Principality of Valona
Principality of Valona and Kanina Principata e Vlorës dhe Kanina ( Roman Catholicism | |||||||||
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Government | Principality | ||||||||
Despot, later simply Lord | |||||||||
• 1346–1363 | John Komnenos Asen | ||||||||
• 1363–1372 | Alexander Komnenos Asen | ||||||||
• 1372–1385 | Balša II | ||||||||
• 1385–1396 | Komnina Balšić | ||||||||
• 1396–1414 | Mrkša Žarković | ||||||||
• 1414–1417 | Ruđina Balšić | ||||||||
Historical era | Medieval | ||||||||
• Serbian conquest | 1346 | ||||||||
• De facto independence | 1355 | ||||||||
• Ottoman conquest | 1417 | ||||||||
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Today part of | Albania |
The Principality of Valona and Kanina
History
The strategically important city of
John was granted the rank of Despot by Dušan, and went on to solidify his control over his new territory by portraying himself as the heir to the Despots of Epirus. To that end, he married Anna Palaiologina, the widow of Despot John II Orsini, adopted the trappings of the Byzantine court, took on the surname "Komnenos" that was traditionally borne by the Epirote rulers, and signed his documents in Greek.[5][10] After Dušan's death in 1355, John established himself as an independent lord. He maintained close relations with Venice (whose citizen he became) and with Simeon Uroš, ruler of Epirus in the south. Under his rule, Valona prospered through trade with Venice and the Republic of Ragusa (mod. Dubrovnik).[5][11]
John died in 1363 from the plague, and was succeeded by Alexander, possibly his son, who ruled until ca. 1368. He continued his father's policies, maintaining close ties with Ragusa, whose citizenship he acquired.
The principality was now faced with the ever-increasing Ottoman threat; in 1386, Balša's widow offered to cede Valona to Venice in exchange for aid, but the Republic refused, since Valona alone without her hinterland was indefensible. Following the decisive Ottoman victory at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, the situation became yet more precarious. A similar offer in 1393 was also rejected by a Venice anxious not to antagonize the Ottomans, but another, more comprehensive proposal, followed two years later. Through the bishop of Albania, the widow offered to the handover of the entire principality in exchange for a lifelong pension for her and her family of some 7,000 ducats drawn, from the principality's revenue (estimated at 9,000 ducats). Negotiations faltered after the widow's death in 1396.[18] She was succeeded by Rugina, who in 1391 had married Mrkša Žarković. According to Italian sources, the principality was called the Kingdom of Serbia during Mrkša'a period. Threatened by Ottoman expansion, both Balša's widow and Mrkša repeatedly offered to surrender Valona and their principality to the Venetians, but they refused or procrastinated. After Mrkša's death in 1414, he was briefly succeeded by his widow Rugina, until the Ottomans took the city in 1417.[19][20][21]
The Venetian
Rulers
- John Komnenos Asen (1346–1363), Despot
- Alexander Komnenos Asen (1363–1372), Lord of Valona and Kanina[24]
- Latin: magnificus dominus Balsa Balsich, Gente, Canine et Avlone dominus)[25]
- Komnina Balšić (1385–1396)
- Ruđina Balšić (1414–1417)
See also
Notes
- ^ Albanian: Principata e Vlorës dhe Kanina, Serbian: Кнежевина Валона и Канина, romanized: Kneževina Valona i Kanina, Bulgarian: Княжество, romanized: Knyazhestvo Vlora i Kanina
- ^ Albanian: Despotati e Vlorës dhe Kanina, Serbian: Деспотовина Валона и Канина, romanized: Despotovina Valona i Kanina, Bulgarian: Деспотство Вльора и Канина, romanized: Despotstvo Vlora i Kanina
- ^ Albanian: Principata e Vlorës, Serbian: Валонска кнежевина, romanized: Valonska kneževina, Bulgarian: Валонско княжество, romanized: Valonsko knyazhestvo
References
- ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5.
- ^ "Valonska kneževina — Vikipedija, slobodna enciklopedija". sr.m.wikipedia.org. Retrieved 2020-04-26.
- ^ "Hr. Matanov – Jugozap. bylg. zemi prez XIV vek – 5.1". www.promacedonia.org. Retrieved 2020-04-27.
- ^ Miller (1921), pp. 432–434
- ^ a b c Miller 1921, p. 434
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 320
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 290
- ^ Fine (1994), pp. 320, 347, 357
- ^ Soulis 1984, p. 136
- ^ Fine (1994), pp. 320, 347
- ^ a b Fine 1994, p. 357
- ^ Soulis (1984), pp. 137–138
- ^ Miller (1921), pp. 434–435
- ^ Fine (1994), pp. 372, 383
- ^ Soulis 1984, p. 138
- ^ a b c d Miller 1921, p. 435
- ^ Fine (1994), pp. 390–391
- ^ Miller (1921), pp. 435–436
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 391
- ^ Soulis (1984), pp. 140–141
- ^ Miller (1921), pp. 436–437
- ^ Miller 1921, p. 437
- ^ Miller (1921), pp. 437–442
- ^ Soulis 1984, p. 137
- ^ Srpsko učeno društvo (1881), p. 207
- ^ Soulis 1984, p. 140
Sources
- Ducellier, Alain (1981). La façade maritime de l'Albanie au Moyen Age. Durazzo et Valona du ΧIe au XVe siècle [The Albanian Seaboard in the Middle Ages. Durazzo and Valona from the 11th to the 15th Century] (in French). Thessaloniki: Institute for Balkan Studies.
- ISBN 0-472-08260-4.
- OCLC 457893641.
- Nikolov-Zikov, Petar (2012), Dinastiyata na Sracimirovci, ISBN 978-954-535-702-2
- Soulis, George Christos (1984), The Serbs and Byzantium during the reign of Tsar Stephen Dušan (1331–1355) and his successors, ISBN 0-88402-137-8
- Srpsko učeno društvo (1881). Glasnik Srpskoga učenog društva ..., Volume 49. U Beogradu.