Frankokratia

The Frankish Occupation, also known as the Latin Occupation (Λατινοκρατία, Latinokratía) and, for the Venetian domains, Venetian Occupation, were the collection of primarily French and Italian states, fiefs and colonies that were established by the Partitio terrarum imperii Romaniae on the territory of the partitioned Byzantine Empire following the Sack of Constantinople of 1204 during the Fourth crusade.

The terms Frankokratia and Latinokratia derive from the name of "Franks" given by the Orthodox Greeks to the Western French and Italians who originated from territories that once belonged to the Frankish Empire, as this was the political entity that ruled much of the former Western Roman Empire after the collapse of Roman authority and power. The span of the Frankokratia period differs by region: the political situation proved highly volatile, as the Frankish states fragmented and changed hands, and the Greek successor states re-conquered many areas.

While the Byzantine Empire itself was restored in 1261, many Greek areas nonetheless remained under the control of "Franks", especially of Venetians, as late as the Ottoman conquest. They were gradually captured by the Ottomans in the 14th to 17th centuries. The Ionian Islands and some islands or forts remained in Venetian hands until the turn of the 19th century.