Albanian Principalities
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Albanian Principalities
The term Albanian principalities refers to a number of principalities created in the Middle Ages in Albania and the surrounding regions in the western Balkans that were ruled by Albanian nobility. The 12th century marked the first Albanian principality, the Principality of Arbanon. It was later, however, in the 2nd half of the 14th century that these principalities became stronger, especially with the fall of the Serbian Empire after 1355. Some of these principalities were notably united in 1444 under the military alliance called League of Lezhë up to 1480 which defeated the Ottoman Empire in more than 28 battles. They covered modern day Albania,western and central Kosovo, Epirus, areas up to Corinth, western North Macedonia, southern Montenegro. The leaders of these principalities were some of the most noted Balkan figures in the 14th and 15th centuries such as Gjin Bue Shpata, Andrea II Muzaka, John Zenevisi, Karl Topia, Andrea Gropa, Balsha family, Gjergj Arianiti, Gjon Kas ...
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Principality
A principality (or sometimes princedom) can either be a monarchical feudatory or a sovereign state, ruled or reigned over by a regnant-monarch with the title of prince and/or princess, or by a monarch with another title considered to fall under the generic meaning of the term ''prince''. Terminology Most of these states have historically been a polity, but in some occasions were rather territories in respect of which a princely title is held. The prince's estate and wealth may be located mainly or wholly outside the geographical confines of the principality. Generally recognised surviving sovereign principalities are Liechtenstein, Monaco, and the co-principality of Andorra. Extant royal primogenitures styled as principalities include Asturias (Spain). The Principality of Wales existed in the northern and western areas of Wales between the 13th and 16th centuries; the Laws in Wales Act of 1536 which legally incorporated Wales within England removed the distinction bet ...
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John Zenevisi
John Zenevisi or Gjon Zenebishi ( sq, Gjon Zenebishi or ''Gjin Zenebishi''; died 1418) was an Albanian magnate that held the estates in Epirus, such as Argyrokastro (Gjirokastër) and Vagenetia. Name Zenevisi can be found with different spellings in historical documents. His name in modern English is usually ''John Zenevisi'' Elsie 2003, p. 53: "Lord John Sarbissa (Zenevisi) was lord of the town of Gjirokastra and the region of Vagenetia and Paracalo (Parakalamo)." or ''John Sarbissa''. In Italian, his name was spelled as ''Giovanni Sarbissa''. In Albanian, his name is mostly spelled as ''Gjin Zenebishi'' (less commonly as ''Zenebishti''), his given name scarcely spelled ''Gjon'', as well. In Serbian his name is spelled like ''Jovan Zenović''. Life The Zenevisi family was from the Zagoria region, between Përmet and Argyrokastro (Gjirokastër). In 1381 and 1384, the Catholic lords of Arta asked the Ottoman troops for protection against the invading Albanian clan of the Zen ...
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Despotate Of Arta
The Despotate of Arta ( sq, Despotati i Artës; el, Δεσποτάτο της Άρτας) was a despotate established by Albanian rulers during the 14th century, after the defeat of the local Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros II Orsini, by Albanian tribesmen in the Battle of Achelous in 1359 and ceased to exist in 1416, when it passed to Carlo I Tocco.''Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', p. 191''Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium'', p. 53 History Creation In the late spring of 1359, Nikephoros II Orsini, the last despot of Epirus of the Orsini dynasty, fought against the Albanians near river Acheloos, Aetolia. The Albanians won the battle and managed to create two new states in the southern territories of the Despotate of Epirus. Because a number of Albanian lords actively supported the successful Serbian campaign in Thessaly and Epirus, the Serbian Tsar granted them specific regions and offered them the Byzantine title of despotes in order to secure their loyalty. By the late 1360 ...
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John Spata
Gjin Bua Shpata (sometimes anglicized as ''John Spata'') ( 1358 – 29 October 1399) was an Albanian ruler in Western Greece with the title of Despot. Together with Peter Losha, he led raids into Epirus, Acarnania and Aetolia in 1358. He was recognized as Despot by the titular Eastern Roman Emperor in the early 1360s and ruled Aetolia (1360s–?), Angelokastron (?–1399), Naupactus (1378–1399), and Arta (1370s–1399). Name The word ''spata'', in Albanian ''shpatë'', pl. ''shpata'', 'sword'. According to Orel (1998), the word was borrowed from Latin ''spāta''. Hammond thus believes that he was called "John the Sword". Spatha being a type of Roman sword. Life Karl Hopf's genealogy of the Shpata family is "altogether inaccurate"; according to it, his father was Pietro, the lord of Angelokastron and Delvina (1354) during the reign of Serbian emperor Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–55). It is known that Shpata had a brother, Sgouros Spata. In 1358, some Albanian commande ...
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Principality Of Muzaka
The Principality of Muzaka ( Albanian: ''Principata e Muzakajve'') was an independent realm ruled by the Albanian Muzaka family with its capital at Berat, covering territories in Central and Southern Albania, and Western Macedonia. One of the first rulers was Andrea I Muzaka whose reign was recognized by the Byzantine Emperor. During the Battle of Savra, the Ottomans captured Berat from Balša II, together with Kruja and Ulcinj. They soon retreated from all of those towns keeping only Castoria under their permanent control. Some sources explain that Ottomans probably remained in Berat with intention to use it as foothold to capture Valona. By 1396 Muzaka family took over control of Berat. In 1417 the territories of the Principality, including Vlorë and Berat, became a part of the Ottoman Empire. History It's uncertain when the Muzaka family started to rule over Berat, however one of the first notable rulers known so far is Andrea I Muzaka who ruled over the region of Myzeqe ...
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Principality Of Valona
The Principality of Valona and Kanina, also known as the Despotate of Valona and Kanina or simply the Principality of Valona (1346–1417) was a medieval principality in Albania, roughly encompassing the territories of the modern counties of Vlorë (Valona), Fier, and Berat. Initially a vassal of the Serbian Empire, it became an independent lordship after 1355, although ''de facto'' under Venetian influence, and remained as such until it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks in 1417. History The strategically important city of Valona, on the coast of modern Albania, had been fought over repeatedly between the Byzantines and various Italian powers in the 13th century. Finally conquered by Byzantium in ca. 1290, it was one of the chief imperial holdings in the Balkans. Byzantine rule lasted until the 1340s, when the Serbian ruler Stefan Dušan, taking advantage of a Byzantine civil war, took Albania. Valona fell in late 1345 or early 1346, and Dušan placed his brother-in-law, ...
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Albanian Principalities, Ca
Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: ** Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language ** Albanian culture ** Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country *Pertaining to other places: ** Albania (other) ** Albany (other) ** St Albans (other) * Albanian cattle * Albanian horse *''The Albanian'', a 2010 German-Albanian film See also * *Olbanian language *Albani people *Albaniana (other) Albaniana may refer to: * Albaniana language, an Indo-European language spoken by approximately 7.6 million people, primarily in Albania and Kosovo * ''Choristoneura albaniana ''Choristoneura albaniana'' is a moth of the family Tortricidae. It w ... * Alba (other) {{Disambiguation Language and nationality disambiguation pages ...
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Lek Dukagjini
Lek or LEK may refer to: * Lek mating, mating in a lek, a type of animal territory in which males of a species gather * Albanian lek, the currency of Albania * Lek (magazine), a Norwegian softcore pornographic magazine * Lek (pharmaceutical company), now part of Sandoz, the generic drug subsidiary of Novartis * Lek (river), a river in the west of the Netherlands * De Lek, a former manorial fiefdom in the Netherlands * L.E.K. Consulting, international strategy consulting firm * Leung King stop, Hong Kong (by MTR station code) * Tata Airport, Guinea (by IATA code) * Lek, a fictional form of Cardassian currency in ''Star Trek'' * Lek, เล็ก, a Thai_name#Informal_names, Thai name or nickname, meaning ''little'' ** especially the personal nickname - in private family - of late King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand ** Lek Nana, 1924 – 2010, a Thai businessman and politician ** Lek Viriyaphant, or Khun Lek, 1914 - 2000, a Thai millionaire and art patronage mecenate See also

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Dukagjini Family
The Dukagjini are an Albanians, Albanian feudal noble family who ruled over an area of Northern Albania and Metohija, Western Kosovo known as the Principality of Dukagjini in the 14th and 15th centuries. They may have been relatives or descendants of the earlier Progoni, who founded the first Albanian state in recorded history, the Principality of Arbanon. The city of Lezhë was their most important holding. The Dukagjini evolved from an extended clan (''Albanian tribes, farefisni'') to a feudal family in the late 13th century, when their first known progenitor Gjin Tanushi who became known as a dux (duke) and thus his descendants took the surname Dukagjini. By the early 15th century, they had evolved in one of the most important feudal families in the country. After the Ottoman conquest of Albania, a branch of them found refuge and settled in Venetian Koper, where they became known as the Docaini family which held the governorship of Socerb castle until the early 17th century, ...
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Skanderbeg
, reign = 28 November 1443 – 17 January 1468 , predecessor = Gjon Kastrioti , successor = Gjon Kastrioti II , spouse = Donika Arianiti , issue = Gjon Kastrioti II , royal house = Kastrioti , father = Gjon Kastrioti , mother = Voisava Kastrioti , birth_name = Gjergj ( see Name) , birth_date = 1405 , birth_place = Principality of Kastrioti , death_date = 17 January 1468 (aged 62) , death_place = Alessio, Republic of Venice , place of burial = Church of Saint Nicholas, Lezhë , religion = Islam Catholicism , occupation = Lord of the Principality of Kastrioti, , signature = Dorëshkrimi i Skënderbeut.svg Gjergj Kastrioti ( la, Georgius Castriota; it, Giorgio Castriota; 1405 – 17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg ( sq, Skënderbeu or ''Skënderbej'', from ota, اسکندر بگ, İskender Bey; it, Scanderbeg), was an Albanian feudal lord and military commander who led a rebellion ...
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Gjon Kastrioti
Gjon Kastrioti (1375/80 – 4 May 1437), was a member of the Albanian nobility, from the House of Kastrioti, and the father of future Albanian leader Gjergj Kastrioti (better known as Skanderbeg). He governed the territory between the Cape of Rodon and Dibër and had at his disposal an army of 2,000 horsemen. Early life The Kastrioti family was from a region of northern Albania between Mat, Dibër and Has. Konstantin Kastrioti Mazreku is attested in Giovanni Andrea Angelo Flavio Comneno's ''Genealogia diversarum principum familiarum''. Angelo mentions Kastrioti as ''Constantinus Castriotus, cognomento Meserechus, Aemathiae & Castoriae Princeps'' (Constantinus Castriotus, surnamed Meserechus, Prince of Aemathia and Castoria). Angelo used the cognomen ''Meserechus'' in reference to Skanderbeg and this link to the same name is produced in other sources and reproduced in later ones like Du Cange's ''Historia Byzantina'' (1680). These links highlight that the Kastrioti use ...
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Gjergj Arianiti
Gjergj Arianiti (1383–1462) was an Albanian feudal lord who led several successful campaigns against the Ottoman Empire. He was the father of Donika, Skanderbeg's wife, as well as the grand-uncle of Moisi Arianit Golemi. Gjergj Arianiti was Skanderbeg's ally within League of Lezhë only for a short period of time because he abandoned their alliance after the defeat in Berat in 1450, to return after a while. Robert Elsie emphasizes that Arianiti was often Skanderbeg's rival who allied with the Kingdom of Naples in 1446, left his alliance with Skanderbeg by 1449 and allied with Venice in 1456. However his daughter married Skanderbeg and he remained officially as part of the League of Lezhe and continued fighting Ottomans successfully up to his death in 1462. Name His name is most commonly known in the Albanian form, ''Gjergj Arianiti''. In English, it is usually rendered as George Arianiti. His full name in English is spelled ''George Arianiti Thopia Comneni'' in Fan Noli's ...
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