Donika Kastrioti
Donika Kastrioti (full name: Andronika Kastrioti, born Arianiti Muzaka; Italian Donica Castriota; * 1428 Kanina; † between March 8, 1505 and in early September 1506 in Spain) was an Albanian princess and wife of Skanderbeg. After his death and the subsequent escape Donikas into the Kingdom of Naples, it was a close confidant of King Ferdinand I, maintained a close friendship with the king 's wife Joanna of Aragon (1454-1517) and was responsible for their daughter Johanna (1478-1518) as a mother.
Life
Donika Kastrioti was born as a daughter of Prince Gjergj Arianiti and his spouse Maria Muzaka in the castle of Kanina. At that time, there was her father over a principality whose range spanned both sides of the river in present-day central Albania Shkumbin to the present city of Bitola in the east.
On April 21, 1451 she married Skanderbeg, who wanted to strengthen the relationship with the noble family Arianiti, in Ardenica monastery. At this time, Skanderbeg was the Treaty of Gaeta committed as a vassal of the Kingdom of Naples under Alfonso I, in return, he received Neapolitan protection against the Ottoman Empire.
In 1456 their only son Gjon Kastrioti II was born, who later with Irena Brankovic, daughter of the Serbian despot Lazar Brankovic, married.
In the middle of the fighting between the Ottomans and conducted by the League of Lezha, Skanderbeg her husband died in 1468 of fever and Donika Kastrioti was forced then to flee with her son to Naples, where she was received by King Ferdinand I sincerely and in him his residence Castel Nuovo was offered in gratitude to the late Skanderbeg a place to stay.
1477 Ferdinand I married his cousin Joan of Aragon, daughter of John II with Johanna Donika Kastrioti had a deep and long lasting friendship. 1496 moved Donika into an apartment directly above that of Joan.
Even after the death of Ferdinand I and his accession by Frederick I in 1496, nothing changed towards the family Skanderbegs. They were still being managed in the yard with respect and friendliness.
On September 7, 1499, the now widowed Johanna left Italy to Spain, where it was followed by her daughter, Donika and some others from the royal court a little later. The group led by Joan of Naples embarked on 2 and 3 August 1501 to Sicily to weiterzusegeln in July 1502 Spain.
March 8, 1505 letter of Kastrioti Donika is obtained in which she complains in dignity on a looting of Spanish soldiers in Galatina.
Donika Kastrioti died between 8 March 1505 and the beginning of September 1506 as Joan of Aragon and her daughter returned to Naples. In her will, Johanna expressed by Aragón from their will, that the remains of her friend should be transferred from the Holy Trinity Church in Valencia to Naples in a chapel of the Basilica of Santa Chiara. However, it does not seem that the last will of Joan has been realized so that Donika Kastrioti today is probably still buried in Valencia.