The upper town of Butrint was first mentioned in the 3rd to 4th centuries, it also was mentioned as a bishop's see in 457 and 516. During the reign of Leon VI (886-911) Butrint was part of the archdiocese of Naupaktos. Bishop Arsen of Corfu described the region's wealth in fish and oysters. After the dismantling of the First Bulgarian Empire in 1020 Butrint became part of the Archdiocese of Ohrid. In the 11th and 12th century Butrint was under changing rule and involved of the wars of the Byzantines, Normans and Venetians. After the Fourth Crusade in 1204 Butrint became a part of the Despotate of Epirus and became in 1258 part of the realm of Manfred of Hohenstaufen. After Manfreds death Butrint became again part of Epirus and in 1274 of the Byzantine Empire of Michael VIII Palaiologos. In 1278 Epirus again ruled over Butrint but ceded the town to Karl I Anjou in the next year. Only in 1386 Butrint became occupied by Venice and stayed under Venetian rule until the Coalition Wars in 1798.