of Thessaly, Nikephoros took over the region in Spring 1356, and advanced on Epirus. He chased out Dušan's brother Simeon Uroš (who had married Nikephoros' sister Thomais) from Arta and asserted his control over the cities of the region. The countryside, however, had been overrun by the Albanian clans and was effectively impossible to control. To strengthen his position and avert a Serbian reaction, Nikephoros set aside his wife Maria Kantakouzene and prepared to marry Theodora of Bulgaria, the sister of Dušan's widow Helena, who governed Serbia for her son. However, Maria was popular and her husband was forced to recall her by the Epirote nobility. Nikephoros also entered into negotiations with his brother-in-law Simeon Uroš. Soon after recalling his wife, Nikephoros was killed in 1359 while fighting against the Albanians in the Battle of Achelous in Aetolia. Family By his marriage to Maria Kantakouzene, Nikephoros II may have had at least one son: Manuel, who may be identical to Antony Kantakouzenos, a monk at Meteora in 1404. References 1328 births 1359 deaths 14th-century despots of Epirus Christians of the Crusades Orsini family Monarchs deposed as children Medieval child monarchs 14th-century Byzantine people 14th-century rulers in Europe Greek people of Italian descent Panhypersebastoi