| Mataranga Matrëngajt | |
|---|---|
| Noble family | |
 The coat of arms of the Mataranga is found in the 1875 heraldic catalog titled "Il Blasone in Sicilia", published in Palermo by Visconti & Huber. | |
| Country | Medieval Albania |
| Founded | 13th century |
| Members |
|
| Estate(s) | fiefdoms of Morgana and Mantica |
| Dissolution | 1513 |
Different spellings of the name include Matranga, Matarangolo, Matracca, Matarangi, Matrënga. | |
TheMataranga,Matranga,Matarango orMatrangolo (Matrënga inAlbanian) were anAlbaniannoble family during the 13th and 15th centuries which ruled thePrincipality of Mataranga. Members of this family included local rulers, Byzantine officials and writers. After the occupation of Albania by theOttoman Empire, part of the family emigrated toItaly and settled in theArbëresh villages ofPiana degli Albanesi andSanta Cristina Gela in Southern Italy, where they have continued to maintain theArbëresh language.[1]
Before 1284, the Matranga family was either a vassal ofCharles of Anjou, in the period when he createdKingdom of Albania, or of his nephewPhilip of Taranto.[2] They were first documented in 1297 in aRagusian document. Members of the Matranga family were attacking Ragusian merchants in the region ofKaravasta Lagoon.[3] Rulers of the territory between the cities ofDurrës andVlorë, they were described as subjects to theByzantine Emperor at the time. The Matranga family might have become vassal of the Byzantine Emperor in the period between 1284 and 1288, when the region, which was part of theKingdom of Albania, was captured by theByzantine Empire. However they eventually threw off their allegiance with Byzantines and eagerly accepted theAngevin overlordship again in 1304, when Philip of Tarantorecaptured Durrës with the help of local Albanian noblemen.[2]
During this period members of the family were also active in the Byzantine administration. A person named Mataringides, who had a part in a plot againstAndronikos II Palaiologos, is mentioned as a student ofManuel Moschopoulos and led to his imprisonment for Manuel has taken a pledge for his student.[clarification needed][4][5] Another member of the family, Nicholas Matarangos, became one of the four general judges, member of the highest imperial court and had a prominent role in theByzantine civil war of 1341–1347.[2]
After the oath of allegiance to Philip of Taranto, the Matrangas continued to maintain close ties with the Angevin family. The advancingKingdom of Serbia was a source of continuous preoccupation. A certain Paul Mataranga is mentioned in 1319, together with other Albanian lords, in a coalition with Philip of Taranto againstStefan Milutin.[3] However their territories were eventually included in theKingdom of Serbia before 1343.
After the death ofStefan Dušan (1355), a member of the family,Blasius Matarango (al. Vlash Matranga), subsequently ruled over thePrincipality of Mataranga which was between theShkumbin andSeman assevastokrator between 1358 and 1367, recognized under the suzerainty ofSimeon Uroš.[6][7] Dubrovnik was especially keen to maintain good relations with Blasius as his lands were a source of grain that was valuable to Dubrovnik merchants but this did not prevent a breakdown in1360 during the war between Dubrovnik and Serbia. Mihaljčić, the Serbian historian, can see no other explanation for this other than the continued vassalage of Blasius to Serbia.[8]
Dans les années 1350-1367, donc après le retrait définitif de l'Empire de Byzance de l'Albanie, dans les régions de Durres et du cours inférieur de Seman (Dievali) dominait le "sebastocratore" Vlash Matranga...
...Blaz and his son John...