Helios Panoptes said:
I loaded up 1337 to see what its holdings are; Mistra (Sparta) is the capitol, then Monemvasa, Arcadia and
Gythio, which is on the Mani Peninsula (albiet 600 years too late for Hellenism). So I'm not sure what's up.
That was a tiny village (19th century population of 500) in the Late Medieval era. It was an ancient city destroyed by invading Slavs and Goths, only rebuilt much later.
The general point is that there is a castle of some historical significance that existed there in the earliest start dates which could act as a barony for a single Hellenic ruler to have their court and carry on their lineage. Basil made an active effort to convert the Maniotes and he did, but if he did not, they likely would have continued as they were. The only reason they existed as Hellenes at all is because it was fairly isolated from the mainstream Byzantine consciousness, even if there was a castle there.
Also, Mistra isn't Sparta. As said earlier, Sparta was all but extinct in the Middle Ages. Mistra is another name for Mystras, the main Palaiologos center of administration in Southern Greece. It became the capital of the Despotate of Morea, which is what the Byzantines became after the Ottomans captured Constantinople and usurped the title of Roman Empire officially (the Patriarch of Constantinople crowning Mehmet included)
