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The Spani or Span family was a northern Albanian noble family and clan. The center of the family was Drivast, which it ruled holding the titles of Douke (dux) and Count (comes). In the late 15th century large part of it settled in Venetian territories, primarily Venice and Dalmatia. Members of this family lived in a wider region ranging from northern Albania and Montenegro to western Kosovo.

History

As a family with a nobility status the Spanis first appear in 1304-5 as part of the nobility of the Angevin Kingdom of Albania. The territories the family ruled varied from time to time, but Drivast seems to have been their center. In the 1380s, the Balsha family had taken over Spani territory, along with much of the rest of northern Albania, all the way to Mirdita and Alessio. The surname Span or Spani probably derives from the Greek word spanos (beardless). In Croatia and Serbia the surname is transliterated as Spanic and Spanovic. Serbian historians including J. Erdeljanovic and Petar Sobajic linked the surname with the descendants of the romanized Illyrian population of Montenegro, although that is considered unlikely as the name is neither related to a particular population nor are all its bearers related. In the folk traditions of the clans of Montenegro the Spanis appear as the oldest population in their tribal districts of Montenegro. Placenames related to the Spani are mostly found in northwestern Albania and southern Montenegro, but some can also be found in areas of Kosovo.

After Alfonso V signed the Treaty of Gaeta with Skanderbeg in 1451, he signed similar treaties with other chieftains from Albania: Gjergj Arianiti, Ghin Musachi, George Stresi Balsha, Peter Spani, Paul Dukagjini, Thopia Musachi, Peter of Himara, Simon Zanebisha and Carlo Toco who were all, like Skanderbeg, recognized as vassals of the Kingdom of Naples. In the early subdivisions of Albania during the Ottoman era the region ruled by Pjetër Spani was known in Ottoman Turkish as Petrishpani or Ishpani. Of the branches that migrated in the Venetian territories, the Venice one became extinct in the late 16th century, while the Dalmatian branch mainly found in Korčula was elevated in the ranks of the local nobility.

Members

A branch of the family claimed descent from several imperial Byzantine families. In Gjon Muzaka's 1510 work Breve memoria de li discendenti de nostra casa Musachi Alessio Span is mentioned as a descendant of Emperor Theodosius, although it is unclear to whom it refers as there were three Byzantine emperors named Theodosius. The Byzantine author Andreas Angelos Komnenos mentions Alexios III Angelos as his great-great-great grandfather in his work Constitutio Ordinis Constantiniani Equestris. According to that account his father was Michael, Duke of Drivast and his mother Helena Span.

At the beginning of 15th century most notable members of Span family were Marin and his son Petar. Peter's father Marin is mentioned in 1409 as already dead. Since he did not have any sons, Petar emphasized that he will be inherited by his nephew Marin, a son of his brother Brajko. Petar's brother Stefan Span was lord of village Podgora. Marin Span was commander of Skanderbeg's forces which lost fortress Baleč to Venetian forces in 1448 during Skanderbeg's war against Venice. Marin and his soldiers retreated toward Dagnum after being informed by his relative Petar Span about the large Venetian forces heading toward Baleč.

• Nikša Span
  • Dominika (married in November 1400)
  • Petar
• Marin Span (died before 1409), one of the most notable members of Span family at the beginning of 15th century
  • Petar Span
  • Stefano Span of Greek origin was 15th century noble man in Drivast.
  • Brajko Span (died before 1415)
    • Marin Span, inherited his uncle Petar Span. He was one of Skanderbeg's military commanders.
• Alessio Span (1442-1495), diplomat of Venice.
• Pjetër Spani, Bishop of Bar from 1422-3 to 1448.
• Peter Spani, who for a period was a member of the League of Lezhë.
• Nikola Spanić, Croatian author, magister and bishop of Korčula from 1673 to 1707.

Sources

1. Schmitt, Oliver Jens (2001), Das venezianische Albanien (1392-1479), München: R. Oldenbourg Verlag GmbH München, p. 128, ISBN 3-486-56569--9, Stefano Span (griechischer Herkunft; im 15 Jahrhundert Drivastiner patrizier) {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
2. ^ Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen des Bosnisch-Herzegowinischen Landesmuseums: Volkskunde. 42-3. Zemaljski muzej Bosne i Hercegovine. 1971. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
3. Lala, Etleva (2008). (PDF). Central European University. p. 147. Retrieved 21 January 2012. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
4. ^ Demiraj, Bardhyl; Camaj, Martin (2010). Wir sind die Deinen: Studien zur albanischen Sprache, Literatur und Kulturgeschichte, dem Gedenken an Martin Camaj (1925-1992) gewidmet. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 544. ISBN 978-3-447-06221-3. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
5. Frashëri, Kristo (2002). Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu: jeta dhe vepra (1405-1468). Botimet Toena. p. 33.
6. Šufflay, Milan (1925), Srbi i Arbanasi : (njihova simbioza u srednjem vijeku) (in Serbian), Belgrade, OCLC 440847167, retrieved 20 January 2012, (σπανός znači ćosat, bezbrad, pogrdna riječ kod sredovječnih Grka)." {{citation}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
7. Noli, Fan Stilian (1947), George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405–1468), International Universities Press, p. 49, OCLC 732882, Later on Alphonse concluded similar treaties with George Araniti, Ghin Musachi, George Stresi Balsha, Peter Spani, Paul Ducaghini,...
8. Pulaha, Selami (1968). Burime Osmane. University of Tirana. p. 338. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
9. The Albanians and their territories. Academy of Sciences of Albania. "8 Nëntori" Pub. House. 1985. p. 354. {{cite book}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
10. Stavrides, Théoharis (2001). The Sultan of vezirs: the life and times of the Ottoman Grand Vezir Mahmud Pasha Angelovic̕ (1453-1474). BRILL. p. 230. ISBN 978-90-04-12106-5. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
11. Glas, Volume 338 (in Serbian). Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. 1983. p. 72. Retrieved 20 January 2012. Петар Спан, господар краја између Скадра и Дриваста, чији су се преци, пореклом Грци,
12. Šufflay, Milan (1925), Srbi i Arbanasi : (njihova simbioza u srednjem vijeku) (in Serbian), Belgrade, OCLC 440847167, retrieved 20 January 2012, Obitelj ova Span, de Span, Hi* spanus, Spanović podrijetlom je grčka" {{citation}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
13. Schmitt, Oliver Jens (2001), Das venezianische Albanien (1392-1479), München: R. Oldenbourg Verlag GmbH München, p. 128, ISBN 3-486-56569--9, Stefano Span (griechischer Herkunft; im 15 Jahrhundert Drivastiner patrizier) {{citation}}: More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help)
14. Glas, Volumes 319-323 (in Serbian). Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. 1980. p. 39. Retrieved 20 January 2012. Најистакнутије личности међу Спанима почетком XV века били су Марин и његов син Петар
15. Glas, Volumes 319-323 (in Serbian). Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. 1980. p. 39. Retrieved 20 January 2012. Петров отац Марин се помиње 1409 год као покојник
16. Glas, Volumes 319-323 (in Serbian). Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. 1980. p. 39. Retrieved 20 January 2012. Сам тај Петар ни 1415 није имао мушких потомака па је истицао као свог наследника нећака Марина, сина већ преминутог Брајка.
17. Bešić, Zarij M (1970). Istorija Črne Gore. Red. za istoriju Črne Gore. p. 91. ... затим браћу Петра и Стефана Спана ...
18. Malović-Đukić, Marica, "Pilot u srednjem veku ", Stanovništvo slovenskog porijekla u Albaniji : zbornik radova sa međunarodnog naučnog skupa održanog u Cetinju 21, 22. i 23. juna 1990 (in Serbian), Titograd: Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore ; Stručna knj., OCLC 29549273, Стефан Спан je био главар села Подгоре ... Стефан и Петар Спан били су браћа. [Stefan Span was lord of village Podgora....Stefan and Petar span were brothers. {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |month= (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
19. Glas, Volumes 319-323 (in Serbian). Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. 1980. p. 39. Retrieved 20 January 2012. ... да поруше обновљени Балеч с таквим снагама као да је у питању највећа тврђава. То је Петар Спан јавио свом рођаку Марину и овај је у последњем тренутку сакупио војнике и спустио се према Дању
20. Revue historique, Volume 44. Belgrade: Serbian Academy of History and Arts. 1998. p. 104. Retrieved 20 January 2012. По други пут женио се са Домиником, кћерком Никше Спана из Дриваста која му је у мираз донела 200 перпера а то јој је обезбедио брат Петар.
21. Schmitt, Oliver Jens (2001), Das venezianische Albanien (1392-1479), München: R. Oldenbourg Verlag GmbH München, p. 128, ISBN 3-486-56569--9, Stefano Span (griechischer Herkunft; im 15 Jahrhundert Drivastiner patrizier) {{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |editorn=, |editorn-link=, |lastauthoramp=, |separator=, |laydate=, |editorn-first=, |laysummary=, |author-separator=, |coauthors=, and |editorn-last= (help); More than one of |author= and |last= specified (help); Unknown parameter |firstn= ignored (help)

• Spani family