Balša II
| Balša II Balsha II | |
|---|---|
| Lord of Lower Zeta Lord of Berat, Vlorë and Kaninë | |
 Early 15th century banner of the Balšić noble family depicting the founder of the dynasty, Balša I and his sons: Đurađ I, Balša II and Stracimir[citation needed] | |
| Reign | 1378 — 18 September 1385 |
| Predecessor | Đurađ I Balšić |
| Successor | Đurađ II Balšić |
| Died | 18 September 1385 Saurian field, near Lushnjë |
| Spouse | Comita Muzaka |
| Issue | Ruđina |
| Family | Balšić |
| Father | Balša I |
| Religion | Serbian Orthodox Church (until 1369) (from 1369) Roman Catholicism |
Balša Balšić (Serbian Cyrillic: Балша Балшић; Albanian: Balsha II)[1] died September 18, 1385) or Balša II was the Lord of Lower Zeta from 1378 to 1385. He was a member of the Balšić noble family, which ruled Zeta (with Scutari) from ca. 1362 to 1421.
Early life
[edit]Balša II was the youngest of three sons of Balša I. According to Mavro Orbini, Balša, the progenitor of the Balšić family, was a petty nobleman who held only one village in the area of Lake Skadar during the rule of Emperor Dušan the Mighty (r. 1331 to 1355). Only after the death of the emperor, during the subsequent weak rule of Emperor Uroš V, Balša together with his friends and his three sons (Stracimir, Đurađ and Balša II) gained power in Lower Zeta,[2] which had previously been the lands of gospodin Žarko (fl. 1336 to 1360). Balša's people then turned for Upper Zeta, which was held by Đuraš Ilijić and his relatives; the Balšić brothers murdered Đuraš, and had some of his relatives imprisoned.[2] Balša died the same year.[2] Orbini further described the personalities of the brothers, claiming that Balša II was "good-natured and an accomplished horseman, but not of great mind".[2] The Balšići managed to elevate themselves from petty nobility to provincial lords,[3] becoming powerful after 1362, and it seems that they had an active part in the conflict between Emperor Uroš V and Simeon Uroš in Skadar, helping Uroš V.[2]
In the summer of 1364, the Balšić brothers were defeated in a skirmish by Karl Thopia and Đurađ I, brother of Balša II, was captured by Karl and was kept prisoner until 1366, when Dubrovnik mediated peace and procured his release. [4] In January 1368, a Ragusan document reported that the three Balšić brothers: Stracimir, Đurađ I and Balša II, were preparing for a campaign against Karl Thopia. They were camped on the Mati River, which Karl's lands lay south of. The fighting was apparently small-scale as two months later, Karl had no difficulty capturing Dyrrhachium from the Angevins.[5] In 1372, Balša II married Comita, the daughter of Andrea II Muzaka.[6][7][8][9][10] After marrying Andrea II Muzaka's daughter, Comita, Balsha II was granted control of Vlorë, Berat and Kaninë as part of a dowry. The arrangement, made after the death of Alexander Komnenos Asen in 1371, solidified Balsha's claim to the territories and ensured his support against mutual enemies like Marko.[11][12][13]
Reign
[edit]On January 13, 1378, Balša II came to power in Zeta after the death of his older brother, Đurađ I. His power was felt only in the region around Scutari and in the eastern part of Zeta's coast. The most prominent feudal lords who did not recognize Balša's rule were their sworn enemies, the Đurašević-Crnojević family, who were allies of the Republic of Venice.
In 1385, Balša II started the war for the conquest of Durazzo, taking it following four attempts. In 1385, the defeated ruler Karl Topia appealed to Murat I for assistance, and the Ottoman Army led by Hajruddin Pasha routed the Balšići at the Battle of Savra, on the Saurian field, near Lushnjë. The Ottomans chopped Balša's head off and sent it as an exclusive gift to Hajreddin Pasha. This marks the end of the rule of his family over Durazzo.[14]
Aftermath
[edit]Balša's widow, Comita, and their daughter Ruđina, later took control of Balša's territory in southern Albania to protect it from Ottoman invaders. Comita seemed to be the Duchy of Valona's main ruler, until her death in 1396.[15][16] In the meantime, the Muzaka family had gained control of Berat. In 1391, however, Ruđina married Mrkša Žarković.[17] Žarković succeeded the duchy, calling himself Lord of Valona. He reigned over the city until his death in 1414. Ruđina took over her late husband's position and ruled Valona until 1417, when it, as well as its citadel in Kanina, was seized by the Ottomans.[18] Ruđina fled Albania and sought asylum in Corfu.[19][20] Her nephew, Balša III, then-ruler of Zeta, granted her asylum and entrusted her with governorship of the coastal town of Budva.[21]
Titles
[edit]His title was gospodin (lord), while after taking over Durazzo, he had the right to add the title of duke.[22]
References
[edit]- ^ Miller, William (2015). Essays on the Latin Orient. Cambridge University Press. p. 435. ISBN 978-1-107-45553-5. OCLC 889642379.
- ^ a b c d e Fajfrić 2000, ch. 44
- ^ Recueil de travaux de l'Institut des études byzantines: Volume 21 1982, "За разлику од Лазаревића, Бранковића и Драгаша, ближих или даљих рођака Немањића и потомака најугледцијих властеоских породица, први Балшићи су прави скоројевићи који су из редова ситне властеле доспели ..."
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 372
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 372
- ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...His first daughter, the above mentioned Lady Comita, was married to the said King Balsha who held sway in Shkodra, Bar, Kotor, Šibenik, Trogir and much other land...
- ^ E. Jacques, Edwin (2009). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1. McFarland & Company. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-7864-4238-6.
...With one daughter, Comita married to Balsha II of Shkodra...
- ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...In this undertaking, he had called upon the assistance of his son in law, King Balsha, who was married to Lady Comita Musachi, his first-born daughter...
- ^ Stylian Noli, Fan (1921). Historia e Skënderbeut Gjerg Kastriotit, Mbretit te Shqiperise, 1412-1468. Shtypeshkrinja e "Diellit. p. 82.
...Vlora dhe Kanina ishin ne duar te princerve bullgare nga dera mbreterore e Asenit qe me 1350 gjer me 1372. Me 72 ua rrembyen Balshet dhe i mbjatin gjer me 1385. Si u-vra Balsha II ne betejen e Savres, e shoqja e tij Princesha Komita Muzaka, nje Amazone e fjeshte, mbreteroj mi Vloren, Sazanin, Kaninen, Himaren dhe Pargen; pastaj u-zgjat gjer ne Krahinen e Devollit, qe ia rrembeu te kusheririt Nikoll Muzake, te cilin e mundi dhe e zuri rop...
- ^ Miller, William (1921). Essays on the Latin Orient. Cambridge, University Pressn. p. 435. ISBN 978-1-1074-5553-5.
...Under Balsha II Valona formed part of a considerable principality, for on the death of his last surviving brother, in 1372, the "Lord of Valona and Budua" had become sole ruler of the Zeta- the modern Montenegro- and then, by the capture of Durazzo from Carlo Topia, "Prince of Albania", assumed the title of "Duke" from that former Venetian duchy. By his marriage with Comita Musachi, he became connected with a powerful Albanian clan...
- ^ Qeriqi, Ahmet (December 13, 2023). The Stone of the Oath. novum pro Verlag. ISBN 978-1-6426-8417-9.
...At that time, Andrea Muzaka II Vlora and Kanine from Sebastian Alexander, who ruled there after the death of the despot Gjon Komen. However, the despot Muzaka soon gave these two cities to the younger brother of the Balshas, Balsh II, after his marriage to his daughter Komita...
- ^ Duka, Ferit (2004). Studime Historike-MUZAKAJT - LIDHËZ E FUQISHME MIDIS KOHËVE PARAOSMANE DHE OSMANE. Qendra e Studimeve Albanologjike. p. 10.
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 372
- ^ E. Jacques, Edwin (2009). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1. McFarland & Company. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-7864-4238-6.
...In the plain of Savre between Elbasan and Lushnja Balsha fought the Turks and was defeated and killed, his head being taken to the Turkish capital as a trophy...
- ^ E. Jacques, Edwin (2009). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1. McFarland & Company. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-7864-4238-6.
...Balsha widow Komita Muzaka ruled from Berat until her death in 1396...
- ^ E. Jacques, Edwin (2009). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1. McFarland & Company. p. 169. ISBN 978-0-7864-4238-6.
...The principality now split into two parts, Balsha's widow, Komita Muzaka, returned to her family seat at Berat to rule over the southern part of the principality...
- ^ Veselinović & Ljušić 2008, p. 94.
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 391
- ^ E. Jacques, Edwin (2009). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1. McFarland & Company. p. 174. ISBN 978-0-7864-4238-6.
...Then her daughter Rugina Balsha of Vlora held the territory until 1417, when it all fell to the Turks and she took refuge in Corfu...
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 391.
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 514
- ^ Miloš Blagojević (2001). Državna uprava u srpskim srednjovekovnim zemljama. Službeni list SRJ. ISBN 978-86-355-0497-1.
Када је у пролеће исте године Балша II Балшић постао господар Драча, стекао је истовремено право да својој титули „господина" дода још и титулу „дуке Драча" (херцега), а затим и право да на свом двору уведе досто- јанство ...
Sources
[edit]- Fajfrić, Željko (2000) [1998], Sveta loza Stefana Nemanje (in Serbian), Belgrade: "Tehnologije, izdavastvo, agencija Janus", "Rastko".
- Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994), The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5
- Sedlar, Jean W. (1994). East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000–1500. Vol. III. Seattle: University of Washington Press. ISBN 0-295-97290-4.
- Veselinović, Andrija; Ljušić, Radoš (2008). Srpske dinastije. Službene glasink. ISBN 978-86-7549-921-3.
External links
[edit]
- "Charter of Balša II from Ratac monastery near Bar, 1379". lehre.hki.uni-koeln.de. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
- "Charter of Balša II found in Tuzi near Podgorica, 1385". lehre.hki.uni-koeln.de. Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-11-25.
