Principality of Albania (medieval)

The Principality of Albania (Albanian: Principata e Arbërisë) was an Albanian principality ruled by the Albanian dynasty of Thopia.^[1] The first notable ruler was Tanusio Thopia, who was Count of Mat since 1328. The principality changed hands between the Thopia dynasty and the Balsha dynasty, twice before 1392, when Durrës was annexed by the Republic of Venice. The principality would last up until 1415, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire.

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History

Reign of Tanusio Thopia

The principality emerged with Tanusio Thopia, mentioned first in 1329 as the count of Albania.^[2]^[3] In an act of Robert, King of Naples,^[4] dated 15 April 1338,^[5] Tanusio was mentioned as Count of Matia (conte di Matia).^[6] This reconfirmed Thopia's relations to the Angevins from the time of Philip I.^[5] By 1340 the Thopia controlled much of the territory between the rivers Mati and Shkumbin rivers. Together with the Muzaka family, they agreed to recognize Angevin suzerainty after rebelling against the Serbs. However except for Andrea Muzaka who defeated the Serbs in a battle in the Peristeri mountains, no action was taken to realize the treaty with the Angevins.^[7]

By 1345, Serbian King Stefan Dušan had conquered almost all of Albania, except for Durazzo which remained under Angevin-Albanian rule.^[8] After Stefan Dusan's death in 1355 Thopia family regained its domains and ruled most of central Albania.

Reign of Karl Thopia

In 1359, Tanusio died and Karl Thopia succeeded him. The Thopias became prominent in the 1350s and 60s, expanding their holdings and subjugating local nobles and tribes. In 1363, Karl captured Kruja and shortly also territories around Durazzo, however the city itself would remain under Angevin rule.^[9] Since 1362, he sought to capture Durrës, which was in the possession of the Duchess Johanna of Anjou. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Thopia had to withdraw his troops, who were weakened by an epidemic disease. Karl was ultimately able to conquer Durrës in March of 1368. This was the last hold of the Angevins in Albania, thus putting an end to the medieval Kingdom of Albania. Karl forged close ties with Venice and gained their support, who recognized him as Prince of Albania.^[1]^[10]

Later decades

Balša II made a fourth attempt to conquer Durrës, which had become an important commercial and strategic center. In 1382, Balša II began a war and seized Durrës. In 1385, the defeated Karl Thopia, appealed to Murad I for support against his rivals, the House of Balšić of the Principality of Zeta. This was the equivalent of inviting the Ottoman Empire into Albania in order to help him defeat his rivals of the Balšić family.

This attempt caused an Ottoman force, led by Hayreddin Pasha, to quickly march into Albania along the Via Egnatia. The Ottoman force routed the Balšas by inflicting heavy defeats on Balša II's forces. Balša II himself was killed in a big battle on Saurian Field (Serbian: Saurijsko Polje) near Lushnje (Battle of Savra) in 1385, ending the Balša family's rule over Durrës. In 1392 the Durazzo fell under the Republic of Venice.

After Gjergj's death, Niketa Thopia was the next ruler and also the final. After the Battle of Ankara and subsequently the death of Bayezid I, many Albanian lords recognized Venetian suzerainty, such as Niketa, Koja Zaharia, Dhimitër Jonima and various members of the Dukagjin family.^[11] Following the death of Konstantin Balšić, Niketa retook Krujë. By 1410, Niketa ruled the territory between Krujë and the Shkumbin river under Venetian vassalage.^[12] He would continue to rule until 1415, when Albania fell under the Ottoman Empire and was incorporated into the Sanjak of Albania.

Monarchs

^TitleName	Reign	Notes
^{Count of Matia} Tanusio Thopia	1328–1338	Tanusio was recognized as count of Matia.
^{Princeps Albanese} Karl Thopia	1358–1388	In 1358, Karl rose against the rule of the Anjou and managed to drive them out of Durrës from Epirus and Albania. He ruled most of modern central Albania from 1358 to 1388 and claimed the title of Princeps Albaniae. Karl gained control of Durrës in 1368, which was when the Angevins held out due to their Kingdom becoming smaller in size. In 1374, Pope Gregory XI awarded him the title "Grande Conte d'Albania" (Great Count of Albania). Karl lost Durrës in 1376, conquered by Louis, Duke of Durazzo, but recovered it in 1383 when the last mercenaries of the Navarrese Company moved to Greece. Thopia ruled over the regions of Durrës, Kruja, Peqin, Elbasan, Mokra and Gora, that is, along both sides of the Via Egnatia as far east as Lake Ohrid.
^{Lord of Durazzo} Gjergj Thopia	1388–1392	Son of Karl Thopia. He succeeded his father after his death. In 1392 he was required to return Durazzo to the Republic of Venice. In 1392 and died later that year without issue.
^{Lady of Krujë} Helena Thopia	1388–1392	Eldest daughter of Karl thopia. She was married to Marco Barbarigo. She inherited Krujë and the surrounding region after her father's death and ruled with her husband. In 1392 her brother Niketa attacked the city and forced them to find refuge with the Balsha Family.
^{Lord of Krujë} Niketa Thopia	1392–1394	He ruled for 2 years until losing Krujë.
^{Lady of Krujë} Helena Thopia	1394–1403	Married Konstantin Balsha in 1394 and regained Krujë. After her husband died in 1402 her brother Niketa recaptured the castle from her.
^{Lord of Krujë} Niketa Thopia	1403–1415	In 1403, Niketa Thopia managed to capture the city of Krujë from his sister, Helena Thopia, thus uniting the principality previously held by another member of the Thopia family. Upon his death in 1415, the castle of Krujë fell into Ottoman hands.

References

^ ^a ^b Robert Elsie (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Scarecrow Press. p. 442-443. ISBN 9780810873803. Although related to the Angevins on his mother's side, Charles Thopia, who called himself Princeps Albaniae (Prince of Albania), seized Durrës from the Angevins in 1368 after a long siege.
^ Gruber 1867, p. 482: "Im Neapel erschien zugleich Tanuß Thopia, Graf von Albanien, und hat ihm 300 Gebannte zum Kriege gegeben gemeinsamen Feind mitzugeben, da es ihm im Lande selbst an Kriegern fehle; gern gewährte König Robert am 21. Juni 1329."
^ Émile G. Léonard (1932). Histoire de Jeanne 1re, reine de Naples, comtesse de Provence (1343-1382): La jeunesse de la reine Jeanne. Imprimerie de Monaco. p. 107.
^ Gustav Friedrich Hertzberg (1877). Geschichte Griechenlands: Th. Vom lateinischen Kreuzzuge bis zur Vollendung der osmanischen Eroberung (1204-1740). F.A. Perthes. Der albanesische Häuptling Tanussio Thopia war im Jahre 1338 von König Robert von Neapel in dem Besitze der Grafschaft Mat bestätigt worden.
^ ^a ^b Alain Ducellier (1981). La façade maritime de l'Albanie au Moyen âge: Durazzo et Valona du XIe au XVe siècle. Ed. de l&Ècole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. p. 339.
^ Bollettino della Badia Greca di Grottaferrata. Scuola Tipografica Italo-Orientale "S.Nilo". 1978.
^ Fine 1994, p. 291.
^ Fine 1994, p. 301.
^ Fine 1994, p. 371.
^ Fine 1994, p. 372-373: "Karlo entered into close relations with Venice, which granted him Venetian citizenship and called him Prince of Albania."
^ Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb (1967). The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill. p. 654.
^ Fine 1994, p. 551.

Sources

Albanian Academy of Science. History of Albanian People. ISBN 99927-1-623-1
Stefanaq Pollo Histoire de l'Albanie des origines à nos jours. Roanne: Horvath. 1974. ISBN 2-7171-0025-3
Tajar Zavalani: Histori e Shqipnis. Tiranë: Phoenix. 1998. ISBN 99927-607-0-2
Georges Castellan: Histoire de l’Albanie et des Albanais. Crozon: Armeline. 2002. ISBN 2-910878-20-1
Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994), The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, University of Michigan Press, ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5
Gruber, Johann Gottfried (1867), Allgemeine Encyklopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste in alphabetischer Folge, Gleditsch

v t e Albanian Principalities in the Middle Ages
Principality of Arbanon Principality of Albania Principality of Gropa Principality of Arianiti Principality of Muzaka Principality of Matranga Despotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto Despotate of Arta Principality of Zenebishi Principality of Dukagjini Principality of Kastrioti

This page was last edited on 12 April 2024, at 08:59

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