The East Romans, called Byzantines by historians, war with with the Ottoman Turks from 1302.

The imperial government hires the Catalan Company after a defeat in the Battle of Bapheus.

The Catalans follow a series of victories against the Turks by turning against Constantinople following the murder of their leader.

The Company proceeds to devastate the regions of Thrace and Macedonia for the next two years, including an attack on Thessalonica by land and sea, and raids against the monasteries on Mount Athos.

The Athonite monks had allowed no Catalans on the Athos peninsula until recently, but this situation has change in the past few year following the payment of reparations by the Catalan government.

The Catalans, haarassed by the imperial army under the general Chandrenos, eventually leave Macedonia and make for Thessaly.

They take control of the duchy of Athens and conquer the city of Thebes by 1311.