 The Maniots caused damage to the Ottomans by allying with the Venetians whenever there was a war between Venice and the Ottomans.They also practiced piracy.The Ottomans had invaded Mani twice in the fifteen years prior to the 1815 invasion, and had dealt with the powerful Grigorakis clan, but now they decided to invade the Grigorakis' home town of Skoutari.