Albania in the Middle Ages

The Middle Ages in Albania (Albanian Mesjeta e Shqipërisë ) was an epoch in the history of Albania, which is classified in the period between the 5th to 15th centuries.

When the Roman Empire was divided into a 395 East and West in a half, the territory of modern Albania came to Byzantium. Then the rulers changed again and again. After initially barbarians conquered the country, it was once in the reign of the Bulgarian and once in that of the Serbian Empire. After some independent principalities were established for a short time, who united in the League of Lezha. The destruction of the League in 1481 represented a complete occupation of Albania by the Ottoman Empire for over 400 years.

• 5.1 principalities in Epirus
• 5.2 principalities in Albania and Kosovo

Prehistory

After the region of present-day Albania in 168 BC finally fell to the Romans, it was in the 3rd century AD, part of the province of Epirus nova that belonged in turn to Macedonia. This was after the division of the kingdom to the provinces of the Byzantine Empire, the subject was mentioned.

The Byzantine historian Michael Attaleiates mentioned in his work Historia ( 1079-1080 ) Albanoi as parties to a revolt against Constantinople in 1043 and Opel Arbanitai as citizens of the generals from the topic Dyrrachium (today Durrës ). It is disputed whether he was referring to the Albanians in an ethnic sense. If so, this would be the first written mention of the Albanian people.

Time the foreign rulers

Barbarian invasions

In the first decades under Byzantine rule ( until 461 ) Epirus nova suffered from invasions by the Visigoths, Huns, and Ostrogoths. Not long after this barbarian storm came the Slavs, who initially took only raiding and looting, but then settled on the Balkan peninsula (see Conquest of the Slavs in the Balkans ).

In the 4th century, the Roman Empire of raids of various barbarian tribes was haunted. The Germanic Goths and Asiatic Huns were from about 350 the first invaders. The Avars attacked from 570 and the Slavic Serbs and Croats invaded in the early 7th century. About 50 years later the Bulgarians conquered most of the Balkans and extended its sphere of influence to Central Albania. The conquerors destroyed Greek, Roman and Illyrian centers in the field of the future Albania, including Byllis and abandoned by the Slavs storm Amantia So gradually began to develop early - Slavic culture on the former (East ) Roman territory in the Balkans.

Bulgarian rule

The territory of today's Albania was during different periods in the medieval part of the Bulgarian Empire; some regions in the east of present-day Albania had been inhabited for centuries by Bulgarians and also managed. The majority of Albania was incorporated into the First Bulgarian Empire during the reign of Khan Presian I. in the early 840 years. At that time, the city has seen many ups by the Bulgarians, but mostly they just extended an existing settlement (for example, Pogradec on ​​Ohrid Lake ). The forts of the inner highlands remained long last strongholds of the Bulgarians before they were conquered by the Byzantines in 1018 and 1019 during the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire.

The longest time in this period were some port cities in Byzantine hands as Dyrrachium.

During that time, Albany was a center of the Bulgarian resistance against Konstantin Opel ( 1040-1041 ):

So undertook in 1040 the Bulgarian commander Tichomir in the region of Durrës an uprising against the tax burden of the Byzantine administration. Soon the Rebellion captured the whole of Albania and later united with the rebels by Peter Deljan. After the defeat of the Bulgarians in the year 1041 the Byzantines again took control of Albania. 1072 another revolt under Georgi Vojtech (Member of the Kawkhanen ) was crushed by Byzantium.

Serbian and Venetian domination

The Serbs were able to fill the late 12th century, parts of northern and eastern Albania. In 1204, after the Crusaders sacked the Byzantine capital and conquered, the Republic of Venice assumed nominal control over Albania and Epirus. Also Durrës came into their possession. In the same year, however, a prince of the overthrown Byzantine ruling family, Michael I Komnenos Doukas Angelos, various alliances could close with Albanian tribal leaders and founded the Despotate of Epirus, with the capital of Ioannina, which is also the whole of Albania included not only North-West Greece, belonged only to the high mountains in the north to Raszien. Komnenos drove it little by the Venetians from these areas.

However, internal struggles for power in Constantinople Opel, which was recaptured in 1261, the Byzantine Empire weakened progressively, so that the Serbian Empire under Stefan Dušan (reigned 1331-1355 ), the most powerful force in the Balkans and conquered the whole of Albania. The Serbs expanded later even far in the Greek south of the Balkans.

1272 Charles I of Naples conquered the port city of Durres (Latin Dyrrachium ) and founded an Albanian Kingdom (Latin: Regnum Albaniae ) that the main part of Albania and the Greek island of Corfu covered during its maximum extent. This empire was rather short-lived; Albanian noble families but also the Serbian Kingdom aspired to the conquest. Already in 1368, the empire was ( it included only Durrës ) resolved, as the Albanian Thopia held their own in central Albania.

Principality of Arbër / Arberia

While the Serbian foreign rule of the first Albanian state was founded in the Middle Ages. The Principality of Arbër (or Arberia ) was founded in 1190 in the north of Albania, with Kruja as the capital. As the founder of this State shall be Progon, later also called Gjin and Dhimitër (both sons of Progon, made ​​all three together the home Progon ). Ndërfandina (city in Mirdita ) was about the most important center of the principality. This is supported by various findings from the Catholic Church of the Virgin Mary ( Holy Evangelist Alb. MERI ). After the fall of the house Progon the principality came under the reign of Gregory Kamona and Gulam of Albania. Ultimately, this state existence in 1255 was dissolved after only 65 years. He achieved his greatest splendor under Dhimitër Progon.

Dhimitër Progon the third and last Prince of Albania was out of Progon Dynasty. He reigned 1208-1216, and was following his brother Gjin Progon and brought the principality to his prime. Western sources this time describe him as judex ( judge) and arbanorum princeps ( prince of the Albanians ), while Byzantine writings earned him the title megas archon ( archon large ) give. He married Comnena, the daughter of the Serbian prince Stefan Nemanja and granddaughter of the Byzantine emperor Alexios III. Angelos, and so was given the honorary title panhypersebast.

The marriage between Dhimitër and the daughter of Nemanja did not rule out the threat of Serbian expansion towards Albania. However, occurred in 1204, the serious danger from the Venetian Duchy of Durres, because after the Fourth Crusade to successor states of the Byzantine Empire, the proposed restoration of the former empire formed. Looking for Allies Dhimitër 1209 signed a pact with the Republic of Ragusa and began negotiations with Pope Innocent III. in terms of its subjects and the conversion to Catholicism. This is seen as a strategic step Dhimitërs to establish ties with Western Europe against Venice.

Dhimitër had no son who could be his successor. His wife, Komnena, married after his death the Albanian nobleman Gregor Kamona, who later became his successor. When he noticed the gradual decline of the Principality and under his successor Gulam of Albania heard the state to exist.

Regnum Albaniae

After the dissolution of the Principality Arberia 1255 further captured by the Despotate of Epirus areas was in place and the (First ) Kingdom of Albania (Latin: Regnum Albaniae ) of Charles I of Naples founded. He gave in February 1272 the title of King of Albania. The empire extended from Durazzo (Italian for Durres ) south along the coast to Cape Linguetta ( in the Karaburun Peninsula) with no clear boundaries in the interior. Was soon followed by a counter- offensive by the Byzantines, which had the expulsion of the Capetian House of Anjou from the interior 1281 result. The Sicilian Vespers additionally weakened the position of Charles and gradually shrank the kingdom by the enemy Epirus Despotate to a small region near Durres together until it was finally conquered in 1368 by the Albanian prince Karl Thopia.

Albanian principalities

The 14th century and the beginning of the 15th century was the time in which in Albania independent principalities were founded under the Albanian nobles. These principalities emerged between the fall of the Serbian Empire and the Ottoman conquest of Albania.

Principalities in Epirus

In the summer of 1358 gave Nicephorus II, the last despot of Epirus from the family of the Orsini, with Albanian tribal leaders fighting in Achelous, Akarnien. The despot was deposed and the Albanians established three new principalities in the southern territory of the Despotate. Since a large number of Albanian leaders his successful campaign to Thessaly and Epirus supported, patronized and enlarged the Serbian Tsar said principalities and also gave them the Byzantine titles of Despot to secure their loyalty.

The northern state had ruled his capital at Arta and was the Albanian nobleman Peter Losha. The southern principality was in Angelokastro (also Lepanto played an important role, so sometimes Despotate of Andelokastro and Lepanto called ) and was ruled by Gjin Bue Shpata. Both princes were given by the then Serbian despot kings title, which is why the States are also called as the Despotate. After the death of Peter Losha 1374 the Albanian Despotate of Arta and Angelokastro were united under the rule of Gjin Bue Shpata. It stretched from the Gulf of Corinth to the river Acheron in the north and existed until 1416, when it was conquered by the Ottomans.

Principalities in Albania and Kosovo

From 1335 to 1432 five principalities were established in these areas. The first of these was the Principality of Berat, which was built in 1335 by the Muzaka and next to the city of Berat and the fertile plains in the west Myzeqe included it. The Principality of Albania emerged from the area of the ( First ) Kingdom of Albania (Latin: Regnum Albaniae ), was the strongest of the five. It was founded after the dissolution of the Regnum Albaniae by Karl Thopia. The ruler of the Principality alternated repeatedly between Thopia and Balsha Dynasty to 1392, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. When Scanderbeg the Albanian town of Kruja medium freed from the Ottomans and the Principality of the newly organized Kastrioten, was the successor of Gjergj Thopia, Andrew II Thopia, gain control of the Principality of Albania. In 1444 it was united with other Albanian principalities and counties in the League of Lezha.

Another major principality was the dominion of the Kastrioten, Gjon Kastrioti I. justified by a dynasty. It was later conquered by the Ottomans, but released again by today's Albanian national hero Skanderbeg. In addition, the principality was of Dukagjin, which extended over the Malësia e Madhe up to Prishtina in Kosovo is of great importance. The fifth principality was that of Arianiten, which ruled over areas in Central Albania.

Historically important was especially the possible participation of their princes Pal Kastrioti and Theodor Muzaka II at the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, but when both fell for these principalities.

League of Lezha

Under constant pressure from the Ottoman Empire, the Albanian principalities on March 2, 1444 united into a confederation or Confederation. The League of Lezha, named after its founding place of Lezha in northern Albania, was first led by Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg and after his death by Lekë Dukagjini. Skanderbeg organized a meeting of Albanian nobles, including the Arianiten, Dukagjiner, Spain, Thopia, Muzaka and free Albanian principalities of the hill country, to fight in Lezha, where the nobles agreed together against the common Turkish enemy and chose Skanderbeg to their leader. The League did not alter the sovereignty of individual countries, but took it in a defensive alliance together.

In light of today's geopolitical science, the League of Lezha represented an attempt to build a confederation. In fact, however, it was a federation of independent rulers, going about the a common foreign policy to defend their independence with a single army. Of course, all this also required a common budget to cover the high military spending; and so each family made ​​its contribution to the common fund of the league.

At the same time each clan kept his property and autonomy to solve the internal problems of their own State. The formation and functioning of the League was the most significant attempt to form a pan- Albanian resistance against the Ottoman occupiers, and alongside an aspiration to establish a short-lived functioning Albanian state.

Under the leadership of Skanderbeg, the Albanian armies marched eastward and took a strategically important cities such as Dibra and Ohrid. For 25 years, 1443-1468, marched 10,000 men of Skanderbeg by the Ottoman territory and won a battle after another against the numerically superior and heavily armed Ottoman armies. Ottoman successes in their own home motivated Hungary, and later Naples and Venice to ensure the financial support of Skanderbegs army.

Stormed on 14 May 1450 and overcame a huge Ottoman army, the city castle of Kruja. This city was especially significant for Skanderbeg, as it was determined in 1438 (even before its back - conversion to Christianity ) by the Ottomans to Subaşı ( reeve) of Kruja. According to the chronicles of Ragusa ( also known as the Chronicles of Dubrovnik) took the siege for four months, it lost thousands of Albanian soldiers their lives. Nevertheless, the Ottoman forces were unable to capture the city and had no choice but to retreat even before the winter broke. In June 1466 Sultan Mehmed II led (called the Conqueror), a 150,000 -strong army to Kruja and massacred the Albanian forces. The death of Skanderbeg in 1468 is not the end of the struggle for independence, the clashes continued until 1481, when under Lekë Dukagjini the Albanian forces were subject to the vastly superior Ottomans. For his legendary work Skanderbeg became famous to Western and Northern Europe at that time.

All eastern schism

Since the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, Christianity became the dominant religion in the Byzantine Empire. It replaced the pagan polytheism and put the majority of the humanistic philosophy of Greek and Roman civilization in the shadows, but inherited their institutions. However, even though the country was under the influence of Byzantium, were the Christians of the region under the jurisdiction of the Roman Pontiff to the year 732 This year the iconoclastic Byzantine Emperor Leo III separated. , Angry that the archbishops of the region supported Rome during the Byzantine Iconoclasm, the Church of the Balkans by the Pope from and they imputed to the Patriarch of Constantinople Opel. When the Christian church split definitively in 1054 (see all eastern schism ), southern Albania came to Constantinople Opel while the north to Rome fell back. This division marks the first significant religious fragmentation of the Albanian population.

Culture

The end of the Middle Ages was a period of prosperity for the Albanian urban society. Trading in the foreign prospered to such an extent that leading Albanian merchants own offices in Venice, Ragusa (now Dubrovnik, Croatia) were able to open and Thessaloniki. The rise of cities also boosted the development of education and the arts. Meanwhile, the Albanian language was not the controlling language in schools, churches and trade. Instead learned Greek and Latin, a broad and powerful support of church and state, and were the main languages ​​in culture and literature.

Management

The new administrative system of the subjects wore possibly the rise of feudalism in Albania, as laid-off from their warlords peasant soldiers owners of land were. Among the leading Albanian noble families were the Thopia, Balsha, Shpata, Muzaka, Arianiti, Dukagjini and Kastrioti. The first three went on to become rulers of principalities that were practically independent of Byzantium.