{{Infobox noble, type , name = Muriq Shpata , title = Lord of Arta , image = , caption = , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession = , reign = 1399 – 1414 or 1415 , tenure=, reign-type = , predecessor = Sgouros Shpata , successor = Yaqub Shpata , suc-type = Inherited by his brother , spouse = Nerata , spouse-type = Spouse , issue = See section , issue-link = , issue-pipe = , full name = , styles = , titles = , noble family = Shpata family , house-type = , father = , mother = Irene Shpata , birth_date = 14th century , birth_place = Arta,

Despotate of Arta The Despotate of Arta (; ) was a despotate established by Albanians, Albanian rulers during the 14th century, after the defeat of the local Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros II Orsini, by Albanian tribesmen in the Battle of Achelous (1359), Battle of ...

, christening_date = , christening_place = , death_date = 1414 or 1415 , death_place = , burial_date = , burial_place = , religion = , occupation = , memorials = , url = , module = Muriki or Maurice Shpata ({{langx, sq, Muriq Shpata; {{floruit, 1399–1414) was the ruler of Arta from late 1399/early 1400 until his death in 1414 or 1415. Muriq’s reign was dominated by his wars with

Carlo I Tocco Carlo I Tocco was the hereditary Count Palatine of Cephalonia and Zakynthos from 1376, and ruled as the Despot of Epirus from 1411 until his death on July 4, 1429. Life Carlo I was the son of Count Leonardo I Tocco of Cephalonia and Leukas by M ...

. Muriq was able to defend his capital of Arta, but despite some victories failed to prevent the fall of

Ioannina Ioannina ( ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina (regional unit), Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus (region), Epirus, an Modern regions of Greece, administrative region in northwester ...

to Tocco. As a result, his brother Yaqub Shpata who succeeded him was defeated in October 1416, ending the

Life

Muriq was a scion of the

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 ...

Shpata family. He was a grandson of Gjin Bua Shpata, the first Albanian ruler of Arta. He was born in the 14th century in Arta during its time under the

. He had one brother, Yaqub Shpata, and two half-siblings from his mother's second marriage, Charles Marchesano and Maddalena.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, PLP, loc=5969. Εἰρήνη{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, p=255 Shortly before Gjin died on 29 October 1399, he appointed his brother, Skurra Bua Shpata, ruler of

Naupactus Nafpaktos () or Naupactus, is a town and a former Communities and Municipalities of Greece, municipality in Nafpaktia, Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, situated on a bay on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, west of the mouth of the river Mor ...

, as his successor as Lord of Arta. A few days after Skurra took over Arta, however, the town was captured by the adventurer Vonko. While Skurra fled to Angelokastron, a short time after, possibly as early as December 1399, Muriq managed to evict Vonko from Arta and took over the governance of the city himself.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=164, 169{{sfn, Fine, 1994, pp=355–356 In 1402–03, Muriq came to Skurra’s aid when the latter was besieged at Angelokastron by the forces of

. The attack, under Carlo's general Galasso Peccatore, was repulsed, but Skurra died soon after, leaving his possessions to his son Pal Shpata.{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, p=170{{sfn, Fine, 1994, p=356 In his campaigns against the Shpatas, Tocco was supported by a rival Albanian clan to the Shpatas, the Bua brothers Muriq and Dimo.{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=169–170 In 1406, Carlo and the Bua brothers joined forces to raid and devastate

Acarnania Acarnania () is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today it forms the western part ...

and the vicinity of Arta, but the city itself, stoutly defended by Muriq Shpata, held out. At Angelokastron, however, Pal Shpata, who lacked his father's ability, felt threatened by the Tocco advance and in 1406 called in Ottoman assistance. The Ottoman army, under Yusuf Beg, was defeated, however, and the Turks departed after coming to terms with the Tocchi. As Maurice refused to come to his cousin's aid, Paul ceded Angelokastron to the Ottomans (only for Carlo Tocco to capture it within less than a year) and retired to Naupactus, which he sold to Venice in 1407–08.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, Fine, 1994, p=356{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=171–172 In order to contain Tocco, Muriq turned to his northern neighbour, the Despot of

Esau de' Buondelmonti Esau de' Buondelmonti () was the ruler of Ioannina and its surrounding area (central Epirus) from 1385 until his death in 1411, with the Byzantine title of despot. Life Esau was the son of the Florentine nobleman Manente and Lapa Acciaiuoli, ...

. Relations between them were tense because Esau, who in 1396 had taken Muriq's mother Irene as his wife, had divorced her in 1402 to marry Eudokia Balšić. Nevertheless, the common threat brought the two together, and in ca. 1410, an alliance was concluded between them, sealed by the marriage of Muriq's daughter to Esau's son, Giorgio.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=173–174 The war between Muriq and Carlo Tocco was a war of raids and counter-raids, punctuated by battles that ended now in defeat and now in victory, with intermittent truces sealed by marriage alliances, such as when Charles Marchesano was wed to a natural daughter of Carlo Tocco.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης It was on the occasion of the latter, which was held at

Rogoi Rogoi () is a Byzantine castle in Nea Kerasounta near Preveza, in western Greece. It is located on the site of the ancient city of Bouchetion (Βουχέτιον), which was abandoned in the late 1st century BC. Re-occupied in the 9th century, ...

, that Muriq and his guests were informed of Esau's death on 6 February 1411. This event triggered a contest between Tocco and the Albanian lords to secure possession of Ioannina, left in the hands of the infant Giorgio and his mother, for themselves. The major role in subsequent developments was played by the inhabitants of Ioannina themselves, who soon deposed Eudokia Balšić and Giorgio. Allied with the lord of

Gjirokastër Gjirokastër (, sq-definite, Gjirokastra) is a List of cities and towns in Albania, city in Southern Albania, southern Albania and the seat of Gjirokastër County and Gjirokastër Municipality. It is located in a valley between the Gjerë moun ...

Gjon Zenebishi John Zenevisi or Gjon Zenebishi ( or ''Gjin Zenebishi''; died 1418) was an Albanian magnate that held the estates in Epirus, such as Gjirokastër and Vagenetia. Name Zenevisi can be found with different spellings in historical documents. His n ...

, Muriq unsuccessfully besieged the Epirote capital twice and plundered its environs. The Ioannites, who utterly opposed the idea of having an Albanian or Serbian ruler over them, opted to surrender their city to Tocco instead, who entered the city in triumph on 1 April.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=175–177 This event consolidated the pact between Muriq and Zenebishi, which was further confirmed by another marriage alliance between Muriq’s daughter and Zenebishi's son Simon. The two Albanian lords were willing to negotiate with Tocco, but the latter, buoyed by his success, launched raids against both their territories. As a result, Muriq and Zenebishi sent appeals to their clansmen, and a large Albanian army met and almost annihilated the Tocco army at a battle fought at Kranea in the district of

Mesopotamon Mesopotam ( sq-definite, Mesopotami; - ''Mesopotamos'') is a village and a former commune in Vlorë County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Finiq. The population at the 2011 cen ...

, in spring or summer 1412. The victorious Albanians marched to the walls of Ioannina, but were again unable to take the city.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=179–180 In late 1412 or early 1413, Carlo Tocco was forced to turn to the Turks for support, arranging for the marriage of one of his natural daughters with

Musa Çelebi Musa Çelebi ( 1402 – 5 July 1413) was an Ottoman dynasty, Ottoman prince and a co-ruler of the Ottoman Empire, empire for three years during the Ottoman Interregnum. Background Musa was one of the sons of Bayezid I, the fourth Ottoman su ...

, one of the Ottoman princes contending for the sultanate during the

Ottoman Interregnum The Ottoman Interregnum, or Ottoman Civil War, (, ) was a civil war in the Ottoman realm between the sons of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I following their father's defeat and capture by Timur in the Battle of Ankara on 28 July 1402. Although Ti ...

. The alliance eased Tocco's position, but Musa was defeated and killed later in the year by his brother,

Mehmed I Mehmed I (; – 26 May 1421), also known as Mehmed Çelebi (, "the noble-born") or ''Kirişçi'' (, "lord's son"), was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1413 to 1421. Son of Sultan Bayezid I and his concubine Devlet Hatun, he fought with hi ...

.{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, p=181 At the same time, Muriq concluded an alliance to Tocco's Italian rival in the

Morea Morea ( or ) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages and the early modern period. The name was used by the Principality of Achaea, the Byzantine province known as the Despotate of the Morea, by the O ...

, the

Prince of Achaea The Prince of Achaea was the ruler of the Principality of Achaea, one of the crusader states Frankokratia, founded in Greece in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204). The principality witnessed various overlords during its more than tw ...

Centurione II Zaccaria Centurione II Asanes Zaccaria (died 1432), scion of a powerful Genoese merchant family established in the Morea since the marriage of the lord of Chios Martino Zaccaria to the baroness Jacqueline de la Roche. Centurione purchased the rights o ...

.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης Muriq's half-brother Charles, who had been appointed governor of Rhiniasa, tried to go over to Tocco, but was apprehended by the local magnates and handed over to Muriq.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης A scandal involving Zenebishi's son and a son-in-law of Muriq led to a quarrel between the two Albanian rulers and the collapse of their alliance. Tocco moved quickly to win over Zenebishi and conclude peace with him.{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης Muriq died in 1414 or 1415,{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης and was succeeded by his full brother, Yaqub Shpata, in Arta, while Charles Marchesano was given the governorship of Rogoi. Muriq's successors proved unable to withstand Tocco's assaults, however, and in October 1416, Yaqub was captured and killed in an ambush. Arta surrendered, ending the era of Albanian rule in the area.{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, pp=185–187

Issue

From his marriage to Nerata, a Serbian woman, Muriq is known to have had a number of unnamed daughters, usually considered to have been three:{{sfn, PLP, loc=26524. Σπάτας Μουρίκης{{sfn, Nicol, 1984, p=255 * a daughter who married

Giorgio de' Buondelmonti Giorgio de' Buondelmonti (, 1403–after 1435) was the Despot of Epirus, ruler of Ioannina for twenty days in 1411, under the regency of his mother Jevdokija Balšić. After spending several years in exile, Giorgio reappears in the sources as the ...

. * a daughter who married

Simon Zenebishi Simon Zenebishi () was an Albanian aristocrat and vassal of the Kingdom of Naples, who held the castle of Strovilo (Castrovilari), near Butrint, and was a member of the Zenebishi family of southern Albania. He probably dwelled in Corfu, and was l ...

, lord of Strovilo. * a daughter who married, after Muriq's death,

Carlo II Tocco Carlo II Tocco (died 1448) was the ruler of Epirus from 1429 until his death. Life Carlo II was the son of Leonardo II Tocco, the younger brother and co-ruler of Carlo I Tocco, count of Cephalonia and Zante, duke of Leukas, and ruler of Epirus. ...

. The first daughter is believed by Karl Krumbacher to have married ''Giorgio'', a son of " George Balšić and Eudokia".{{cite book, author=Karl Krumbacher, title=Byzantinische Zeitschrift, url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oe5YAAAAMAAJ, year=1988, publisher=C. H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung, page=75, quote=Nerata, wife of Spata, Muriki, had three daughters; one married Giorgio, son of George Balsic and Eudokia (62 jo); one married Zenevesi, Symeon (6522); one married Carlo II Tocco (also known as Leonardo), son of Leonardo II Tocco ...

References

{{Reflist, 2

Sources

* {{The Late Medieval Balkans * {{The Despotate of Epiros, 1267–1479 * {{Prosopographisches Lexikon der Palaiologenzeit
CRONACA DEI TOCCO DI CEFALONIA
{{s-start {{s-bef, before= Sgouros Spata {{s-ttl, title= Lord of Arta, years=1401–1414 {{s-aft, after=

Yaqub Spata Yaqub Spata or Shpata (, ) was the last Lord of Arta, ruling from 1414/15 until 1416, with a brief interval when he was evicted by the local population. His rule ended after his capture and execution by Carlo I Tocco, who proceeded to in ...

{{s-end {{DEFAULTSORT:Spata, Maurice 14th-century births 1410s deaths 15th-century Albanian people 15th-century lords in Europe Despots of Arta Maurice Medieval Albanian nobility Albanian monarchs