Ivan Strez Balšić

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Ivan Strez Balšić
Lord of Misia[1]
Coat of arms 30px
Noble family Balšić family
Father a Strez Balšić (unclear)
Mother a Kastrioti (unclear)
Died after 1468
Occupation Member of the League of Lezhë (1444-?)

Ivan Strez Balšić[A] (fl. 1444–1469) and his brothers George Strez and Gojko Balšić were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic.[2] The brothers were members of the Balšić family, which earlier held Zeta, but had now placed itself among the nobility in Albania. They participated in founding of the League of Lezhë, an alliance led by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg. Ivan and Gojko supported Skanderbeg until he died in 1468 and then continued to fight against Ottomans together with Venetian forces. After Skanderbeg's death Venice installed Ivan Strez Balšić as Skanderbeg's successor.

Family

According to Gjon Muzaka and Karl Hopf, Ivan Strez Balšić and his brother Gojko were children of Vlajka Kastrioti and Stefan Strez who was a son of Đurađ Balšić, an illegitimate child of Đurađ I Balšić.[3][4] According to Fan Noli, Ivan had two brothers (George Strez and Gojko) who were all children of Jela Kastrioti[5] and Pavle Balšić. Both views confirm that Gojko was Skanderbeg's nephew.[5][6]

Life

The three Balšić brothers joined the League of Lezhë, an alliance formed by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg, after meeting in Lezhë on March 2, 1444. The members included Lekë Zaharia, Peter Spani, Lekë Dushmani, Andrea Thopia, Gjergj Arianiti, Theodor Musachi, Stefan Crnojević, and their subjects.[B] Skanderbeg was elected its leader, and commander in chief of its armed forces numbering a total of 8,000 warriors.[7][8]

Ivan was the commander of a unit of 500 cavalry sent by Skanderbeg to support Ferdinand I of Naples, whose rulership was threatened by the Angevin Dynasty, before Skanderbeg himself led a military expedition to Italy.[9]

Ivan Strez Balšić was perceived by Venice as Skanderbeg's successor.[10] After Skanderbeg's death Ivan and his brother Gojko Balšić, together with Leke, Progon and Nicholas Dukagjini, continued to fight for Venice.[11] In 1469 Ivan requested from the Venetian Senate to return him his confiscated property consisting of Castle Petrela, woivodate of "Terra nuova" of Kruje (unknown position), territory between Kruje and Durrës and villages in the region of Bushnesh (today part of the Kodër-Thumanë municipality).[12] Venice largerly conceded to the wishes of Ivan Balšić and installed him as Skanderbeg's successor.[13]

Death

The Venetian chronicler Stefano Magno recorded details about Ivan's death. Ivan insisted that Venetian grain supplies to the Ottoman besieged Krujë could only be transported through his territory after a yearly licence was paid to him.[14] Venetian governor of Scutari, Leonardo Boldü, realised that Ivan's requests could have serious consequences. He gathered forces consisting of Venetian militia from Scutari, commanded by their voivoda and joined with the forces of many noble families from Albania who were loyal to Venice. Ivan Balšić prepared an ambush in the house where he met with Venetians but they managed to kill Ivan in the ensuing fight and threw his head out of the house in front of his stunned followers.[15]

Annotations

  1. ^ Name: His full name was Ivan Strez Balšić ().[16] In Venetian documents his name is recorded as Joan Stresci.[17] Other versions of his first name include Đon[18] (Albanian: Gjon[19]) and John.[4]
  2. ^ League of Lezhe:[20][21][22]

References

  1. ↑ Gopčević 1914, pp. 74–75: "in Misia"
  2. ↑ Schmitt 2005, p. 167: "Die von den Balsici beherrschten Gebiete zwischen Kruja und der Küste"
  3. ↑ Gopčevi 1914, p. 460: "Bezüglich der Strez herrscht Verwirrung. Hopf macht Ivo und Gojko BalSid zu Söhnen des Stefan Strez, welcher Vlajka Kastriota geheiratet hätte und Sohn des Gjuragj Balšić gewesen wäre, eines Bastards des Gjuragj I."
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Noli 1947, p. 208<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    Scanderbeg had three Balsha nephews from his sister Yella. Of these only George Stresi Balsha betrayed him, while the two others, John and Gioka, served him loyally to the end

  6. ↑ Spandouginos-Nicol, p. 96: "Iella, who married Paul Balša"
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. ↑ Schmitt 2001, p. 297<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    die Skanderbegs Personlichkeit gelassen hatte, nicht zu füllen. Deshalb muste Venedig wie in den Jahrzehnten vor Skanderbeg mit einer Vielzahl von Adligen zusammenarbeiten; neben Leka, Progon und Nikola Dukagjin gehörten zu dieser Schicht auch Comino Araniti, wohl derselbe, der 1466 Durazzo überfallen hatte; die Söhne von Juani Stexi, di Johann Balsha, Machthaber zwischen Alessio und Kruja; Gojko Balsha und seine söhne der woiwode Jaran um Kruja (1477), und auch der mit seinem Erbe überforderte Johann Kastriota.

  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Noli 1947, p. 36
  21. ↑ Božić 1979, pp. 364: "Никола Дукађин убио је Леку Закарију. Према млетачком хроничару Стефану Мању убио га је "у битки" као његов вазал. Мада Барлеције погрешно наводи да је убиство извршио Лека Дукађин"
  22. ↑ Schmitt 2001, p. 297<templatestyles src="Template:Blockquote/styles.css" />

    Nikola und Paul Dukagjin, Leka Zaharia von Dagno, Peter Span, Herr der Berge hinter Drivasto, Georg Strez Balsha sowie Johann und Gojko Balsha, die sich zwischen Kruja und Alessio festgesetzt hatten, die Dushman von Klein-Polatum sowie Stefan (Stefanica) Crnojevic, der Herr der Oberzeta

Sources

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