Merope (region)

In the 14th-century Balkans, Merope (Greek: Μερόπη, Bulgarian: Меропа, Meropa) was a subregion of Thrace in modern Northern Greece and southern Bulgaria. The region lay in the western and middle part of the Rhodope Mountains.^[1]

The term is only found in the writings of Byzantine Emperor John VI Kantakouzenos.^[2] Merope extended to the Nestos River in the west and to the town of Gratianopolis in the east.^[3] Bulgarian historian Plamen Pavlov defines Merope as encompassing the course of the Arda River up north until the Chepelare River and including the fortresses Sveta Irina ("Saint Irene") and Podvis.^[4]

In 1343, John VI Kantakouzenos granted Merope to Bulgarian brigand Momchil for his military assistance in the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347.^[2][4] After Momchil changed sides in the civil war and was ultimately defeated by Kantakouzenos in 1345, Merope returned to Byzantine sovereignty.^[5]