Richard Orsini | |
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Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos | |
Reign | 1238/ca. 1260 – 1303/4 |
Predecessor | Matthew Orsini (?) |
Successor | John I Orsini |
Count of Gravina | |
Reign | 1284–1291 |
Predecessor | unknown |
Successor | Peter Tempesta |
Died | 1303 or 1304 |
Spouses | unknown first wife Margaret of Villehardouin |
Issue | John I Orsini Four daughters |
Italian | Riccardo Orsini |
Dynasty | Orsini ('apostolic' branch ) |
Father | Matthew Orsini (?) |
Richard Orsini (Italian: Riccardo Orsini) was the count palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from before 1260 to his death in 1303/4, and also Count of Gravina in 1284–91. He also served on behalf of the Angevin Kingdom of Naples as captain-general of Corfu in 1286–90 and as the bailli in the Principality of Achaea from 1297 to 1300.[1] He assisted the Despot of Epirus in battle against the Byzantine Empire, and secured the marriage of his son, John I, to the Epirote ruler's daughter, which would lead in 1318 to the Orsini takeover of Epirus.