Lordship of Chios
Digital Passport
Nomenclature and Geography
Category: Historical
Summary
The Lordship of Chios was established in 1304 by Benedetto I Zaccaria, a Genoese noble, after capturing the island from the Byzantine Empire. It functioned as a virtually independent domain, despite being nominally a Byzantine fief, centered on the Aegean island of Chios. The Zaccaria family ruled until 1329 when the island was reclaimed by the Byzantines with local support.