Merope (region)
In the 14th-century Balkans, Merope (Greek: Μερόπη, Bulgarian: Меропа, Meropa) was a subregion of Thrace in modern Northern Greece and southern Bulgaria. The region lay in the western and middle part of the Rhodope Mountains.[1]
The term is only found in the writings of Byzantine Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos.[2] Merope extended to the Nestos River in the west and to the town of Gratianopolis in the east.[3] Bulgarian historian Plamen Pavlov defines Merope as encompassing the course of the Arda River up north until the Chepelare River and including the fortresses Sveta Irina ("Saint Irene") and Podvis.[4]
In 1343, John VI Kantakouzenos granted Merope to Bulgarian brigand Momchil for his military assistance in the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347.[2][4] After Momchil changed sides in the civil war and was ultimately defeated by Kantakouzenos in 1345, Merope returned to Byzantine sovereignty.[5]
References
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- ^ John V. A. Fine Jr., The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, 1994, Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value)., p. 303-305.
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