August 6, 1384 Earthquake: Lesbos, Greece

1384 Aug 06. A destructive earthquake in the island of Lesvos and adjacent parts of Asia Minor. Almost all the houses in the island and the castle of Mytilini collapsed, killing a large number of people including the ruler of the island. Continuing aftershocks and a severe thunderstorm completed the destruction, which was still visible many years after the event. (reference #14000)

1383 Aug 06. Mytilene. This was a locally damaging earthquake at Mytilene on the island of Lesvos. The earthquake was preceded by a foreshock in the middle of the afternoon and caused towers to rock from side to side, without damage. The main shock followed at about midnight during a thunderstorm, causing the collapse of the tower built on high ground in the castle of Mytilene and the death of the Genoese governor of Lesvos, Francesco Gateluzo, and two of his three sons, who perished in its ruins. No other losses caused by the combined effects of the storm and earthquake are mentioned in the sources except that continuing earthquakes brought about the collapse of houses in the town and the loss of many lives. Another version of what happened does not mention the thunderstorm and attributes the collapse of the tower and damage to the earthquake. It adds that the third son of the governor survived because he was thrown out of the tower, presumably before the structure collapsed. He was found in the morning lying by the windmills near the castle. It sounds more likely that the young man was blown off the tower by the high winds before the structure fell down. This was a tall structure built on a very windy hilltop, which was also chosen as a site at which to build windmills. Still another source does not mention the thunderstorm explicitly and says that the first earthquake took place in the middle of the afternoon and caused apparently no damage. However, the main second shock, which happened after midnight, caused destruction, killing 40 Genoese, including the governor and his attendants. The remains of the governor and his two sons were interred in the church of St John the Baptist, which was apparently not damaged. It is reasonable to assume that the collapse of the tower of the castle of Mytilene was caused by the violent thunderstorm (Paschalis 1930, 26), and that the overall damage in the town of Mytilene was serious, but rather localised, being still visible in September 1403 when Clavijo visited the island (Clavijo 23/28). It had no detrimental consequences to Mytilene, which continued to flourish. There is no evidence that the earthquake caused other damage on the island or on the mainland, and it is not known whether it was felt elsewhere. It may be classed as one of those events which excited widespread interest in local chronicles on account of the death of the Genoese governor of Lesvos and of its political consequences rather than because of special violence or widespread destruction. A full review of the sources mentioning this earthquake, which does not change the essence of the above, is given by Evangelatou-Notara (1993, 77–83). Some modern sources date this event a year later (Lampros 1910a, 144–145; Lampros 1910b, 343–344; Schreiner 1977, ii. 327).

1384 August. Midilli at Lesbos. Intensity VII (reference #1071)

1384 August. Lesbos, Agean Sea. 500 dead (reference #1002)

1384 August. Asia Minor, at Mytilene, 500 perished (reference #1055)