Irene, Princess of Zadrima and Pult (albanian: Jerina Dushmani) was a

15th century The 15th century was the century which spans the Julian dates from 1 January 1401 ( MCDI) to 31 December 1500 ( MD). In Europe, the 15th century includes parts of the Late Middle Ages, the Early Renaissance, and the early modern period. ...

Albanian Princess of the

Dushmani family The Dushmani or Dusmani were an Albanian family that ruled parts of Pilot, a historical province within the territory of the eponymous Dushmani tribe from the Dukagjin highlands in northern Albania, during 15th century rule under the Republic ...

that ruled over the north-western part of the country. Her father was Prince

Lekë Dushmani Lekë Dushmani was an Albanian nobleman and one of the founding members of League of Lezhë, formed on 2 March 1444. Life A member of the Dushmani family he ruled over the region of Zadrima, in modern Shkodër District. In Venetian documents ...

, Lord of Zadrima and a participant of the

League of Lezhë The League of Lezhë ( sq, Lidhja e Lezhës), also commonly referred to as the Albanian League ( sq, Lidhja Arbërore), was a military and diplomatic alliance of the Albanian aristocracy, created in the city of Lezhë on 2 March 1444. The Leag ...

. The Princess is often compared to Helen of Troy, as her beauty and intelligence caused a great conflict between two albanian Princes : Prince Alexander Ducagini and Prince Alexander Zacharia.

Marin Barleti's version of the conflict

According to

Marin Barleti Marin Barleti ( la, Marinus Barletius, it, Marino Barlezio; – ) was a historian and Catholic priest from Shkodër who was a humanist. He is considered the first Albanian historian because of his 1504 eyewitness account of the 1478 siege o ...

, Irene preferred Prince Zaharia and might have possibly been betrothed to him, however, this decision was not accepted lightely by Prince Ducagini. In 1445 the nobles had been invited to Princess Maria Kastrioti,

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 ...

's elder sister's, wedding to Musacchio Thopia. As soon as Irene entered the wedding reception hostilities began. Ducagini might have asked her to marry him, but Zacharia, drunk, saw this and assaulted him. Some Princes and nobles attempted to stop the fight, but only more people became involved, resulting in several deaths, until peace was established. Neither of the two antagonists had suffered any physical damage, however Alexander Ducagini was morally humiliated. Two years later in 1447, Prince Zaharia would be killed in an ambush and Ducagini was blamed for his murder. Irene refused the proposed marriage after the death of her lover, and lived a closed life as a nun on the island of

Sardinia Sardinia ( ; it, Sardegna, label=Italian, Corsican and Tabarchino ; sc, Sardigna , sdc, Sardhigna; french: Sardaigne; sdn, Saldigna; ca, Sardenya, label=Algherese and Catalan) is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea, after ...

in Italy. She stated in her last will that her remains were to be taken to

Dagnum Dagnum ( sq, Danjë or Dejë, sr, Danj, it, Dagno) was a town, bishopric and important medieval fortress located on the territory of present-day Albania, which has been under Serbian, Venetian and Ottoman control and remains a Latin Catholic t ...

near the tomb of Prince Lekë Zaharia. Original Venetian documents contradict Barleti's version by showing that this murder happened in 1444. According to Venetian chronicler Stefano Magno it was Nikollë Dukagjini, Zaharia's vassal, who killed him in the battle, not Lekë as stated by

References

Dushmani family 15th-century Albanian people Place of birth missing Year of birth missing Year of death missing {{Albania-bio-stub

Marin Barleti's version of the conflict

See Also

References