Niketa Thopia

Niketa Thopia (Albanian: Niketa Topia, Latin: Nicetas Thopia;^[1] fl. 1388 – d. 1415), also known as Nikola was the Lord of Krujë between 1392—1394 and 1403–1415. He was a member of the Albanian Thopia family and an illegitimate son of Karl Thopia, the Prince of Albania (r. 1368–1388).

Niketa Thopia Niketa Topia
Lord of Krujë
Coat of arms of the Thopia family
Lord of Krujë
Reign	1392—1394 1403–1415
Predecessor	Helena Thopia
Born	13?? Principality of Albania
Died	1415 Krujë, Princedom of Albania
Spouse	Daughter of Komnen Arianiti or Daughter of Maurizio Bua Sgouros
Issue	Mara Thopia
House	Thopia
Father	Karl Thopia
Mother	Unknown
Religion	Roman Catholic

Life

Niketa Thopia was an illegitimate son of Albanian prince Karl Thopia born to an unknown mother. Together with his sister Maria Thopia, they are Karl's only recognized illegitimate children. After his father’s death in 1388, Helena Thopia his older sister inherited control of Krujë. After her marriage to Marco Barbarigo a Venetian nobleman, he became the actual ruler of her lands.^[2] Moreover, his older brother Gjergj Thopia succeeded their father as Prince of Albania.^[3][4][5] Niketa, on the other hand inherited a territory south of Durazzo.

Mark Barbarigo briefly held his and Helen’s possessions under Venetian suzerainty.^[6] However, facing new threats from the Ottomans, he eventually accepted Ottoman suzerainty. This decision allowed him to maintain control over Krujë and his other lands extending to Durrës. No longer viewing himself as a Venetian deputy, he began raiding Venetian lands near Durrës.^[7] In 1392, amid the ongoing hostilities between her husband and the Venetians, Helen's half-brother, Niketa Thopia, a loyal Venetian supporter, attacked the city of Krujë, forcing Mark Barbarigo to seek refuge with the Balsha family.^[8][9]

After the death of Sultan Bayezid in 1402, many Albanian lords, including Niketa Thopia, Gjon Kastrioti and Koja Zaharija recognized Venetian suzerainty.^{[10][contradictory]} The Venetians were interested in having some buffer zone between them and the advancing Ottoman army.^{[citation needed]}

After the death of Kostandin Balsha in 1402, Niketa Thopia swiftly seized control of the city of Krujë from his sister Helena Thopia in 1403, acting independently. Given his previous loyalty to the Venetians, they soon accepted his action, and by 1404, officially recognized him as the governor of Krujë.^[11][12] However, despite his formal vassal status, Nikola Thopia began to assert greater autonomy in the region. By 1410, he had extended his influence over much of the territory between Krujë and the lower Shkumbi River, effectively positioning himself not just as a Venetian vassal, but as an independent ruler whose interests aligned with Venice more as an ally than a direct deputy.^[13]

From his marriage, Thopia had one daughter, Mara Thopia. She married Balsha III in 1407 and had a daughter Jelena Balsha, named after her grandmother Jelena Lazarević.^[14][15] Balsha III and Niketa entered an alliance in order to drive out the Venetians.^[16] Niketa then started to be a mediator between Balsha and Venetians during the First Scutari War.^[17] Balsha III divorced his wife, Mara Thopia as relations with Niketa Thopia had soured due to an incident where Theodor Corona Musachi captured Nikola in a skirmish, likely around late 1411, and held him as a prisoner.^[18] After being released from jail in July 1413, Nikola Thopia returned to Krujë, where he resumed his role as the administrator for the Venetians. However, shortly thereafter, certainly by early 1415, he died.^[19]

After his death, the region experienced a period of instability. Mehmed I while upholding his treaties with Byzantium and Serbia and refraining from resuming attacks on them, Mehmed I saw the Albanian-Zetan region as an opportunity. Aiming to restore the Ottomans to their former stronghold in the area, he launched a major offensive there in 1415. His forces captured Krujë and several smaller forts throughout the region.^[20][21]

Family

Niketa Thopia married either a daughter of Komnen Arianiti or a daughter of Maurizio Bua Sgouros.^[22][23] The couple had one child:^[24][25]

1. Mara Thopia, Princess of Zeta, married Balsha III in 1407, and they had one daughter, Jelena Balsha. Her father and husband allied to drive out the Venetians, and Balsha III divorced Mara by late 1412 or the beginning of 1413 to marry Boglia Zaharia. Mara is also the grandmother of Catherine of Bosnia, Queen of the Kingdom of Bosnia.

Family tree

Ancestors of Niketa Thopia
8. Tanusio Thopia 4. Andrea Thopia 2. Karl Thopia 20. Charles II of Naples 10. Robert, King of Naples 21. Mary of Hungary 5. Hélène of Anjou 11. Daughter of Komnen Arianiti 1. Niketa 3. Uncertain

See also

• Thopia family
• Principality of Albania (medieval)
• Saint Gjon Vladimir's Church

Notes

1. Nicolae Iorga (1908). Geschichte des Osmanischen reiches. F. A. Perthes aktiengsellschaft. p. 331. comes Nicetas
2. 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...
3. Molina, Grabiela. Decoding Debate in the Venetian Senate Short Stories of Crisis and Response on Albania (1392-1402). Brill. p. 83. ISBN 978-9-0045-2093-6. ...George declared himself princeps Albaniae...
4. 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. 391. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...George Thopia, his son and heir...
5. 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...
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. 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...
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. ...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...
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. ...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...
9. 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, seeking asylum at the court of George Balsic...
10. Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb (1967). The Encyclopaedia of Islam. Brill. p. 654.
11. 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...
12. Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002, ISBN 99927-1-622-3 pp. 251-252
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. 511. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...The Ottoman defeat and Constantine Balsic's death allowed the Venetians to regain Kroja, which they allowed Nikola Thopia to govern as their vassal. Nikola soon asserted himself and by 1410 was holding for Venice most of the territory between Kroj and the lower Shkumbi River. With control over this territory, whose inhabitants probably preferred him to Venice, Nikola was probably, as Ducellier puts it, more an ally of than a deputy for Venice...
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. 512. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Early in 1407 Balsa married the daughter of Nikola Thopia, a Venetian vassal...
15. Spremić 2004, pp. 73–108

    У јеку сукоба, Балша III. се 1407. оженио Маром, кћерком арбанашког господара Никете Топије. Брзо је добио кћер, којој је, по мајци, дао име Јелена.

16. Aleks Buda (1984). Problems of the formation of the Albanian people, their language and culture. 8 Nëntori. p. 317.
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. 512. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...From that moment on, often with Nikola as a mediator, active negotiations between Balsa's representatives and Venice accompanied the fighting...
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. 513. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Balsa strove to develop close relations with his neighbors, except for Venice, for which he retained his hatred. He divorced his wife, the daughter of Nikola Thopia. Nikola had ceased to be a worthwhile ally because Theodore Musachi had captured him in a skirmish, probably in late 1411, and retained him as a prisoner...
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. 513. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Released from jail in July 1413, Nikola Thopia returned to Kroja, which he again administered for the Venetians; but very soon thereafter, certainly by early 1415, he died...
20. 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. 513. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...Whereas Mehemmed I respected his treaties with Byzantium and Serbia and did not resume attacks on them, he considered the Albanian-Zetan region fair game. Seeking to restore the Ottomans to their former strong position in the area, he launched a large attack thither in 1415. His forces took Kroja and several lesser forts in the area...
21. Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002, ISBN 99927-1-622-3 p.251-252
22. Shuteriqi, Dhimitër (2012). Zana Prela (ed.). Aranitët: Historia- Gjenealogjia-Zotërimet. Toena. p. 97. ISBN 978-99943-1-729-5.
23. Carl Hermann Friedrich Johann Hopf (1873). Chroniques gréco-romanes inédites ou peu connues. Berlin, Weidmann. p. 531.
24. Djukanovic, Bojka (2023). Historical Dictionary of Montenegro. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-5381-3915-8. ...Mara, a daughter of Niketa Topia, the lord of Kruje and the son of Karl Topia, Prince of Albania...
25. 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. 512. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...daughter of Nikola Thopia...

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
• Spremić, Momčilo (2004), Ćulibrk, Jovan (ed.), Crkvene prilike u Zeti u doba Nikona Jerusalimca (in Serbian), Cetinje, Belgrade: Svetigora, Publikum, pp. 73–108, archived from the original on 2013-12-11

Preceded by Marco Barbarigo	Lord of Krujë 1392—1394	Succeeded by Konstantin Balšić
Preceded by Konstantin Balšić	Lord of Krujë 1403—1415	Succeeded by Ottoman Empire