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Helena Thopia

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Helena Thopia
Elena Topia
Lady of Krujë
Coat of arms of the Thopia family
Lady of Krujë
Reign1388 - 1392 (First reign) with Marco Barbarigo as a Venetian Vassal then Ottoman Vassal
1394 - 1402 (Second reign) with Kostandin Balsha as a Ottoman Vassal
1402 - 1403 (Third reign)
PredecessorKarl Thopia
SuccessorNiketa Thopia
Bornc. 1370s
Principality of Albania
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1380; ann. 1394)​
​
​
(m. 1394; died 1402)​
IssueShtjefën Balsha
HouseThopia family
FatherKarl Thopia
MotherVoisava Balsha
Religion Roman Catholic

Helena Thopia (Albanian: Elena Topia; fl. 1388–1403) was an Albanian princess of the Thopia family who held the Krujë region as sovereign lady for two terms; 1388-1392 and 1394–1403.

Life

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Princess Helena, was the eldest daughter of Karl Thopia and Voisava Balsha.[1][2] After the death of her father, in 1388, she inherited the castle of Krujë and the surrounding region. Her first marriage was to Marco Barbarigo a Venetian nobleman, who became the actual ruler of her lands.[3][4] Mark held for a time his and Helen's possession under Venetian suzerainty.[5] Mark, who had previously held his and Helen’s possessions under Venetian suzerainty, found himself facing a new threat from the Ottomans. These pressures eventually led him to accept Ottoman suzerainty, allowing him to maintain his control over Krujë and his other lands stretching to Durrës. No longer viewing himself as a Venetian deputy, he began to raid Venetian lands in the vicinity of Durrës.[6] In 1392 as a result of the hostilities between her husband and the Venetian forces, her half-brother, Niketa Thopia, a Venice loyal, attacked the city of Krujë and forced Mark Barbarigo to find refuge among the Balsha family.[7][8]

After her brother Gjergj Thopia died in 1392 she gained the bulk of the rest of his holdings. A smaller portion was also left to their younger sister, Voisava Thopia.[9][10][11][12]

In 1394, Kostandin Balsha, was appointed by the Ottomans to govern Krujë.[13] In 1395, Kostandin was actively fighting for the Ottomans at the Battle of Rovine. The Venetians, displeased by the shift in control, attempted to negotiate with Kostandin to regain Krujë, but he refused.[14] Kostandin soon married Helen Thopia, the widow of Mark Barbadigo and the holder of Krujë's hereditary rights.[15] Kostandin's mother, Teodora Dejanović who was now a nun, joined him in Krujë, taking an active role at court.[16] Shortly thereafter, Kostandin also gained control of the town of Danjë, which included its lucrative customs post.[17] In 1402, while many Albanian vassals of the Ottomans went to support Bayezid I against Timur at the Battle of Ankara, Kostandin Balsha remained in Albania. He soon launched an attack against Venice’s Durrës, which ultimately failed, leading to his capture. The Venetians then tried him and executed him.[18]

In 1403, Niketa Thopia swiftly seized control of the city of Krujë from his sister Helena, acting independently. Given his prior loyalty to the Venetians, they soon accepted his action and, in 1404, officially recognized him as governor of Krujë.[19][20]

After Kostandin's death Helena and their son Shtjefën Balsha first went to Venice and then lived with her sister Maria, Baroness of Botrugno.

Family

[edit]

Helena Thopia married Kostandin Balsha. The couple had one child:[21]

  1. Shtjefën Balsha, was a Zetan nobleman who served as a close associate and vassal to Balša III, but later sought Ottoman support for his rule over Zeta.

Family tree

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Hopf, Karl (1873). Chroniques Gréco-Romaines inédites ou peu connues. Weidmann. p. 532. ...Elena , dame de Croja - Giorgio 1381 ,- Voisava...
  2. ^ Rudolf Künker, Fritz (2008). The De Wit Collection of Medieval Coins Künker Auktion 137 - The De Wit Collection of Medieval Coins, 1000 Years of European Coinage, Part III: England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Balkan, the Middle East, Crusader States, Jetons und Weights. Numismatischer Verlag Künker. p. 284. ...Karl Thopia was wedded to Vojsava, a daughter of Balsa I...
  3. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Helen was married to the Venetian patrician Mark Barbadigo, who became the actual ruler of Helen's lands...
  4. ^ A. Zachariadou, Elisavet (2007). Studies in Pre-Ottoman Turkey and the Ottomans. Ashgate. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-7546-5932-7. ...Kruya was governed by Helena Thopia, sister of Giorgio Thopia, and by her Venetian husband Marco Barbadico...
  5. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Usually residing in the strong fortress of Kroja, Mark for a time held his and Helen's possessions under Venetian suzerainty...
  6. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Meanwhile, having occupied Skadar, the Ottomans set about strengthening their influence among the Albanian lords of the area. They won over Demetrius Jonima, who soon arranged a meeting between Ottoman officials, and Mark Barbadigo of Kroja, who had recently been quarreling with the Venetians. Presumably, Mark also found himself under threat of attack from the Ottomans unless he submitted. These negotiations resulted in Mark's accepting Ottoman suzerainty; he was allowed to retain Kroja and his other lands, which stretched all the way to Durazzo. Ceasing to regard himself as a Venetian deputy, as he had until then, he began plundering Venetian lands in the neighborhood of Durazzo...
  7. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...As a result the Venetians ordered Nikola (Niketas) Thopia, who had been governing Durazzo for them, to take measures. Thopia led his troops against Barbadigo and defeated him badly...
  8. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Barbadigo went into exile, seeing asylum at the court of George Balsic...
  9. ^ John V. A. Fine. The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Later that year George Thopia died without issue. The bulk of his holdings, for he surrendered only Durazzo and environs to Venice, went to his sister Helena. (A small piece was left to his younger sister Vojsava, who was married to a patrician of Durazzo known as Lord [Kyr] Isaac. That couple continued to reside in Durazzo under the Venetians.)...
  10. ^ 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. ...The remainder of his principality was divided among the daughters of Karl and other relatives, who fought with both Venice and the Turks until Kruja fell to the latter in 1425...
  11. ^ 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. ...Upon the death of Karl Topia (1388) his sickly son Gjergj headed the principality. Being an ineffective ruler anyway, he yielded to Venetian pressure and left Durrës to Venice just before he died in 1392...
  12. ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 52. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...This George pledged Durrës to the Venetians...
  13. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Presumably, the Ottomans were disappointed by Barbadigo's failure, for now— probably late in 1394— they installed their vassal Constantine Balsic as governor of Kroja ...
  14. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...In 1395 Constantine was fighting for the Ottomans at the Battle of Rovine. The Venetians were incensed at the turn of events and approached Constantine to yield Kroja to them, but he refused...
  15. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 419. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Constantine soon married Barbadigo's wife, Helen Thopia, who had the hereditary rights (such as they were) to Kroja...
  16. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Constantine's mother, who by now had become a nun, joined him in Kroja, playing an active role at court...
  17. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 420. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Soon Constantine was also in possession of the town of Danj (Dagno) with its lucrative customs house...
  18. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 421. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...In 1402, when many Albanian vassals of the Ottomans– Koja Zakarija, Demetrius Jonima, John Castriot, and probably Tanush Major Dukagjin— led their retainers personally to support Bayezid against Timur at Ankara, Constantine Balsic remained in Albania. He promptly launched an attack against Venice's Durazzo. The attempt failed and he was captured. The Venetians tried and then executed him...
  19. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 421. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...His city of Kroja was quickly seized by Nikola Thopia, acting for himself. The Venetians, whom he had previously served loyally and well, soon acquiesced and, in 1404, recognized him as governor of Kroja...
  20. ^ Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002, ISBN 99927-1-622-3 pp. 251-252
  21. ^ Fine, Jr, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 528. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Stefan Balsic, probably a son of Constantine Balsic...
Preceded byas Prince of Albania Lady of Krujë
1388–92
Served alongside: Marco Barbarigo di Croia 		Succeeded byas Lord
Preceded by Lady of Krujë
1394–1403
Served alongside: Kostandin Balsha (1402†) 		Succeeded byas Lord
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