Battle of Manolada The Battle of Manolada was fought on July 5 , 1316 at Manolada , on the plains of Elis in the Peloponnese . The two leaders were Louis of Burgundy and the Infante Ferdinand of Majorca , both of whom claimed the Principality of Achaea in right of their wives . The defeat and death of Ferdinand ensured the continued Angevin supremacy over Achaea and checked the further movement of his allies , the Catalan Company then occupying the Duchy of Athens . Background . By the terms of the Treaty of Viterbo , the Angevins of the Kingdom of Naples had inherited the Principality of Achaea upon the death of William II Villehardouin in 1278 . They had , for some time , granted it to William ' s older daughter , Isabella of Villehardouin , to rule . However , they remained feudal overlords of the Principality and retook in 1307 , due to the misgovernment of Isabelle ' s husband Philip of Savoy . In 1312 , on the death of Isabelle , her younger sister , Margaret , claimed the Principality under the terms of her father ' s will , which conflicted with the Treaty of Viterbo . The Angevins , as part of a complex marital pact and transfer of rights , arranged the marriage of Isabelle ' s eldest daughter , Matilda of Hainaut , to Louis of Burgundy in 1313 , and invested the couple with the Principality . Margaret of Villehardouin , for her own part , arranged the marriage of her daughter , Isabelle de Sabran , to Ferdinand of Majorca , a member of the House of Aragon and opponent of the Angevins . Prelude . Ferdinand arrived in the Principality first , in mid - 1315 , near the port city Glarentza , which he took after an early setback . In the following weeks , he proceeded to conquer the plain of Elis , including Andravida , the capital of the Principality , a conquest which he considered complete by 17 August 1315 . It was another few months before Louis was even on his way to the Principality , first stopping in Venice to procure more aid against the usurper . In the meantime , Louis ' wife , Matilda of Hainaut , travelled directly to the Principality , whereupon she was greeted by a number of local lords , including John I Orsini , the count of Cephalonia , and Nicholas of Dramolay , the baron of Chalandritsa , who repudiated their earlier oaths to Ferdinand and declared for her . In response , Ferdinand attacked and conquered Chalandritsa , but failed to do the same at Patras . It was not long after this that the forces of Ferdinand engaged the forces of Margaret at the Battle of Picotin , which saw the former victorious . It was about this time that Louis finally arrived in the Principality . After an unsuccessful attempt to capture the castle of Chalandritsa from Ferdinand , Louis moved to Patras , where his troops were reinforced by Byzantine forces sent by the governor of Mistra , Michael Kantakouzenos . For his own part , Ferdinand expected reinforcements from the Catalans in the Duchy of Athens and from Majorca , but rather than retreat to Glarentza to await their arrival , he determined to give battle . Description . At the first onset , the Majorcan troops broke the first Burgundian line , commanded by John Orsini , count of Cephalonia . However , the second line , under the direct command of Louis , crushed the Majorcan charge , and Ferdinand was knocked from his horse and inadvertently slain before he could be taken prisoner . As a result , the morale of his troops collapsed , and many fled towards Glarentza . Aftermath . John II de Nivelet had gone over to Ferdinand ' s side , and was executed on the field as a traitor by Louis . The head of Ferdinand was displayed before the gates of Glarentza , still held against Louis , the next day . The reinforcements sent by the Catalan Company had reached Vostitsa by the time of the battle , but returned to Athens on the news of Ferdinand ' s death . Troops from Majorca arrived by sea at Glarentza ten days later , and proposed holding the city in the name of Ferdinand ' s son James , but , with the aid of bribes , were eventually persuaded to surrender the city to Louis . However , Louis did not long enjoy his victory , dying only four weeks after the battle , leaving the 22 - year - old , twice widowed Matilda ruler of the crumbling Principality . Analysis . It is believed that had Ferdinand not been checked , the House of Aragon and its Catalan troops would have acquired Achaea , as well as Athens . His death , followed by the long minority and tumultuous career of James , would effectively end the threat posed to the Angevins by the claims of Margaret Villehardouin .