Antonio made a surprise attack against Attica and captured the lower town of Athens in the first half of 1402. To force him to abandon the siege of the Acropolis, the Senate of Venice ordered Francesco Bembo, Bailo of Negroponte, to invade Boeotia on 22 August. Instead of lifting the siege, Antonio divided his troops in two groups and ambushed the Venetians in a mountain pass, also capturing Bembo before 2 September. Antonio soon returned to Athens to continue the siege of the Acropolis. Fearing an Ottoman invasion, the Senate of Venice appointed Tommaso Mocenigo to take over the command of Negroponte and to start negotiations with Antonio. Antonio refused to make peace and forced the defenders of the Acropolis to surrender in January or February 1403.
