      Nicholas paid nominal homage to his Angevin overlord, John of Gravina , a son of King Charles II of Naples and Maria of Hungary . He otherwise oriented himself towards the East. He publicly adopted the Orthodox faith and the local clergy raised no serious objection to his usurpation. Northern Epirus, however, with Ioannina , refused to recognize Nicholas' rule and accepted Byzantine rule. Nicholas waited until the death of his wife in 1320 or 1321 and the outbreak of the Byzantine civil war to attack. Failing in his attempt to secure an alliance with the Republic of Venice , Nicholas was unable to take Ioannina. In 1323 he was murdered by his brother John II Orsini .



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