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Karl Thopia Karl Topia
Prince of Albania Grand Count of Albania Duke of Durrës Lord of Krujë
Portrait of Karl Thopia at the Skanderbeg Museum.
Prince of Albania & Duke of Durrës
Reign	1358–1388
Predecessor	Andrea I Thopia
Successor	Gjergj Thopia
Lord of Krujë
Reign	1358–1388
Successor	Helena Thopia
Born	1331 Durrës, Princedom of Albania
Died	January 1388 (aged 57) Elbasan, Princedom of Albania
Burial	St. Gjon Vladimir's Church
Spouse	Voisava Balsha
Issue	Gjergj Thopia Helena Thopia Voisava Thopia Maria Thopia Niketa Thopia
Dynasty	Thopia Anjou-Naples
Father	Andrea I Thopia
Mother	Hélène of Anjou
Religion	Roman Catholic

Karl Thopia (Albanian: Karl Topia; 1331 – January 1388) was an Albanian feudal prince and warlord who ruled Albanian domains from 1358 until the first Ottoman conquest of Albania in 1388. Thopia usually maintained good relations with the Roman Curia.

Family

The first mention of the Thopia is from 1329, when Tanusio Thopia was mentioned as one of the counts of Albania. In 1338, Tanusio was mentioned as Count of Mat (conte di Matia). According to Karl Hopf, Tanusio's son or brother Andrea I, as told by Gjon Muzaka (fl. 1510), had fallen in love with an illegitimate daughter of King Robert of Naples when her ship, en route to the Principality of the Morea to be wed with the bailli, had stopped at Durrës where they met. Andrea abducted and married her, and they had two sons, Karl and George. Karl was named after his great great grandfather Charles I of Anjou. King Robert, enraged, under the pretext of reconciliation had the couple invited to Naples where he had them executed. Karl Thopia is first mentioned in 1350, at a time when Anjou still owned Durrës.

Control of Durrës and the Princedom of Albania

The long protracted turmoil of dynastic wars had made germinate in their real victims, the Albanians, the seeds of national sentiment which contained great promise, so that, when after Emperor Stefan Dušan's death, a descendant of Stefan Uroš I, returned to the province, the inhabitants rose en masse and, under the leadership of Karl Thopia, cut down the pretender and his entire force in the battle of Acheloos.

In 1358, Karl rose against the rule of the Anjou and managed to drive them out of Durrës from Epirus and Albania. He ruled most of modern central Albania from 1358 to 1388 and claimed the title of Princeps Albaniae (Prince of Albania) and Duke of Durrës.

Since 1362, Karl sought Durrës, which was in the possession of Duchess Joanna. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Thopia had to withdraw his troops, who were weakened by an epidemic disease. Only in 1367 could Karl conquer Durrës, who had attained in the meantime the tacit agreement of the Venetians for his project and turn this important port into his residence.

Karl gained control of Durrës in 1368, which was where the Angevins held out due to their Kingdom becoming smaller in size. In 1374, Pope Gregory XI awarded him the title "Grande Conte d'Albania" (Grand Count of Albania). Karl lost Durrës in 1376, conquered by Joanna's husband Louis during the Durrës Expedition, but recovered it in 1383 when the last mercenaries of the Navarrese Company moved to Greece.

Thopia ruled over the regions of Durrës, Kruja, Peqin, Elbasan, Mokra and Gora, that is, along both sides of the Via Egnatia as far east as Lake Ohrid.

Rivalry with Balsha II

Balsha II and the Thopia had been fighting for the control of the region between Lake Skadar and Durrës since 1363. Balsha, allied with the Albanian tribe Mataruge, tried to invade Albania in 1364. In the summer of the same year, Balsha was defeated by Karl and Gjergj Balsha was captured in a skirmish. It would not be until 1366 that Republic of Ragusa would mediate peace between them and procured the release of Balsha II. In 1380, Karl Thopia tried to make an alliance with King Louis I of Hungary, who confirmed it in the possessions he had in Durrës and the surrounding area. This alliance was not welcomed by either the Venetians or the Roman Curia, as long as the Hungarian king supported Avignon's antipope. Rejecting Charles's legitimacy over Durrës, the Pope turned his brother-in-law Balsha II against him.

Balsha II made a fourth attempt to conquer Durrës, an important commercial and strategic center, which was ruled by his rival, Karl Thopia. In 1385, Balsha II started an offensive, capturing Durrës from Karl Thopia the following year, and proclaimed himself Duke of Durazzo (Durrës). Thopia called on the Turks for assistance. Murad I gladly sent an army of 40,000 men from Macedonia. In the plain of Savra between Elbasan and Lushnjë, Balsha II fought the Turks and was defeated and killed. Thopia again gained control over Durrës, probably under Ottoman suzerainty.

Venetian alliance

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In the last decade of his rule, Karl closely followed the Republic of Venice, particularly with regard to foreign policy. On 17 August 1386, Karl Thopia allied himself with Venice and committed himself to participate in all wars of the Republic or pay auxiliary funds and supply grain. In addition, he promised the Venetian buyers protection in his lands. In return, Venice supplied a galley, permitted recruitment of Thopia's mercenaries in Venetian areas and instructed the captain of their Adriatic fleet to protect Karl's coasts from the Ottomans. The Ottomans undertook several heavy attacks on Durrës, which also still persisted as Karl died in January 1388, where he was buried in Saint John Vladimir's Church. His son, Gjergj Thopia, became Karl's successor.

St. Gjon Vladimir's Church

In 1381, Karl built the St. Gjon Vladimir's Church in the proximity of Elbasan, where Jovan Vladimir's remains were held until 1995. He is depicted in the icon scenes of the life of Saint Jovan Vladimir , painted by Onufri, wearing a crown and standing by the Church of the Saint.

Inscriptions:

• A calligraphic inscription in Greek says: "ΚΑΡΛΑ ΘΕΩΠΙΑϹ ΚΑΙ ΚΤΗΤΩΡ ΤΗϹ ΑΓΙΑϹ ΜΟΝΗϹ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ" (Karla Theopias, builder of the Holy Monastery of the Saint).

• 

  Another Greek inscription in the building refers to him as: "... ο πανυψηλώτατος πρώτος Κάρλας Θεωπίας ανεψιός δε και αίματος ρύγας της Φραγγίας... οικοδόμησεν τον πάνσεπτον ναόν τούτον του αγίου Ιωάννου του Βλαδιμήρου ..." (the highest and prime Karlas Theopias, nephew and by blood king of Francia ... built this holy church of St. John Vladimir ... ) dated 1382. This inscription is currently located in the Albanian Historical Museum in Tirana.
• "These signs of a great lord ... Carla Thopea" (ετούτα τα σιμάδηα αυθέντου μέγα ... Κάρλα Θοπήα).

Issue

Karl married Voisava Balsha, in c. 1370. The pair had three children:

• Gjergj Thopia (fl. 1388–d. 1392), Lord of Durrës (Durazzo), married Teodora Branković
• Helena Thopia (fl. 1388–1403), married Venetian count Marco Barbadigo (first marriage) and lord Kostandin Balsha (second marriage)
• Voisava Thopia, married N. Cursachio (first marriage) and in 1394, Progon Dukagjini, Lord of Lezhë and uncle of Pal Dukagjini (second marriage)

Karl had two more children but the parentage is unknown:

• Maria Thopia, married Filippo di Maramonte
• Niketa Thopia, married a daughter of Komnen Arianiti.

Family tree

See also

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

References

1. Gillian Gloyer (2008). Albania. Bradt Travel Guides. ISBN 9781841622460. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
2. Johann Georg von Hahn (1867). Reise durch die Gebiete des Drin und Wardar: im Auftrage der K. Akademie der Wissenschaften unternommen im Jahre 1863. Aus der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Hof- und Staatsdruckerei. p. 282.
3. Émile G. Léonard (1932). Histoire de Jeanne 1re, reine de Naples, comtesse de Provence (1343–1382): La jeunesse de la reine Jeanne. Imprimerie de Monaco. p. 107.
4. Bollettino della Badia Greca di Grottaferrata. Scuola Tipografica Italo-Orientale "S.Nilo". 1978.
5. Carl Hermann Friedrich Johann Hopf (1960). Geschichte Griechenlands vom Beginn des Mittelalters bis auf unsere Zeit. B. Franklin. … da deren Besitzungen bald darauf in der Hand jenes Tanussio Thopia (1328–1338) waren, dem König Robert von Neapel 1338 den Besitz der Grafschaft Mat bestätigte. Des letztern Sohn oder Bruder Andreas war es, der sich mit dem Hause Capet verschwägerte. König Robert, so erzählt Musachi, hatte seine natürliche Tochter dem Bailli von Morea – vielleicht dem Bertrand de Baux – zur Gattin bestimmt und sie nach Durazzo gesandt, wo damals Thopia weilte. Er verliebte sich in sie, entführte und heirathete sie. Zwei Söhne, Karl und Georg, entsprossen dieser Ehe. Aber schwer traf die Gatten bald die Rache des erzürnten Vaters; unter dem Scheine der Versöhnung lud er beide zu sich nach Neapel ein und ließ sie dort hinrichten; die Kinder aber, in denen somit wirklich das Blut der Angiovinen floß, wurden gerettet; in der festen Burg Kroja , die er später ausbaute, nicht, wie die Sage meldet , erst gründete "), wuchs Karl auf, entschlossen, den Mord des vaters zu rächen
6. M. Th. Houtsma (1987). E. J. Brill's first encyclopaedia of Islam 1913–1936. BRILL. p. 456. ISBN 9004082654. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
7. Fine 1994, pp. 372–373: "Karlo entered into close relations with Venice, which granted him Venetian citizenship and called him Prince of Albania."
8. Elsie, Robert (2015). The Tribes of Albania History, Society and Culture. Bloomsbury Publishing. p. 7. ISBN 978-0-8577-2586-8. ...Charles Thopia (d. 1388) held sway in a triangle of land between Durrës, Kruja and Elbasan, and called himself prince of Albania (princeps Albaniae)...
9. Elsie, Robert (2010). Historical Dictionary of Albania. Scarecrow Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-0-8108-7380-3. ...Charles Thopia as Prince of Albania (princeps Albaniae)...
10. de Sufflay, Emilianus (1918). Acta et diplomata res Albaniae mediae aetatis illustrantia Collegerunt et digesserunt dr Ludovicus de Thalóczy, dr Constantinus Jireček. the University of Michigan. p. 263. ...prineps Albaniae; magnus comes: Carolus Thopia 1359--1388...
11. Djukanovic, Bojka (2023). Historical Dictionary of Montenegro. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 30. ISBN 978-1-5381-3915-8. ...Karl Topia, Prince of Albania...
12. Oliver Jens Schmitt, Bernd J. Fischer (2022). A Concise History of Albania. Cambridge University Press. p. 42. ISBN 978-1-1070-1773-3. ...Charles, had assumed the pompous title of a Duke of Durrës...
13. Fine, 1994 p. 371
14. John V. A. Fine (jr.), John Van Antwerp Fine (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. p. 384. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...The Angevins retained Durazzo for a time, for in 1379 Joanna's new husband, Robert of Artois, is found issuing to Dubrovnik a charter pertaining to Durazzo. Karlo Thopia, who held the territory both north and south of the city, soon, probably in 1383, regained possession of Durazzo...
15. Fine (1994), p. 384.
16. Fine 1994, p. 372
17. Fine 1994, p. 390.
18. Rojas Molina, Grabiela (2022). 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. ...He died in January, 1388. His only son (George Thopia) succeeded him...
19. E. Jacques, Edwin (2009). The Albanians: An Ethnic History from Prehistoric Times to the Present - Volume 1. McFarland & Company. p. 167. ISBN 978-0-7864-4238-6. ...Upon his death in 1388, Karl was buried in the monastery of St. John which he had built in Elbasan...
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. 391. ISBN 978-0-4720-8260-5. ...However, Karlo Thopia died in 1387 or 1388. He was buried in a church he built near modern Elbasan. His epitaph was given in three languages–Greek, Latin and Serbian...
21. 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. Being an ineffective ruler anyway, he yielded to Venetian pressure and left Durrës to Venice just before he died in 1392...
22. Anamali, Skënder (2002), Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime (in Albanian), vol. I, Botimet Toena, p. 294, OCLC 52411919
23. Icons from the Orthodox Communities of Albania, catalog of the exhibition of the collection of icons of the National Museum of Medieval Art of Korce, held in Thessaloniki in 2006. Published by the European Centre of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Monuments – Museum of Byzantine Culture (Greece), p. 138.
24. von Hahn Johann Georg, Albanesische studien, vol. 1, pp. 119, 120
25. Rudolf Künker, Fritz (2008). The De Wit Collection of Medieval Coins Künker Auktion 137 - The De Wit Collection of Medieval Coins, 1000 Years of European Coinage, Part III: England, Ireland, Scotland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Balkan, the Middle East, Crusader States, Jetons und Weights. Numismatischer Verlag Künker. p. 284. ...Karl Thopia was wedded to Vojsava, a daughter of Balsa I...
26. Hopf, Karl (1873). Chroniques Gréco-Romaines inédites ou peu connues. Weidmann. p. 532. ...ép.: Voisava , fille de Balša I de Cedda...
27. Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 52. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...The aforementioned sons fled back to their country. Later on, the said Lord Charles married Lady Voisava, the daughter of Lord Balsha...
28. Stair Sainty, Guy (2018). The Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Angeli, Farnese and Bourbon families which governed it. Boletín Oficial del Estado. p. 503. ISBN 978-8-4340-2506-6. ...Karolus Thopia and Voislava Balsha...
29. Hopf, Karl (1873). Chroniques Gréco-Romaines inédites ou peu connues. Weidmann. p. 532. ...Elena , dame de Croja - Giorgio 1381 ,- Voisava...
30. Stair Sainty, Guy (2018). The Constantinian Order of Saint George and the Angeli, Farnese and Bourbon families which governed it. Boletín Oficial del Estado. p. 503. ISBN 978-8-4340-2506-6. ...Gjergj Thopia, the son of Karolus Thopia and Voislava Balsha....
31. Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipërisë; K. Prifti; Xh. Gjeçovi; M. Korkuti; G. Shpuza; S. Anamali; K. Biçoku; F. Duka; S. Islami; S. Naçi; F. Prendi; S. Pulaha; P. Xhufi (2002). Historia e Popullit Shqiptar. Tirana, Albania: Toena. p. 309. ISBN 99927-1-622-3. Retrieved 23 April 2012.

Sources

• Fine, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08260-4.

• 14th-century births
• 1387 deaths
• 14th-century Albanian people
• Albanian monarchs
• Princes of Albania
• Thopia family
• People from Durrës
• Albanian Roman Catholics