Morea

The name borne by the ancient Peloponnesus since the Middle Ages, if not from as early a period as the 4th century; it forms the most southern part of Greece. Morea was overrun by the Goths and Vandals, and became a prey in the second half of the 8th century to bands of Slavic invaders, who found it wasted by war and pestilence. Gradually, however, these barbarians were subdued and Grecianized by the Byzantine emperors. In 1207 Morea was conquered by French knights; part of the country was reconquered in 1261 by the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII. Palæologus; but in 1460 the greater part of the Morea fell into the hands of the Turks, who retained po e ion of it down to the period of the Greek revolution, except from 1687 to 1715, when it was held by the Venetians.