The House of Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Балшић), or the Balsha ( sq, Balshaj) was a

noble family Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...

that ruled " Zeta and the coastlands" (southern

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

and northern

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

), from 1362 to 1421, during and after the

fall of the Serbian Empire The fall of the Serbian Empire was a decades-long process in the late 14th century. Following the death of childless Emperor Stefan Uroš V in 1371, the Empire was left without an heir and the magnates, '' velikaši'', obtained the rule of its pr ...

. Balša (), the founder, was a petty nobleman who held only one village during the rule of Emperor

Dušan the Mighty Dušan ( sr-Cyrl, Душан) is a Slavic given name primarily used in countries of Yugoslavia; and among Slovaks and Czechs. The name is derived from the Slavic noun ''duša'' "soul". Occurrence In Serbia, it was the 29th most popular nam ...

(r. 1331–1355), and only after the death of the emperor, his three sons gained power in Lower Zeta after acquiring the lands of ''gospodin'' Žarko ( fl. 1336–1360) under unclear circumstances, and they then expanded into Upper Zeta by murdering ''voivode'' and ''čelnik''

Đuraš Ilijić Đuraš Ilijić ( sr-cyrl, Ђураш Илијић, 1326–62) was a nobleman who served the Serbian monarchs Stefan Dečanski (r. 1321–1331), Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–1355) and Uroš V (r. 1355–1371), from 1326 until his death in 1362. He ha ...

(r. 1326–1362†). Nevertheless, they were acknowledged as ''oblastni gospodari'' of Zeta in edicts of Emperor

Uroš the Weak __NOTOC__ Uroš ( sr-Cyrl, Урош) is a South Slavic given or last name primarily spread amongst Serbs, and Slovenians (mostly of Serbian descent). This noun has been interpreted as "lords", because it usually appears in conjunction with ''velmõ ...

(r. 1355–1371). After the death of Uroš (1371), the family feuded with the Mrnjavčevići, who controlled Macedonia. In 1421, Balša III, on his death, passed the rule of Zeta to his uncle, Despot Stefan the Tall.

Origin

According to the testimony of the Balšićs themselves, they connect their origins with the

Nemanjić dynasty The House of Nemanjić ( sr-Cyrl, Немањић, Немањићи; Nemanjić, Nemanjići, ) was the most prominent dynasty of Serbia in the Middle Ages. This princely, royal, and later imperial house produced twelve Serbian monarchs, who rul ...

Balša II Balša Balšić ( sr-cyr, Балша Балшић); or Balsha II ( sq, Balsha II) died September 18, 1385), known in historiography as Balša II, was the Lord of Lower Zeta from 1378 to 1385. He managed to expand his borders towards the south; def ...

from

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra) is the fifth-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Shkod ...

, in the charter to the citizens of

Republic of Ragusa hr, Sloboda se ne prodaje za sve zlato svijeta it, La libertà non si vende nemmeno per tutto l'oro del mondo"Liberty is not sold for all the gold in the world" , population_estimate = 90 000 in the XVI Century , currency = ...

from January 27, 1385 said: "... prayers and supplications of my holy ancestors Simeon Nemanja, the first myrrh-bearer of Serbia and

Saint Sava Saint Sava ( sr, Свети Сава, Sveti Sava, ; Old Church Slavonic: ; gr, Άγιος Σάββας; 1169 or 1174 – 14 January 1236), known as the Enlightener, was a Serbian prince and Orthodox monk, the first Archbishop of the autocephalou ...

..." There has been speculation on their origin, which some deem unknown.Rudić 2006, p. 99: "О њиховом пореклу не знамо ништа" ,, "Према Чедомиљу Мијатовићу Балшићи су пореклом били француска, односно провансалска породица. Од њих су настали италијански Балшићи, од којих потичу српски Балшићи, а од њих румунски. Ч. Мијатовић, Балшићи, генеалошка студија, 150" Apart from

Mavro Orbini Mavro Orbini (1563–1614) was a Ragusan chronicler, notable for his work ''The Realm of the Slavs'' (1601) which influenced Slavic ideology and historiography in the later centuries. Life Orbini was born in Ragusa (now Dubrovnik), the capital o ...

's tale, there are really no other accounts on their origin.Fajfric, 44. Oblasni gospodari: "O njihovom poreklu se zna veoma malo, tako da osim navoda koje je ostavio Mavro Orbin drugih podataka skoro i da nema. Postoje neki fragmentarni navodi koji ukazuju da je rodonačelnik ove porodice, Balša, zapravo rod od "cara Nemanje" te da je držao oblast Bojane (u susedstvu Skadra), no to je sve veoma nesigurno." There exist fragmental assertions that they descended from "Emperor Nemanja". There has been various opinions about the family's origin. In modern scholarship, Lee, Lubin, Ndreca, Galaty, Mustafa and Schon consider the Balsha as local

Albanian 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 ...

lords. According to

Malcolm Malcolm, Malcom, Máel Coluim, or Maol Choluim may refer to: People * Malcolm (given name), includes a list of people and fictional characters * Clan Malcolm * Maol Choluim de Innerpeffray, 14th-century bishop-elect of Dunkeld Nobility * Máe ...

, the Balšići were probably of Albanian stock who had been but culturally Serbicized to a large degree. Ćirković concluded that they are of non-Slavic origin, being referred to in medieval Serbian documents as "Albanian (arbanas) lords". Hösch mentions the Balšići as native Albanian families that gained political power after 1355. Murzaku says that the family had an Albanian origin. Madgearu mentions the Balšić as a noble Albanian family, however he states that their Albanian origin is unclear, due to the debate over the family's origin. Bartl views the origin of the Balšić family as Serbian, while Elsie mentions them as of "probably Slavic origin". Gelichi considers them Serbian-Montenegrin. Winnifrith states that they were Slavs who fought other Albanians. In archaic accounts,

Karl Hopf Karl Hopf may refer to: * Karl Hopf (historian) Karl Hopf (Hamm, Westphalia, February 19, 1832 – Wiesbaden, August 23, 1873) or Carl Hermann Friedrich Johann Hopf was a historian and an expert in Medieval Greece, both Byzantine and Frankish. ...

(1832–1873) considered "unquestionably part of the Serb tribe".Slijepčević 1974, p. 43: "Према Карлу Хопфу и Балшићи и Црнојевићи »припадају без спора српскоме племену».34) Милан Шуфлај вели: »Балшићи су румунскога и влашкога подријетла;" Ivan Stepanovich Yastrebov (1839–1894), Russian Consul in

and

Prizren ) , settlement_type = Municipality and city , image_skyline = Prizren Collage.jpg , imagesize = 290px , image_caption = View of Prizren , image_alt = View of Prizren , image_flag ...

, when speaking of the Balšići, connected their name to the Roman town of Balletium (

Baleč Balec was an medieval fortified town near Shkodër in what is now Albania. The settlement originated in Roman times. During Byzantine rule over the area, it was part of the Dyrrhachium theme. Later it was a seat of a župa of the Kingdom of Duk ...

) located near modern Shkodër which delivers from Illyrian, related to the Albanian term ballë. According to

Čedomilj Mijatović Čedomilj Mijatović ( sr-Cyrl, Чедомиљ Мијатовић; 17 October 1842 – May 14, 1932) was a Serbian statesman, economist, historian, writer and diplomat. Mijatović served as the Ministry of Finance (Serbia), Minister of Finance s ...

(1842–1934), the Balšić family had ultimate origin in the

House of Baux The House of Baux is a French noble family from the south of France. It was one of the richest and most powerful families of Medieval Provence, known as the 'Race d’Aiglon'. They were independent Lords as castellans of Les Baux and Arles and wi ...

from

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the Italian border to the east; it is bor ...

(southeastern France); from that family sprung an Italian family (''del Balzo''), and from them the Balšići, and from them a Romanian family. Serbian historian

Vladimir Ćorović Vladimir Ćorović ( sr-cyrl, Владимир Ћоровић; 27 October 1885 – 12 April 1941) was a Serbian historian, university professor, author, and academic. His bibliography consists of more than 1000 works. Several of his books on the ...

(1885–1941) concluded, based on their name, that they had Roman (Vlach) origin. Croatian ethnologist

Milan Šufflay Milan Šufflay (8 November 1879 – 19 February 1931) was a Croatian historian and politician. He was one of the founders of Albanology and the author of the first Croatian science fiction novel. As a Croatian nationalist, he was persecuted in th ...

(1879–1931) mentioned them as of "Romanian and Vlach origin". Croatian linguist Petar Skok considered them to have been of Vlach origin, and Serbian historian Milena Gecić supported his theory. Giuseppe Gelcich theorized on the origin in hi
''La Zedda e la dinastia dei Balšidi: studi storici documentati'' (1899)
The theory asserting them as descendants of the Frankish nobleman Bertrand III of Baux, a companion of Charles d'Anjou is regarded as highly improbable. German linguist

Gustav Weigand Gustav Weigand (1 February 1860 – 8 July 1930), was a German linguist and specialist in Balkan languages, especially Romanian and Aromanian. He is known for his seminal contributions to the dialectology of the Romance languages of the Balkans ...

(1860–1930) supported a mixed

-Aromanian origin after he noted that the family name was included in a list of early Albanian surnames in Romania.

History

The Balšić family was first mentioned in a

charter A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified. It is implicit that the granter retains superiority (or sovereignty), and that the rec ...

of Emperor

Stefan Uroš V Saint Stefan Uroš V ( sr-cyrl, Свети Стефан Урош V, ; 13362/4 December 1371), known in historiography and folk tradition as Uroš the Weak ( sr-cyr, Урош Нејаки, Uroš Nejaki), was the second Emperor (Tsar) of the Ser ...

, dated 29 September 1360. According to

(writing in 1601), Balša, the eponymous founder, was a petty nobleman that held only one village in the area of

Lake Skadar Lake Skadar ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Скадарско језеро, Skadarsko jezero, ; sq, Liqeni i Shkodrës, ) also called Lake Scutari, Lake Shkodër and Lake Shkodra lies on the border of Albania and Montenegro, and is the largest lake in Southern ...

during the rule of Emperor

(r. 1331-1355). Only after the death of the emperor, Balša and his three sons gained power in Lower Zeta after acquiring the lands of ''gospodin'' Žarko (fl. 1336-1360) and by murdering ''voivode'' and ''čelnik''

(r. 1326-1362†), the holders of Lower and Upper Zeta, respectively.Fajfrić, ch. 44, Oblasni gospodari: ''"Balša o kojem ćemo sada govoriti beše veoma siromašan zetski vlastelin i za života cara Stefana držao je samo jedno selo. Ali kad je umro car, a kako njegov sin Uroš nije bio valjan vladar, počeo je s nekoliko svojih prijatelja i sa svojim sinovima Stracimirom, Đurđem i Balšom da zauzima Donju Zetu." "Posle toga krenuo je sa svojim ljudima na osvajanje Gornje Zete, koju je držao Đuraš Ilijić i njegovi rođaci. Đuraša ubiše Balšini sinovi, neke njegove rođake zarobiše, a ostali napustiše zemlju. I tako su Balšini sinovi zagospodarili i Gornjom Zetom" "Isto tako pali su u njihove ruke Dukađini koji su imali mnogo poseda u Zeti. Neke su poubijali, a druge bacili u tamnicu. Pri osvajanju ovih i drugih pokrajina više su se služili lukavstvom i prevarama nego silom oružja"'' Balša dies the same year, and his sons, the ''Balšić brothers'', continue in ruling the province spanning

Podgorica Podgorica (Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Подгорица, ; Literal translation, lit. 'under the hill') is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Montenegro, largest city of Montenegro. The city was formerly known as Titograd ...

Budva Budva ( cnr, Будва, or ) is a Montenegrin town on the Adriatic Sea. It has 19,218 inhabitants, and it is the centre of Budva Municipality. The coastal area around Budva, called the Budva riviera, is the center of Montenegrin tourism, kn ...

Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar * Chocolate bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a layer of cloud * Bar (u ...

and

. The Balšići managed to elevate themselves from

petty nobility The petty nobility is the lower nobility classes. Finland Petty nobility in Finland is dated at least back to 13th century and was formed by nobles around their strategic interests. The idea was more capable peasants with leader roles in local c ...

to provincial lords.Recueil de travaux de l'Institut des études byzantines: Volume 21 1982, "За разлику од Лазаревића, Бранковића и Драгаша, ближих или даљих рођака Немањића и потомака најугледцијих властеоских породица, први Балшићи су прави скоројевићи који су из редова ситне властеле доспели ..."

Heads

Balša I Balša ( sr-Cyr, Балша) or Balsha ( sq, Balsha) 1362) was a provincial lord of the Zeta in ca. 1362. He is the eponymous founder of the Balšić noble family. Life He was a nobleman and military commander during the rule of Emperor Dušan ...

/ Balsha I. ( 1360–62) *

Đurađ I Đurađ ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ, ; ) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from the Greek ''Georgios''. It is also transliterated as Djuradj. It is, along with the variant ''Đorđe'', the equivalent of the English '' George''. It was widespre ...

/ Gjergj I. (1362–1378), ord of

/ Balsha II. (1378–1385), ord ofShkoder and

Durrës Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the second most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is located on a flat plain along the Albanian Adriatic Sea Coast between the mouths of ...

Đurađ II Đurađ ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ, ; ) is a Serbian masculine given name, derived from the Greek ''Georgios''. It is also transliterated as Djuradj. It is, along with the variant '' Đorđe'', the equivalent of the English '' George''. It was widespr ...

/ Gjergj II. (1385–1403), ord ofShkoder,

, Durrës,

Drisht Drisht ( sq-definite, Drishti) is a village, former bishopric and Latin titular see with an Ancient and notable medieval history (Latin ''Drivastum,'' Italian ''Drivasto'') in Albania, 6 km from Mes Bridge (Albanian: ''Ura e Mesit''). It is l ...

and

Lezhë Lezhë (, sq-definite, Lezha) is a city in the Republic of Albania and seat of Lezhë County and Lezhë Municipality. One of the main strongholds of the Labeatai, the earliest of the fortification walls of Lezhë are of typical Illyrian const ...

, ''Autokrat of Zeta and the coastlands'' *

Balša III Balša III ( sr-cyr, Балша III) or Balsha III ( sq, Balsha III) (1387 – 28 April 1421, in Belgrade) was the fifth and last ruler of Zeta from the Balšić noble family, from April 1403 to April 1421. He was the son of Đurađ II and Jelena ...

/ Balsha III. (1403–1421), ord of

Family tree

Simplified family tree: *

/ Balsha I. ( 1360–62) ** Stracimir / Strazimir Balsha ***

Đurađ II Balšić Đurađ Stracimirović ( sr-cyr, Ђурађ Страцимировић; 1385 – April 1403), or Đurađ II, was the Lord of Zeta from 1385 to 1403, as a member of the Balšić noble family. He was the son of Stracimir Balšić, and succe ...

/ Gjergj Balsha II ****

/ Balsha III. **

/ Gjergj Balsha I, married Olivera Mrnjavčević (1st) and

Teodora Dejanović Dejan ( sr-Cyrl, Дејан; fl. 1346–ca. 1366) was a magnate who served Serbian Emperor Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–55) as '' sevastokrator'', and Emperor Uroš V (r. 1355–71) as '' despot''. He was married to Emperor Dušan's sister Teodora, ...

(2nd) ***Jelisaveta / Jelisanta (d. 1443), Olivera's daughter ***Gojslava / Goisava (d. 1398), married

Radič Sanković Radič Sanković ( sr-cyr, Радич Санковић; died 1404) was powerful Bosnian nobleman and magnate in the Kingdom of Bosnia during the reign of Stephen Dabiša (1391-1395) and Queen Helen (1395-1398). He allied himself with usurper Ste ...

, lord of

Nevesinje Nevesinje ( sr-cyrl, Невесиње) is a town and municipality located in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, the town has a population of 5,162 inhabitants, while the municipality has 12,961 inhabitants. Geograp ...

Popovo Polje Popovo field ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Popovo polje, Попово поље, , ) is a ''polje'' ( karstic field) in Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in a southernmost region of the country, near the Adriatic coast. Its size is . Popovo polj ...

and

Konavli Konavle () is a municipality and a small region located southeast of Dubrovnik, Croatia. It is administratively part of the Dubrovnik-Neretva County and the center of the municipality is Cavtat. Demographics The total municipality population wa ...

*** Jevdokija, married

Esau de' Buondelmonti Esau de' Buondelmonti ( gr, Ησαύ Μπουοντελμόντ) was the ruler of Ioannina and its surrounding area (central Epirus) from 1385 until his death in 1411, with the Byzantine title of Despot. Life Esau was the son of the Florentin ...

, the ruler of Epirus (1385–1411) **** Giorgio de' Buondelmonti, ruler of Epirus 1411 ***

Konstantin The first name Konstantin () is a derivation from the Latin name ''Constantinus'' (Constantine) in some European languages, such as Russian and German. As a Christian given name, it refers to the memory of the Roman emperor Constantine the Great. ...

/ Konstantin Balsha, married

Helena Thopia Helena Thopia ( 1388–1403) was an Albanian princess of the Thopia family who held the Krujë region as sovereign lady for two terms; 1388-1392 and 1394–1403. Life Princess Helena Thopia was the eldest daughter of Karl Thopia and Voisava Bal ...

**** Stefan Balšić "Maramonte" (fl. 1419–40), pretender to Zeta ***Jelena / Elena *** Đurađ / Gjergj (illegitimate) **** Stefan Strez Balšić *****

Ivan Ivan () is a Slavic languages, Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John (given name), John) from Hebrew language, Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. T ...

/ Gjon ***** Gojko **

/ Balsha II. *** Ruđina / Rugjina ** Vojislava / Voisava, married

Karl Topia Karl Thopia ( sq, Karl Topia) was an Albanian feudal prince and warlord who ruled Albania from the middle of the 14th century until the first Ottoman conquest of Albania. Thopia usually maintained good relations with the Roman Curia. Family ...

, the "Prince of Albania", with whom she had one son,

Gjergj Thopia George Thopia ( sq, Gjergj Topia, it, Giorgio Topia; 1388 – d. 1392) was the Lord of Durrës, Durazzo (Durrës) from 1388 to 1392. He was the son of Karl Topia and Voisava Thopia, Vojislava Balšić. George married Teodora Thopia, Teodora, th ...

, Duke of Durazzo, and two daughters,

, Lady of

Krujë Krujë ( sq-definite, Kruja; see also the etymology section) is a town and a municipality in north central Albania. Located between Mount Krujë and the Ishëm River, the city is only 20 km north from the capital of Albania, Tirana. Kruj ...

, married

Konstantin Balšić Konstantin Balšić ( sr-cyr, Константин Балшић) or Konstantin Balsha ( sq, Konstantin Balsha) ( 1378–died 1402), was a lord of the Balšić family, who ruled over lands in northern Albania. Life Konstantin was the son of Đur ...

/ Konstantin Balsha, and Vojislava / Voisava

Annotations

References

Sources

;Books * * * * * * ;Journals

External links

Rodoslovlje, ''Balšić''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balsic Noble Family People of the Serbian Empire Medieval Montenegro League of Lezhë Principality of Zeta