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Ruđina Balšić Руђина Балшић Rugjina Balsha
Princess of Zeta Lady of Berat, Vlorë and Kaninë
Coat of Arms of the Balšić family
Lady of Berat, Vlorë and Kaninë
Reign	1414-1417
Predecessor	Mrkša Žarković
Born	14th century
Spouse	Mrkša Žarković
House	Balšić
Father	Balša II
Mother	Comita Muzaka

Ruđina Balšić (Serbian Cyrillic: Руђина Балшић, Albanian: Rugjina Balsha; fl. 1396–1420) was a Zetan noblewoman and ruled upon today Montenegro and Albanian territory from the Balšić family. She married Mrkša Žarković and inherited his realm, the Principality of Vlorë, when he died in 1414. After unsuccessful negotiations to sell her duchy to the Venetians, the Ottomans captured it in 1417. She fled to Corfu, then to Zeta where she was governess of Budva from 1418. In 1420, during the Second Scutari War, she surrendered Budva to the Venetians without any resistance and moved to Dubrovnik with the town's treasury.

Family and marriage

Ruđina (or Rugina, Rudina) was the daughter of Balša II, the lord of Zeta (1378–85), and Comita Muzaka daughter of Andrea II Muzaka. In 1391 Ruđina married nobleman Mrkša Žarković. Their marriage was blessed by the Archbishop of Ohrid, although it was seen as noncanonical because they were close relatives. In 1397 she and her mother were given citizenship of the Republic of Ragusa.

Duchess of Vlorë, Kaninë, Himare and Berat

After her husband's death in 1414, Ruđina inherited control over Vlorë and held it until it fell to the Ottomans in 1417. She offered Vlorë to the Republic of Venice in exchange for 10,000 ducats. The Venetians were interested in gaining control over Vlorë in order to prevent the Ottomans from controlling entrance into the Adriatic Sea. While the Venetians prolonged negotiations with Ruđina hoping to get a better price, the Ottomans captured Vlorë in June 1417.

Governess of Budva

After the Ottoman conquest of Vlorë, Ruđina had to flee, first to Corfu and then to Zeta, which was ruled by her nephew, Balša III, who entrusted her with the governorship of the coastal town of Budva in 1418. When the Venetians sent a naval squadron to the port of Budva in 1419 during the Second Scutari War, Ruđina surrendered the town without any resistance and fled to the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) with the town's treasury.

Family tree

See also

• Balšić family
• Muzaka family

References

1. 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. ...Then her daughter Rugina Balsha of Vlora held the territory until 1417, when it all fell to the Turks and she took refuge in Corfu...
2. Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...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...
3. 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. ...With one daughter, Komita married to Balsha II of Shkodra...
4. Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...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...
5. 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...
6. Miller, William (1921). Essays on the Latin Orient. Cambridge, University Pressn. p. 435. ISBN 978-1-1074-5553-5. ...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...
7. Veselinović & Ljušić 2008, p. 94.
8. Grozdanov, Krsteski & Alčev 1980, p. 23.
9. Purković 1956, p. 55.
10. Fine 1994, p. 391.
11. ^ umetnosti 1983, p. 65.
12. Gavrilović 1981, p. 96.
13. Мишић 2010, p. 62.
14. Fine 1994, p. 516.
15. Pavle Mijović; Mirko Kovačević (1975). Gradovi i utvrđenja u Crnoj Gori. Arheološki institut. p. 101.

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.
• Gavrilović, Slavko (1981). Istorija srpskog naroda. Vol. 2. Srpska književna zadruga. pp. 11, 13, 16, 48, 109–110, 166, 174, 177.
• Grozdanov, Cvetan; Krsteski, Ǵorǵi; Alčev, Petar (1980). Ohridsko zidno slikarstvo XIV veka. Institut za istoriju umetnosti, Filozofski fakultet.
• Мишић, Синиша (2010). Лексикон градова и тргова средњовековних српских земаља: према писаним изворима. Завод за уџбенике. ISBN 978-86-17-16604-3.
• Purković, Miodrag Al (1956). Princeze iz kuće Nemanjića. AV ALA printing and publishing.
• umetnosti, Srpska akademija nauka i (1983). Glas.
• Veselinović, Andrija; Ljušić, Radoš (2008). Srpske dinastije. Službene glasink. ISBN 978-86-7549-921-3.

• Balšić noble family
• Albanian princesses
• Asen dynasty
• Albanian monarchs