Theodor Musachi ( sq, Theodhor Koronë Muzaka) or Teodor III Muzaka, was an Albanian nobleman who led the 1437–38 revolt against 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, ...

and was one of the founders 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 ...

in 1444.

Family

Theodor Musachi was а member of the

Muzaka family The Muzaka were an Albanian noble family that ruled over the region of Myzeqe (southern Albania) in the Late Middle Ages. The Muzaka are also referred to by some authors as a tribe or a clan. The earliest historical document that mention Muzaka ...

whose domains extended till Kastoria (in modern-day Greece) at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th century. According to

Gjon Muzaka Gjon Muzaka (fl. 1510; it, Giovanni Musachi di Berat ) was an Albanian nobleman from the Muzaka family, that has historically ruled in the Myzeqe region, Albania. In 1510 he wrote a ''Breve memoria de li discendenti de nostra casa Musachi'' (Shor ...

(not completely reliable primary source) parents of Theodor Corona Musachi had three sons (Gjin, Theodor and Stoya) and two daughters (Comita and Kyranna). Muzaka explained that Theodor inherited control over

Berat Berat (; sq-definite, Berati) is the ninth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Berat County and Berat Municipality. By air, it is north of Gjirokastër, west of Korçë, south of Tirana, and east of Fier. Berat is located in ...

from his father Andrea Muzaka III. It is unknown when Muzaka family began to control Berat. Byzantine Eastern Roman sources state that the Muzaka family was in control of Berat regions since 1270 sometimes under Byzantine umbrella and sometimes as de jure independent lords. Many

Albanian Princes 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 ...

unlike other ethnicities of the

Eastern Roman Empire The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantino ...

had the right of total autonomy and self governance in their lands, with the promise to join the Roman emperor in foreign wars. This is also stated in the diary of

Teodor Muzaka Teodor is a masculine given name. In English, it is a cognate of Theodore. Notable people with the name include: *Teodor Muzaka III, Albanian nobleman who was born in 1393. * Teodor Andrault de Langeron (19th century), President of Warsaw * Teodo ...

, in which is mentioned that Muzaka family was the ruler of Epirus for centuries. It does not state clearly if it was historical Epirus or just some parts of

Southern Albania Southern Albania ( sq, Shqipëria jugore) is one of the three NUTS-2 Regions of Albania. This ethnographical territory is sometimes referred to as ''Toskeria'' ( sq, Toskëria). It consists of five counties: Berat, Fier, Gjirokastër, Korç ...

. The Muzaka family was in conflict with

Prince Marko Marko Mrnjavčević ( sr-cyr, Марко Мрњавчевић, ; – 17 May 1395) was the ''de jure'' Serbian king from 1371 to 1395, while he was the ''de facto'' ruler of territory in western Macedonia centered on the town of Prilep. He ...

. Muzaka family managed to defeat Marko and take large shares of south and southwestern Macedonia from him. Before 1396 (the year of Marko's death) Musachi was probably a young man who participated in this conflict, which explains why he is commemorated in

Serbian Serbian may refer to: * someone or something related to Serbia, a country in Southeastern Europe * someone or something related to the Serbs, a South Slavic people * Serbian language * Serbian names See also * * * Old Serbian (disambiguation ...

and south Slavic epic poetry as Korun, Marko's enemy. At the end of 1411,

Niketa Thopia Niketa Thopia ( sq, Niketa Topia, la, Nicetas Thopia; 1388 – d. 1415) was the Lord of Krujë between 1392—1394 and 1403—1415. He was a member of the Thopia family and the son of Karl Topia, the Prince of Albania (r. 1368–1388). Life Ni ...

suffered a heavy defeat from the forces of Theodor Corona Musachi during one skirmish. This event was recorded in a Venetian source composed on 29 February 1412. He himself was held prisoner and with the intervention of the

Ragusan Republic 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 = ...

was released in 1413, but only after conceding some territories around the

Shkumbin The Shkumbin (; ; la, Genusus, also la, Genessus, label=none or la, Scampis, label=none), also commonly Shkembi, is a river in Southern Europe. It is long and its drainage basin is . Its average discharge is . Etymology It derives from La ...

river to the

Ottoman invasion

The

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University ...

first invaded the principality in 1415, and in 1417 captured the city of Vlorë. Berat was captured that same year following a surprise attack.

Revolt

In 1437–38, while sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Albania was Theodor's son

Yakup Bey Yakup is a Turkish given name for males and is a cognate of Jacob and James. People named Yakup include: * Yakup Ağa (fl. 1462), Ottoman cavalry knight * Yakup Bugun (born 1987), Turkish footballer * Yakup Gör (born 1988), Turkish sport wres ...

, Theodor Korona Muzaka revolted in the region of

. This revolt was, like previous Albanian Revolt of 1431–36, suppressed by the Ottomans. Even though in the

Albanian Revolt of 1432–36 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 ...

Gjergj Arianiti was victorious over Ottomans and secured the independence and enlargement of his principality by including today's

Bitola Bitola (; mk, Битола ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki ...

. There are claims that Muzaka's 1437—38 revolt is not supported by contemporary sources. Jakub Bey was recorded to be on the position of the sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Albania in 1442.

League of Lezhë

The

was founded by: *

Lekë Zaharia Lekë Zaharia (? – 1444), was an Albanian nobleman from Zaharia family. He was the only son of his father Koja Zaharia and mother Bosa who also had one daughter, Bolja, who named her son Koja after her father. League of Lezhë In 1444 h ...

(lord of

Sati Sati or SATI may refer to: Entertainment * ''Sati'' (film), a 1989 Bengali film by Aparna Sen and starring Shabana Azmi * ''Sati'' (novel), a 1990 novel by Christopher Pike *Sati (singer) (born 1976), Lithuanian singer *Sati, a character in ''Th ...

and

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 ...

) and his vassals Pal Dukagjin and

Nicholas Dukagjini Nicholas Dukagjini ( it, Nicolas Ducagin, sq, Nikollë Dukagjini) was a 15th-century member of the Dukagjini family. Biography Nicholas Dukagjini was the son of Gjergj (George) Dukagjini, who died before 1409 when Nicholas was mentioned for t ...

* Peter Spani (lord of the mountains behind

Drivast 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 ...

) *

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

Pult Pult or Pulat ( sq-definite, Pulti or Pulati), is a region in northern Albania. It is bordered by the Malësia Region to its north and by the Dukagjin Highlands to its east and its south. The region has traditionally been inhabited by the Plani ...

) *

George Strez Balšić George Strez Balšić ( sr-Cyrl, Ђурађ Стрезов Балшић) or Gjergj Balsha ( sq, Gjergj Balsha) ( 1444–57) and his brothers Gojko and Ivan were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The broth ...

with

Ivan Strez Balšić Ivan Strez Balšić ( sr-cyr, Јован Стрез Балшић) or Gjon Balsha ( sq, Gjon Balsha); fl. 1444–1469) and his brothers George Strez and Gojko Balšić were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adria ...

and

Gojko Balšić Gojko Balšić or Gojko Balsha ( sr, Гојко Балшић; sq, Gojko Balsha; fl. 1444) and his brothers George Strez and John were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The brothers were members of the ...

Andrea Thopia Andrea Thopia or Andrew Thopia ( sq, Andrea Topia; died before March 1445) was a 15th century Albanian noble man whose domains included the territory of Scuria (between Durazzo and what would later become modern day Tirana). He was a member of t ...

and his nephew

Tanush Tanush is the Albanian variant of the Greek given name Athanasius, loaned from Latin. Where the fricative /θ/ becomes the stop /t/, this shows that the name passed through Latin before entering Albanian; the Greek-derived equivalent is the name an ...

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 ...

* Theodor Corona Musachi * Stefan Crnojević (lord of Upper Zeta) and his sons

Notes

Footnotes

References

Sources

* * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Corona Musachi, Theodor Muzaka family Medieval Albanian nobility 1449 deaths Year of birth unknown History of Berat 15th-century Albanian people Albanian Christians Eastern Orthodox Christians from Albania