Coron

Coron (mod. Koroni, Greece) was a port and bishopric on the southeastern tip of the Messenian Peninsula in the Pelo-ponnese, overlooking the Gulf of Messenia.

Coron was originally the site of ancient Asine, which was reoccupied in the seventh century by the inhabitants of classical Korone (mod. Petalidhi), hence the Greek version of its name. The town came under Frankish and subsequently Venetian rule in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1202-1204). It was attacked and besieged by William of Champlitte in 1205 immediately after his occupation of Modon on the other side of the peninsula. Coron surrendered after a short siege and was granted by Champlitte to Geoffrey of Villehardouin, who subsequently became prince of Achaia as Geoffrey I. However, according to the partition treaty agreed upon by the leaders of the crusade in March 1204, Modon and Coron had been assigned to the Venetians. In 1206 they asserted their claim by force, and in the Treaty of Sapienza (1209) Geoffrey ceded both ports to the Venetians in return for their recognition and support in the Morea.

Like Modon, Coron became an important port of call for ships taking pilgrims to the Holy Land. It was first attacked by the Turks in 1421 and was surrendered to them in 1500 after their capture of Modon. The port was occupied once again by the Franks in 1532-1533, when it became the advance base of a Spanish expedition led by Andrea Doria, who attacked Kalamata and Mistra before his expulsion by the Turks. Coron was again occupied by Venetian forces from 1685 to 1715. The castle and cathedral stand immediately west of the present town and contain Byzantine, Frankish, and Turkish features.