Principality of Albania Principata e Arbërisë (Albanian) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1359–1415 | |||||||||||
 Coat of Arms ofKarl Thopia | |||||||||||
 The Principality of Albania in 1370 | |||||||||||
| Status | Principality | ||||||||||
| Capital | Durrës | ||||||||||
| Common languages | Albanian | ||||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism Eastern Orthodoxy | ||||||||||
| Prince | |||||||||||
• 1359–1388 | Karl Thopia | ||||||||||
• 1388–1392 | Gjergj Thopia | ||||||||||
• 1388–1392 | Helena Thopia Marco Barbarigo (co-rulers) | ||||||||||
• 1392–1394 | Niketa Thopia | ||||||||||
• 1394–1402 | Helena Thopia Kostandin Balsha (co-rulers) | ||||||||||
• 1402–1415 | Niketa Thopia | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Medieval | ||||||||||
• Established | 1359 | ||||||||||
• Capture of Durrës by Karl Thopia | 1368 | ||||||||||
• Ottoman conquest | 1415 | ||||||||||
| ISO 3166 code | AL | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Today part of | Albania | ||||||||||
ThePrincipality of Albania (Albanian:Principata e Arbërisë) was anAlbanian principality ruled by the Albanian dynasty ofThopia.[1][2] The first notable ruler wasTanusio Thopia, who becameCount ofMat in 1328. The principality would reach its zenith during the rule ofKarl Thopia, who emerged in 1359 after theBattle of Achelous, conquering the cities ofDurrës andKrujë and consolidating his rule of central Albania between the rivers ofMat andShkumbin.[1] The principality would last up until 1415, when it was conquered by theOttoman Empire.
The principality emerged withTanusio Thopia, mentioned in 1329 as the count of Albania.[3][4] In an act ofRobert, King of Naples in 15 April 1338, Tanusio was mentioned as Count of Mat (conte di Matia),[5][6][7] which reconfirmed Thopia's relations to theAngevins from the time of Philip I.[6] By 1340 the Thopia controlled much of the territory between the riversMati andShkumbin rivers. Together with theMuzaka 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.[8]
During 1342–1343,Stefan Dušan had conquered almost all of Albania, except for Durrës which remained underAngevin-Albanian rule, despite heavy Serbian pressure, marking thus the end ofByzantine rule over Albania.[9][10] After Stefan Dušan's death in 1355 the Thopia family regained its domains and ruled most of central Albania.[11]
Tanusio had one son,Andrea Thopia, who became the son-in-law of Robert, King of Naples without his consent. Robert had sent his daughter to get married inMorea, however during the journey she met Andrea in Durrës, and the couple got married and had two children, Gjergj and Karl Thopia.[12] Robert, enraged, invited the couple to Naples in 1342 on the pretext of wanting to reconcile with them, where he had them both executed.[13][14]
The Thopias became prominent in the 1350s and 60s, expanding their holdings and subjugating local nobles and tribes. In 1359, Tanusio died and was succeeded by Karl Thopia.[15]
Karl took part in theBattle of Achelous againstNikephoros II Orsini, theDespot ofEpirus, where he led the Albanian tribes against the despotate. Orisni was killed during the battle by Karl and his army was destroyed, resulting in an Albanian victory. Thus, Epirus was left without a ruler and the vacuum was filled byGjin Bue Shpata andPjetër Losha, who would establish theDespotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto and theDespotate of Arta south of the domains of the principality.[16][17]
Since 1362, Karl sought to capture Durrës, which was in the possession of the DuchessJohanna of Anjou. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Karl had to withdraw his troops, who were weakened by an epidemic disease. By 1363, he had captured territories around Durrës, as well as Krujë, which would serve as his headquarters.[1][15] 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 medievalKingdom of Albania. Karl forged close ties with Venice and gained their support, who recognized him asPrince of Albania.[2][18]
Around 1370, Karl attacked the dominions of the Muzaka family to their south and managed to capture from them the territory between Shkumbin andSeman, marking the maximum extent of the territory held by the principate.[19]
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 toMurad I for support against his rivals, theBalsha noble family of thePrincipality of Zeta. This was the equivalent of inviting theOttoman Empire into Albania in order to help him defeat his rivals in Zeta.
This attempt caused an Ottoman force, led byHayreddin Pasha, to quickly march into Albania along theVia Egnatia. The Ottoman force routed the enemy by inflicting heavy defeats on Balša II's forces. Balša II himself was killed in a big battle on Saurian Field nearLushnje (Battle of Savra) in 1385, ending the Balsha family's rule over Durrës.
After Karls death in 1388, he was succeeded by his ill son,Gjergj Thopia. Due to the growing power of the Ottomans, the pressure from theBalsha noble family in the north and Gjergj's illness, Thopia rule was on the verge of collapse. Thus, Venice was concerned about Durrës falling into the hands of the Ottomans and made immediate plans to take it over through diplomatic means. By securing Durrës, Venice could keep a watchful eye on the Adriatic, secure the transit of galleys and safely benefit from Durrës' salt.[20] In the summer of 1392, Gjergj surrendered Durrës and in return requested assistance in acquiring other lands and castles, securing the safe return of Albanians from Ottoman occupied territories and financial aid. Gjergj died in September 1392.[21][22]
With the exception of Durrës, the majority of the principality went to his sister,Helena Thopia. Helena was married to a Venetian nobleman,Marco Barbarigo, who resided in Krujë and was the de facto ruler the possessions of Thopia. Marco ruled for a period of time under Venetian suzerainty. The Ottomans had set to increase their influence over Albanian lands. Presumably due to Ottoman threat of attack, Marco switched loyalty to the Ottomans and began to raid Venetian lands around Durrës. As a result,Niketa Thopia, a son of Karl and the governor of Durrës under the Venetians, attacked Barbarigo with their support and defeated him badly, forcing Barbarigo to seek refuge in the court ofGjergj Strez Balsha. However it wasKostandin Balsha who would rule Krujë, starting from late 1394. He soon married Helena and inherited her hereditary rights to Krujë.[23]
After theBattle of Ankara and subsequently the death ofBayezid I, many Albanian lords recognized Venetian suzerainty instead of Ottoman, suchKoja Zaharia,Dhimitër Jonima and various members of theDukagjin family.[24] Konstantin Balsha, under the vassalage of the Ottomans, attempted to take Durrës in 1402, where he failed and was killed. Following his death, Niketa quickly retook Krujë on his own behalf, and the Venetians recognized him by 1404 as governor of Krujë and regarded him as an ally rather than a deputy of Venice.[25] By 1410, Niketa ruled the territory between Krujë and the Shkumbin river and served under Venetian vassalage.[26] In late 1411, Niketa was captured byTheodor Corona Musachi after a skirmish and was retained as a prisoner. He was released in July 1413 and returned to Krujë, where would continue to rule until 1415 when Albania fell under theOttoman Empire and was incorporated into theSanjak of Albania.
| Picture | TitleName | Reign | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Count of Mat Tanusio Thopia | 1328–1338 | Tanusio was recognized ascount of Matia. | |
| Count of Mat Andrea I Thopia | 1338–1343 | Son of Tanusio Thopia and Father of Karl Thopia. | |
| Princeps Albanese Karl Thopia | 1359–1388 | Karl ruled most of modern central Albania from 1359 to 1388 and claimed the title ofPrinceps Albaniae. Karl seized Durrës in 1368 from the Angevins. In 1374,Pope Gregory XI awarded him the title "Grande Conte d'Albania" (Great Count of Albania). Karl lost Durrës in 1376, conquered byLouis, Duke of Durazzo, but recovered it in 1383 when the last mercenaries of the Navarrese Company moved to Greece. Thopia ruled over the regions ofDurrës,Kruja,Peqin,Elbasan,Mokra andGora, that is, along both sides of the Via Egnatia as far east as LakeOhrid. |
| Princeps Albanese Gjergj Thopia | 1388–1392 | Son of Karl Thopia. He succeeded his father after his death. In 1392 he was required to return Durazzo to theRepublic 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 toMarco 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 theBalsha noble family. MarriedKostandin 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 | 1392–1394 | He ruled for 2 years until losing Krujë. | |
| Lady of Krujë Helena Thopia | 1394–1403 | MarriedKostandin Balsha in 1394 and ruled Krujë with her husband. After Kostandin Balsha's death in 1402 Helena's brother Niketa recaptured the castle from her. | |
| Lord of Krujë Niketa Thopia | 1403–1415 | In 1403, Niketa Thopia managed to capture the city ofKrujë from his sister, Helena Thopia, thus uniting the principality previously held by another member of theThopia family. Upon his death in 1415, the castle ofKrujë fell intoOttoman hands. |
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.
Der albanesische Häuptling Tanussio Thopia war im Jahre 1338 von König Robert von Neapel in dem Besitze der Grafschaft Mat bestätigt worden.
