Damalas

The House of Zaccaria-Damalà, or commonly Damalas, (pl. Damalas; Damalà, Δαμαλάς, pl. Δαμαλάδες) is a Genoese-Byzantine noble House established in the 14th century; originating from the island of Chios during the first Genoese occupation. It was created as the result of the marriage between a sister of Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos with Benedetto I Zaccaria, causing this branch of the Zaccaria to grow roots in Byzantium and subsequently the Principality of Achaea through the Barony of Damalà.

There is also an unrelated Byzantine family named Damalas/Damalis, which is seen as early as 1230 in the Thracesian Theme of the Eastern Roman Empire. Descendants of this unrelated family were also settled in Chios as well as Kos.

The Barony of Damalà
The introduction of "Damalà" began in the early 14th century as a title, with Martino Zaccaria, then the third Lord of Chios and the surrounding Aegean, receiving the Barony of Damalà in 1315. Martino had four sons, Bartolomeo with his first wife of the House of Ghisi, and Centurione, Octaviano, and Manfredo with his second wife Jacqueline de la Roche. Bartolomeo died in 1334, and though he had a daughter, Marulla, the House of Zaccaria observed Salic Law which only allowed for male succession. Thus his eldest brother Centurione succeeded him as Baron of Damalà; held by Bartolomeo since 1317. He was also given control of his father's other possessions in Morea sometime during Martino's imprisonment. This began the dynastic struggle of the local baronies on the death of Philip of Taranto.

In thirteenth and fourteenth century medieval France, a Baron was a lower member of the nobility. However, in the Principality of Achaea (or Morea), Barons (barones et nobiles Achaye) were high lords equal to the Prince, that was regarded as first among equals (primus inter pares). They had the right to mint coinage, administer justice in their own domains, build castles, and participate in the High Court of the Principality. The Prince couldn't punish a baron without the lawful consent of the other liege barons. According to the Chronicle of Morea, the original baronies were twelve, including Chalandritsa and Veligosti (Veligurt), whose fief was the city of Damalà. After the fall of Veligosti, Damalà would become the center of the barony, ruled by the Zaccarias, due to the marriage of its sovereign Baroness Jacqueline de la Roche and Martino Zaccaria. By supporting Robert of Taranto son of Philip, Centurione obtained the recognition of his sovereignty and the confirmation of his rights; violated several times in the past by the Angevin princes. His father Martino had continued the system of alliances through the marriages of his own children. Bartolomeo married Guglielma Pallavicini, who had brought the Marquisate of Bodonitsa as a dowry. Centurione married a daughter of the Epitropos (Stewart) of Morea, Andronikos Asen, son of Bulgarian Tsar Ivan Asen III and Irene Palaiogina. This Asenina lady brought to Centurione the regions of Lysarea and Maniatochorion. Through this marriage, the descendants of Centurione also professed to be descended from the major aristocratic houses of Constantinople, such as the Palaiologoi, while holding ties with the Kantakouzenoi, as empress Irene Asenina, sister of the Asenina of Centurione was married to John VI Kantakouzenos, emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire. After the union of Centurione and this Asenina, the House of Zaccaria started to practice Orthodox rite weddings until the time of John Asen Zaccaria.

After spending eight years in captivity for defying the emperor in 1329, Martino was released from his imprisonment. This was only permissible upon the condition that he swear an oath to remain in Genoa, through the intervention of Pope Benedict XII and Philip VI of France in 1337. He swore to never again, by word or deed, oppose the empire. He was then treated favorably by the emperor though, whom gave him the military command of "Protokomes of Chios," as well as a few castles as compensation for his losses. This command would be succeeded by his second son Centurione.

The Zaccarias gained imperial favor once again, with Martino leading a crusade to retake coastal lands of Anatolia; but this ended with his demise in 1345. Upon his father's death, Centurione inherited the barony of Chalandritsa, the naval command of Protocomes of Chios, and the fortresses of Stamira and Lysaria; already possessing the title of Damalà since 1334. These improved relations with the Byzantines were cultivated by Centurione, with his return to Chios as Protocome. He reclaimed his paternal estates and jointly exploited the lands of Chios and Phocea with a few Genoese nobles whom the emperor had entrusted. These were the Ziffo, Corressi, Argenti, Agelasto.

The Genoese repossession of Chios
Imperial rule in Chios was brief. In 1346, a chartered company controlled by the Giustiniani called "Maona di Chio e di Focea," was set up in Genoa to reconquer and exploit Chios and the neighboring town of Phocaea in Asia Minor. Although the inhabitants firmly rejected an initial offer of protection, the island was invaded by a Genoese fleet led by Admiral Simone Vignoso; the castle was besieged.

Centurione did not wait for the arrival of the diplomats, sent by the Empress Anna in order to negotiate with those under Vignoso. He mounted a resistance to the siege, however after several months had to surrender the island to prevent starvation due to a naval blockade; though he did not sign a capitulation. Prior to the surrender being formalized, drafted by a "I.N. of Agios Nikolaos," he escaped with a few of his sailors and headed for friendly territory in New Phocaea; in order to organize an operation to retake the island of Chios.

Two treaties were drafted, the first treaty regarding the surrender of Chios, included an amnesty to the Zaccaria family. However, when Centurione did not return to Chios, Vignoso sailed to New Phocaea and eventually achieved its surrender on the twelfth of September, 1346. Thus a second treaty was signed for New Phocaea, where the admiral revoked amnesty for Centurione and his family. It forbade them from residing, owning property or interfering in the governance of Chios or both Phocaeas. This was either not strictly observed or excluded women since a "Jane Zaccaria" is recorded as a witness to a property sale on the fourteenth of June, 1348. While Centurione resigned, the rest of Chios was given favorable terms. All the privileges granted by chrysobulls of Byzantine emperors, as well as the religious freedom of Orthodox Christians in Chios. Centurione is recorded as the "Protocomes Damala" in this treaty.

From then, Centurione lived both in his Barony of Damalà and Galata; where in 1352 he signed as a witness "the first among the latins" to the treaty with Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos.

The Morean era of the Zaccarias
Centurione and his descendants ruled his father's possessions in Morea after their expulsion from Chios. The Barony of Damalà seems to be lost to the Byzantines in the 1380s, since his eldest son and grandson are only mentioned with it in a titular fashion. This oldest son was recorded as "Andronikos Asano de Damala". There are less sources for his presumed three brothers though: Filippo, Manuele and Martino. It is possible that Martino could have been the same person as Manuele as he does not appear in most genealogical records; he is known only from his participation in the Battle of Gardiki in 1375. Filippo and Manuele are documented through their marriages to prominent women of the time. Filippo married the heiress of Rhiolo in Achaea, and Manuele to Eliana Cattaneo.

Andronikos acted as a Bailee of Achaea for a short time, when Centurione travelled to Naples the court of Queen Joanna I. After 1386 he inherited the Barony of Chalandritsa and the title of the Grand Constable of Achaea, becoming one of the most powerful men inside the Principality. He was wed to Catherine Le Maure, the eldest daughter of Erard III Le Maure and heiress to the great Barony of Arcadia and Saint-Sauveur. Through this marriage the Zaccarias added the coveted Le Maure inheritance to their domains.

Andronikos had four children: Centurione II, Stephen, Erard IV and Benedict. Centurione being the eldest, inherited his father's titles. Stephen was later appointed by Centurione as Latin Archbishop of Patras, a clerical position that he would hold until his demise in 1424. Erard inherited the maternal Barony of Arcadia, but seems to have died before 1404 as Centurione succeeded him as Baron by then. Benedict is recorded being alive in 1418, at Glarentza, when the forces of Olivier Franco besieged the city where Benedict was imprisoned.

Maria -the only daughter of Centurione I- married the Prince of Achaea, Pedro de San Superano, the leader of the Navarrese Company from the year 1386 and the de facto Prince of Achaea until 1402. After his death she ruled Morea on behalf of her son as reigning princess until 1404, when they were dismissed by King Ladislaus of Naples for failing to make the payment promised by Prince Pedro for the Principality. With the proper homage not paid to King Ladislaus as part of this initial transaction, Maria's nephew and eldest son of Andronikos, Centurione II Zaccaria succeeded the children of Prince Pedro as per Salic Law. It had already been arranged that Centurione would pay the large sum owed of Prince Pedro for the principality, and so on the twentieth of April, 1404, he was invested with Achaea as a hereditary principality and ascended the throne as its sovereign.

Centurione married an unknown lady of the prestigious Asen-Palaiologos House and the Tzamblakon family, recorded in the Chronicle of Toccos as "the princess" on more than one occasion. From this union, Centurione had at least four children: John Asen Zaccaria, Catherine Zaccaria, Martino and another unknown princess that he offered as a bride to the adventurer Oliver Franco in 1418, after he seized the great port-city of Glarentsa. In 1429, the forces of Thomas Palaiologos besieged Centurione inside Chalandritsa, the prince resisted for some time but eventually he surrendered. He was forced to marry his daughter Catherine to Thomas Palaiologos, brother of the last emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, Constantine XI Palaiologos.

Sometime around 1446, his eldest son John (Giovanni) rose against the despot and his brother-in-law Thomas Palaiologos, along with the Albanian chief Bochalis Leontaris, in a time when the Albanian influence in Morea grew quite formidable. Upon his uprising, he was proclaimed Prince of Achaea by Greek magnates and had the eagle as his emblem with the city of Aetos as his seat. Within a year though, Giovanni was defeated by the combined forces of then despots Constantine and Thomas Palaiologos. He was subsequently imprisoned with his eldest son and wife Magdalene Tocco by Thomas in Chlemoutsi castle, leaving these dangerous remnants of the previous dynasty to waste away.

Giovanni nor his son died there as anticipated, and instead in 1453 convinced their guard to release them during a widespread revolt against the Despots. To secure his release he married his daughter to the Lord of Chlemoutsi; the name of this Zaccaria princess does not survive. He was congratulated and recognized by many western rulers, namely Pope Nicholas V, King Alfonso V of Naples, and the Venetian Doge Francesco Foscari; titling him "Prince Centurione III." The confirmation of his princely title by Naples was of great significance as the Kingdom of Naples was the feudal overlord of the Principality of Achaea since 1267 with the Treaty of Viterbo between Charles I of Anjou and William II of Villehardouin. After his escape, Giovanni gained the support of many Latins, Greeks and Albanians and besieged Thomas inside the city of Patras. His campaign was initially successful, until Turkish troops came to the aid of Thomas by his request. Giovanni was then defeated by the Ottomans under Turahan Bey after a rule of roughly one and a half years.

Giovanni escaped capture and found refuge with the Venetians in Methoni, where he remained for a period of about three years. In 1456, he retired under King Alfonso of Naples and received an annuity from Venice; he lost this though when he relocated to Genoa in 1459. There the Doge wrote him a letter of recommendation to Pope Paul II for support. In September 1461 after moving to Rome, the Pope granted him a monthly pension of twenty florins as the Prince of Morea (Achaea) until his death in 1469.

Start of Damalà as a surname
The precise descendance from Zaccaria to strictly Damalà comes from the line of Giovanni's eldest son, Antonio. By the time of Giovanni's imprisonment only five members of the family remained: Giovanni, his two sons and daughter, and his sister Catherine. His eldest son Antonio was imprisoned with him in Chlemoutsi Castle, while his younger son Angelo is first seen passing through Genoa in 1448 and paid tribute as the grandson of Prince Centurione II by the Doge and nobility. He is later seen in Galata before and during the siege of Constantinople in 1453.

There is no record of Angelo having progeny, however Antonio had a son named Pietro Antonio that is recorded with his father regarding the church of St. Paul in Galata which was on land that the family owned. Pietro's line died out within two subsequent generations while the line of Pietro's brother Giovanni—named after his grandfather—is the line that continues to this day. The definite transition that drops the territorial designation of "de" to simply "Damalà", is recorded in the 16th century when his son Antonio Damalà (1498–1578) is given a fief by the Duke of Naxos, John IV Crispo; this was the establishment of a feudal relationship between the two and to this day the village is named Damala. The father of Antonio is listed as "Zaccaria de Damalà," which is now known to be Giovanni through catholic baptismal records regarding his grandchildren; archived on the island of Tinos. With this, Antonio becomes the first recorded Latin Damalà.

Antonio played an important role in preventing the conquest of Naxos by the Turks. Giacomo IV Crispo, whom succeeded his father John after his death, sent Antonio to Constantinople in 1564 as ambassador to ask for the Sultan's mercy in order to recognize him. This is something that Antonio seems to have achieved, as the relevant firman was issued on 29 April 1565.

When in Constantinople, Antonio had becomes friends with the Sultan's son-in-law, Grand Admiral Piali Pasha. For this reason, when Piali Pasha occupied Chios in 1566, he invited him to settle there and at the same time gave him his ancestral estates that the Maona took from the Zaccaria. Upon arriving in Chios Antonio took over lands in Volissos, Kardamyla, Delfini, Lagkada, Kalamoti, Kampos and the Dafnonas tower. After 1566, Antonio lived in the tower where he also owned the "Stratigato" and the "Damalà" estates, whose churches he renovated. These churches were Panagia Coronata and Sotira. These two churches, fortified towers, and manor house were all severely damaged during the 1822 massacre of Chios and subsequently damaged further by the earthquake of 1881. To this day there is an area of Dafnonas called "τού Δαμαλά" (belonging to Damalà) at the "Stratigato".

Starting with Antonio, this Genoese-Byzantine family appears in the genealogical records of Chios all bearing the surname "Damalà." The family was recorded as one of the remaining noble Houses of Genoese origin by Giovanni Battista de Burgo in his 1686 visit to the island. Through the intermarrying with the ethnically Greek nobility, this was eventually Hellenized to "Δαμαλάς" (Damalas) by the 19th century, as males all bear an "S" at the end of their surnames in Greek. This transition would have especially been solidified after the Chios massacre of 1822, which was effectively a great reset to the island.

It is important to note that during the time the family reestablished itself on Chios, it was common for servants to adopt the name of their Lord. Therefore, there must be a distinguishment between the modern day descendants of these servants and the patrilineal descendants of the Zaccaria de Damalà. There are also the descendants of the older Byzantine Damalas family, which complicates matters further. In response, author and historian Dimitri Lainas conducted a study in 2006. This compiled the most recent seven generations of the family by that time and it was published in Pelinnaeo Magazine.

Struggles and Prominence in the 19th Century
The Damalà abruptly lost their favorable position during the 1822 massacre, along with the other noble Houses of Chios. Ioannis Zanni Damalà, who was the governor of the island at the time, was beheaded in the capital of Chios. There was also irreparable damage done to centuries old estates.

Over the following decades the family would reemerge as an influential force in the region. The House was recognized by the first King of modern Greece, as King Otto I and Queen Amalia made successive visits to the primary estate of the House; first in 1846 and again in 1850.

Some notable figures of this era are seen with the shipping magnate and twice mayor Ambrosios Ioannou Damalà, the mayor of Chios from 1878 to 1882 Ioannis Zanni Damalà and Artisides (Jacques) Damalà standing out in history.

The latter married the French superstar Sarah Bernhard. On one occasion during their marriage, the famous author of Dracula, Bram Stoker, dined with Damalà backstage at the Lyceum, he noted:

"I sat next to him at supper, and the idea that he was dead was strong on me. I think he had taken some mighty dose of opium, for he moved and spoke like a man in a dream. His eyes, staring out of his white, waxen face, seemed hardly the eyes of the living."

Later in 1897, Stoker acknowledged that Damalà was one of his models for Count Dracula.

After the death of Aristides, Bernhardt wore mourning clothes for a year, as was Catholic custom, and she never renounced his last name, which she had hyphenated with her own. For a while, she insisted on being called "the widow Damalà." She even sculpted a funerary bust of him which is on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

House of Zaccaria-Damalà in modern day
The House remains one of the most prominent in Chios; being attested by all Chios historians of the past, including more recent figures such as Konstantinos Amantos and Nikos Perris.

While the members are few, the Damalas have made efforts in recent years to regain former notoriety. In 2012, Anastasia Damala formed the philanthropic Damalas Foundation which hosts intellectual seminars on the sciences, philosophy, current events and history. These events are held in an 8-story building in Piraeus that is owned by the family, which houses a library, museum, chapel, several offices and 2 conference halls.

The foundation also has operations in Chios, within one of their ancestral homes, directly across from Kamenos Pyrgos. Notably, this home is on land that has been held since their Zaccaria ancestors acquired it and constructed Kamenos Pyrgos.

In 2023, a new genealogical study was conducted regarding the Agnatic descendants of Martino Zaccaria de Chios e Damalà, the first and historic Head of the Zaccaria de Damalà branch that took hold in the Principality of Achaea; after his marriage to Jacqueline de La Roche. As per Salic Law, which has been observed to be the family's de facto law of succession throughout history, the most senior male-line descendant of Martino is the current legitimate Head of the House by dynastic standards. According to the aforementioned study this leads to Constantine Damalas (b. 1992).

Church of the Holy Apostles
The Church of the Holy Apostles is a late Byzantine church located in Pyrgi, the largest medieval village of Chios. It is one of the best preserved examples of Byzantine architecture in Greece. The church originally existed as one of the personal shrines of the Damalas family, from which it is believed Pyrgi was built around. In the late Byzantine period, population centers began around churches with a tower and manor house. As such, the church is situated just northeast of the village's main square.

Holy Apostles is a small reproduction of the katholicon (main church) of Nea Moni, being richly decorated outside with brick patterns. The interior is completely covered with frescoes painted by Antonios Kenygos of Crete, in 1665. An inscription over the main entrance of the church tells us that monk Symeon of the Damalas family, who eventually became the metropolitan bishop of Chios, raised the church "from its foundations" in 1564. This most likely refers to an extensive renovation, since its architectural and morphological features indicate that it was constructed in the middle of the 14th century.

It is likely that the original church was destroyed in one of the great earthquakes of 1546, and thus 18 years later, Symeon came to it in ruins. Under the property law at the time, it would have belonged to his family and would have been his obligation to rebuild it.

The manor house and fortified tower that accompanied the church were destroyed like many structures in the 1881 Chios earthquake.

Notable members

 * Martino Zaccaria de Chios e Damalà, Lord of Chios, first Zaccaria high lord - Baron of Damalà in the Principality of Achaea and titular "King and Despot of Asia Minor".
 * Bartolomeo Zaccaria de Damalà, Marquis of Bodonitsa.
 * Centurione I Zaccaria de Damala, Baron of Damala - Chalandritsa - Estamira in the Principality of Achaea, Bailee for the Angevin Kings of Naples, mid 14th century.
 * Andronikos Asen Zaccaria de Damala, Baron of Chalandritsa - Arcadia - Estamira, titular Baron of Damala, Great Constable of Achaea; late 14th century.
 * Marulla Zaccaria Pallavicini, daughter of Bartolomeo, Lady of Aerina & Salamis
 * Maria II Zaccaria, Princess of Achaea in her own right, 1402–1404.
 * Centurione II Zaccaria, Prince of Achaea; 1404–1429, Baron of Chalandritsa, Titular Baron of Damala, Baron of Arcadia until 1432.
 * John Asen Zaccaria, Prince of Achaea 1453–1454, last legitimate Prince rulling from Morea
 * Symeon Damalas, Bishop of Chios; mid 16th century.
 * Loucas Damalas, Voivode of Mykonos; late 17th century.
 * Ioannis Zanni Damalas, Governor of Chios; early 19th century.
 * Konstantinos Damalas, Greek revolutionary during the Greek war of independence; early 19th century.
 * Ambrosios Ioannou Damalas, Shipping magnate and Mayor of Hermoupolis from 1853 to 1862.
 * Aristides Damalas, Diplomat, military officer, actor, socialite and husband of Sarah Bernhardt; late 19th century.
 * Nicolaos Damalas, Theologian and university professor; mid to late 19th century.
 * Ioannis Zanni Damalas, Mayor of Chios from 1878 to 1882.
 * Pavlos Damalas, Commercial agent and politician, Mayor of Piraeus from 1903 to 1907 and founder of the Erete Sports Club
 * Tereza Damala, Socialite, lover of Ernest Hemingway and Prince Gabriele D'Annunzio, model of Pablo Picasso in the early 20th century. Subject of the historical novel "Tereza", by Freddy Germanos.
 * Mikes Damalas, cinematographer; mid 20th century.
 * Antonios Damalas, Scientist, professor, researcher and writer; mid-late 20th century.
 * Anastasia Damala, philanthropist and founder of the Damalas Foundation.
 * Constantine Zaccaria-Damalà, current Head of the House Zaccaria-Damalà.