In 1334, the region of Thessaly in Greece rebelled against the Byzantine Empire. The uprising was led by local magnates and was supported by the Serbian ruler Stefan Dušan. The revolt contributed to the weakening of Byzantine power in the Balkans.

The Thessalian uprising was a subject for Byzantine chronicle poetry and later Greek folk songs, which lamented the loss of central control and celebrated local resistance. It contributed to the literary tradition of the 'akritic' songs, which celebrated border heroes and the defense of Christian lands. The event highlighted the fragmentation of the Byzantine Empire and its reflection in vernacular poetry.