Battle of Pélagonia

the battle of Pélagonia take place in September 1259, between Empire of Nicée and the Principality of Achaïe. It was a decisive event in the history of the Close East, ensuring the Byzantine reconquest of Constantinople and the end of the Latin Empire of Constantinople in 1261, and the beginning of the Byzantine re-establishment of Greece.

The emperor of Nicée Theodore II Lascaris dies in 1258, and his/her son Jean IV Lascaris succeeds to him, under the regency of Michel VIII Paleologist after the death of George Muzalon, which had been selected to reconstitute the Byzantine Empire and to take again all the territories lost after the Fourth crusade. In 1259, Guillaume II of Villehardouin wife Anne Comnène (also known under the name of Agnes), girl of Michel II of Épire, thus cementing an alliance enters the Despotat d' Épire and the principality of Achaïe against the empire of Nicée. Guillaume and Michel are also supported by Manfred {{Ier}} of Sicily which sent 400 knights to them. In 1259, the emperor of Nicée invades the Thessalie and in September the army achaïenne and that of Épire go to north to meet them. The soldiers of the empire of Nicée are carried out by Jean Paléologue, brother of Michel VIII and not Theodore Ducas, second wire of Michel II of Épire as the Chronicle of Morée brings it back. According to this same source, the forces of the emperor of Nicée include/understand the principal Byzantine army, of the mercenaries Turkish, 2000 Coumans, 300 German, 13.000 Hungarian, 4000 Serbes and of the Bulgares, as well as an unspecified number of Valaques. It there has, seems T it, 27 divisions of cavalry, although all these numbers are probably exaggerated. Jean Paléologue also enlisted local peasants and placed them on the tops, so that by far they could seem to belong to the army. It then sent a false deserter to Michel II and Guillaume, exaggerating the number of troops of Nicée, and making run the noise that Paléologue would be lenient towards the Greeks who would flee before the battle. The Duc of Carinthie, which also had 300 Germans with him, does not believe the deserter, and convinces prince d' Achaïe to remain whereas this last wants to make retirement. Nevertheless, Michel and his troops give up prince d' Achaïe during the night and are run away towards Nicée; according to George Pachymeres, this escape aurit for reason an argument enters the illegitimate son of Michel, Jean, and Guillaume. The next day, the Germans under the control of the duke of Carinthie attack the German mercenaries who were as regards Michel VIII. The duke is wounded in the combat. The Hungarian archers kill the horses of Achaïe then, leaving the knights without defense. The soldiers of foot of prince d' Achaïe run away themselves and the knights go; prince Guillaume saves him also but is rather quickly found and captured. Alexis Strategopoulos seizes then Arta, capital of Epire and Jean Paléologue continues his forwarding to capture Thèbes but does not push more before its forwarding. Guillaume II will be forced to give up the strategic fortresses of the principality of Achaïe (Mistra, Beauvoir, large the magne) before being released later a few years.

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