28). Empire, Venice and Local Autonomy (original) (raw)

The principality of Adrianople functioned well as a feudal entity within the Empire of Constantinople for over two decades, meeting the two chief aspirations of the local elite: autonomy and security. A Latin on the throne of Constantinople as basileus ton Romaion apparently was not considered to be a fundamental problem. From the Latin emperor’s point of view the Adrianopolitan recognition of his emperorship substantiated his claim to be the legitimate Byzantine emperor vis-à-vis other claimants, first and foremost the emperors of Nicaea. Adrianople was not alone in this respect: other regions likewise ruled by Byzantine magnates also for some time recognized Latin imperial authority, among them Epiros (1209–1217), Paphlagonia (1206–1214/21?), and the Rhodope region (1208–1220/24?).111 Major geopolitical changes in the Byzantine space in the years 1224–1227/28 made it so that the Latin emperor could no longer fulfill his role as suzerain and the terms of the feudal contract, in concreto offering protection against external threats. In this context it was not surprising that the Adrianopolitans started to look for an alternative overlord. It is telling that in the years 1227/28–1246 the city and surrounding region would change hands four times (Constantinople–Nicaea [1227/28], Nicaea–Epiros/Thessalonike [1227/30], Epiros/Thessalonike–Bulgaria [1230], Bulgaria– Nicaea [1246]) without a single blow. Each time the Adrianopolitans simply surrendered their city to the prevailing power of the moment, no doubt on the condition that their local autonomy would be respected and that security would be provided for. Any other considerations must have been deemed to be of only secondary importance. For the Latin emperor the loss of Adrianople-Didymoteichon was another serious blow, as it was the last (Latin-) Byzantine principality that still recognized his imperial authority: his claim to be the legitimate basileus ton Romaion could now no longer be expected to carry much weight in the Byzantine arena.