Spinarica or Spinarizza was a
medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
city on the mouth of
Vjosa
The Vjosa (; indefinite form: ) or Aoös ( el, Αώος) is a river in northwestern Greece and southwestern Albania. Its total length is about , of which the first are in Greece, and the remaining in Albania. Its drainage basin is and its ave ...
river in southern
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 ...
. It was an important center of trade, a status boosted by its strategic location.
During its existence the city was ruled by the
Byzantines,
Venetians,
Angevins, the
Hohenstaufen
The Hohenstaufen dynasty (, , ), also known as the Staufer, was a noble family of unclear origin that rose to rule the Duchy of Swabia from 1079, and to royal rule in the Holy Roman Empire during the Middle Ages from 1138 until 1254. The dynasty ...
dynasty and finally by the
Ottomans
The Ottoman Turks ( tr, Osmanlı Türkleri), were the Turkic founding and sociopolitically the most dominant ethnic group of the Ottoman Empire ( 1299/1302–1922).
Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks remains scarce, ...
.
The exact reasons for Spinarica's decline are not known, though at the same period several important cities throughout Albania were abandoned due to socioeconomic issues caused by the Ottomans.
The once prosperous city has been located by some scholars in the area of today's
Zvërnec
Zvërnec ( sq-definite, Zvërneci; el, Σβέρνιτσα, Svernitsa) is a community in Vlorë County, Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Vlorë. It is situated northwest of the city of Vlorë. It is ...
north of
Vlorë
Vlorë ( , ; sq-definite, Vlora) is the third most populous city of the Republic of Albania and seat of Vlorë County and Vlorë Municipality. Located in southwestern Albania, Vlorë sprawls on the Bay of Vlorë and is surrounded by the foothi ...
.
See also
*
Medieval Albania
When the Roman Empire divided into east and west in 395, the territories of modern Albania became a part of the Byzantine Empire. At the end of the 12th century, the Principality of Arbanon was formed which lasted until mid 13th century, after ...
References
{{Reflist
Former populated places in Albania