Albanian nobility

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The Albanian nobility was an elite hereditary ruling class in Albania, parts of the western Balkans and later in parts of the Ottoman world. The Albanian nobility was composed of landowners of vast areas, often in allegiance to states like the Byzantine Empire, various Serbian states, the Republic of Venice, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Naples in addition to the Albanian principalities. They often used Byzantine, Latin or Slavic titles,[1] such as sebastokrator, despot, dux, conte and zupan.

Byzantine Empire

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Further information: Albania under the Byzantine Empire

The Muzaka family was loyal to the Byzantine Empire. For their loyalty to Byzantium, the head of the family Andrea II Muzaka gained the title of Despot in 1335, while other Muzakas continued to pursue careers in Byzantine administration in Constantinople.[2]

Principality of Arbanon

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Main article: Principality of Arbanon

The first Albanian state in the Middle Ages it was ruled by the Progoni family and extended from the Drin river to the southern boundary of the Ohrid lake. Its rulers were known in Catholic sources with the titles of judices, while in Byzantine ones the titles mentioned are those of the grand archon and the panhypersebastos.

Kingdom of Serbia

When Durrës was captured by the Kingdom of Serbia, Milutin was titled the King of Albania while his rule was occasionally recognized by Albanian noblemen around Durrës.[3] Many Albanian noblemen were included in the feudal hierarchy of the Kingdom of Serbia and had titles and privileges of župans, voivodas or kaznacs.[4]

Serbian Empire

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Further information: Albania under the Serbian Empire

Albanian nobility was included into hierarchy of the feudal system of Serbian Empire without any discrimination and participated in the work of the highest government institutions, where Albanian archons had the same rights as the Serbian nobility had.[5][6] Serbian emperor wanted to gain the support of the Albanian nobility so he confirmed the privilleges Kruje had been granted by the Byzantine Empire.[7]

Ottoman Empire

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Further information: History of Albania during Ottoman administration

A decisive point of the relation of Albanian nobility with Ottoman Empire was the Battle of Savra in 1385.[8] After the Battle of Savra Albanian nobility became vassals of the Ottoman Empire.[9]

Albanian nobility did not fight against Ottomans with united and compact forces like Serbian and Bulgarian aristocracy, but with small independent local rulers.[10] Therefore, the Ottomans, who have been since claimed to be "brutal and cruel" to the Serbian and Bulgarian nobility, might have been conciliatory with the Albanian nobility.[11]

When Albania became part of the Ottoman Empire, it was divided into sanjaks with numerous timars. Many members of the Albanian nobility held high rank positions within Ottoman the hierarchy, like Skanderbeg and Ballaban Badera who were Ottoman sanjakbeys.[12][13][14] Some members of the Albanian nobility were Ottoman timariots.[15] Through the implementation of the timar system the Albanian nobility was absorbed into the Ottoman military class within not more than two generations.[16] They adopted the Ottoman titles like aga, bey or pasha.

Venetian Republic

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Further information: Venetian Albania

During the period of crisis for the Ottoman Empire after the Battle of Ankara in 1402 several Ottoman vassals from Albania including Gjon Kastrioti, Niketas Thopia and Nicola Zaccaria, recognized Venetian suzerainty.[17] Numerous members of Albanian noble families were Venetian pronoiers.[18][19][20][21][22][23] Many Albanian noblemen fought against Skanderbeg within Venetian forces during Albanian–Venetian War.[24][25]

Kingdom of Naples

In 1451, many Albanian noblemen became vassals of the Kingdom of Naples. The first was Skanderbeg who signed the Treaty of Gaeta on March 26, 1451 and after him many other Albanian noblemen like George Araniti, Ghin Musachi, George Stresi Balsha, Peter Spani, Pal Dukagjini, Thopia Musachi, Peter of Himara, Simon Zanebisha and Carlo Toco signed similar treaties.[26][27] Skanderbeg had to fulfill his vassal obligations to send his forces to Italy to support Ferdinand I of Naples in his struggle against the Angevin Dynasty.[28] In return, the Kingdom of Naples provided financial and military support to its vassals in Albania and maintained a permanent garrison in Kruje.[29][30]

Religion and language

The religion of the Albanian nobility depended on the religion of their lords, or the power that could threaten their political existence.[31] Until the end of 14th century the Albanian nobility were Christians (Orthodox or Catholic). After the Battle of Savra in 1385 most of the local Albanian nobility became vassals of the Ottoman Empire[32] and began converting to Islam. In the end of 17th century the Albanian nobility was totally islamized.[33]

The official language of correspondence in the Medieval principalities in Albania controlled by local nobility were Greek, Latin or Slavic.[34]

Restoration

An attempt to restore the monarchy in 1997 was rejected by about two-thirds of those voting in a referendum.[35] Former noble families and their descendants are still a part of society in Albania, but they no longer retain any specific privileges.

Noble families

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References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ У време јаког продора српске државе у средњовековну Ал- банију и потпуне превласти цара Стефана Душана арбанашка властела постала је активан и врло значајан политички чинилац у земљи., p.42 - Glas, Том 338, Srpska akademija nauka i umetnosti, 1983
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Serbian Academy of Science 1980, p. 43<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    Радич Хумој био је врло истакнути пронијар у Скадарском крају

  19. ↑ Serbian Academy of Science 1980, p. 49<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    Радич Хумој је умро пре но што је пописан скадарски крај. Балеч је, после њега, припао његовом брату Андрији, који је био војвода предела изнад Скадра, и сину Којчину.

  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Schmitt 2001, p. 491<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    Radic und Maran Humoj verwalteten seit 1441 Gleros bei Skutari, das einst den Bonzi gehört hatte.

  23. ↑ 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 ISBN 0472082604, 9780472082605 p. 510 "Koja [Zaharia] submitted to Venice"
  24. ↑ Schmitt 2001, p. 490<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    In einer getreidearmen Gegend war dies ein Anschlag auf die Lebensgrundlagen der Gemeinde. Venedig ging in dieser Frage äusserst behutsam vor, denn Koja und Andreas Humoj hatten der Signoria bedeutende Dienste geleistet. Zusammen mit Simeon Vulkata waren sie an der Spitze der venezianischen Verbände gegen Skanderbeg ins Feld gezogen (1447). In ihren Machtgebieten um Balezo und Drivasto wurde besonders heftig gekämpft.

  25. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Sedlar, Jean W. East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000-1500, University of Washington Press, p. 385
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Ex-king's son returns to Albania, BBC News Online, 28 June 2002.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Sources

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
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