Karl Muzakë Thopia
| Karl Muzakë Thopia | |
|---|---|
| Lord of Berat | |
 Coat of arms of the Thopia family. | |
| Lord of Berat | |
| Born | 1415–1420 |
| Died | July 1455 Berat Castle |
| Spouse | Zanfina Muzaka (first marriage) Mamica Kastrioti (second marriage) |
| House | Thopia Muzaka |
| Father | Andrea II Thopia |
| Mother | Unknown |
| Religion | Christianity |
Karl Muzakë-Thopia, also known as Karl Muzaka Thopia was a 15th-century Albanian nobleman and military commander in service of the League of Lezhë. He was garrisoned as the commander of Berat at the Berat Castle, which is the location of his death, and the brother in-law of Albanian national hero Skanderbeg.
Life
Early life and ancestry
Karl was born during the years 1415–1420 into the aristocratic Thopia family who were a noble Albanian family who ruled over Central Albania. His father was Andrea II Thopia, lord of Scuria (near modern-day Durrës), whilst his mother remains absent and unknown from historical sources. Not much is documented about Karl’s early life.
Divorce and controversy
On January 26, 1445 in Musachiana, which was between Krujë and Durrës, by the order of her older brother Skanderbeg, Mamica Kastrioti married Karl.[1][2] This was controversial because Karl Muzakë Thopia was already married to Suina Muzaka before marrying Mamica, with whom he had two children. Mamica's brother, Skanderbeg, broke up Karl's marriage to Suina Muzaka against everyone's wishes, including those of the children, and forced him to marry his sister.[3]
This however wasn't the only notable event that took place on the wedding day. A dispute had occurred between the two princes Lekë Dukagjini and Lekë Zaharia, at the center of the dispute was Irene Dushmani Princess of Zadrima and Pult and the only child of Lekë Dushmani. Both the princes had fallen in love with the princess and when Irene arrived at the wedding the hostilities erupted. They lost their heads and rushed at each other's throats.[4][5][6][7]
Vrana Konti and Vladan Jurica tried separating the two princes but this resulted in them getting severely wounded, Vrana in his arm and Vladan on his head. This assault between the two princes led to a real battle between the two prince's men.[8][5][9] The battle initially appeared to favor the forces of Lekë Dukagjini, until Lekë Zaharia charged at his rival and, with a powerful blow, felled him to the ground.[10][11] At a critical moment, Vrana Konti and Vladan Jurica intervened decisively, bringing the battle to a close. The aftermath saw 105 dead and approximately 200 wounded strewn across the battlefield.[12][13][14][15][16]
Siege of Berat and death
Before the Ottoman siege, Skanderbeg and his forces besieged the Ottoman-occupied castle and began pounding it with the help of the Aragonese-Neapolitan artillery.[17][18] The commander of the Ottoman garrison then proposed to hand over the city if no reinforcements would come for a month.[17] Believing the situation was well in hand and that the castle would fall, Skanderbeg left with a sizable contingent of his army in the direction of Valona.
At the head of the remaining force he left Karl, his brother-in-law. After a successful bombardment, the Ottoman commander of the garrison agreed to turn over the keys to the castle if the sultan had not sent reinforcements within a certain amount of time. This was a ploy to fool the Albanian forces into a false sense of security and delay any actions, giving reinforcements time to arrive. When the sultan and his reinforcements arrived in mid-July, the Albanian army degenerated into a total rout and lost 6,000 men.[19][20][21][22] Karl himself died during the siege[2][23] as well as Gjin II Muzaka.[24][25]
Family and issue
In his first marriage with Zanfina Muzaka from the house of Muzaka, they had the following issue:
- Yela Thopia married Đurađ Crnojević
- Andrea (or Andrew) III Thopia
In his second marriage with Mamica Kastrioti from the house of Kastrioti, they had 6 children in total, 4 sons and 2 daughters:
- Yela Thopia married Lord Andrew Muzaka
- Unknown Daughter
- Gjon Thopia
- Gjergj Thopia
- Ali Bej Toptani
- Unknown Son
See also
References
- ^ Noli, Fan Stylian (1945). George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405-1468). Boston University Libraries. p. 124.
...This year of 1445 began with a wedding. Mamitza Castrioti, Scanderbeg's youngest sister, was married to Musachi Thopia. The wedding took place in Musachiana, between Croya and Durazzo, on January 26. All the chieftains of Albania were invited to attend...
- ^ a b E., Susan (1998). Women in Modern Albania. University of Virginia Press. p. 57. ISBN 978-0-7864-0468-1.
- ^ Robert, Elsie. Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 52. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
- ^ Noli, Fan Stylian (1945). George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405-1468). Boston University Libraries. p. 124.
...During the carousal that followed the ceremony, Lek Ducaghini and Lek Zacaria of Dagno started a quarrel, which developed into a real battle between their followers. It was a case of "Cherchez la femme!" And the lady in question was Irere Dushmani of Zadrim with whom both had fallen in love. She happened to be there, the two lovers lost their heads and rushed at each other's throats...
- ^ a b Marino, Ettore (2018). Storia del popolo albanese Dalle origini ai giorni nostri. ISBN 978-8-8684-3837-1.
Il 26 gennaio 1445 furono celebrate le nozze tra Mamica Kastriota e Muzak Thopia. Questo negligibile evento fini tra le scritture degli storici poiché durante i festeggiamenti accadde un incidente i cui effetti la Storia, appunto, non può negligere. Due principi albanesi, Lek Dukagjini e Lek Zakaria Altisferi, amavano la stessa donna, Irene di Lek Dushmani, principe di Zadrima...
- ^ Lezi, Tim (2011). Scanderbeg, General of the Eagles. X-libris Corporation LLC. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-4628-6275-7.
The wedding of Muzake and Mamica took place in Musachiana, between Kruje and Durrës, on January 26, 1445. All the chieftains of Albania were invited to attend. However, the peaceful and joyful ceremony took an unexpectedly bizarre and bloody twist at the end when Leke Dukagjini and Leke Zakaria of Danya, both intoxicated, began to quarrel about Irena Dushmani of Zadrima, a beautiful lady with whom both had fallen desperately in love. Just as she passed by them, the chieftains rushed at each other's throats to impress and win the heart of their Helen of Troy
- ^ Francone, Gennaro (2003). Skenderbeu: Një hero modern. p. 61. ISBN 99927-38-75-8.
- ^ Noli, Fan Stylian (1945). George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405-1468). Boston University Libraries. p. 124.
...Count Vrana and Vladan Yuritza, who tried to separate them, were severely wounded, the former in his arm and the latter on his head. Then it was decided to let the two lovers fight it out....
- ^ Lezi, Tim (2011). Scanderbeg, General of the Eagles. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-4628-6275-7.
...Count Vrana and Vladan Yuritza, who happened to be nearby, tried to mollify the two screaming contenders, but to no effect. Instead, both of them received light wounds, one in his arm and the other on his head. A suggestion by another drunk guest to fight it out with their bare fists appealed to both Dukagjini and Zakaria. As armed men from each clan watched from the side, the two men began by eyeballing one another, and with careful steps they circled one another. The wind was tossing both their white shirts and black hair. Since they were of equal height and both quite muscular, nobody could tell which way the match would go. After the preliminary moments of posturing and circling observation, the men decided to move in closer to the other and they started exchanging some punches...
- ^ Lezi, Tim (2011). Skanderbeg, General of the Eagles. X-libris Corporation LLC. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-4628-6275-7.
...Bolstered on by more supporters in the crowd, the fight initially went in the favor of Leke Dukagjini. Although it appeared that Zakaria was in a bad spot, he was defending quite well and, suddenly, surprising everybody, he threw a nasty jab to the chin of Dukagjini and knocked him out cold. Dukagjini stood on the ground, nonplussed and bleeding from his mouth. As he started to move and get up, Zakaria jumped over him and got him in a full nelson. With raucous cheers, Zakarias men commenced rejoicing and celebrating their leader's victory. This was not welcomed by Dukagjini's men. Infuriated by the sight of their downed chieftain, and prompted by their canon of vendetta, they unsheathed their swords, and immediately challenged Zakaria's men, who were not at all intimidated and drew their swords as well in self-defense. A needless and absurd battle followed...
- ^ Noli, Fan Stylian (1945). George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405-1468). Boston University Libraries. p. 125.
...The battle seemed to go in favor of the Ducaghind group, when Lek Zacaria rushed against his rival and, with a mighty stroke, stretched him flat on the ground...
- ^ Noli, Fan Stylian (1945). George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405-1468). Boston University Libraries. p. 125.
...At this critical moment, Count Vrana and Vladan Yuritza intervened and put an end to the battle. One hundred and five dead and about two hundred wounded covered the battlefield...
- ^ Marino, Ettore. Storia del popolo albanese Dalle origini ai giorni nostri. ISBN 978-8-8684-3837-1.
...Dukagjini rimase ferito da un colpo di lancia, e sul suolo rimasero ben centocinque morti. La pace cui Skanderbeg li costrinse sarà, da parte del Dukagjini, una vera e propria Copyrighted material finzione, se è vero, e lo è, che quest'ultimo farà trucidare a tradimento lo Zakaria e a lungo porterà rancore al Kastriota. Il principato dello Zakaria (le terre di Danja, sostanzialmente) toccava a Skanderbeg...
- ^ Lezi, Tim. Scanderbeg, General of the Eagles. X-libris Corporation LLC. p. 36. ISBN 978-1-4628-6275-7.
...Although both Dukagjini and Zakaria miraculously came out of the battle alive, the bloodbath left 105 dead and 200 wounded Loudly proclaiming that winning Irena's heart was worth all the trouble in the world, Zakaria had no regrets. His proclamation succeeded in achieving its goal. Irena was his. Leke Dukagjini responded by declaring a blood feud against Zakaria. The entire ordeal left Scanderbeg humbled and grieved...
- ^ Francone, Gennaro (2003). Skenderbeu: Një hero modern (in Albanian). p. 61. ISBN 99927-38-75-8.
- ^ Hodgkinson, Harry. Scanderbeg: From Ottoman Captive to Albanian Hero. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-873928-13-4.
- ^ a b Fan Stylian Noli, 1947
- ^ Berisha, Gjon (2015). Aspects of Skanderbeg's Relationship with Alfonso V of Aragon. Vol. 4. ANGLISTICUM. Journal of the Association-Institute for English Language and American Studies. pp. 149–154. ISSN 1857-8187.
- ^ Fischer, Bernd J (29 September 2022). A Concise History of Albania. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-009-25490-8.
- ^ Stojčev, Vanče (2004). Military History of Macedonia. Military Academy "General Mihailo Apostolski". p. 140. ISBN 978-9989-134-05-0.
- ^ von Pastor, Ludwig (1891). The History of the Popes: From the Close of the Middle Ages ..., Volume 2. p. 431.
- ^ Sarrochi, Margherita (2007). Scanderbeide: The Heroic Deeds of George Scanderbeg, King of Epirus. University of Chicago Press. p. 64. ISBN 978-0-226-73506-1.
- ^ Scanderbeg: From Ottoman Captive to Albanian Hero by Harry Hodgkinson, page 136
- ^ Martino Segono di Novo Brdo, vescovo di Dulcigno: un umanista serbo-dalmata del tardo Quattrocento, vita e opere. Istituto storico italiano per il Medio Evo. 1981. fq. 247.
- ^ Allgemeine Encyklopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste, 1868, S. 134