Wikipedia

Muzaka family

TheMuzaka familywas annoble Albanian familythat ruled over the region ofMyzeqe(southern Albania) in theLate Middle Ages.The Muzaka are also referred to by some authors as a tribe or a clan.[4][1]The earliest historical document that mentions the Muzaka family (around 1090) is written by the Byzantine historianAnna Komnene.At the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century members of the Muzaka family controlled a region between the rivers ofDevollandVjosë.Some of them were loyal to theByzantine Empirewhile some of them allied withCharles of Anjouwho gave them (and some other members ofAlbanian nobility) impressive Byzantine-like titles (such asSebastokrator) in order to subdue them more easily. In the 1340s,Stefan Dušanpressed further south into Albania, and by 1343-45 had taken central towns and territories in southern Albania, including domains of the Muzaka family. However, they would fall back under local control after his death in 1355. After theBattle of Savrain 1385 the territory of Albania came under theOttoman Empire;they served the Ottomans until 1444 whenTheodor Corona MusachijoinedSkanderbeg's rebellion. When the Ottomans suppressed Skanderbeg's rebellion and captured the territory ofVenetian Albaniain the 15th century many members of the Muzaka family retreated to Italy. Those who stayed in Ottoman Albania lost their feudal rights, some converted toIslamand achieved high ranks in the Ottoman military and administrative hierarchy.

Muzaka
Muzakajt
Noble family
The Muzaka coat of arms is found in bas-relief on the residence wall of Palazzo Argentina,Francavilla Fontana,mentioned by Rosario Jurlaro in his work "I Musachi despoti d'Epiro: in Puglia a salvamento".
CountryPrincipality of Muzaka
Current regionMyzeqe
Place of originLekas(present-day southeasternAlbania)
Founded13th century
Members
Connected familiesArianiti
Kastrioti
Mataranga
Zenevisi
Different spellings of the name include Muzaki,[1]Musachi,[1] Musacchio, Musacchia,Molesachi,[2]Muzhaku, Musaka, Musaki, Musac,[3]and Musacus.[3]

Notable members of the family includeAndrea II Muzaka,Gjon Muzaka,Theodor Corona MusachiandAndrea I Muzaka,among others. The last notable member of Muzaka family who found refugee in Italy died inNaplesin 1600.

History

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Origin

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The Muzaka were one of the most important families of Albanian origin.[5]The family came from the lower Opar region (Lekas). In the area of the village of Lavdar and nearby hamlets are many of the ancestral burial grounds of the family.[6]Gjon Muzaka claimed that the family received its name from theMyzeqëregion, named after its population, theMolossians,through the corruption of the name Molossi (into Molosachi and finally Musachi).[7]The coat of arms of Muzaka family was atwo-headed eagle.[8]

Late Middle Ages

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The earliest mention of the Muzaka family, as a loyal commander ofAlexios I Komnenos(r. 1081-1118) circa 1090, was in theworkof Byzantine historianAnna Komnene.[9]One of the first notable members of the family was Andrea I Muzaki who was, like some other members of theAlbanian nobility,given impressive Byzantine-like title likesebastokratorbyCharles of Anjouin order to subdue them more easily.[10][2]In 1279, Gjon I Muzaka, who remained loyal to the Byzantines and resisted theAngevinconquest of Albania, was captured by the forces ofCharles of Anjou,but under the pressure of local Albanian nobles he was later released. The Muzaka family continued to remain loyal to the Byzantine Empire and resisted the expansion of theSerbian Kingdom.At the end of the 13th and beginning of the 14th century members of the Muzaka family controlled a region between the rivers ofDevollandVjosë.Andrea I ruled in the period of 1280—1319; Andrea II ruled, with some interruptions, in the period between 1319 and 1372.[11]In 1319 three members of the Muzaka family even tried to get help from the Pope. For their loyalty to Byzantium, the head of the familyAndrea II Muzakagained the title ofDespotin 1335, while other Muzakas continued to pursue careers in the Byzantine government in Constantinople.[12]

As soon as Andrea II Muzaka had obtained the title of despot, he endorsed an anti-Byzantine revolt (1335-1341) in his domains, and also formed an alliance with the Anjou from Naples on 30 December 1336, whereas he was recognized as a vassal ofRobert, Prince of Taranto.As proof of his fidelity to theCapetian House of Anjou,Andrea II Muzaka had to leave one of his sons as hostage inDurazzo.[12]

Muzaka nobility waged against Serbian forces was around 1340 when forces of Andrew II Muzaka defeatedthe Serbian armyat thePelistermountain.[13]After the death ofStefan Dušanin 1355 and collapse of theSerbian Empire,the Muzaka family of Berat regained control over parts of the south-eastern modern-day Albania and also over northern Greece withKastoria[12][14]that Andrew II Musachi captured fromPrince Markoafter theBattle of Maricain 1371.[15]

After the death of Andrew II Muzaka in 1372 his descendants inherited control over his former domains. Theodor II Muzaka inherited control over Muzaqeya and Berat while Kastoria was inherited by his son Gjin (1337—1389).[16]According to chronicle ofGjon Muzaka(repeated in some historical works)Comita Muzaka,one of the daughters ofAndrea II Muzaka,marriedBalša II.[17][18][19][20][21]Other authors confirm that Balša II married in 1372 and gained control over the territory south of Durazzo, including Valona and Kanine, asdowry.The same chronicle mentions Theodor II Muzaka as one of participants of theBattle of Kosovoin 1389, together withPrince Marko.[7]The Muzaka family was in conflict withPrince Markobefore his death in 1396 which is probably whyTheodor Corona Musachiis commemorated in south Slavic andSerbian epic poetryasKorun Aramija,Marko's enemy.[22]

AGreek Orthodoxchurch(Church of St Athanasius of Mouzaki) located inKastoria,Greecewas built in 1383–84 byTeodor II Muzaka[23]and dedicated toSt. Athanasius.Teodor II Muzaka died in 1389 against the Ottomans in thebattle of Kosovo.[24]

Ottoman Empire period

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Church of St Athanasius of MouzakiinKastoria

After theBattle of Savrain 1385 the region of Myzeqe and most ofAlbanian nobility,came under control of theOttoman Empire.The first signs of the rivalry between Venice and Ottomans in Albania appeared first in 1387 and after the death of Gjergj Thopia in 1391, when manyAlbanian noblemenincluding Andrea III Muzaka came under strong influence of Venice. To break out the influence of VeniceBayezid Ilaunched a campaign in 1394 and restored Ottoman control over most of Albania.[25]

In period 1415—17 Ottoman Empire annexedVlorëand Berat and ended the rule of Muzaka family, though some of its members converted to Islam and became Ottoman officials, likeYakup Bey Muzakason ofTheodor Corona Musachi,who wassanjakbeyof the OttomanSanjak of Albaniaduring theAlbanian Revolt of 1432–36.[26]There are claims that Jakub's father Theodor Corona Musachi participated in the revolt while some sources emphasize that no contemporary documents support such claims.[27]Jakub Bey Muzaka was on the position of the sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Albania until September 1442[28]when he was one of 16 Ottoman sanjakbeys under command ofSihàb ed-Dîn Pasawho were all killed by Christian forces commanded byJanos Hunyadiin a battle nearIalomița River.[29]He had a son named Jusuf Celebi who is recorded as atimariotinKalkandelen(Tetovo) in 1455.[30]

In 1444 Theodor Corona Musachi joined Skanderbeg's rebellion. In 1455Skanderbegtried torecapture the citybut failed. After his death many members of noble families from Albania who were before opposed to the Ottomans, likeArianiti,Zenebishi and Muzaka family, converted toIslamand achieved high ranks in the military and administrative hierarchy inOttoman Albania.[31]Although they were often left to rule lands they inherited from their ancestors, the new Ottoman regime obliged them to abandon part of their territories and their feudal rights.[32]

According to some sources the last member of Muzaka family died inNaplesin 1600.[33]Still, there are other notable people recorded as members of the Muzaka family after 1600. In the middle of the 18th century a sanjakbey of theSanjak of Avlonawas Ahmet Pasha Kurt from the Muzaka family who was later appointed to the position ofderbendciaga(guardian of the mountain passes) which he held until the sultan appointed Ahmet's grandson,Ali Pasha Tepelena,instead of him.[34]

Family tree

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Source[41][42][43]

See also

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References

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  1. ^abcFine 1994,p. 290.
  2. ^abDenkschriften: Veröffentlichungen der Kommission für Schrift- und Buchwesen des Mittelalters. Die illuminierten Handschriften und Inkunabeln der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek.Verlag der Österreichischen Akademie der Wissenschaften. 1869. p. 1.Herr Andreas Molesachi' (oder Musachi Sebastokrator ")
  3. ^abHeide Brigitte Buschhausen; Helmut Buschhausen (1976).Die Marienkirche von Apollonia in Albanien: Byzantiner, Normannen u. Serben im Kampf um die Via Egnatia.Verlag d. Österr. Akad. d. Wiss. p. 26.ISBN978-3-7001-0122-2.Adelsfamilie Musachi (Musac, Musacus)
  4. ^Hasan Celâl Güzel; Cem Oğuz; Osman Karatay; Murat Ocak (2002).The Turks: Ottomans (2 v. ).Yeni Türkiye. p. 2v.ISBN9789756782583.Albanian tribes such as Bua, Muzaka... Kostandin Muzaka
  5. ^Elsie, Robert (2010),Historical Dictionary of Albania,p. 315
  6. ^Anamali, Skënder (2002),Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime(in Albanian), vol. I, Botimet Toena, pp. 252–255,OCLC52411919
  7. ^abElsie 2003a,para.?
  8. ^H. T. Norris (1993).Islam in the Balkans: Religion and Society Between Europe and the Arab World.Univ of South Carolina Press. p.36.ISBN978-0-87249-977-5....a two-headed eagle for the Muzakis...
  9. ^Studia Albanica.L'Institut. 1990. p. 179.Dès la fin du XIe siècle, un descendant Muzaka est. compte parmi les fideles de l'empereur Alexis Ier Comnene.
  10. ^Elsie 2012,p. 27
  11. ^Buletin për shkencat shoqërore.Botim i institutit te shkencave. 1956. p. 208.të cilët sundonin në disa kra- hina të Devollit e Viosës, Andrea I (1280-1313) dhe Andrea II Muzaka (1319-1372),
  12. ^abcAnamali, Skënder (2002),Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime(in Albanian), vol. I, Botimet Toena, p. 252,OCLC52411919
  13. ^Fine 1994,pp. 290–291.
  14. ^Gillian Gloyer (1 June 2010).Albania(in Spanish). Alhena Media. p. 103.ISBN978-84-92963-50-8.Tras la muerte de Stefan Dušan en 1355, el área que se corresponde con el sureste de la actual Albania y hasta Kastoria (que hoy en día pertenece a Grecia) cayó en manos de la familia Muzaka de Berati, uno de los poderosos clanes
  15. ^Fine 1994,p. 380: "... Andrew Musachi.... took Kastoria from Marko..."
  16. ^Codices manuscripti.B. Hollinek. 1997. p. 7.II Teodoro Musachi di cui parla il nostra inventario era figlio del secondo Signore della dinastía, Andrea II Musachi (1319-1372), il quale aveva diviso, morendo, i suoi possedimenti tra i figli maschi, attribuendo la Musachia e Berat a Teodoro, Castoria al figlio Gin (1337-1389; alla sua morte gli succedette il fratello Stoia).
  17. ^Elsie 2003b,p. 42: "...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..."
  18. ^E. Jacques, Edwin (2009).The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1.McFarland & Company. p. 167.ISBN978-0-7864-4238-6....With one daughter, Komita married to Balsha II of Shkodra...
  19. ^Elsie 2003b,p. 42: "...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..."
  20. ^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...
  21. ^Miller, William (1921).Essays on the Latin Orient.Cambridge, University Pressn. p. 435.ISBN978-1-1074-5553-5....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...
  22. ^Studia Albanica(in French). Académie des sciences de la République Populaire d'Albanie, Institut d'histoire, Institut de linguistique et littérature. 1988. p. 90.Il est possible que Theodore Korona Muzaka alt ete un jeune homme avant la mort de Marko Krali (1396) et qu'il ait participe dans les combats contre lui. Cest ainsi qu'on peut expliquer pourquoi il est entre avec le nom Korun Kesexhia
  23. ^Cvetan Grozdanov;Ǵorǵi Krsteski; Petar Alčev (1980).Ohridsko zidno slikarstvo XIV veka.Institut za istoriju umetnosti, Filozofski fakultet. p. 233.Retrieved18 February2013.
  24. ^Petta 2000,p. 123:Giovanni Musacchi esule in Italia, provano la contemporanea presenza di rami cristiani e musulmanio; e accadde anzi che i figli di un Teodoro Musacchi, caduto nel 1389 sul campo di battaglia di Kosovo, dove aveva combattuto a fianco dei serbi, divenissero musulmani, e che uno di loro, già sangiacco di Albania, cadesse nel 1442 combattendo contro gli ungheresi.
  25. ^Studia Albanica.Académie des sciences de la République Populaire d'Albanie, Institut d'histoire, Institut de linguistique et littérature. 2005. p. 86.Pogon Skura, Andrea III Muzaka and other Albanian seigneurs, ail allies of
  26. ^Historia e Shqipërisë: përgatitur nga një kolektiv punonjësish shkencorë të sektorëve të historisë së kohës së lashtë dhe të kohës së mesme, Volume 1.Instituti i Historisë dhe i Gjuhësise. 1959. p. 268.Pasi u larguan ushtritë turke të Rumelisë, shpërtheu aty nga viti 1437-1438 një kryengritje tjetër në rrethin e Beratit, e krye- suar nga Theodhor Korona Muzaka, biri i të cilit, Jakup Beu, ishte në atë kohë sanxhakbeu i sanxhakut të Shqipërisë
  27. ^Instituti i Historisë (Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë) (1970).Studime historike, Volume 7.Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë.
  28. ^Türk Tarih Kongresi: Kongrenin çalişmaları, kongreye sunulan tebliğler.Kenan Matbaası. 1994. p. 1693.Yerli Hristiyan beylerden birisi olan Teodor Muzaka'nın oğlu Yakup Bey, İslâma geçerken, Osmanlı yönetimi kadrosu içine sokulmuş ve 1442 yılının dolaylarında Arvanid sancak beyi makamına kadar çıkmayı başarmıştır.3 Adı geçen sancağın
  29. ^Pulaha, Selami (1968).burime Osmane.Universiteti Shtetëror i Tiranës, Instituti i Historisë dhe i Gjuhësisë. p. 45.... e Shehabedin pashait e nga sanxhakbejlerët si Firuz beu, Jakup beu, i biri i Teodor Muzakës 30, e gjithsej pesëmbëdhjetë bejlerë pri- jësa ranë aty të gjithë dëshmorë. Shumica e jeniçerëve u grinë. Vetëm Shehabedin pasha u arratis.
  30. ^Duka 2004,p. 14.
  31. ^Oliver Jens Schmitt (2010).Religion und Kultur im albanischsprachigen Südosteuropa.Peter Lang. p. 56.ISBN978-3-631-60295-9.Muslimisch gewordene Angehörige der Familien Muzaki, Arianiti und Zenebishi, die vorher am Abwehrkampf gegen die Türken beteiligt gewesen waren, wurden in das Militärlehenssystem eingegliedert und erhielten Posten in der Verwaltung im Turkischen Albanien.
  32. ^Halil İnalcık (1978).The Ottoman Empire: Conquest, Organization and Economy.Variorum Reprints. p. 116.ISBN978-0-86078-032-8.
  33. ^Fernand Braudel (1995).The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II.University of California Press. p. 664.ISBN978-0-520-20330-3.The Musachi family did not survive: its last member died in Naples in 1600.
  34. ^Elsie 2012,pp. 265, 266

    KURT, AHMET PASHA ( -1787) Historical figure and Pasha of Berat. Ahmet Kurt Pasha, a descendent of the house of Muzaka,.... He was the sandjak bey of Vlora and was appointed derbenci aga (keeper of the mountain passes).... Among the bandits he caught around 1775 was his grandson Ali Pasha Tepelena.
  35. ^Robert Elsie (2003).Early Albania.Harrassowitz. p. 42.
  36. ^"Line of Lekë III Dukagjini".
  37. ^Studime historike.Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë. 1967. p. 76.Marie Muzaka nuk pat mundësi t'i sje- llë të shoqtë si prikë as Vlorën, as Kaninën, sepse, në kohën e mar- tesës së tyre, që ne e kemi vendosur në
  38. ^Wilhelm Gülich; Rudolf Vogel (1976).Südosteuropa.Südosteuropa-Verlagsgesellschaft. p. 263.ISBN9783878280941.Arianiti Komneno war zweimal verheiratet: das erste Mal mit Maria Musachi, älterer Tochter des Andreas Musachi aus der
  39. ^Pantelija Slavkov Srećković (1888).Istorija srpskoga naroda: Vreme kraljevstva i carstva (1159-1367)(in Serbian). Kraljevsko-srpska drž. štamparija. p. 256.Ментула Музаки граф Клисуре (Karouga a то је на граници средње Арбаније и Тесалије)
  40. ^Noli 1947, fq. 189, shenimi 33.
  41. ^Early Albania.2003.ISBN9783447047838.
  42. ^Robert Elsie (2003).Early Albania.Harrassowitz. p. 34.
  43. ^Karl Hopf (1873).Chroniques Gréco-Romaines.Weidmann. p. 588.

Sources

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