| Chiranna Zenevisi Kirana Zenebishi | |
|---|---|
| Lady of Grabossa | |
 Coat of Arms of the Zenevisi family | |
| Born | 14th century Zagoria, Principality of Sarbissa (modern day Albania) |
| Died | 15th century Principality of Muzaka (modern day Albania) |
| Burial | Saint Mary's Church, Korçë |
| Spouse | Andrea III Muzaka |
| Issue |
|
| House | |
| Father | Gjon Zenebishi |
| Mother | Lady Bua Shpata |
| Religion | Eastern Orthodox |
Chiranna Zenevisi (Albanian: Kirana Zenebishi), also known as Anna was an Albanian noblewoman and member of the Zenevisi family, as the daughter of Count John Zenevisi.
Life
Chiranna Zenevisi was the daughter of Gjon Zenebishi, Serbastokrator of Epirus. Her mother was a daughter of Gjin Bua-Spata and sister of Irene, wife of Esau de' Buondelmonti. Not much is known about Chiranna's early life.
Upon her marriage to Andrea III Muzaka, Chiranna received the territory of Grabossa as part of her dowry from her father, John Zenevisi. Through this marriage, the territory became part of the holdings of the Muzaka family, and Chiranna assumed the title of Lady of Grabossa.
In 1470, Chiranna built the Holy Trinity Church, Lavdar. Her son, Gjin II, built Saint Mary's Church in Bungë, near the village of Zerec. He was buried on the south side of Saint Mary's Church. The church was built just a few kilometers from Lavdar, where the Holy Trinity Church is located. Later on, her descendants built another church dedicated to Saint George in the nearby Arostë.
Upon her death, Chiranna Zenevisi was buried on the west side of Saint Mary’s Church, where she was laid to rest alongside her daughter-in-law, Chiranna Mataranga, who was the wife of her son, Gjin II.
Family
Chiranna Zenevisi married Andrea III Muzaka. The couple had four children:
- Gjin II, married Chiranna Mataranga, father of Gjon Muzaka.
- Maria Muzaka, married Gjergj Arianiti. The couple had eight children, the most famously known Donika Kastrioti.
- Teodor III, who became his father's successor and participated in various battles against the Ottomans, eventually co-founding the League of Lezhë. His son, Yakup Bey Muzaka converted to Islam and Teodor was succeeded by his elder brother Gjin II Muzaka.
- Helena Muzaka, married Lord Philip of Ragusa.
References
- Hopf, Karl (1873). Breve Memoria de li discendenti de nostra casa Musachi. pp. 289–290.
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...Lady Chiranna who was the daughter of Lord John Sarbissa (Zenevisi), lord of the town of Ariocastro (Gjirokastra) and Evaguenegiana (Vagenetia), an extensive territory...
- Anamali, Skender (2002). Historia e popullit shqiptar. Botimet Toena. p. 285.
- Luttrell, Anthony (1982). Latin and Greece: the Hospitallers and the Crussades, 1291-1440. Ashgate Publishing. p. 122.
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...The son of the said Lord Gjin was Lord Andrew the third and was married to Lady Chiranna who was the daughter of Lord John Sarbissa (Zenevisi), lord of the town of Ariocastro (Gjirokastra) and Evaguenegiana (Vagenetia), an extensive territory. This lady received as her dowry a territory called Grabossa...
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 49. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...The said lady, my grandmother, built the church of the Holy Trinity in Laudari (Lavdar) near Ceria (Xerje)...
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 49. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...Do not forget that Lord Gjin Musachi, my father and your grandfather, died in Sereziabunga and was buried at the church of Saint Mary which he himself had built in Bunga...
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 49. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...His grave is just outside the church on the south side...
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 49. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...in the same fashion, our descendants built the church of Saint George in Erosto...
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 49. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...My mother and Lady Chiranna, my grandmother, the mother of my father, also lies buried at the said church, on the west side...
- Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 43. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8.
...This Lord Andrew the third had two sons and two daughters. The first son was called Lord Gjin the second, and the second one Lord Theodore Musachi. The first daughter was called Lady Maria and the second Lady Helena. This Lord Gjin the second was married to Lady Chiranna, who was the niece of Lord Paul Sevastocrator, and to the said Lord Gjin, I was born, Lord John. The aforementioned second son, Lord Theodore, his brother, was slain in warfare with the aforementioned sultan and left no direct heirs. My father, the said Lord Gjin, became his heir. The said Lady Maria, the sister of my father, was married to Lord Arianiti Comnenus, Lord of Cerminica (Çermenika) and of Mochino (Mokra) and Spatennia (Shpat) up to the river Devoll, which divides his land from ours and constitutes the border. The second daughter, the said Lady Helena, was married to Lord Philip who had a large estate in Ragusa (Dubrovnik)...