1204 In the division of the Byzantine Empire among the crusaders, =Boniface=, marquis of Montferrat, commander-in-chief, receives a feudatory kingdom in Asia, but not liking to be so far from his Italian domains, he exchanges it for the province of Macedonia with Thessalonica for his capital. He calls it the kingdom of Salonica. He also believes himself entitled to Crete, and exchanges it with the Venetians for portions of Thessaly. Boniface would like to maintain an independent realm, but Baldwin I of Romania promptly compels him to do homage. 1204-1207 Boniface defeats attempts of the Greeks to recover his kingdom. He marches into the Peloponnesus and lays siege to Corinth and Argos, but is recalled by a rebellion in Thessalonica. 1207 Death of Boniface in a skirmish with the Bulgarians. =Demetrius= his son two years old succeeds with the queen, Margaret, as regent. The kingdom is protected against the prince of Epirus and the king of Bulgaria by the Romanian emperor, until after the death of Pierre de Courtenai. 1222 While Demetrius is still completing his education in Italy, Theodore, prince of Epirus, conquers the kingdom and is crowned emperor of Thessalonica. Demetrius makes unsuccessful attempts to recover his kingdom. The title is held by the descendants of Demetrius until William marquis of Montferrat cedes it to the Byzantine emperor in 1284. 1266 Baldwin II, then titular emperor of Romania, granted the kingdom of Salonica to the house of Burgundy, where it remained until Eudes IV sold it to Philip of Tarentum, titular emperor of Romania in 1320. THE DESPOTAT OF EPIRUS AND EMPIRE OF THESSALONICA (1204-1469 A.D.) 1204 After the conquest of Constantinople, =Michael I=, a natural son of Constantine Angelus and uncle of Isaac II and Alexius III, escapes into Epirus, marries a native lady, and establishes a government in the territory west of the Pindus Mountains. His capital is at Joannina. It is a typical Byzantine state, totally different from the Frankish feudatory governments. Michael and his descendants all take name of Angelus Comnenus Ducas. He is an able military leader, and extends his principality over all Epirus, Acarnania, Ætolia, and a part of Macedonia and Thessaly. He is virtually independent, but acknowledges Theodore Lascaris I as the lawful emperor of the East. 1214 Assassination of Michael by one of his slaves. His brother =Theodore= succeeds, having sworn fidelity to the throne of Nicæa. He at once begins to extend his dominions. 1217 Theodore captures the Latin emperor, Pierre de Courtenai, who is on his way to Constantinople.