Grand Ma[i]gne (French for "Great Maina", in Greek: Μεγάλη Μαΐνη) or Vieux Ma[i]gne ("Old Maina", in Greek: Παλαιά Μαΐνη) was a Frankish castle in the Mani Peninsula, Greece. It was built, according to the Chronicle of the Morea, ca. 1248–1250 AD by William II Villehardouin, the Prince of Achaea in order to control the Slavic tribe of the Melingoi, living on Mount Taygetos.[1][2] He was captured by the Byzantines in 1259 at the Battle of Pelagonia, and had to give up the castle as part of his ransom.[1]
The location of the castle is not clear. Modern usage refers to the castle of Porto Kagio as "Mani", but medieval portolans place the castle of Grand Magne on the western shore of the peninsula and its fortification was not mentioned by portolans or travelers before about 1568. Another candidate is the settlement of Tigani, but although a sizeable medieval town it shows no traces of having been the site of a Crusader fortress. Antoine Bon preferred the nearby site of Cavo Grosso (Cape Thyrides), known as Kastro tis Orias, where 19th-century travellers, including the French Expédition scientifique de Morée, mentioned the existence of fortifications, and which occupies a commanding position. J. M. Wagstaff rejected this as, according to his research, there is no evidence that there ever was a fortification at Kastro tis Orias, and preferred to identify Grand Magne with the castle at Kelefa. He admits that the evidence is weak, for the design of Kelefa Castle is not typical of Frankish forts, but points out that there is evidence that the Ottomans rebuilt it in 1670.[2]
^ abBon, Antoine (1969). La Morée franque. Recherches historiques, topographiques et archéologiques sur la principauté d'Achaïe [The Frankish Morea. Historical, Topographic and Archaeological Studies on the Principality of Achaea] (in French). Paris: De Boccard. pp. 502–504. OCLC 869621129.
^ abJ. M. Wagstaff, "Further Observations on the Location of Grand Magne", Dumbarton Oaks Papers45:141-148 (1991) JSTOR 1291698
of Porto Kagio as "Mani", but medieval portolans place the castle of GrandMagne on the western shore of the peninsula and its fortification was not mentioned...
The Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes, also known as the Kastello (Greek: Καστέλο, from Italian: Castello, "castle"), is a medieval...
touring the country and selecting sites for new fortifications such as GrandMagne and Leuktron; finally, near his residence of Lacedaemon (ancient Sparta)...
origin. The name "Mani" may come from the name of the Frankish castle le GrandMagne. The terrain is mountainous and inaccessible. Until recent years many...
fortress. He, therefore, accepted terms and surrendered to Ahmed Köprülü, the Grand Vizier of the Ottoman Empire on 27 September 1669. However, his surrender...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
in exchange for an oath of fealty, and for the cession of Monemvasia, GrandMagne, and Mystras. The handover was effected in 1262, and henceforth Mystras...
some authors consider it to be a possible location for the castle of GrandMagne, but medieval portolans mention no such castle here. The Ottomans built...
agreed to surrender to the Byzantines the castles of Monemvasia, Mystras, GrandMagne, and Geraki. Monemvasia was designated the seat of a Byzantine general...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
conquered by the Byzantines in 1278. Its rulers bore the title of megadux ("grand duke") of the Latin Empire. The Kingdom of Thessalonica (1205–1224), encompassing...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
positions of authority. The islands were of great importance in Venetian grand strategy, with their valuable trade routes to Anatolia and the Eastern Mediterranean...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
Antonin Magne (pronounced [ɑ̃.tɔ.nɛ̃ maɲ]; 15 February 1904 – 8 September 1983) was a French cyclist who won the Tour de France in 1931 and 1934. He raced...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
inhabitants to fend off Byzantine attacks in Skorta. The castles of GrandMagne and Leuktron or Beaufort were erected by the Princes of Achaea to keep...
the construction of Mistra near the Mount Taygetus; then the castle of GrandMagne was built on the Laconian Gulf. A third castle, Beaufort, was constructed...
Maiden"), and is sometimes given as the site of the medieval castle the GrandMagne, but it has no remains of a castle. "Αποτελέσματα Απογραφής Πληθυσμού...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
important secular and ecclesiastical lords participated in the council of the "Grand Court", which was presided over by the Prince. The council had great authority...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
(the giudici and the signori di notte), castellans (castellani) and the grand chancellor (cancelliere grande). As in most greater territories with a special...
Chlemoutsi Exomvourgo Fortifications of Rhodes GrandMagne Isova Old Navarino castle Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights of Rhodes Platamon Castle...
number of fortresses in the southeastern Morea (Monemvasia, Mystras and GrandMagne, possibly also Geraki) as a ransom for the Prince's release. According...
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