George Thopia
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Gjergj Thopia (; October 1392), also known as Giorgio, Georg or George 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 ...
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
and member of the Thopia family. He was the
Prince of Albania This is an archontological list of Albanian monarchs, containing monarchs of the medieval Albanian principalities, Albanian kingdoms and to heads of state of modern Albania. Starting from the first established monarch Progon of Kruja from th ...
and the Lord of Durrës from 1388 to 1392. His reign was marked by efforts to maintain control of his territories amidst increasing Ottoman pressure and internal rivalries with other Albanian noble families. Gjergj allied with
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
to protect
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 ...
but ultimately relinquished the city to Venetian rule due to declining health and political instability. Gjergj's death in 1392 marked the end of his lineage, with his holdings passing to his sister,
Helena Thopia Helena Thopia (; 1388–1403) was an Albanians, Albanian princess of the Thopia family who held the Krujë region as sovereign lady for two terms; 1388–1392 and 1394–1403. Life Princess Helena, was the eldest daughter of Karl Thopia and Voisa ...
, and his legacy shaped by his alliances and resistance to Ottoman encroachment.


Early life and reign

Gjergj, born around the 1370s, was the son of
Karl Thopia Karl Thopia (; – January 1388) sometimes written as Charles Thopia, was an Albanian feudal prince and warlord who ruled Albanian domains from 1358 until the first Ottoman conquest of Albania in 1388. Thopia usually maintained good relatio ...
and Voisava Balsha. A member of the powerful Thopia family, Karl ruled the
Principality of Albania The Principality of Albania () was a monarchy from 1914 to 1925. It was headed by Wilhelm, Prince of Albania, and located in modern Albania in the Balkans, Balkan region of Europe. The Ottoman Empire owned the land until the First Balkan Wa ...
on the coast of the
Adriatic Sea The Adriatic Sea () is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula. The Adriatic is the northernmost arm of the Mediterranean Sea, extending from the Strait of Otranto (where it connects to the Ionian Se ...
and played a significant role in regional politics. Voisava came from the influential Balsha family (often the Thopias' rivals) who ruled
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 ...
, also on the Adriatic coast. Not much is known about Gjergj's early life. He succeeded his father as
Prince of Albania This is an archontological list of Albanian monarchs, containing monarchs of the medieval Albanian principalities, Albanian kingdoms and to heads of state of modern Albania. Starting from the first established monarch Progon of Kruja from th ...
after his death in January 1388, though Gjergj was reportedly in poor health at the time. Gjergj held the title (Prince of Albania) and Lord 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 ...
. He married the Serbian noblewoman Teodora Branković, daughter of
Branko Mladenović Branko ( sr-cyr, Бранко; 1331–65) was a Serbian magnate who served to king and Serbian Empire, emperor Stefan Dušan (r. 1331–55), and emperor Stefan Uroš V (r. 1355–71), with the titles of ''sluga'' and later ''sevastokrator''. A m ...
of the Branković family. Historical records indicate that Gjergj Thopia and Teodora were in possession of a richly adorned crown. In April 1391, hostilities between the Thopia and the Balsha flared up once again. The rivalry was partly driven by power struggles in Italy and Western Europe, where King
Ladislaus of Naples Ladislaus the Magnanimous (, ; 15 February 1377 – 6 August 1414) was King of Naples from 1386 until his death and an unsuccessful claimant to the kingdoms of Hungary and Croatia. Ladislaus was a skilled political and military leader, protector ...
was competing against the French claimant, Louis II of Anjou, for the
Kingdom of Naples The Kingdom of Naples (; ; ), officially the Kingdom of Sicily, was a state that ruled the part of the Italian Peninsula south of the Papal States between 1282 and 1816. It was established by the War of the Sicilian Vespers (1282–1302). Until ...
. Descended from the Neapolitan royal house through his grandmother, Hélène of Anjou, Gjergj took pride in his Anjou lineage. He aligned himself with Louis who was backed by
Clement VII Pope Clement VII (; ; born Giulio di Giuliano de' Medici; 26 May 1478 – 25 September 1534) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 19 November 1523 to his death on 25 September 1534. Deemed "the most unfortunate of ...
, the first pope seating in Avignon during the
Western Schism The Western Schism, also known as the Papal Schism, the Great Occidental Schism, the Schism of 1378, or the Great Schism (), was a split within the Catholic Church lasting from 20 September 1378 to 11 November 1417, in which bishops residing ...
. In response, the Roman pope,
Boniface IX Pope Boniface IX (; ; c. 1350 – 1 October 1404, born Pietro Tomacelli) was head of the Catholic Church from 2 November 1389 to his death, in October 1404. He was the second Roman pope during the Western Schism.Richard P. McBrien, ''Lives of th ...
, rejected Gjergj's claim to Durrës, and acknowledged his first cousin Gjergj II Balsha as the city's rightful ruler. This decision had little real effects, as Gjergj Thopia retained control of the city. At the end of 1391, Gjergj Thopia appointed Philip Barelli as his first chamberlain.


Venetian relations and the Ottoman threat

The
Battle of Kosovo The Battle of Kosovo took place on 15 June 1389 between an army led by the Serbian Prince Lazar Hrebeljanović and an invading army of the Ottoman Empire under the command of Sultan Murad I. It was one of the largest battles of the Late Middl ...
in 1389 was a pivotal conflict between the Ottoman Empire, led by Sultan Murad I, and a coalition led by
Lazar of Serbia Lazar Hrebeljanović ( sr-Cyrl, Лазар Хребељановић; – 15 June 1389) was a medieval Serbian ruler who created the largest and most powerful state on the territory of the disintegrated Serbian Empire. Lazar's state, referre ...
. The Ottoman victory solidified their dominance in the region, prompting local rulers to reassess their strategies. Threatened by the Ottomans' expansion, Gjergj Thopia closely aligned himself with
Venice Venice ( ; ; , formerly ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto Regions of Italy, region. It is built on a group of 118 islands that are separated by expanses of open water and by canals; portions of the city are li ...
. Although Venice provided military support, it also began preparations for Gjergj's eventual death, given his declining health. The Republic established a faction in Durrës to bolster its position, and by the spring of 1391, it had stationed a strong garrison in the city. Once Ottoman forces began conquering areas previously held by local lords, the
Venetian Senate The Senate (), formally the ''Consiglio dei Pregadi'' or ''Rogati'' (, ), was the main deliberative and legislative body of the Republic of Venice. Establishment The Venetian Senate was founded in 1229, or less likely shortly before that date. ...
reassessed Albania's strategic importance. The Council's actions in early 1392 were primarily motivated by the looming threat of Ottoman expansion, rather than any ambitions for territorial acquisition by Venice. This decision reflected concerns over merchant safety and the potential for profit from Albanian lands. Venice's entry into Albanian cities, including Durrës, was carefully planned. A significant moment in Venice's involvement was highlighted by a Council speech on March 8, 1392, discussing the critical need to secure Durrës against the Ottoman threat. The speakers emphasized the considerable investments Venice had made in protecting the city and warned of the severe consequences if Durrës fell into Ottoman hands. The speech sought to justify Venice's moral responsibility to protect Christians and prevent the city's fall. A detailed plan was proposed, instructing Captain Saraceno Dandolo to meet with Gjergj Thopia, assure him of Venice's support, and secure Durrës castle with Venetian expenses. The Venetian Council, emphasizing its "sincere affection and love" for Gjergj Thopia and the city of Durrës, reassured him of their efforts to protect the city from falling into Ottoman hands. Urging Gjergj to allow Durrës castle to be secured by Venetian forces for the safety of Christianity and the city. At the same time, they assured him that he would retain his rule, governance, and status as lord of Durrës. In 1392, during a Venetian Council meeting, the council addressed the growing threat to Gjergj Thopia's rule in Durrës from both the Ottomans and the Balsha. A detailed entry from this council session highlighted Venice's authoritative involvement in managing the situation, marking a significant shift in Thopia's status. Despite internal disagreements within the council, the decision was made to appoint the Venetian castellan Paolo da Canal to manage the fortress.


Requests and final years

In August 1392, the Venetian Council received Gjergj Thopia's ambassadors following Venice's takeover of Durrës. The ambassadors sought confirmation of existing agreements with Saraceno Dandolo, assistance for Gjergj in reclaiming specific lands and castles, modifications to the currency, a financial loan, and guarantees for the safe return of
Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...
who had either fled Ottoman rule or traveled between Venetian and Ottoman territories. The Council's response was positive, repeating Thopia's requests with reassurances that future Venetian Captains would follow suit, reflecting Gjergj Thopia's requests for assistance, which included potential changes to the currency and a financial loan. This agreement was expedited by Thopia's serious illness, which was noted by the council. Thopia's personal request for a gift of sweets and pastries was handled separately as an additional order to the Venetian captain in the city.


Relinquishment and death

Just before his death, Gjergj relinquished control 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 ...
to Dandolo in 1392, under increasing pressure from Venice and due to his declining health and political instability. Dandolo formally took possession of the city and its territory following Gjergj's death, which marked the city's submission to Venetian authority. Gjergj Thopia passed away in October 1392, without leaving any heirs. Following his death, the Venetian Council responded by donating an additional 25 gold
ducat The ducat ( ) coin was used as a trade coin in Europe from the later Middle Ages to the 19th century. Its most familiar version, the gold ducat or sequin containing around of 98.6% fine gold, originated in Venice in 1284 and gained wide inter ...
s to Durrës. His sister,
Helena Thopia Helena Thopia (; 1388–1403) was an Albanians, Albanian princess of the Thopia family who held the Krujë region as sovereign lady for two terms; 1388–1392 and 1394–1403. Life Princess Helena, was the eldest daughter of Karl Thopia and Voisa ...
, gained the bulk of the rest of his holdings, whilst a smaller portion was left to his younger sister, Voisava Thopia. He had two further half-siblings from his father's affairs,
Niketa Thopia Niketa Thopia (, ; 1388 – d. 1415), also known as Nikola was the Lord of Krujë between 1392—1394 and 1403–1415. He was a member of the Albanians, Albanian Thopia family and an illegitimate son of Karl Thopia, the Prince of Albania (r. 1368â ...
, who eventually attacked and forcefully took control of
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 ...
, as well as, Maria Thopia, who became Baroness of Botrugno in Italy and granted refuge to Helena and her son Stefan Maramonte. In August 1393, an ambassador from Durrës arrived in Venice representing the commune. The Maritime Experts—Marco Morosini, Nicolò Mudazzo and Benedetto Cappello—presented the ambassador's requests to the Venetian council, which mostly involved local issues. One request sparked disagreement among the Experts, especially regarding the impact of Gjergj's past decisions on Durrës. Morosini and Cappello highlighted the problem of Thopia's sale of properties and people to Albanians. The council's instructions to the governor of Durrës, Francesco Zorzi, focused on ensuring the safety and return of Venice's subjects—whether from Durrës or Albania—while also prioritizing the repopulation of the city. Antonio Contarini, a maritime expert, proposed a plan that ultimately prevailed, allowing for a more inclusive approach to repopulating the city and addressing the effects of Gjergj's past actions. Progon Dukagjini, who was Gjergj Thopia's brother-in-law through his sister Voisava, presented several petitions on behalf of himself and his wife during his visit to Venice in August 1393. Out of the ten requests, one included the return of precious items once belonging to Gjergj Thopia, which were held by the commune, likely made on behalf of his sister, Voisava.


Family tree


See also

* Thopia family *
Principality of Albania (medieval) The Principality of Albania ( Albanian: ''Principata e Arbërisë'') was an Albanian principality ruled by the Albanian dynasty of Thopia. The first notable ruler was Tanusio Thopia, who became Count of Mat in 1328. The principality would re ...
* Saint Gjon Vladimir's Church


References


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Thopia, George 14th-century births 1392 deaths Principality of Albania (medieval) Gjergj Princes of Albania Medieval Albanian nobility People from Durrës Albanian monarchs