The Via Egnatia was a road constructed by the Romans in the 2nd century BC. It crossed Illyricum , Macedonia , and Thracia , running through territory that is now part of modern Albania , North Macedonia , Greece , and European Turkey as a continuation of the Via Appia .
131-582: Starting at Dyrrachium (now Durrës ) on the Adriatic Sea , the road followed a difficult route along the river Genusus ( Shkumbin ), over the Candaviae ( Jablanica ) mountains and thence to the highlands around Lake Ohrid . It then turned by parts south, following several high mountain passes to reach the northern coastline of the Aegean Sea at Thessalonica . From there it ran through Thrace to
262-517: A doux , to designate a province. The Doge of Venice did not rank as a vassal to the Latin Empire. Still, his position in control of three-eighths of its territory and of parts of Constantinople itself ensured Venice's influence in the Empire's affairs. However, much of the former Byzantine territory remained in the hands of rival successor states led by Byzantine Greek aristocrats, such as
393-539: A Deo coronatus Romanorum moderator et semper augustus . Letters by Baldwin to Pope Innocent III give his title as imperator Constantinopolitanus , possibly altered by Papal scribes as the Pope recognized the Holy Roman Emperor as the imperator Romanorum . In his seals, Baldwin abbreviated Romanorum as Rom. , conveniently leaving it open for interpretation whether he referred to Romaniae 'land of
524-822: A conqueror but as a legitimate ruler, expecting to be universally acclaimed by the populace as the Emperor of the Romans. The establishment of the Latin Empire had the curious effect of creating five simultaneously existing polities claiming to be the Roman Empire: the Latin empire, the Holy Roman Empire , and the three remnants of the Byzantine Empire , the Despotate of Epirus, the empire of Nicaea, and
655-564: A direct connection to Rome. It was also a vital link to Roman territories further to the east; until a more northerly route across Illyria was opened under Augustus it was Rome's main link with her empire in the eastern Mediterranean. It was repaired and expanded several times but experienced lengthy periods of neglect due to Rome's civil wars. The road was used by the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey as he traveled from Philippi to Thessalonica ( Acts 16–17). It also played
786-736: A face lift. Durrës is located on the Bay of Durrës on a flat alluvial plain between the river mouths of Erzen and the Ishëm along the Adriatic Sea within the Mediterranean Sea . The municipality of Durrës is encompassed in the County of Durrës within the Northern Region of Albania and consists of the adjacent administrative units of Ishëm , Katund i Ri , Manëz , Rrashbull , Sukth and Durrës as its seat. It stretches from
917-702: A guarantee for a loan. By 1247, the Nicaeans had effectively surrounded the main holdings of the Emperor in the new European land system. Following the victory at the Battle of Pelagonia in 1259 Michael VIII Palaiologos of the Nicaean empire had only one obstacle left. The Theodosian walls and the Latin Forces. He had already cut off the Latins from aid from the Latin estates of Greece or the Nicaeans rivals and also
1048-561: A number of beach resorts are being built since 2009. Neighboring districts are known for the production of good wine and a variety of foodstuffs. According to the World Bank, Durrës has made significant steps of starting a business in 2016. Durrës ranks ninth among 22 cities in Southeastern Europe before the capital Tirana , Belgrade , Serbia and Sarajevo , Bosnia and Herzegovina. Major roads and railways pass through
1179-634: A powerful enemy: the Bulgarian tsar Kaloyan . When Baldwin campaigned against the Byzantine lords of Thrace , they called upon Kaloyan for help. At the Battle of Adrianople on 14 April 1205, the Latin heavy cavalry and knights were crushed by Kaloyan's troops and Cuman allies, and Emperor Baldwin was captured. He was imprisoned in the Bulgarian capital Tarnovo until his death later in 1205. Kaloyan
1310-611: A rocky shore struck by waves on all sides reflects the description of the toponym Dyrrhachion. The distinction between these two districts of the city remained in place even much later. In the 19th century, Durrës proper was the district of the port, while the hill north of it was a separate settlement, Stani (Kodra e Stanit). The modern names of the city in Albanian ( Durrës ) and Italian ( Durazzo , Italian pronunciation: [duˈrattso] ) are derived from Dyrrachium / Dyrrachion . An intermediate, palatalized antecedent
1441-517: A successor state to the Byzantines the Despotate of Epirus. The first attempt to take Constantinople occurred in 1260 when a Latin knight taken prisoner in Pelagonia, whose house was in the city walls, promised to open a gate for the emperor's troops. He failed to do so, and Palaiologos launched an unsuccessful assault on Galata Instead. In preparation for another attempt, an alliance with Genoa
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#17327653298401572-512: A vernacular name used for centuries by the population of the Late Roman polity for their country. Three different versions of imperial titulature are attested under Henry; Henricus Dei Gratia Imperator Romaniae 'Emperor of Romania', Henricus Dei Gratia Imperator Romanorum 'Emperor of the Romans' and Henricus Dei Gratia Imperator Constantinopolitani 'Constantinopolitan Emperor', possibly intended for different recipients. Usage of
1703-585: A vital role in several key moments in Roman history: the armies of Julius Caesar and Pompey marched along the Via Egnatia during Caesar's civil war , and during the Liberators' civil war Mark Antony and Octavian pursued Cassius and Brutus along the Via Egnatia to their fateful meeting at the Battle of Philippi . Surviving milestones record that the emperor Trajan undertook extensive repairs of
1834-465: Is found in the form Dyrratio , attested in the early centuries AD. The palatalized /-tio/ ending probably represents a phonetic change in the way the inhabitants of the city pronounced its name. The preservation of old Doric /u/ indicates that the modern name derives from populations to whom the toponym was known in its original Doric pronunciation. By contrast, in Byzantine Greek, the name of
1965-485: Is located on an artificial basin that is formed between two moles, with a west-northwesterly oriented entrance approximately wide as it passes between the ends of the moles. The port is also a key location for transit networks and passenger ferry, giving Durrës a strategic position with respect to the Pan-European Corridor VIII . The port has experienced major upgrades in recent years culminating with
2096-558: Is profoundly influenced by a seasonal Mediterranean climate . Durrës was founded under the name of Epidamnos around the 7th century BC, by ancient Greek colonists from Corinth and Corcyra in cooperation with the Taulantii , a local Illyrian tribe. Also known as Dyrrachium, Durrës essentially developed as it became an integral part of the Roman Empire and its successor the Byzantine Empire . The Via Egnatia started in
2227-406: Is renowned for its traditional mass beach tourism having experienced uncontrolled urban development. The city's beaches are also a popular destination for many foreign and local tourists. In 2012, new water sanitation systems are being installed to eliminate sea water pollution. In contrast, the northern coastal stretch of Lalzit Bay is mostly unspoiled and set to become an elite tourism destination as
2358-707: Is served by the Port of Durrës , one of the largest on the Adriatic Sea, which connects the city to other neighbouring countries. Its most considerable attraction is the Amphitheatre of Durrës that is included on the Albanian tentative list for designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . Once having a capacity for 20,000 people, it is the largest amphitheatre in the Balkan Peninsula . In antiquity,
2489-598: Is the second-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest continuously inhabited cities , with roughly 2,500 years of recorded history . It is located on a flat plain along the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast between the mouths of the Erzen and Ishëm at the southeastern corner of the Adriatic Sea . Durrës' climate
2620-399: Is unclear whether the two toponyms referred originally to different areas of the territory of the city or whether they referred to the same territory. Classical literature indicates that they more probably referred to different neighbouring areas originally. Gradually, the name Epidamnus fell out of use and Dyrrachium became the sole name for the city. Archaeological research has shown that at
2751-593: Is unclear, but it has been suggested that it refers to the imposing cliffs near the city. During the Great Roman Civil War in Illyria, the Battle of Dyrrachium was undertaken by Julius Caesar against Gnaeus Pompey . The battle was a victory for Pompey, but it preceded the more decisive Battle of Pharsalus in Greece where Caesar won. Under Roman rule, Dyrrachium prospered; it became the western end of
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#17327653298402882-465: The Via Egnatia , the great Roman road that led to Thessalonica and on to Constantinople . Another lesser road led south to the city of Buthrotum , the modern Butrint . The Roman emperor Caesar Augustus made the city a colony for veterans of his legions following the Battle of Actium , proclaiming it a civitas libera (free town). In the 4th century, Dyrrachium was made the capital of
3013-723: The Adriatic coast, and Varna , at the Bulgarian Black Sea coast . The National Road 2 (SH2) begins at the Port of Durrës at the Dajlani Overpass, bypasses the road to Tirana International Airport , and ends at the Kamza Overpass in the outskirts of Tirana where it meets National Road 1 (SH1) State Road heading to northern Albania. The Albania–Kosovo Highway is a four-lane highway constructed from 2006 to 2013 between Albania and Kosovo. As part of
3144-534: The Byzantine Empire , all of which called themselves "Roman". The term "Latin" was chosen because the crusaders ( Franks , Venetians, and other Westerners) were Roman Catholic and used Latin as their liturgical and scholarly language in contrast to the Eastern Orthodox locals who used Greek in both liturgy and common speech. The Byzantines referred to the Latin Empire as the Frankokratia 'rule of
3275-627: The Despotate of Epirus , the Empire of Nicaea , and the Empire of Trebizond , each bent on reconquest from the Latins. On 9 May 1204, Baldwin I was elected the emperor with Venetian support, and crowned on 16 May in the Hagia Sophia in a ceremony that closely followed Eastern Roman practices. Not long after the coronation, Baldwin ventured out into the Thracian countryside, posturing not as
3406-556: The Despotate of Epirus , under Michael I Komnenos Doukas , posed a threat to the empire's vassals in Thessalonica and Athens. Henry demanded his submission, which Michael provided, giving off his daughter to Henry's brother Eustace in the summer of 1209. This alliance allowed Henry to launch a campaign in Macedonia , Thessaly and Central Greece against the rebellious Lombard lords of Thessalonica. However, Michael's attack on
3537-649: The Evros river, while its western, Thessaloniki - Igoumenitsa stretch runs far south of the Via Egnatia. Its name means "Via Egnatia" in Greek, alluding to its ancient counterpart. The Via Egnatia is known as Calea Mare ("The Big Road") by the Aromanians in their native Aromanian language . Listed from west to east: Dyrrachium Durrës ( / ˈ d ʊr ə s / DUURR -əs , Albanian: [ˈdurəs] ; Albanian definite form : Durrësi )
3668-465: The Roman province of Epirus nova . It was the birthplace of the emperor Anastasius I in c. 430 . Sometime later that century, Dyrrachium was struck by a powerful earthquake which destroyed the city's defences. Anastasius I rebuilt and strengthened the city walls, thus creating the strongest fortifications in the western Balkans. The 12-metre-high (39-foot) walls were so thick that, according to
3799-515: The Sanjak of Durrës , which was established in 1880 within the vilayet. With the city's economic prosperity and upgrade in status, its demographic decline was also reversed. Many government buildings were built, as well as Western-style hotels and restaurants for private businesses. In 1892-1893 the population of the kaza of Durrës grew to about 4,781, consisting of 3,018 Muslims, 1,514 Orthodox, 201 Catholics, and 48 foreigners. On 26 November 1912, as
3930-459: The Treaty of Nymphaeum (1214) recognized their control of most of Bithynia and Mysia . The peace was maintained until 1222, when the resurgent power of Nicaea felt sufficiently strong to challenge the Latin Empire, by that time weakened by constant warfare in its European provinces. At the battle of Poimanenon in 1224, the Latin army was defeated, and by the next year Emperor Robert of Courtenay
4061-547: The 10th century BC), probably the Liburni who expanded southwards in the 9th century BC. The city was founded by Greek colonists in 627 BC on the coast of the Taulantii. According to ancient authors, the Greek colonists helped the Taulantii to expel Liburnians and mixed with the local population establishing the Greek element to the port. A flourishing commercial centre emerged and the city grew rapidly. The fact that about
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4192-607: The 1230s, Constantinople – even with its drastically reduced population – was facing a major shortage of basic foodstuffs . In several senses, the only significant export on which the economy of the Latin Empire had any real basis was the sale of relics back to Western Europe which had been looted from Greek churches. For example, Emperor Baldwin II sold the relic of the Crown of Thorns while in France trying to raise new funds. The elite of
4323-593: The 18th century, and are known as Latinokratia . For about a century thereafter, the heirs of Baldwin II continued to use the title of Emperor of Constantinople, and were seen as the overlords of the various remaining Latin states in the Aegean . They exercised effective authority in Greece only when actually ruling as princes of Achaea , from 1333–1383. James of Baux was the last of these Latin emperors to govern any imperial territory through Achaea. His reign lasted from 1374 until his death on 7 July 1383. The empire
4454-608: The 6th century BC the citizens of Epidamnus constructed a Doric-style treasury at Olympia confirms that the city was among the richest of the Ancient Greek world . An ancient account describes Epidamnos as 'a great power and very populated' city. After 323 BC Epidamnus-Dyrrhachium was involved in the intervention in Illyria of the Macedonians under Cassander , who clashed with the Illyrians under Glaukias . In 314 BC
4585-521: The 6th century, though even then the dilapidated road was said to be virtually unusable during wet weather. Almost all Byzantine overland trade with western Europe traveled along the Via Egnatia. During the Crusades , armies traveling to the east by land followed the road to Constantinople before crossing into Asia Minor . In the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade , control of the road was vital for
4716-626: The Anjous, increased their diplomatic and political activity in the area, by using the Latin bishops, including the archbishop of Durrës. The city had been a religious center of Catholicism after the Anjou were installed in Durrës. In 1272, a Catholic archbishop was installed, and until the mid-14th century there were both Catholic and Orthodox archbishops of Durrës. Two Irish pilgrims who visited Albania on their way to Jerusalem in 1322, reported that Durrës
4847-541: The Byzantine historian Anna Komnene , four horsemen could ride abreast on them. Significant portions of the ancient city defences still remain, although they have been much reduced over the centuries. Like much of the rest of the Balkans , Dyrrachium and the surrounding Dyrraciensis provinciae suffered considerably from barbarian incursions during the Migrations Period . It was besieged in 481 by Theodoric
4978-578: The Byzantine throne. Dyrrachium was lost in February 1082 when Alexios I Komnenos was defeated by the Normans under Robert Guiscard and his son Bohemund in the Battle of Dyrrhachium . Byzantine control was restored a few years later, but the Normans under Bohemund returned to besiege it in 1107–08, and sacked it again in 1185 under King William II of Sicily . In 1205, after the Fourth Crusade ,
5109-555: The Crusader army sacking the city of Constantinople , the capital of the Byzantine Empire. Originally, the plan had been to restore the deposed Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos , who had been usurped by Alexios III Angelos , to the throne. The crusaders had been promised financial and military aid by Isaac's son Alexios IV , with which they had planned to continue to Jerusalem. When the crusaders reached Constantinople,
5240-645: The Emperor Isaac Angelos is listed in the chronicle as rex Grecorum ("king of the Greeks"). The full title Baldwin actually used was dei gratia fidelissimus in Christo imperator a Deo coronatus Romanorum moderator et semper augustus , a near perfect replication of the one used by Alexios IV Angelos , placed on the throne by the crusaders previously, in a letter (only known in its Latin version) to Pope Innocent III : fidelis in Christo imperator
5371-579: The Franks', or the Latinokratia 'rule of the Latins'. Founding treaties issued by the crusaders specifically refer to the empire as the imperium Constantinopolitanum ("Constantinopolitan Empire"). Although this is a marked departure from the standard Byzantine nomenclature and ideology, designating the empire as the Basileía Rhōmaíōn 'Empire of the Romans', imperium Constantinopolitanum
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5502-666: The Great , king of the Ostrogoths , and in subsequent centuries had to fend off frequent attacks by the Bulgarians . Unaffected by the fall of the Western Roman Empire , the city continued under the Byzantine Empire as an important port and a major link between the Empire and western Europe. During the sixth century based on accounts of Procopius , the city was mainly inhabited by a Greek population. The city and
5633-431: The King of France Philip II , the Latin Empire was unable to prevent the final fall of Thessalonica to Epirus in 1224. Epirote armies then conquered Thrace in 1225–26, appearing before Constantinople itself. The Latin Empire was saved for a time by the threat posed to Theodore by the Bulgarian tsar Ivan II Asen , and a truce was concluded in 1228. After Robert of Courtenay died in 1228, a new regency under John of Brienne
5764-429: The Kingdom of Thessalonica in 1210 forced him to return north to relieve the city and to force Michael back into submission. In 1214 however, Michael died, and was succeeded by Theodore Komnenos Doukas , who was determined to capture Thessalonica. On 11 June 1216, while supervising repairs to the walls of Thessalonica, Henry died, and was succeeded by Peter of Courtenay , who himself was captured and executed by Theodore
5895-412: The Latin Empire was sending requests back to the papacy for aid. For a few years, the major commodities it exported from the surrounding region of Thrace were wheat and furs ; it also profited from Constantinople's strategic location on major trade routes. While the empire showed some moderate vitality while Henry of Flanders was alive, after his death in 1216 there was a major deficit in leadership. By
6026-415: The Latin emperor Henry of Flanders laid claim to the region after defeating the local strongman, Theodore Mangaphas , in 1205. The duchy of Neokastra ( ducatus Novi Castri ) on the other hand was never accorded to a single holder, but was divided among the Knights Hospitaller (one quarter) and other feudatories. The term "duchy" in this case reflects the earlier Byzantine term theme , usually governed by
6157-401: The Macedonian king seized the city but the garrison he established there was in turn besieged and driven out by the Illyrian king and the Corcyrans . In 312 BC, after another unsuccessful attack of Cassander in the region, the city came under the protection of Glaukias. Those events marked the end of Macedonian presence on the Adriatic coast for almost one century. The city probably came under
6288-415: The Mediterranean Sea and the hills in the Western Lowlands in the hinterlands. The summers are predominantly hot and dry, the winters relatively mild, and falls and springs mainly stable, in terms of precipitation and temperatures. The mean monthly temperature ranges between 7.5 °C (45.5 °F ) in winter to 23.8 °C (74.8 °F) in summer. The highest temperature of 39 °C (102 °F)
6419-437: The Ottoman Empire was embroiled in the First Balkan War , a group of nationalists led by Ismail Qemali raised the Albanian flag over Durrës. Albania declared independence two days later, bringing four centuries of Turkish rule in Durrës to an end. Durrës was an active city in the Albanian national liberation movement in the periods 1878–1881 and 1910–1912. Ismail Qemali raised the Albanian flag on 26 November 1912 but
6550-454: The Ottoman cartographer Piri Reis almost 400 years before: "The walls are dilapidated; plane-trees grow on the gigantic ruins of its old Byzantine citadel; and its harbour, once equally commodious and safe, is gradually becoming silted up." During the Tanzimat (reform) era, Durrës was separated from the Sanjak of Elbasan and became a main administrative centre in the reorganised İşkodra Vilayet before 1912; it had its own sanjak , namely
6681-411: The Papacy often used this term too. The term Romania ("Land of the Romans") had been used as a vernacular name for centuries, first by the inhabitants of the entire Late Roman Empire, then by the population of the Byzantine Empire. The term "Latin Empire" was not contemporary, and was first used by historians in the 16th century to distinguish the Crusader state from the classical Roman Empire and
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#17327653298406812-468: The Roman identity of this empire remained controversial and that its conquest was considered a takeover, not a replacement—are further supported by an entry in Deeds of the Bishops of Halberstadt , a contemporaneous chronicle made in Germany. When referring to the elevation of the first Latin Emperor, Baldwin I , the chronicle called him imperator Grecorum ("emperor of the Greeks"), the same title used on an earlier page for Alexios I Komnenos . Similarly,
6943-409: The Romans apparently built over and/or improved. The Via Egnatia was constructed in order to link a chain of Roman colonies stretching from the Adriatic Sea to the Bosphorus . The termini of the Via Egnatia and the Via Appia , leading from Rome itself, were almost directly opposite each other on the east and west shores of the Adriatic Sea . The route, thus gave the colonies of the southern Balkans
7074-420: The Romans' or Romanorum 'the Romans'. It is probably more likely that he meant Romanorum . Baldwin's successor Henry called the empire imperium Romanum at least in one letter. A Venetian statesman Marino Sanuto the Elder used yet another appellative, Sebastō Latíno Basilía ton Rhōmaíōn (Σεβαστό Λατίνο βασιλιά των Ρωμαίων, lit. "August Latin Empire of the Romans"). The term "Romania" had been
7205-418: The South-East European Route 7, the highway will connect the Adriatic Sea ports of Durrës via Pristina, with the E75/Corridor X near Niš , Serbia. As most tourists come through Kosovo, the laying of the highway make it easier to travel to Durrës. The Port of Durrës , in the south-west of the city, is one of the major ports of the Adriatic Sea and plays a very important role in the city's economy. The port
7336-418: The brief rule of Prince Wilhelm, Prince of Albania . It remained Albania's capital until 11 February 1920, when the Congress of Lushnjë made Tirana the new capital. During the First World War , the city was occupied by Italy in 1915 and by Austria-Hungary in 1916–1918. On 29 December 1915, a Naval Battle was fought off Durazzo. On 2 October 1918, several allied ships bombarded Durazzo and attacked
7467-489: The capital of the Principality of Albania for a short period of time. Subsequently, it was annexed by the Kingdom of Italy in the interwar period and was occupied by Nazi Germany during World War II. Durrës experienced a strong expansion in its demography and economic activity under the People's Socialist Republic of Albania . The transport connections, concentration of economic institutions and industrial tradition underlie Durrës' leading economic position in Albania. It
7598-440: The central government in Constantinople. France, England, the Netherlands, and Austria established their consulates in Durrës in 1700. As Ottoman relations with Venice improved upon the conclusion of the Ottoman-Venetian Wars , Durrës became a focal point of trade with the Republic of Venice, especially in grains and olive oil, as reported by the Venetian consul in the city in 1769. Mercantile relations with Venice were halted when
7729-414: The city and led east across the fields, lowlands and highlands of the Balkan Peninsula to Constantinople . In the Middle Ages , Durrës was contested between Bulgarians , Venetians , local Albanian noble families and Ottoman dominion. The Ottomans ultimately prevailed, ruling the city for more than 400 years from 1501 until 1912. Following the Albanian Declaration of Independence , the city served as
7860-447: The city and the rebuilding that followed gave the city its more modern appearance. During the 1930s, the Bank of Athens had a branch in the city. Durrës (called Durazzo again in Italian) and the rest of Albania were occupied in April 1939 and annexed to the Kingdom of Italy until 1943, then occupied by Nazi Germany until autumn 1944 . Durrës's strategic value as a seaport made it a high-profile military target for both sides. It
7991-411: The city is known as Durus . During the 411-year Ottoman period , Durrës was known in Ottoman Turkish as Dırac (دراج); with final consonant devoicing , the name has evolved into modern Turkish as Dıraç . In Venetian it called Durazo , while in the South Slavic languages the city is known as Drač (Cyrillic Драч). In English usage, the Italian form Durazzo used to be widespread, but
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#17327653298408122-458: The city is pronounced with the much later evolution of /u/ as /i/. The modern Italian name evolved in the sub-dialects that emerged from Colloquial Latin in northern Italy. The modern Albanian name evolved independently from the parent language of Albanian around the same period of the post-Roman era in the first centuries AD as the difference in stress in the two toponyms (first syllable in Albanian, second in Italian) highlights. In Aromanian ,
8253-428: The city of Byzantium (later Constantinople, now Istanbul ). It covered a total distance of about 1,120 km (696 miles/746 Roman miles). Like other major Roman roads, it was about six metres (19.6 ft) wide, paved with large polygonal stone slabs or covered with a hard layer of sand. The main literary sources for the construction of the road are Strabo 's Geographica and a number of milestones found along
8384-405: The city of Durrës thank to its significant location and connect the northern part of the country to the south and the west with the east. Durrës is the starting point of Pan-European Corridor VIII , national roads SH2 and SH4, and serves as the main railway station of the Albanian Railways (HSH). The Pan-European Corridor VIII is one of the Pan-European corridors . It runs between Durrës, at
8515-426: The city passed to Roman rule, under which it was developed as a major military and naval base. The Romans preferred to use the name Dyrrachium (Greek: Δυρράχιον / Dyrrhachion ) for the city. They considered the name Epidamnos to be inauspicious because of its wholly coincidental similarities with the Latin word damnum , meaning "loss" or "harm". The meaning of Dyrrachium ("bad spine" or "difficult ridge" in Greek)
8646-470: The city returned to Byzantine rule. In the 11th–12th centuries, the city was important as a military stronghold and a metropolitan see rather than as a major economic center, and never recovered its late antique prosperity; Anna Komnene makes clear that medieval Dyrrhachium occupied only a portion of the ancient city. In the 1070s, two of its governors, Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder and Nikephoros Basilakes , led unsuccessful rebellions trying to seize
8777-614: The city was known as Epidamnos ( Ἐπίδαμνος ) and Dyrrhachion ( Δυρράχιον ) in classical Greek and then Epidamnus and Dyrrachium in classical Latin . Epidamnos is the older known of the two toponyms; it is widely considered to be of Illyrian origin, as first proposed by linguist Hans Krahe , and is attested in Thucydides (5th century BC), Aristotle (4th century BC), and Polybius (2nd century BC). Etymologically, Epidamnos may be related to Proto-Albanian *dami (cub, young animal, young bull) > dem (modern Albanian) as proposed by linguist Eqrem Çabej . Although
8908-544: The city was occupied by the Kingdom of Serbia three days later during the First Balkan War . On 29 November 1912 Durrës became the county town of the Durrës County one of the counties of the Kingdom of Serbia established on the part of the territory of Albania occupied from Ottoman Empire . The Durrës County had four districts: Durrës, Lezha , Elbasan and Tirana . The army of the Kingdom of Serbia retreated from Durrës in April 1913. The city became Albania 's second national capital (after Vlora ) on 7 March 1914 under
9039-410: The city was transferred to the rule of the Republic of Venice , which formed the " Duchy of Durazzo ". This Duchy was conquered in 1213 and the city taken by the Despotate of Epirus under Michael I Komnenos Doukas . In 1257, Durrës was briefly occupied by the King of Sicily, Manfred of Hohenstaufen . It was re-occupied by the Despot of Epirus Michael II Komnenos Doukas until 1259, when the Despotate
9170-413: The city. Epidamnus came under the control of the Illyrian Ardiaei under Agron , who fortified the city ( c. 250 –231 BC). When the Romans defeated the Illyrians, they replaced the rule of queen Teuta with that of Demetrius of Pharos , one of her generals. He lost his kingdom, including Epidamnus, to the Romans in 219 BC at the Second Illyrian War . In the Third Illyrian War Epidamnus
9301-412: The city. On the night of 24/25 July 1261, Strategopoulos and his men approached the city walls and hid at a monastery near the Gate of the Spring. Strategopoulos sent a detachment of his men, led by some of the thelematarioi , to make their way to the city through a secret passage. They attacked the walls from the inside, surprised the guards and opened the gate, giving the Nicaean force entry into
9432-550: The city. The Republic of Venice regained control in 1392 and retained the city, known as Durazzo in those years, as part of the Albania Veneta . It fended off a siege by the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II in 1466 but fell to Ottoman forces in 1501. Under Ottoman rule, many of its inhabitants converted to Islam and many mosques were erected. The city was renamed Dırac (دراج) but did not prosper in
9563-516: The city. The Latins were taken completely unaware, and after a short struggle, the Nicaeans gained control of the land walls. As news of this spread across the city, the Latin inhabitants, from Emperor Baldwin II downwards, hurriedly rushed to the harbours of the Golden Horn , hoping to escape by ship. At the same time, Strategopoulos' men set fire to the Venetian buildings and warehouses along
9694-497: The coast to prevent them from landing there. Thanks to the timely arrival of the returning Venetian fleet, many of the Latins managed to evacuate to the still Latin-held parts of Greece, but the city was lost. Nicaean general Alexios Strategopoulos found an unguarded entrance to the city, and entered it with only 800 troops, restoring the Byzantine Empire for his master, Michael VIII Palaiologos . The remaining Latin states ruled territories of present-day Greece , some of them until
9825-515: The control of Pyrrhus of Epirus at the beginning of the 3rd century BC. From about 280 BC the Illyrian king Monunius , and his successor Mytilos minted in Dyrrhachion silver and bronze coins respectively, bearing the king's name and the symbol of the city. The fact that their coins were struck in the city mint of Dyrrhachion stresses that they exercised to some extent their authority over
9956-485: The country's temporary capital between 1918 and March 1920. It experienced an economic boom due to Italian investments and developed into a major seaport under the rule of King Zog , with a modern harbour being constructed in 1927. It was at this time the Royal Villa of Durrës was built by Zog as a summer palace, that still dominates the skyline from a hill close to the old city. An earthquake in 1926 damaged some of
10087-620: The crusaders agreed to divide up Byzantine territory. In the Partitio terrarum imperii Romaniae , signed on 1 October 1204, three eighths of the empire—including Crete and other islands—went to the Republic of Venice . The Latin Empire claimed the remainder and exerted control over: Further duchies were projected in Asia Minor , at Nicaea (for Louis of Blois ), Nicomedia ( Thierry de Loos ), Philadelphia ( Stephen du Perche ), and Neokastra . These duchies remained theoretical, due to
10218-501: The difficulties of the rocky coastline, while also reporting that other Roman authors linked it to the name of an eponymous hero Dyrrachius . The mythological construction of the city's name was recorded by Appian (2nd century AD) who wrote that "the king of the barbarians of this country, Epidamnus gave the name to the city. His daughter's son Dyrrachius, built a port near the town that he called Dyrrachium". Stephanus of Byzantium repeated this mythological construction in his work. It
10349-645: The east, with a Catholic emperor enthroned in place of the Eastern Orthodox Roman emperors. The main objective to form a Latin Empire was planned over the course of the Fourth Crusade, promoted by crusade leaders such as Boniface of Montferrat , as well as the Republic of Venice . The Fourth Crusade had originally been called to retake the Muslim -controlled city of Jerusalem , but a sequence of economic and political events culminated in
10480-615: The empire of Trebizond. The initial campaigns of the crusaders in Asia Minor resulted in the capture of most of Bithynia by 1205, with the defeat of the forces of Theodore I Laskaris at Poemanenum and Prusa. Latin successes continued, and in 1207 a truce was signed with Theodore, newly proclaimed Emperor of Nicaea. The Latins inflicted a further defeat on Nicaean forces at the Rhyndakos river in October 1211, and three years later
10611-575: The empire were the Frankish and Venetian lords, headed by the emperor, the barons and the lower-ranking vassals and liege lords, including many former Byzantine aristocrats. The bulk of the people were Orthodox Greeks , still divided according to the Byzantine system in income classes based on land ownership. As with all Latin states, the Orthodox hierarchy was replaced by Roman Catholic prelates , but not suppressed. An expansive Catholic hierarchy
10742-468: The entire Latin garrison, as well as the Venetian fleet, were absent conducting a raid against the Nicaean island of Daphnousia . Strategopoulos initially hesitated to take advantage of the situation, since his small force might be destroyed if the Latin army returned too soon, and because he would exceed the emperor's orders, but eventually decided he could not squander such a golden opportunity to retake
10873-508: The establishment of the Empire of Nicaea in the area. Nicaea itself was never occupied and Louis of Blois was killed in 1205. Thierry de Loos was captured by the Nicaeans in 1207 and, although released, left the Latin Empire two years later. After a brief Nicaean reconquest, Nicomedia returned to Latin control, but the ducatus Nichomedie remained part of the Imperial domain. Philadelphia never came under actual Latin control, although
11004-607: The fact that the name Epidamnos reminded the Romans of the Latin word damnum , which signified evil and bad luck; Pliny the Elder , who lived in the same period, repeated this explanation in his own works. However, the Romans may have adopted the new name because it was already in more frequent use by citizens of the city. The name Dyrrhachion is usually explained as a Greek compound from δυσ- 'bad' and ῥαχία 'rocky shore, flood, roaring waves', an explanation already hinted at in antiquity by Cassius Dio, who writes it referred to
11135-489: The few Austrian ships in the harbour. Although civilians started to flee the city at the start of the bombardment, many casualties were inflicted on the innocent and neutral population. The Old City being adjacent to the harbour was largely destroyed, including the Royal Palace of Durrës and other primary public buildings. It was captured by Italian troops on 16 October 1918. Restored to Albanian sovereignty, Durrës became
11266-751: The first two centuries of the Ottoman era; its importance declined greatly and it became a den of piracy . Following the establishment of Ottoman rule in 1501, the Durrës Jewish community experienced population growth. As a port, Durrës was of little importance to the Ottomans, who controlled the entire Albanian coast. The town's main significance rather lay in its strategic castle , which the Turks reinforced and improved upon, and its rich salt deposits. There were few permanent civilian settlements, and most of
11397-536: The following year. A regency was set up in Constantinople, headed by Peter's widow, Yolanda of Flanders , until her death in 1219. Her son Robert of Courtenay being absent in France, the regency passed first to Conon de Béthune , and after his death shortly after, to Cardinal Giovanni Colonna , until 1221, when Robert of Courtenay arrived in Constantinople. Distracted by the renewed war with Nicaea, and waiting in vain for assistance from Pope Honorius III and
11528-642: The founders Illyrian men (the Illyrian king Epidamnos and his grandson Dyrrachos), Greek men (the Corinthian Falio, descendant of Heracles), heroes ( Heracles who was given part of the lands) and gods ( Poseidon , as father of Dyrrachos). Several ancient people held the site: the presence of the Brygi appears to be confirmed by several ancient writers, the Illyrian Taulantii (their arrival has been estimated to have happened not later than
11659-482: The harbour and sailed at gunpoint to Italy. In one month alone, August 1991, over 20,000 people migrated to Italy in this fashion. Italy intervened militarily, putting the port area under its control, and the city became the center of the European Community 's " Operation Pelican ", a food-aid program. In 1997, Albania slid into anarchy following the collapse of a massive pyramid scheme which devastated
11790-463: The imperial title survived, with several pretenders to it, until the 14th century. The incontestable Venetian dominance in the region was not limited to the practical respect but was also demonstrated by the new title adopted by the doges, which is 'Dominus quartae partis et dimidie totius Imperii Romaniae', attached to the one of 'Dux Venetiarum, Dalmatiae Croatiaeque'. Beginning with the letters of Innocent III, dated 20 June 1203 and 29 January 1205,
11921-426: The latter city was occupied by Napoleonic forces in 1797, bringing an end to the maritime republic. The Austrian Empire and later Austria-Hungary , via the port of Trieste , then replaced Venice as Durrës' largest trading partner. According to contemporary statistician Friedrich Wilhelm von Reden , total exports from Durrës reached 672,000 Austrian thalers each year, while imports amounted to 455,000 thalers. By
12052-521: The local Albanian name Durrës has gradually replaced it in recent decades. The territory of Durrës was populated at least starting from the Eneolithic and then, from protohistoric times, it was inhabited by Illyrian peoples. Though surviving remains are minimal, Durrës is one of the oldest cities in Albania. In terms of mythology, the genealogy of the foundation of Dyrrhachium includes among
12183-438: The local magnate John Chryselios . Samuel made his son-in-law Ashot Taronites , a Byzantine captive who had married his daughter Miroslava , governor of Durrës. In circa 1005, however, Ashot and Miroslava, with the connivance of Chryselios, fled to Constantinople , where they notified Emperor Basil II of their intention to surrender the city to him. Soon a Byzantine squadron under Eustathios Daphnomeles arrived at Durrës, and
12314-491: The mayor and members of the municipal council serve four-year terms without term limits. Durrës is an important link to Western Europe due to its port and its proximity to the Italian port cities, notably Bari, to which daily ferries run. As well as the dockyard, it also possesses an important shipyard and manufacturing industries, notably producing leather, plastic and tobacco products. The southern coastal stretch of Golem
12445-478: The members of the Durrës Municipal Council being responsible for the administration of Durrës Municipality. The mayor of Durrës is elected by its people to act as the executive officer of the municipality. The Durrës Municipal Council is the legislative body of the municipality and is also a democratically elected institution, comprising 51 councillors since the latest municipal election. Both,
12576-422: The mid-19th century, its population was said to have been about 1,000 people living in some 200 households. In the late nineteenth century, Durrës contained 1,200 Orthodox Aromanians (130 families) who lived among the larger population of Muslim Albanians alongside a significant number of Catholic Albanians. The decrepitude of Durrës was noted by foreign observers in the early 20th century, echoing comments made by
12707-612: The mouth of Ishëm River at the Cape of Rodon in the north across the Bay of Lalzi to the Shkëmbi i Kavajës in the south. According to the Köppen climate classification , Durrës is classified under the periphery of the hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Csa) zone with an average annual temperature of 15.9 °C (60.6 °F). Its climate is influenced by its proximity to the Adriatic Sea in
12838-524: The name Epidamnos/Epidamnus was more commonly used among Ancient Greek authors, the coinage of the city only used the abbreviations for the name Dyrrhachion/Dyrrhachium . Dyrrachium was chosen as the sole name of the city after the Roman Republic got control of the region after the Illyrian Wars in 229 BC. The Latin spelling of /y/ retained the form of Doric Greek Dyrrhachion, which
12969-461: The national economy. An Italian-led peacekeeping force was controversially deployed to Durrës and other Albanian cities to restore order, although there were widespread suggestions that the real purpose of " Operation Alba " was to prevent economic refugees continuing to use Albania's ports as a route to migrate to Italy. Following the start of the 21st century, Durrës has been revitalized as many streets were repaved, while parks and façades experienced
13100-486: The opening of the new terminal in July 2012. In 2012, The Globe and Mail ranked Durrës at no. 1 among 8 exciting new cruise ports to explore. It is one of the largest passenger port on the Adriatic Sea that handle more than 1.5 million passengers per year. The railway station of Durrës is connected to other cities in Albania, including the capital of Tirana , Vlorë , Elbasan and Shkodër . The Durrës–Tiranë railway
13231-562: The other Latin powers that had been established in former Byzantine territories in the wake of the Fourth Crusade, especially Venice , and after a short initial period of military successes, it went into a steady decline due to constant war with Bulgaria to the north and the various Byzantine claimants. Eventually, the Nicene Empire recovered Constantinople and restored the Byzantine Empire under Michael VIII Palaiologos in 1261. The last Latin emperor, Baldwin II , went into exile, but
13362-436: The population, including the local kadı , opted to live further inland, such as in the newly established town of Kavajë , 14 km south of Durrës. The Ottoman chronicler Evliya Çelebi visited Durrës in 1670-71 and noted in his Seyahatname that there were around 150 houses as well as a mosque named after Sultan Bayezid II . The city's economy began to recover from the late 17th century onwards, boosted by profits from
13493-625: The road prior to his campaign of 113 against the Parthians . However, by the 5th century AD the road had largely fallen into disuse as a result of violent instability in the region. A 5th-century historian noted that the western sections of the Via Egnatia were in such a poor state that travellers could barely pass along it. In later years, the Via Egnatia was revived as a key road of the Eastern Roman Empire ; Procopius records repairs made by Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I during
13624-451: The route's length, marking the road for a length of 860 kilometres as far as the border between Macedonia and Thrace. Bilingual inscriptions on the milestones record that Gnaeus Egnatius , proconsul of Macedonia, ordered its construction, though the exact date is uncertain; the road presumably took its name from its builder. It may have succeeded an earlier military road from Illyria to Byzantium, as described by Polybius and Cicero , which
13755-487: The salt mines, which exported salt throughout the Balkan hinterland. According to diplomat and Turkologist François Pouqueville , about 100 Turkish and Greek merchants lived in the city in 1699, exporting 3,000 quintals (300 tons) of beeswax, 15,000 quintals (1,500 tons) of finished cloth, 15,000 pieces of fine leather, and 60-100 ships of wheat, barley, corn and millet to Venice every year despite an official prohibition from
13886-488: The same year. In 1237, Baldwin II attained majority and took over the reins of a much-diminished state. The empire's precarious situation forced him to travel often to Western Europe seeking aid, but largely without success. In order to raise funds, he was forced to resort to desperate means, from removing the lead roofs of the Great Palace and selling them, to handing over his only son, Philip, to Venetian merchants as
14017-428: The situation quickly turned volatile, and while Isaac and Alexios briefly ruled, the crusaders did not receive the payment they had hoped for. In April 1204, they captured and plundered the city's enormous wealth. The crusaders selected their own emperor from among their own ranks, Baldwin of Flanders , and divided the territory of the Byzantine Empire into various new vassal crusader states. The Latin Empire's authority
14148-554: The surrounding coast became a Byzantine province, the Theme of Dyrrhachium , probably in the first decade of the 9th century. Durrës became a Christian city quite early on; its bishopric was created around 58 and was raised to the status of an archbishopric in 449. It was also the seat of an Orthodox metropolitan bishop . The city remained in Byzantine hands until the late 10th century, when control passed to Samuel of Bulgaria , possibly through his marriage with Agatha , daughter of
14279-578: The survival of the Latin Empire as well as the Byzantine successor states the Empire of Nicaea and the Despotate of Epirus . During the first European conquests of Ottoman Turks sol kol (lit. left arm ) was following the Via Egnatia. Today there is a modern highway in Greece that is called Egnatia Odos . It runs in parallel to the Via Egnatia between Thessaloniki and the Turkish border on
14410-424: The time of the foundation of Durrës, two distinct settlements existed on its territory. The first one is a hill site with no direct contact with the sea. It predates the colony and might represent the settlement which held the toponym known as Epidamnos in ancient literature. The hill site overlooks to its south the second site which is the territory of the port of Durrës, where the colony was founded. Its location on
14541-588: The title Emperor of Constantinople may not just have been to appease the Pope and Western Europe, but might also have been used to legitimize the rule of the Latin Emperors in regards to the Byzantines that they ruled. Possession of the city itself was a key legitimizing factor that set the Latin Emperors apart from Byzantine claimants in Nicaea , Trebizond and Thessalonica . After the Sack of Constantinople ,
14672-467: The war, establishing a variety of heavy industries in the area and expanding the port. It became the terminus of Albania's first railway , begun in 1947 ( Durrës–Tiranë railway ). In the late 1980s, the city was briefly renamed Durrës-Enver Hoxha. The city was and continues to remain the center of Albanian mass beach tourism. Following the collapse of communist rule in 1990, Durrës became the focus of mass emigrations from Albania with ships being hijacked in
14803-601: Was "inhabited by Latins, Greeks, perfidious Jews and barbaric Albanians". When the Serbian Tsar Dušan died in 1355, the city passed into the hands of the Albanian family of Thopias . In 1376 the Navarrese Company Louis of Évreux, Duke of Durazzo , who had gained the rights on the Kingdom of Albania from his second wife, attacked and conquered the city, but in 1383 Karl Topia regained control of
14934-736: Was a 38-kilometre (24-mile) railway line which joined the two biggest cities in Albania : Durrës and Tiranë . The line connects to the Shkodër–Vorë railway halfway in Vorë , and to the Durrës–Vlorë railway in Durrës. In 2015, some rail stations and rolling stock along the Durrës-Tiranë line are being upgraded and latter colored red and white. A rail connection between Durrës and Pristina in Kosovo
15065-468: Was attacked by Gentius but he was defeated by the Romans at the same year. For Catullus , the city was Durrachium Hadriae tabernam , "the taberna of the Adriatic", one of the stopping places for a Roman traveling up the Adriatic , as Catullus had done himself in the sailing season of 56. After the Illyrian Wars with the Roman Republic in 229 BC ended in a decisive defeat for the Illyrians,
15196-574: Was briefly occupied by King Milutin of Serbia in 1296. In the thirteenth century, a Jewish community existed in Durrës and was employed in the salt trade . In the early 14th century, the city was ruled by a coalition of Anjous, Hungarians, and Albanians of the Thopia family. In 1317 or 1318, the area was taken by the Serbs and remained under their rule until the 1350s. At that time the Popes, supported by
15327-557: Was concluded in March 1261, and in July 1261 As the one-year truce concluded after the failed Nicaean attack was nearing its end, the general Alexios Strategopoulos was sent with a small advance force of 800 soldiers (most of them Cumans ) to keep a watch on the Bulgarians and spy out the defences of the Latins. When the Nicaean force reached the village of Selymbria , some 30 miles (48 km) west of Constantinople, they learned from some independent local farmers ( thelematarioi ) that
15458-472: Was defeated by the Byzantine Empire of Nicaea in the Battle of Pelagonia . In the 1270s, Durrës was again controlled by Epirus under Nikephoros I Komnenos Doukas , the son of Michael II, who in 1278 was forced to yield the city to Charles d' Anjou ( Charles I of Sicily ). In c. 1273 , it was wrecked by a devastating earthquake (according to George Pachymeres ) but soon recovered. It
15589-419: Was dependent on their consent to rule. The podestà, likewise, was an extremely influential member, being practically independent of the emperor. He exercised authority over the Venetian quarters of Constantinople and Pera and the Venetian dominions within the empire, assisted by a separate set of officials. His role was more that of an ambassador and vicegerent of Venice than a vassal to the empire. The podestà
15720-653: Was established, under the dual supervision of the Latin archbishop of Constantinople and the Papal legate , until the two offices were merged in 1231. Western Catholic religious orders, such as the Cistercians , the Dominicans and the Franciscans were established in the empire. The Orthodox clergy retained its rites and customs, including its right to marriage, but was demoted to a subordinate position, subject to
15851-504: Was forced to cede all his Asian possessions to Nicaea, except for Nicomedia and the territories directly across from Constantinople. Nicaea turned also to the Aegean , capturing the islands awarded to the empire. In 1235, finally, the last Latin possessions fell to Nicaea. Unlike in Asia, where the Latin Empire faced only an initially weak Nicaea, in Europe it was immediately confronted with
15982-575: Was formed and administered on Western European feudal principles, incorporating some elements of the Byzantine bureaucracy . The emperor was assisted by a council, composed of the various barons, the Venetian Podestà of Constantinople and his six-member council. This council had a major voice in the governance of the realm, especially in periods of regency, when the Regent ( moderator imperii )
16113-459: Was granted the title of Governor of One-Fourth and One-Half of the Empire of Romania, and was entitled to wearing the imperial crimson buskins like the emperor. The Latins did not trust the professional Greek bureaucracy , and in the immediate aftermath of the conquest completely dismantled the Greek economic administration of the areas they controlled. The result was disastrous, disrupting all forms of production and trade. Almost from its inception
16244-776: Was immediately challenged by Byzantine rump states led by the Laskaris family (connected to the Angelos dynasty of 1185–1204) in Nicaea and the Komnenos family (which had ruled as Byzantine Emperors 1081–1185) in Trebizond . From 1224 to 1242, the Komnenos Doukas family, also connected to the Angeloi, challenged Latin authority from Thessalonica . The Latin Empire failed to attain political or economic dominance over
16375-488: Was murdered a couple of years later (1207) during a siege of Thessalonica , and the Bulgarian threat conclusively defeated with a victory the following year, which allowed Baldwin's successor, Henry of Flanders , to reclaim most of the lost territories in Thrace until 1210, when peace was concluded with the marriage of Henry to Maria of Bulgaria , tsar Kaloyan's daughter. At the same time, another Byzantine successor state,
16506-536: Was pronounced as /Durrakhion/. This change of the name is already attested in classical literature. Titus Livius, at the end of the first century BC, writes in Ab Urbe Condita Libri that at the time of the Illyrian Wars (roughly 200 years earlier) the city was not known as Dyrrachium, but as Epidamnus. Pomponius Mela , about 70 years later than Titus Livius, attributed the change of the name to
16637-566: Was proposed in 2021, with a feasibility study being prepared in 2022. Latin Empire The Latin Empire , also referred to as the Latin Empire of Constantinople , was a feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire . The Latin Empire was intended to replace the Byzantine Empire as the Western-recognized Roman Empire in
16768-417: Was recorded on 14 August 1957. The lowest temperature of −6.2 °C (20.8 °F) was registered on 26 January 1954. Durrës receives most of the precipitation in winter months and less in summer months. The mean annual precipitation ranges between 1,000 millimetres (39 inches) and 1,273 millimetres (50.1 inches). Durrës is a municipality governed by a mayor–council system with the mayor of Durrës and
16899-537: Was set up. After the disastrous Epirote defeat by the Bulgarians at the Battle of Klokotnitsa , the Epirote threat to the Latin Empire was removed, only to be replaced by Nicaea, which started acquiring territories in Greece. Emperor John III Doukas Vatatzes of Nicaea concluded an alliance with Bulgaria, which in 1235 resulted in a joint campaign against the Latin Empire, and an unsuccessful siege of Constantinople
17030-413: Was the site of the initial Italian landings on 7 April 1939 (and was fiercely defended by Mujo Ulqinaku ) as well as the launch point for the ill-fated Italian invasion of Greece . The city was heavily damaged by Allied bombing during the war and the port installations were blown up by retreating German soldiers in autumn 1944. The Communist regime of Enver Hoxha rapidly rebuilt the city following
17161-549: Was the standard name used for the eastern empire in western sources, such as in papal correspondence, and suggests that the Latin leaders viewed themselves as "taking over" the empire rather than "replacing" it. It would have been difficult for the crusaders to justify referring to the empire as "Roman" considering that Western Europe generally held the Germanic Holy Roman Empire to represent the legitimate Roman Empire. These two conclusions—that for outsiders
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