And That's How It Actually Happend Since the last decades of the century. XII a subsidiary of the Byzantine imperial family had received angelic in Epirus , especially in the province of Vagenetisë ( Cameria ) , large landholdings and implemented it an almost independent power of Constantinople. In this way, after the conquest of the Byzantine Empire by the Crusaders in 1204, an offshoot of Byzantine angelic, angel Michael , son of the former governor of Epirus , created by an independent property. Time charters call it " despots of Arta ," according to its capital. Customary in historiography is called " despots of Epirus" . During its history of more than two centuries of Epirus This state changed several times its expansion. However , the core of sustainable territorial scope of application of the subject represented by the ancient Byzantine Nikopojës defined by Akrokeraune mountains ( Thunderbolt ) north of the Gulf of Arta ( Ambrakisë ) in the south and the river flow mountain Pindos Vjosa east .
Ionian Sea to the west Despotate Waterfowl Habitat . Besides the center , Arta, cities and other important castles were Janina Ajdonati ( Paramithia ) Himara , Berat , Kanina and for a time ( 1213-1253 ) and Durres . Albanians were the majority of the population in its Despotate classic layout . If the population had already Vlach Albanian , Greek and Slavic located mainly in the regions of Thessaly, Macedonia , and Etolo - Akarnanisë , which was annexed by the despots of Epirus after the year 1216 .
From the point of view of the organization of the state , this state of Epirus was a Byzantine state . In addition to this stood the imperial family despots angel. These acts and their official documents show the name of the angel compound - Duke - Komnen , remembering if angelic connections with other Byzantine dynasties. Auto executives Epirus disagree with the status of a provincial rule . They stood to his legitimate heirs to the throne of Byzantium and in this sense their power Epirus considered as a starting point to restore the Byzantine Empire, by expelling the Crusaders Byzantine countries.
The early years of the reign of despot Mihal Angel (1204-1216) devoted to the internal consolidation of the state of the newborn. At that time there were conflicts with the Crusader principalities , created in 1204 after the boundaries of the Despotate , Thessaloniki Lombard kingdom, duchy of Athens and in the French Principality of acs . Once a steady state within these formations , put on the extension of the Despotate to the north. In 1210 , this state of Epirus was courted assiduously Venetian Duchy of Durres .
Although the rule of Venice in Durres has been shown untenable. Efforts to extend the jurisdiction beyond the city of Venice were opposed namely Prince Demetrius . Learn noble lords of the land were already on the outskirts of Durres , which not only worried Durres Venetian power , but the city and the Catholic diocese, who said that Demetrius and his men had occupied properties. To put pressure on the Arber prince , duke of Venice made a covenant with Prince Dioklesë ( Genta ), George , who is committed to help Venice against Dimitri . But it had already managed to make themselves powerful Pope Innocent III , who promised his conversion, the generosity of the people in the Catholic religion.