Editing Epirus (section)

====14th century and Ottoman conquest====
In 1337, Epirus was once again brought under the rule of the [[Byzantine Empire under the Palaiologoi|restored Byzantine Empire]].{{sfn|Osswald|2007|p=133}} In 1348, taking advantage of the [[Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347|civil war]] between the Byzantine emperors [[John V Palaiologos]] and [[John VI Kantakouzenos]], the Serbian king [[Stefan Uroš IV Dušan]] conquered Epirus, with a number of Albanian mercenaries assisting him.{{sfn|Osswald|2007|p=135}} The Byzantine authorities in Constantinople soon re-established a measure of control by making the Despotate of Epirus a [[vassal state]], but Albanian clans proceeded to invade and seize most of the region. Under [[Peter Losha|Pjetër Losha]], the Albanian [[Malakasioi|Malakasi]] and [[Mazreku (Epirus)|Mazaraki]] tribes defeated [[Nikephoros II Orsini]] at the [[Battle of Achelous (1359)|Battle of Achelous]] in 1359, which won Pjetër Losha the rule of [[Arta, Greece|Arta]]; Losha then founded the [[Despotate of Arta]] (1358-1416) with the help of the Mazaraki and Malakasi clans.<ref>Epeirotica 2.220; cf. 222 f</ref>

[[File:Map of the southern Balkans, 1410.svg|thumb|right|Map of the southern Balkans and western Anatolia in 1410]]

Although Albanian clans gained control of most of the region by 1366/7, their continued division into rival clans meant that they could not establish a single central authority.<ref name="mb">{{harvnb|Fine|1994|pp=348–351}}.</ref> Ioannina became a center of Greek resistance to the Albanian clans. The Greeks of Ioannina offered power to three foreign rulers during this time, beginning with [[Thomas II Preljubović]] (1367–1384), whose rule was marked by hostilities in the region, as Ioannina came under constant siege by the Mazaraki and Malakasi clans under Losha. These tribes would besiege Ioannina a second time in 1374–1375.{{sfn|Sansaridou-Hendrickx|2017|p=294}}{{sfn|Nicol|1984|pp=142–145}}<ref name="Sakellariou1997">{{cite book|author=M. V. Sakellariou|title=Epirus, 4000 years of Greek history and civilization|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UV1oAAAAMAAJ|year=1997|publisher=Ekdotikē Athēnōn|isbn=978-960-213-371-2|quote=For the Albanian tribes of the Mazarakaioi and the Malakasioi, led by Peter Losha the despot of Arta,}}</ref> A truce was signed when Pjetër's son Gjin was betrothed to Thomas's daughter Irina, but she would soon die in the 1375 plague and hostilities would recommence.{{sfnm|Nicol|1984|1pp=142–145|Fine|1994|2pp=351–352|Sansaridou-Hendrickx|2017|3p=294}} Preljubović attempted to pacify the Albanians of Epirus; however, under [[Gjin Bua Shpata]], the Albanians defeated him.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_VBoAAAAMAAJ Hammond, 1976 & ps]''"The Albanians and in particular the Mazarakii of the Kalamas valley held firm against him. In 1385 he was assassinated by some of his own bodyguards"'' (Epeirotica 2.230), p. 59.</ref>

The reign of [[Esau de' Buondelmonti]] (1385–1411) in Ioannina followed, and with an army that consisted of the Albanian tribes of the Mazaraki and Malakasi, he marched against the [[Principality of Gjirokastër]]. He was defeated and captured by Albanian nobleman [[Gjon Zenebishi]], and ransomed for 10,000 gold pieces on the intervention of the Venetian governor of [[Corfu]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Hutchinson |first1=Richard Wyatt |title=The Lord of Patras |date=1956 |publisher=A.G. Kalokairinos |page=343 |url=https://ir.lib.uth.gr/xmlui/bitstream/handle/11615/10744/article.pdf?sequence=1}}</ref> At the time the Zenebishi clan controlled the area around Gjirokastër (1386–1411), while only the city of Ioannina remained under Greek control.{{sfn|Osswald|2007|p=134}}

[[Carlo I Tocco]] (1411–1429) then assumed control of Ioannina, commencing heavy conflicts with [[Yaqub Spata|Jakob]] and [[Maurice Spata|Muriq]] Shpata, the Albanian leaders of the [[Despotate of Arta]]. The Shpata were originally defeated by Carlo's brother [[Leonardo II Tocco]] at Mazoma near ancient [[Nicopolis]], but Carlo's son Torno was in turn defeated by the Albanians.{{sfn|PLP|loc=26521. Σπάτας Γιαγούπης}}{{sfn|Nicol|1984|p=186}} After the Tocchi succeeded in capturing Rhiniasa, Leonardo tried to take Rogoi and Carlo attempted to take Arta, but Jakob and Muriq succeeded in defending their capital for the time being. Carlo withdrew to Ioannina, but soon after was able to lure Jakob to an ambush near Vobliana: Jakob was captured and immediately executed (1 October 1416).{{sfn|PLP|loc=26521. Σπάτας Γιαγούπης}}{{sfn|Nicol|1984|p=186}} Carlo had effectively ended the rule of the Albanian clans in southernmost Epirus.{{sfn|Osswald|2007|p=136}}

Nevertheless, internal dissension eased the Ottoman conquest, which began with the capture of Ioannina in 1430 and continued with Arta in 1449, [[Angelokastro, Aetolia-Acarnania|Angelokastro]] in 1460, [[Riniasa Castle]] and its environs (in what is now [[Preveza]]) in 1463,<ref>{{harvnb|Karabelas|2015|pp=972–975}}.</ref> and finally [[Vonitsa]] in 1479. With the exception of several coastal Venetian possessions, this was also the end of Latin rule in mainland Greece.