Balša II
Balsha II (Serbian Cyrillic: Балша II Балшић; died September 18, 1385) was the lord of Zeta from 1378 to 1385. He managed to expand his borders towards the south; defeating the Albanian Prince Karl Thopia.
He was a member of the Balsha noble family, which ruled Shkodra and northern Albania from 1356 to 1421.
Life
Balša II was the youngest of three sons of Balsha I. On January 13, 1378, he came to power in Zeta after the death of his older brother, Gjergji I Balsha. His power covered only the region around Shkodër 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 Venetians. In 1372, Balsha II married Komnina, a daughter of John Komnenos Asen. As a dowry, Balsha gained the cities of Berat and Kanina.[1] In 1382, Balsha II started the war for the conquest of Durrës, taking it following four attempts. In 1385, defeated ruler Karl Topia appealed to Murad I for assistance and an Ottoman Army led by Hajredin Pasha routed the Balsha's army at the Battle of Savra near Berat. This ended the rule of his family over Durrës. Balsha's widow, Komnina, and their daughter Ruđina, later took control of Balsha's territory in southern Albania to protect it from Turkish invaders. Komnina seemed to be the Duchy of Valona's main ruler, until her death in 1396. In the meantime, the Muzakaj family had gained control of Berat. In 1391, however, Ruđina married Mrkša Žarković. 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 Turks.[2] Ruđina fled Albania and sought asylum in Zeta. Her nephew, Balša III, then-ruler of Zeta, granted her asylum and entrusted her with governorship of the coastal town of Budva.[3]
References
Sources
- Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994), The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest, 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.
{{cite book}}: Invalid|ref=harv(help)