The memorial plaque inside the medieval castle of Chlemoutsi - one of Greece’s best preserved- reads: "Anna Komnene, third and last spouse of William (Guillaume) II of Villehardouin, 4 January 1286."

William was a mighty Ruler of the principality of Achaea in the Peloponnese, a stronghold of Frankish Rule in Greece. His father was rewarded with the privilege of lordship for his contribution to the Latin Empire’s fight against the Byzantines. Anna was William’s wife and daughter of the Ruler of one of the successor Byzantine states emerging after the Fourth Crusade in 1204.

The Castle was renovated a few years back and its story is told through  its permanent exhibition: The time of the Knights – A history of the Crusaders of the Peloponnese. The name itself, Chlemoutsi, is probably a translation of its original French name, Clermont.

It was built by William’s father in 1220 as a way to control the land and sea routes of the area, and on a clear day, one can see the islands of Zakynthos and Kefalonia facing the Peloponnese. Chlemoutsi resembles French castles in both architecture and decoration.

See also: The Chlemoutsi castle on Pinterest & Mythical Peloponnese: Medieval Castles