The Principality of Achaea, established by the Latins on the Peloponnese Peninsula after the Fourth Crusade, was one of the Crusader states and a former vassal of the Latin Empire, and is now the last Crusader state on the Peloponnese Peninsula.
During its heyday, the Principality controlled the entire Peloponnese, with the exception of a few ports held by Venice and East Rome.
Throughout its not-so-short history, the Principality successively pledged allegiance to the Kingdom of Thessaloniki, a vassal of the Latin Empire, the Latin Empire itself, the Kingdom of Sicily under Charles of Anjou, and the Kingdom of Naples of the Angevin dynasty.
After Naples was plagued by constant turmoil due to succession crises, Achaea achieved de facto independence, but also lost the protection from the Apennine.
And now, the Principality, which should not have lasted so long, was due to come to an end.
At noon in early June 1430, Centurione II Zaccaria, the last independent ruler of the Principality of Achaea and a Marquis past his prime, was packing his bags from the Principality's capital, Chalandritsa, preparing to leave the place and enjoy his twilight years in Arcadia, according to the treaty he had confirmed with Thomas Palaiologos last year.
Although the town of Arcadia should now revert to its Greek name, Kyparissia.
Those who saw him off today, in addition to his old retainers, included his former enemy and now son-in-law, Thomas, the co-Despot of Morea, and his brother, Despot Constantine.
After receiving permission from John VIII of Constantinople, the Despotate of Morea launched its final offensive against the Principality of Achaea, which had been reduced to only a few castles and towns after years of decline, in early 1429.
By early autumn of last year, Chalandritsa, the capital of Achaea, fell, and Centurione II was forced to surrender and negotiate with Thomas.
After several months of negotiations, Thomas finally decided at the end of last year to marry the Marquis's daughter, Catherine, in 1430, and allowed him to enjoy his later years in the ancestral castle of the Marquises of Achaea in Kyparissia, thus honorably incorporating the Principality of Achaea into the Despotate of Morea.
Thomas and Catherine's wedding took place in April of this year, 1430.
After the co-Despot couple's wedding in Chalandritsa, Centurione was due for "retirement."
Turning the clock back to the present —
Looking at the Despot brothers in front of him, his retainers who were about to scatter, and the castle he had managed for many years behind him, he felt an immense sense of melancholy, despite it being mid-summer.
A gentle breeze brushed past, carrying away the heat from his body, temporarily refreshing him, and allowing him to recall his ambitions from back then.
Back in 1402, Centurione, then a young man, inherited the title of Baron of Arcadia from his father, Andronikos Asen Zaccaria.
Ambitious at the time, shortly after inheriting the title, he rebelled against his aunt, Maria II Zaccaria, as the grandson of Centurione I, Marquis of Achaea, and expelled her in 1404, receiving recognition from his then liege, King Ladislaus of Naples, and officially becoming the Marquis of Achaea.
But what awaited him next was not a romantic story like those in knightly novels, but a ruthless struggle with Greek landlords, Latin knights, merchants, and Turkic Ghazis.
During this period, being ambitious but lacking in talent, he gradually lost the already meager territory of the Principality after losing the protection of his former liege, the Kingdom of Naples.
By 1428, he could only retreat to a few castles and towns of varying sizes.
It wasn't until last year, when East Rome's army broke through Chalandritsa, that he and the Principality of Achaea would face their end.
As he recalled his past like a revolving lantern, the sunlight had moved from his graying hair to his face.
"Yes, it's getting late."
Thinking this, he reluctantly looked at the castle where he had lived for many years, then tried his best to maintain his noble demeanor as he bid farewell to the Despot brothers.
"By the way, where is Catherine?" he asked Thomas curiously after conversing with them for a while.
"She said this isn't a suitable time for a father-daughter farewell," Thomas relayed.
"To be sentimental at this particular moment. Never mind, Your Highness Thomas, she is my only child, please treat her well." Centurione said with a bitter smile, then sighed with emotion, "No matter what, at least now, here, the era of us so-called Latin Crusaders is over.
"What about you? You Greeks who consider yourselves Romans? Those infidels are almost successful, what will you do?"
Thomas remained silent, while Constantine's eyes sharpened as he replied, "Lord Centurione, you are mistaken about one thing: ever since the Empire's borders expanded here, the people of this land have always been Romans.
"As for where Rome's end lies? That is the Holy Father's will, and not for us to decide." Saying this, Constantine devoutly made an orthodox cross over his heart.
"Yes, the Lord's will." Centurione smiled bitterly, also making a cross over his heart, but a Catholic one.
At this point, they said no more to each other.
All matters of handover had been completed shortly after the wedding in April; today was merely a private farewell between the two parties.
By the time the carriage was ready and the servants arrived, it was already dusk.
"It's time to leave." With that, Centurione slowly walked towards the carriage, his gaunt figure slightly unsteady in the afterglow of the sunset.
"Although I have fought with you all my life, I still wish you well, Romans: goodbye, I hope your fate will not be like mine." He wished this in his heart, and felt fortunate that he would not see the final outcome, whether good or bad.
After seeing off Centurione, Thomas and Constantine also set off on their return journey.
"Brother, what will become of us in the end?" Thomas asked somewhat distractedly, sitting in the carriage.
"I don't know, but I will do my best to avoid an end like my old opponent's." Constantine said this, his gaze somewhat ethereal as he looked north.
"Hmm, indeed. Oh, by the way, Brother, speaking of which, shortly after you returned from Mangup for our younger sister's wedding last time, the Principality of Theodoro declared war on Crimea, joining the Golden Horde, didn't it?"
"I know, I was the one who told you," Constantine said with a hint of impatience.
"Oh, no. Brother, I wanted to ask, do you think our Brother-in-law's side will win?" Thomas asked somewhat impatiently.
"I don't know," Constantine replied, recalling the scene when he met Manuel that day,
"But I hope they win."