Passavas

Passavas is a castle in the Mani Peninsula built by the Frankish crusaders to keep the unruly Maniots subdued. Passavas was in Frankish hands from 1261 when William II Villehardouin, Prince of Achaia was defeated by Michael VIII Palaeologus at the battle of Pelagonia in Macedonia. After the battle William was captured and held hostage. A condition of his ransom was that he give up the castles of Mistra, Grande Maina and Passavas to the Byzantine Empire. During its occupation by the Byzantines Passavas didn't play a big role. In 1460 when the Ottomans invaded Morea (today's Peloponnese) only Mani resisted and remained free. The Turks sent a garrison to Passavas to keep an eye on the Maniots. In 1601 the garrison was taken by surprise by a raiding Spanish fleet and sacked. It was soon resettled.. In the 1770-80 one of Mani's beys were beheaded by the Turks. His mother urged the population of Skoutari to take revenge. On Easter Sunday some armed men entered Passavas castle dressed as priests. As soon as they entered the stronghold they took out their hidden weapons and massacred the Turkish population. Not one Turk escaped. Since then Passavas has had no people live inside its walls.