Chio dei Genovesi tra rivolta Maonese, Corsari catalani ed attacchi veneziani

Abstract

Giovanni Stella, the most important XVth Century genoese chroni­cler, whose chronicle relates the events from 1408 to 1435, hardly ever makes any reference to the genoese Levant. Nevertheless, in three of the passages of his chronicle, he demonstrates a high capacity of interpretation of the genoese events in the Eastern Mediterranean. These passages are much more than a mere account of facts, because the author offers us even an attentive evaluation of the events. The Giovanni Stella's Chronicle pas­sages are referred to the isle of Chios -that is considered by Stella as the most important centre of the genoese presence in the Levant-, and deal on the following subjects: the revolution of the "maonesi" of Chios in 1408; a catalane expedition against Chios in 1411, followed by the genoese counte­roffensive that pursued the catalan ships to Alexandria (Syria), without great success; and, finally, a venetian expedition against Chios in 1431.