Progon was the first
Albanian ruler known by name, an ''archon'' of the
Kruja Fortress (modern Krujë) and its surroundings, known as 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 ...
. He ruled between 1190 and 1198. Progon was succeeded by his two sons,
Gjin, and
Dimitri.
Life
Progon's realm was 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 ...
.
[Clements 1992, p. 31 ''"By 1190, Byzantium's power had so receded that the archon Progon succeeded in establishing the first Albanian state of the Middle Ages, a principality"''][Pickard-Çeliku 2008, p. 16][Norris 1993, p. 35] Little is known about ''archon'' Progon who was the first ruler of Kruja and its surroundings, between 1190 and 1198.
[Frashëri 1964, p. 42 ''"The territories of this principality extended over the present- day districts of central Albania. Its capital was at Kruja. The first ruler of the Principality of Arberia was Archon Progon (1190-1198) about whose life and doings we know.."''] The Kruja fortress stayed in the possession of the
Progoni family, and Progon was succeeded by his sons
Gjin, and later Dimitri. Before 1204, Arbanon was an autonomous principality of the Byzantine Empire.
[Ellis, p. 134] He is mentioned with his two sons in an inscription from the St. Mary Monastery in
Trifandina,
Gëziq, northern Albania. The titles ''
archon
''Archon'' (, plural: , ''árchontes'') is a Greek word that means "ruler", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem , meaning "to be first, to rule", derived from the same ...
'' (held by Progon) and ''
panhypersebastos'' (held by Dimitri) is a sign of Byzantine dependence.
[Abulafia, p. 780]
Family
*
Progon (founder), ''
archon
''Archon'' (, plural: , ''árchontes'') is a Greek word that means "ruler", frequently used as the title of a specific public office. It is the masculine present participle of the verb stem , meaning "to be first, to rule", derived from the same ...
'' of Kruja ruled (between 1190 and 1198)
**
Gjin Progoni, ruled 1198–1208
**
Dimitri Progoni, ruled 1208–1216, married
Komnena Nemanjić, the daughter of
Serbian Grand Prince, later
King
King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
Stefan Nemanjić (r. 1196–1228).
[Jordan 2003, p. 114][Frashëri 1964, p. 43][Bogdanović-Samardžić 1990, p. 37: "Димитрије Прогон се назива „архонтом Арбанаса" и ступа у међународне везе - са Дубровником, Венецијом и, најзад немањићком Србијом; ожењен је Комнином, кћерком Стефана Првовенчаног."] This resulted in an alliance, and vassalage to Serbia amidst conflicts with 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 ...
.
Annotations
References
Sources
*Kristo Frashëri (1964), The history of Albania: a brief survey. Publisher: s.n.
*John Clements (1992), Clements' encyclopedia of world governments, Volume 10, Publisher: Political Research, inc.
*Donald MacGillivray Nicol (1986), Studies in late Byzantine history and prosopography Volume 242 of Collected studies Variorum reprints ; CS242 Volume 242 of Variorum reprint. Illustrated edition. Variorum Reprints, , 9780860781905
*Donald MacGillivray Nicol (1957), The despotate of Epiros, Blackwell
*Thalóczy-Jireček-Sufflay (1913), Acta et diplomata res Albaniae mediae aetatis illustrantia: Collegerunt et digesserunt dr Ludovicus de Thalóczy, dr Constantinus Jireček et dr Emilianus de Sufflay, Volume 1, Editors: Lajos Thallóczy, Konstantin Jireček, Emil von Sufflay. Publisher: typis A. Holzhausen
*Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002,
*The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest Author John Van Antwerp Fine Edition reprint, illustrated Publisher University of Michigan Press, 1994 , 9780472082605
*Fontes Fontes, Catholic Church. Pontificia Commissio Codici Iuris Canonici Orientalis Recognoscendo Author Catholic Church. Pontificia Commissio Codici Iuris Canonici Orientalis Recognoscendo Publisher Typis polyglottis Vaticanis, 1943
*Zogo ve Atatürk Author Tayfun Atmaca Publisher Tayfun Atmaca, 2007 , 9789759421519
*David Abulafia
The New Cambridge Medieval History: c. 1198-c. 1300*
*
*Arshi Pipa, Sami Repishti, Studies on Kosova, East European Monographs, 1984
*Peter Jordan, Karl Kaser, Walter Lukan, Stephanie Schwandner-Sievers, Holm Sundhaussen
Albanien: Geographie - historische Anthropologie - Geschichte - Kultur - postkommunistische Transformation Peter Lang, 2003
*Steven G. Ellis,Lud'a Klusáková
Imagining frontiers, contesting identities
{{S-end
12th-century births
1198 deaths
Albanian monarchs
Princes of Albania
12th-century Byzantine people
12th-century Albanian people
Progon
Medieval Albanian nobility