Peloponnese

The Peloponnese (in Greek old and modern Πελοπόννησος / Pelopónnēsos ) is the southernmost part of the Greece connected to central Greece ( Ἑλλάς / Hellás ) by the Isthmus of Corinth in the East and by the Bridge Rion-Antirion in North. It covers 21  379 km ² for 3 million inhabitants (2000).

The name of Peloponnese is also given to a periphery which does not cover the totality of the peninsula. This periphery is divided into seven name:

Name Achaïe and of Élide, in the North-West of the peninsula, are attached to the Greece-Western periphery of .

Geography

The Peloponnese extends on a surface from 21  549 km ² and constitute the southernmost part of continental Greece, although technically speaking, it is an island since the boring of the Canal of Corinth in 1893. It is connected to the continent by the Isthme of Corinth and by the Pont Rion-Antirion, completed in 2004.

The peninsula is characterized by a mountainous relief and very cut out coasts; its culminating point is the mount Taygète (2404 m). It has itself four peninsulas directed towards the south: of west in is, the Messénie, the Magne with the course Ténare, the peninsula of Epidaure Limira with the course Malée and the Argolide, at the north-eastern end.

The Peloponnese is surrounded by two groups of islands, the islands Saroniques in the East and the Ionian Îles in the West, as well as the island of Cythère, with broad of the peninsula of Épidaure Limira.

History

Its name comes from Pélops, wire of the king of Lydie, Tantale. It was also called Apia (Ἆπια/ Ápia , of Apis, king of Argos) or Argos (principal power of the time) by Homère. In traditional antiquity, it is divided between several cities whose principal ones are Sparte, Argos and Corinthe. The center of the peninsula is consisted the Arcadie. In the North-West, the sanctuary of Olympie is one of most important of Greece, while in the east one finds the sanctuaries of Épidaure and Némée.

The Peloponnese occupies a relatively minor place for the Roman period, where it forms the province Achaïe. Corinth, capital of the province, are then the main city of Greece. After the collapse of the Roman Empire of the East in Balkans at the end of the Life century, the Peloponnese is occupied by tribes Slaves and is found deeply slavized. Only some coastal fulcrums like Corinth or Nauplie remain with the hands of the Byzantines. The peninsula is reconquered by Byzance starting from the medium of VIIIe century: this reconquest is accompanied then by a rechristianisation and a " réhellénisation".

As from the 12th century, it is called Morée by the Croisés because of the shape of the peninsula, which one compared with a sheet Mûrier, but also undoubtedly because of the importance of the culture of this tree in the area. Morée is conquered after the Fourth crusade by the Francs of Guillaume de Champlitte and Geoffroi de Villehardouin, which founds a principality in there 1248: this Principauté of Achaïe covers the north and the west of the peninsula. With died of his/her son, the " Morée franque" passes to Angevins of Naples (1278) then to the Navarreses (1396), fights about it against the Byzantines. The south-east of the peninsula forms on the other hand the " Morée byzantine" , which remains under the authority of the Byzantine emperors. Starting from XIVe century, Byzance granted a broad delegation of powers to the Greek governors of Morée, carrying the title of Despote S, often members of the reigning dynasty. Despotat de Morée was initially held by the wire of the emperor Jean VI Cantacuzène which resided at Mistra until 1382. Their action was effective, giving the country deserted in value by the contribution from Albanian populations and while continuing the reconquest against the Francs. They had also to push back the first Turkish attacks. Their action was taken again by the first of the despots Paléologue, Theodore {{Ier}}.

The Greeks managed to reconquer most of the peninsula at the beginning of the 15th century, but the arrival of the Turks obliged them to accept their suzerainty. The last Byzantine and franques places of Morée were integrated into the possessions of Venice in second half of XVe century.

See too

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