Demetrio Progoni () was an
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 ...
leader who ruled as ''
Prince of the Albanians'' from 1208 to 1216 the
Principality of Arbanon
Arbanon ( Old Albanian: in Old Gheg, in Old Tosk; ) was a medieval principality in present-day Albania, ruled by the native Progoni family, and the first Albanian state to emerge in recorded history. The principality was established in 1190 ...
, the first Albanian state. He was the successor and brother of
Gjin Progoni and their father,
Progon of Kruja. Following the collapse of the
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived History of the Roman Empire, the events that caused the ...
in the
Fourth Crusade
The Fourth Crusade (1202–1204) was a Latin Christian armed expedition called by Pope Innocent III. The stated intent of the expedition was to recapture the Muslim-controlled city of Jerusalem, by first defeating the powerful Egyptian Ayyubid S ...
, he managed to further secure the independence of Arbanon and extended its influence to its maximum height. Throughout much his rule he was in struggle against the
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice, officially the Most Serene Republic of Venice and traditionally known as La Serenissima, was a sovereign state and Maritime republics, maritime republic with its capital in Venice. Founded, according to tradition, in 697 ...
,
Zeta
Zeta (, ; uppercase Ζ, lowercase ζ; , , classical or ''zē̂ta''; ''zíta'') is the sixth letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals, it has a value of 7. It was derived from the Phoenician alphabet, Phoenician letter zay ...
of
Đorđe Nemanjić
Đorđe Nemanjić or George of Zeta ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Немањић; fl. 1208–1243) was the Grand Prince of Zeta, from at least 1208 until at least 1243. For some time, he also was a self-styled King of Duklja. He was the son of rival Serbi ...
and later the
Despotate of Epiros
The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine ...
and inversely, maintained good relations with their rivals, the
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, was an maritime republics, aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (''Ragusa'' in Italian and Latin; ''Raguxa'' in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost ...
, and at first
Stefan Nemanjić of
Raška, whose daughter
Komnena he married. The Gëziq inscription found in the Catholic church of Ndërfandë (modern Gëziq) shows that by the end of his life he was a Catholic. In Latin documents, of the time, he is often styled as ''princeps Arbanorum'' (prince of the Albanians) and in Byzantine documents as ''
megas archon
The title of ''megas archōn'' (; "grand archon") was a Byzantine court title during the 13th–14th centuries.
History and functions
The title of ''megas archōn'' appears originally as a translation of foreign titles, with the meaning of " gr ...
'' and later as ''
Panhypersebastos
The title of () was a Byzantine court title created by Alexios I Komnenos () using the imperial root (the Greek translation of ). It was always conferred to members of aristocratic families closely allied to the imperial family.
Michael Taronit ...
''. Under increasing pressure from the Despotate of Epiros, his death around 1216 marks the end of Arbanon as a state and the beginning of a period of autonomy until its final ruler
Golem of Kruja
Golem was an Albanian nobleman who ruled the Principality of Arbanon, in its phase of semi-independency. He was the last ruler of Arbanon before its final annexation in the reemerging Byzantine Empire. His holdings included Krujë and probably ...
joined the
Nicaean Empire. The annexation sparked the
Rebellion of Arbanon in 1257. He didn't have any sons to continue his dynasty, but his wealth and a part of his domain in
Mirdita
Mirdita is a region of northern Albania whose territory is synonymous with the historic Albanian tribe of the same name.
Etymology
The name Mirdita derives from a legendary ancestor named Mir Diti from whom the tribe claims descent. Other a ...
passed after Demetrio's death to his underage nephew, Progon (son of Gjin), whom he named ''
protosevastos''. The
Dukagjini family
The House of Dukagjini is an Albanian noble family which ruled over an area of Northern Albania and Western Kosovo known as the Principality of Dukagjini in the 14th and 15th centuries. They may have been descendants of the earlier Progoni f ...
which appeared in historical record 70 years later in the same region may have been relatives or direct descendants of the Progoni.
In historical record, Dhimitër Progoni is the first ruler to call himself ''Prince of the Albanians'' and the first to identify his domain as ''Principatum Albaniae'' (Principality of Albania/Arbanon). Many later feudal rulers of Albania would lay claim to the same title and present their rule as the continuation of this state. The first to do so was
Charles I of Anjou
Charles I (early 1226/12277 January 1285), commonly called Charles of Anjou or Charles d'Anjou, was King of Sicily from 1266 to 1285. He was a member of the royal Capetian dynasty and the founder of the House of Anjou-Sicily. Between 1246 a ...
who sought to legitimize the
Kingdom of Albania as a descendant state of the Principality of Arbanon about 60 years later, in 1272.
Background
Progon of Kruja, father of Dhimitër Progoni formed the first
Albanian state during the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
.
Little is known about ''archon'' Progon who ruled
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 20 km north of the capital of Albania, Tirana.
Krujë was ...
and its surroundings at least since the era between 1190 and 1198. The
Krujë castle
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 20 km north of the capital of Albania, Tirana.
Krujë was ...
and other territories remained in the possession of the
Progoni family
The Progoni were an Albanian nobility, Albanian
noble family which established the first Albanian state in recorded history, the Principality of Arbanon.
History
Progon of Kruja, father of Dhimitër Progoni established his rule in Krujë in 1 ...
, and Progon was succeeded by his sons
Gjin Gjin is an Albanian male given name, clan, surname and onomastic element. As a name, it is usually held by Albanian Christians, as it is derived from the name of a saint, although the identity of this saint is unclear, as both theologists and lingui ...
, and later Demetrio.
Before 1204, Arbanon was an autonomous principality of the Byzantine Empire.
The fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1204, had two main political consequences for the region of Albania. The first was that Byzantine overlordship had crumbled, which allowed for the local rulers to seek independence. The second was that in accordance to the agreements about the partition of the Byzantine Empire, control of Albania had been awarded to the Republic of Venice. In this geopolitical environment, Dhimitër Progoni assumed power in 1207–08.
In primary sources of the period, he is mostly referred to as ''Demetrius'' (''Demetrius, Progoni archontis filius et successor'') or ''Demetrio'' Progoni.
Rule

Since the beginning of his rule, Progoni sought out to create friendly networks in foreign policy in order to preserve the sovereignty of Arbanon against external threats, the most important of whom were for much of his reign the Republic of Venice and later the Despotate of Epiros. In 1208–09, he considered conversion to Catholicism from Eastern Orthodoxy for the first time in order to obtain support against his Venetian rivals. As Venice had been given the nominal rights to control Albania, conversion to Catholicism would nullify Venetian claims over territory controlled by another Catholic state, the Principality of Arbanon. It would also protect him from expansion by post-Byzantine successor states like the Despotate of Epiros. In his preserved correspondence with
Pope Innocent III
Pope Innocent III (; born Lotario dei Conti di Segni; 22 February 1161 – 16 July 1216) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 8 January 1198 until his death on 16 July 1216.
Pope Innocent was one of the most power ...
, Progoni as leader of the ''iudices'' of Arbanon, who signed as his followers, asked the Pope to send missionaries to spread Catholicism in his land. The Pope responded that Nicolaus, the Catholic archdeacon of
Durrës
Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the List of cities and towns in Albania#List, second most populous city of the Albania, Republic of Albania and county seat, seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest ...
had been instructed to make preparations for the mission. Shortly after, however, Demetrio stopped the process because he didn't consider it important any longer. He had defeated
Đorđe Nemanjić
Đorđe Nemanjić or George of Zeta ( sr-Cyrl, Ђорђе Немањић; fl. 1208–1243) was the Grand Prince of Zeta, from at least 1208 until at least 1243. For some time, he also was a self-styled King of Duklja. He was the son of rival Serbi ...
, the Grand prince of Zeta and a Venetian vassal whom he bordered to the north and thus felt less threatened by Venice.
Nemanjić had previously promised military support to Venice if Progoni attacked Venetian territory, in a treaty signed on 3 July 1208.
He also had secured a marriage with
Komnena Nemanjić
Komnena Nemanjić ( sr-cyr, Комнена Немањић; ; fl. 1208–1215) was a Serbian princess from the Nemanjić dynasty. She was married to Dhimitër Progoni who held the title Prince of Albania and was the ruler of the Principality of A ...
, who was both the daughter of Stefan Nemanjić, rival of Đorđe Nemanjić and granddaughter of the last Byzantine Emperor
Alexios III Angelos
Alexios III Angelos (; 1211), Latinized as Alexius III Angelus, was Byzantine Emperor from March 1195 to 17/18 July 1203. He reigned under the name Alexios Komnenos (; Aléxios Komnēnós) associating himself with the Komnenos dynasty (from whi ...
. In this context, because of the relation of his consort to the Byzantine imperial family, he was recognized by the title of ''panhypersevastos''. After the death of the Catholic archbishop of Durrës, the Venetians and Progoni - each in their respective territories - seized church property. For his actions against church property, he was excommunicated.
He used the title ''princeps Arbanorum'' ("prince of the Albanians") to refer to himself and was recognized as such by foreign dignitaries. In the correspondence with Innocent III, the territory he claimed as ''princeps Arbanorum'' was the area between
Shkodra,
Prizren
Prizren ( sq-definite, Prizreni, ; sr-cyr, Призрен) is the second List of cities and towns in Kosovo, most populous city and Municipalities of Kosovo, municipality of Kosovo and seat of the eponymous municipality and District of Prizren, ...
,
Ohrid
Ohrid ( ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording a population of over 42,000 inhabitants as of ...
and
Durrës
Durrës ( , ; sq-definite, Durrësi) is the List of cities and towns in Albania#List, second most populous city of the Albania, Republic of Albania and county seat, seat of Durrës County and Durrës Municipality. It is one of Albania's oldest ...
(''regionis montosae inter Scodram, Dyrrachium, Achridam et Prizrenam sitae'').
In general, Progoni brought the principality to its climax.
The area the principality controlled, ranged from the Shkumbin river valley to the
Drin river valley in the north and from the Adriatic sea to the
Black Drin
The Black Drin, or Black Drim (; ) is a river in North Macedonia and Albania. It flows out of Lake Ohrid in Struga, North Macedonia. It is long and its drainage basin is . Its average discharge is . After flowing through North Macedonia for , the ...
in the east. In Latin documents, he is also referred to as ''iudex''. In Byzantine records, he is titled as ''
megas archon
The title of ''megas archōn'' (; "grand archon") was a Byzantine court title during the 13th–14th centuries.
History and functions
The title of ''megas archōn'' appears originally as a translation of foreign titles, with the meaning of " gr ...
'' and after the consolidation of his rule as ''panhypersebastos''.
In search for allies, he also signed a treaty with the
Republic of Ragusa
The Republic of Ragusa, or the Republic of Dubrovnik, was an maritime republics, aristocratic maritime republic centered on the city of Dubrovnik (''Ragusa'' in Italian and Latin; ''Raguxa'' in Venetian) in South Dalmatia (today in southernmost ...
which allowed for free passage of Ragusan merchants in Albanian territory.
In 1210, an agreement was concluded between the Republic of Venice and
Michael I Komnenos Doukas
Michael I Komnenos Doukas, Latinized as Comnenus Ducas (), and in modern sources often recorded as Michael I Angelos, a name he never used, was the founder and first ruler of the Despotate of Epirus from until his assassination in 1214/15.
Bor ...
of the
Despotate of Epiros
The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine ...
under which Doukas would become a vassal of Venice, if the republic recognized his claims up to the
Shkumbin
The Shkumbin (; ), also known as Shkembi, is a river in Albania. It is long and its drainage basin is . Its average discharge is .
Etymology
It derives from Latin ''Scampinus'' (recorded alternatively as ), which replaced the Illyrian name o ...
river valley, a core area of Arbanon. In 1212, Venice also allowed for the possession of the coastal duchy of Durrës to pass to Michael and abandoned its direct control of central Albania.
The agreement had dire consequences for the principality, which surrounded by hostile forces, seems to have been reduced by the end of the life of Dhimitër Progoni to the area north of Shkumbin and south of Drin. Evidence for this period has been provided by the foundational inscription of the Catholic church of Gëziq in the Ndërfandë near modern
Rreshen in Mirdita. The inscription is written in Latin and has been produced after Progoni's death. The inscription shows that Progoni, who had been reaccepted in the Catholic Church, had provided funds for the building of the church, which he might have planned to become the seat of the
Diocese of Arbanum or a new diocese in the centre of his remaining domain. This is indicated by the fact that the new church was built on the site of an older church dedicated to St. Mary but Progoni dedicated the new church to
Shën Premte, the patron saint of Arbanum.
He had maintained the semi-independence of this area under an agreement in which he accepted the high suzerainty of Zeta and the rulers of Zeta didn't get involved in internal affairs of the region in return. In the inscription which also serves as the last will of Progoni, the church is dedicated to his people (''nationi obtulit'') and his successor is designated, ''Progon'' - son of
Gjin Progoni - as
protosevastos.
Death and legacy
He died around 1215–16.
His wife was soon married off to
Gregory Kamonas
Gregorios Kamonas (?) was a Greek-Albanian lord who ruled the Principality of Arbanon after . Demetrios Chomatenos (1216–1236) mentioned him as having the title of ''sebastos'', given to him by the emperor Alexios III Angelos after 1205, durin ...
who needed the wedding to happen in order legitimize succession of power. After he took control of Kruja, strengthening relations with
Grand Principality of Serbia
The Grand Principality of Serbia ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Великожупанска Србија, Velikožupanska Srbija, separator=" / "), also known by the anachronistic exonym Raška (region), Rascia ( sr-Cyrl-Latn, Рашка, Raška, separator=" ...
, which had weakened after a Slavic assault on
Scutari.
Komnena had a daughter with Kamonas that married
Golem
A golem ( ; ) is an animated Anthropomorphism, anthropomorphic being in Jewish folklore, which is created entirely from inanimate matter, usually clay or mud. The most famous golem narrative involves Judah Loew ben Bezalel, the late 16th-century ...
, who continued to rule as a semi-independent ruler in Arbanon under
Theodore Komnenos Doukas
Theodore Komnenos Doukas (, ''Theodōros Komnēnos Doukas;'' Latinized as Theodore Comnenus Ducas; died 1253) or Theodore Angelos Komnenos was the ruler of Epirus and Thessaly from 1215 to 1230 and of Thessalonica and most of Macedonia and we ...
of the
Despotate of Epiros
The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine ...
(until 1230) and then
Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
Ivan Asen II, also known as John Asen II (, ; 1190s – May/June 1241), was Emperor (Tsar) of Bulgaria from 1218 to 1241. He was still a child when his father Ivan Asen I one of the founders of the Second Bulgarian Empire was killed in 1196. H ...
until his death in 1241. He then oscillated between Doukas and the Nicaeans until he was finally annexed by the Nicaeans in the phase of reconstitution of the Byzantine Empire in 1252–56.
The events prompted the
Rebellion of Arbanon in 1257. The Principality of Arbanon is the first Albanian state that emerged in the Middle Ages.
Under Progoni, it reached its maximum extent.
Progoni was the first to use the terms ''Princeps Arbanorum'' and ''Princeps Albaniae''. The legacy of a local, independent power center in Albania was used by future rulers to legitimize their power by presenting their realms as its successors. The first to do so was
Charles I of Anjou
Charles I (early 1226/12277 January 1285), commonly called Charles of Anjou or Charles d'Anjou, was King of Sicily from 1266 to 1285. He was a member of the royal Capetian dynasty and the founder of the House of Anjou-Sicily. Between 1246 a ...
with the creation of
Kingdom of Albania around 70 years later. In Albanian historiography, his attempt has been assessed negatively as an "Anjou invention" which sought to turn Albania into an armed base for Angevin campaigns in contrast to the Principality of Arbanon, which was an attempt of local unification and independence from the Byzantines.
Progoni didn't have any sons. His successor was his nephew, Progon. The rule of this Progon in the Mirdita area, the many similarities between the emblem of the Progoni family in the Gëziq inscription and the coat of arms of the later
Dukagjini family
The House of Dukagjini is an Albanian noble family which ruled over an area of Northern Albania and Western Kosovo known as the Principality of Dukagjini in the 14th and 15th centuries. They may have been descendants of the earlier Progoni f ...
and the claim of the Dukagjini that they were the hereditary overlords of Ndërfandë and the abbacy of Gëziq has led historians to consider that the two clans may have been related or even that the Dukagjini were descendants of the Progoni via protosevastos Progon.
The connection of the church of Ndërfandë with the Diocese of Arbanum and consequently with the territory of Arbanon led to later disputes. The Dukagjini who held hereditary rights over the region, were in actual control of the abbacy.
Gjon Kastrioti
Gjon Kastrioti was an Albanians, Albanian feudal lord from the House of Kastrioti and the father of Albanian leader Gjergj Kastrioti (better known as Skanderbeg). He governed the territory between the Cape of Rodon and Debar, Dibër and had a ...
who held control of the territory of the diocese of
Arbanum
Arbanum is a town, former bishopric and present titular see in present Albania.
Latin bishopric
Arbanum was established circa 1100 as Diocese of Arbano (or Albania), suffragan of the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Durrës (Italian Durazzo).
It ...
claimed that the abbacy should pass into his territory. The dispute was solved with mediation by the Papacy, which transferred it to the
Diocese of Lezhë which had been formed in the 15th century and was ''de jure'' part of the Dukagjini lands.
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Progoni, Demetrio
12th-century births
1216 deaths
13th-century monarchs in Europe
12th-century Albanian people
13th-century Albanian people
Demetrio
13th-century Venetian people
People from the Despotate of Epirus
Demetrio
Panhypersebastoi
Albanian monarchs