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 Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

). He was a member of the Thopia family and 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 Lea ...

Family

Andrea Thopia was the nephew of

Karl Thopia 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 ...

. He had two sons Karl Muzaka and Komnin. He was son of Nikete Topia died 1414/1415

1432—1436 rebellion

After the

Battle of Savra The Battle of Savra ( sq, Beteja e Savrës, sr, Bitka na Saurskom polju, tr, Savra Muharebesi; "Battle on the Saurian field") or the Battle of the Vjosë was fought on 18 September 1385 between Ottoman and much smaller Zetan forces, at the Sa ...

in 1385 the region of Albania became under strong Ottoman influence and gradually most of its territory was annexed to Ottoman Empire within separate administrative unit: the Sanjak of Albania. Andrea revolted against Ottoman rule in 1432 and defeated a small Ottoman military unit in the mountains of Central Albania. His victory inspired other chieftains in Albania, especially Gjergj Arianiti, to rebel against the Ottomans.

League of Lezhë

Together with his nephew ( Tanush Thopia) Andrea participated in founding of the

(1444 military alliance led by

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 ...

). The members included Lekë Zaharia, Pjetër Spani, Lekë Dushmani, Andrea Thopia, Gjergj Arianiti, Theodor Muzaka, Stefan Crnojević, and their subjects. His title was Lord of Scuria (near Durazzo). According to Gjon Muzaka, Andrea Thopia was among the members of this league who outlived the fall of Scutari into Ottoman hands in 1479.

In literature

Girolamo de Rada, an Italian writer of Italo-

Albanian literature Albanian literature stretches back to the Middle Ages and comprises those literary texts and works written in Albanian. It may also refer to literature written by Albanians in Albania, Kosovo and the Albanian diaspora particularly in Italy. A ...

, dedicated his 1839 work ''Albanian Historical Songs of Serafina Thopia, Wife of Prince Nicholas Dukagjini'' ( it, Canti storici albanesi di Serafina Thopia, moglie del principe Nicola Ducagino) to unfulfilled love of Serafina Thopia and Bosdare Stresa (an Albanian Romeo and Juliet). Serafina, who was daughter of Andrea Thopia in this song, sacrificed her love to Bosdare and married Nicholas Dukagjini to help uniting southern and northern Albania to fight against the Ottomans.

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* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thopia, Andrea 15th-century Albanian people Andrea Medieval Albanian nobility Albanian Roman Catholics