Early history
The first attestation of the Thopia can be found in an Angevin document from 1274 proclaiming an agreement reached between a number of Albanian nobles and Charles I of Anjou. In the document, a certain ''Theopia mīles'' is recorded among the Albanian nobles in pact with the Angevins. The Thopia are next mentioned in 1329 when Tanusio Thopia was mentioned as one of the counts of Albania. In 1338, Tanusio was mentioned as Count of Matia (conte di Matia). According to Anamali & Prifti, Tanusio had a brother, Dominik, who was a high cleric and served as a counsel of Robert of Anjou.Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002, p. 249 According to Karl Hopf, Tanusio's son or brother Andrea, as told by Gjon Muzaka (fl. 1510), had fallen in love with the daughter of Robert of Naples when her ship, on route to the Principality of the Morea to be wed with the '' bailli'', had stopped at Durazzo where they met. Andrea abducted and married her, and they had two sons, Karl and George. King Robert, enraged, under the pretext of reconciliation had the couple invited to Naples where he had them executed. The family converted fromKarl Thopia
After Karl
After the death of Karl, his dominion was divided between his daughter Helena Thopia and his son Gjergj Thopia. Gjergj kept the city of Durrës and his surroundings which he later surrendered to Venice Republic, while Helen Thopia kept the city of Krujë and its surroundings. She was married to Venetian nobleman Marco Barbarigo. The count Niketa Thopia, the half brother of Gjergj, ruled in the region south of Durrës. In 1403, Niketa Thopia managed to capture the city of Krujë from his half sister Helena, thus gaining another part of the territory previously held by Thopia. He had good relations with Venice which was interested in having some buffer zone between them and advancing Ottoman army. However, in 1411, Niketa Thopia suffered a heavy defeat from the forces of Teodor III Muzaka. He himself fell prisoner and with the intervention of Ragusan Republic he was released, but only after giving some territories around Shkumbin river to Muzaka family. Upon his death in 1415, the castle of Krujë fell to the Ottomans.Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002, p.251-252Later representatives
Later well known representatives include Tanush Thopia, a famous commander of Skanderbeg's army and the commander of the Krujë garrison during the Second Siege of Krujë.Members
* Sevasto Thopia ** Tanusio Thopia, Count of Mat *** Dominic Thopia, Court chaplain and Advisor to King Robert of Naples and Bishop of Korčula & Ston. Archbishop of Zadar and Administer of the Bishop of Bosnia *** Andrea I Thopia, Count of Mat, married Hélène of Anjou **** Karl Thopia, Prince of Albania, married Voisava Balsha ***** Gjergj Thopia, Lord of Durrës, married Teodora Branković, no issue ***** Helena Thopia, Lady of Krujë, married Marco Barbadigo then Konstantin Balšić ****** Stefan Maramonte, Zetan lord ***** Voisava Thopia, married Kyr Isaac Cursachio then Progon Dukagjini ***** Maria Thopia, (Unknown Mother), married Filippo di Maramonte, three children ***** Niketa Thopia, (Unknown Mother), Lord of Krujë, married daughter of Komnen Arianiti ****** Mara Thopia, Lady of Zeta, married Balsha III, one daughter **** Gjergj I Thopia *****Helena Thopia, married Kostandin Kastrioti *****Tanush Thopia ******Unknown ******* Tanush Thopia ****** Andrea II Thopia ******* Komnin Thopia ******* Karl Muzaka Thopia, married Suina Muzaka then Mamica Kastrioti ******** Andrea III Thopia, (Suina), ******** Yela Thopia, (Suina), married Đurađ Crnojević ******** Yela Thopia, married Andrea Muzaka ********Unknown Daughter ********Gjon Thopia ********Gjergj Thopia ******** Ali Bej Toptani ********Unknown SonSee also
* Principality of Albania (medieval) * Saint Gjon Vladimir's ChurchReferences
{{Albanian noble families Principality of Albania (medieval) 13th-century Albanian people Medieval Albanian nobility Albanian Roman Catholics League of Lezhë