| Dushmani Dushmanët | |
|---|---|
| Noble family | |
 Coat of arms of the Dusmani as depicted in Rangabè's Livre d'Or De La Noblesse Ionienne – Corfou | |
| Country | Medieval Albania |
| Current region | Polati Minor |
| Founded | 14th century |
| Members | |
TheDushmani were anAlbanian noble family[1][2][3] that ruled parts ofPult, a historical province within the territory of the eponymousDushmani tribe from theDukagjin highlands in northernAlbania, during 15th century rule under theRepublic of Venice.
The name of the Dushmani family and thetribe from which they came is probably the oldest name of an Albanian tribe to be attested historically. Rendered in the formDousmanes byProcopius, it was the name of one of the Illyrian-Thracian forts rebuilt by Justinian in the 6th century AD. Its similarity to the nameDussus may suggest that it was formed like many other names found among Albanians as a composition of two names, Dush (Dussus) and Mani. An ultimate link to Turkishdüşman which made its way into Balkan languages after the Middle Ages is not plausible.[4]
The oldest generation of the family is mentioned on 2 June 1403 when theVenetian Senate confirmed the three brothers Goranin, Damjan and Nenad the rule over their lands inPilot Minor ("Little" or "Lower" Pilot) as Venetian subjects.[5][6] Through various ways, the Republic of Venice won over local nobility in the Scutari region and thereby created a certain security zone around their possessions against the Ottomans.[7] In July 1404 the brothers requested from the government that their litigations be addressed to theknez in Scutari.[6]
In 1427, a "Dusmanus" is mentioned as the bishop of Polatum (Dusmanus ep. Polat.);[8]Daniele Farlati (1690–1773) called him "Dussus" and put his office in 1427–46.[9]
Pal Dushmani (d. 1457) was a Catholic bishop active inShas (1443),Drisht (1446), andKrajë (1454).[10]
Lekë Dushmani[11]), was mentioned as one of the founders of theLeague of Lezhë.[12] Lekë Dushmani heldZadrima.[13] Lekë's daughterIrene (Jerina) became famous while there was a dispute for her which brought the first defection among the members of League of Lezhë which led toward theAlbanian–Venetian War (1447–48).[14] The Dushmani andSpani family did not participate in the war.[citation needed]
In Drisht, Dushmani’s gathered Venetian opponents, and partnering up withLekë Dukagjini readied for rebellion in the city and among the villages.[15] They planned to attack Venetian-controlled Drisht,[16] but the plot was discovered, and in March 1451 theCouncil of Forty had Dushmani convicted to 30 years of exile from Venetian holdings in Albania.[17] It was threatened that his head would be cut off between two pillars at the Doge's palace if anybody found him there.[18]
In July 1452, Pope Nicholas V sent Pal Dushmani to settle the conflict betweenLekë Dukagjini andSkanderbeg.[19]
According toDemetrios Sicilianos, theDousmanis family in Greece ultimately descended from the 15th-century Albanian nobleman "Lekas (Alexander) Dousmanis", whose family took refuge in Greece after the Ottoman conquest of Albania byMehmed the Conqueror (r. 1444–81).[3]
Der Name Dušmani ist der älteste albanische Stammesname , den wir mit Sicherheit nachweisen können , denn er wird unter der Form Dousmanes bereits von Procop als Names eines von Kaiser Justinian renovierte thrakisch-illyrischen Castelles erwähnt. Da der Eigenname Dussus aus dem mittelalterlichen Albanien , ferner der Eigenname Mani von 1319 an bis heute belegt werden können und da ein Aneinanderreihen von Eigennamen der albanischen Art der Namensgebung entspricht , ist es recht verlockend , den Namen Dušmani als aus Duš und Mani abzuleiten. Ein Dani aus Dusmanus lebte in 1403 . Mit dem türkischen Dušman ( Feind ) hat der Name nichts gemeinsam . Im Vereine mit dem Namen Kastrati ist der Name Dušmani jedenfalls ein schöner Beweis dafür , daß mancher albanischer Stammesname älter ist als sein heutiger Träger.