Karl Thopia
Encyclopedia
Karl Topia was one of the powerful feudal princes and warlord, who between them ruled Albania
from the middle of the 14th century until the Ottoman conquest
. To the Roman Curia
, Karl maintained usually good relations, therefore that could do. In 1376 a vacant place became an ore diocese in Durrës, again with a Latin
Bishop
to be occupied.
. En route, her ship touched at Durres, where she met and fell in love with Tanush Topia. They were married and had a son Karl. King Robert, feigning pleasure at the marriage, invited the daughter and her husband to Naples, where he killed them both.
.
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 1387 and had the title of Princeps Albaniae.
Since 1362, Karl sought himself to set Durrës, which was in the possession of the Duchess Joanna of Anjou, also into the possession of the city. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Topia 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 make important port his residence.
Karl gained control of Durazzo
in 1368, which was where the Angevins
held out due to their Kingdom
becoming smaller in size. This event caused the Kingdom of Albania to end and the formation of the Princedom of Albania
.
Topia rulled 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
.
made a fourth attempt to conquer Durrës, an important commercial and strategetic center, which was ruled by rival, Karl Topia. In 1382, Balša II began a war to seize Durrës. In 1383, Balsha II captured Durres from Karl Topia and proclaimed himself Duke of Durres. Topia called on the Turks for assistance. Murad I
gladly sent an army of 40,000 men from Macedonia. In the plain of Savre between Elbasan and Lushnja, Balsha fought the Turks and was defeated and killed. This event was known as the battle on Saurian Field.
However, according to Kristo Frashëri, An Ottoman force had been prepared in Macedonia to strike against Topia in 1384 before Balša had conquered Durrës. He did not invite the Ottoman forces into Albania as has been claimed by writers like Marin Barleti
. Furthermore, Turkish sources never refer to Topia calling for Ottoman aid.
particularly with regard to foreign policy. On August 17, 1386, Karl Topia allied himself with Venice. Karl 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 country. Venice supplied, in response, a galeere to it with, permitted its mercenaries in their areas to recruit and instructed the captain of their Adriatic fleet to protect Karl's coasts from the Turks. These undertook several heavy attacks on Durrës, which also still persisted as Karl in January 1388 died. His son, Gjergj
, became Karl's successor.
, where Jovan Vladimir
's remains were held until 1995.
He is depicted in the icon of St. Vladimir, painted by Onouphrios Protopapas (known in Albania as "Onufri
", wearing a crown and standing by the Church of the Saint. A calligraphic inscription in Greek says: "ΚΑΡΛΑ ΘΕΩΠΙΑC ΚΑΙ ΚΤΗΤΩΡ ΤΗC ΑΓΙΑC ΜΟΝΗC ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ" (Karla Theopias, builder of the Holly 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 holly church of St. John the Vladimir ... ) dated 1382. This inscription today is in the Historical Museum of Komberat (Albania).
, ca 1370. The pair had four children:
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
from the middle of the 14th century until the Ottoman conquest
Ottoman wars in Europe
The wars of the Ottoman Empire in Europe are also sometimes referred to as the Ottoman Wars or as Turkish Wars, particularly in older, European texts.- Rise :...
. To the Roman Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
, Karl maintained usually good relations, therefore that could do. In 1376 a vacant place became an ore diocese in Durrës, again with a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
to be occupied.
Family
He was the son of Tanush Topia and his mother was a daughter of Robert I of Naples. Robert of the famous house of Anjou, king of Naples, had an illegitimate daughter whom he wished to marry to a French gentleman of GreeceGreece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
. En route, her ship touched at Durres, where she met and fell in love with Tanush Topia. They were married and had a son Karl. King Robert, feigning pleasure at the marriage, invited the daughter and her husband to Naples, where he killed them both.
Control of Durazzo 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 Dušan's death, a decendant of the former Stephen Uroš, returned to the province, the inhabitants rose en masse and, under the leadership of Karl Topia, cut down the pretender and his entire force in the battle of AcheloosAcheloos
Acheloos may refer to:* Acheloos River, in Greece* Achelous, a river deity in Greek mythology* Acheloos , a municipality in the Karditsa prefecture, Greece...
.
In 1358, Karl rose against the rule of the Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
and managed to drive them out of Durrës from Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
and Albania. He ruled most of modern central Albania from 1358 to 1387 and had the title of Princeps Albaniae.
Since 1362, Karl sought himself to set Durrës, which was in the possession of the Duchess Joanna of Anjou, also into the possession of the city. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Topia 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 make important port his residence.
Karl gained control of Durazzo
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
in 1368, which was where the Angevins
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
held out due to their Kingdom
Kingdom of Albania
The Kingdom of Albania, or Regnum Albaniae, was established by Charles of Anjou in the Albanian territory he conquered from the Despotate of Epirus in 1271. He took the title of "King of Albania" in February 1272. The kingdom extended from the region of Durrës south along the coast to Butrint...
becoming smaller in size. This event caused the Kingdom of Albania to end and the formation of the Princedom of Albania
Princedom of Albania
Princedom of Albania was an Albanian principality formed after the disestablishment of Kingdom of Albania, by Karl Thopia. The principality changed hands between the Thopia dynasty and the Balsha dynasty, until 1392, when Durrës was occupied by the Republic of Venice and the Princedom managed to...
.
Topia rulled over the regions of Durrës, Kruja, Peqin
Peqin
Peqin is the capital of the Peqin District in central Albania. The town has a population of 10,000.The ancient name of Peqin was Claudiana. The city's modern name derives from the Ottoman form Bekleyin, which means a place of hospitality. During Ottoman rule Peqin belonged to the Sanjak of Elbasan...
, Elbasan
Elbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
, Mokra
Mokra
Mokra is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Miedźno, within Kłobuck County, Silesian Voivodeship, in southern Poland. It lies approximately north of Kłobuck and north of the regional capital Katowice. The village has a population of 796....
and Gora
Gora
Gora may refer to:*Gora , a clan of Jats found in north India*Gora or gaura, a Hindi and Indo-Aryan word for a light-skinned person*Gora , by Indian Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore...
, that is, along both sides of the Via Egnatia as far east as Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid
Lake Ohrid straddles the mountainous border between the southwestern Macedonia and eastern Albania. It is one of Europe's deepest and oldest lakes, preserving a unique aquatic ecosystem with more than 200 endemic species that is of worldwide importance...
.
Balša family rivalry
Balša IIBalša II
Balša II Balšić was a 14th-century nobleman, the Lord of Zeta from 1378 to 1385. He managed to expand his borders towards the south; defeating the Albanian Duke Karl Thopia....
made a fourth attempt to conquer Durrës, an important commercial and strategetic center, which was ruled by rival, Karl Topia. In 1382, Balša II began a war to seize Durrës. In 1383, Balsha II captured Durres from Karl Topia and proclaimed himself Duke of Durres. Topia called on the Turks for assistance. Murad I
Murad I
Murad I was the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, from 1361 to 1389...
gladly sent an army of 40,000 men from Macedonia. In the plain of Savre between Elbasan and Lushnja, Balsha fought the Turks and was defeated and killed. This event was known as the battle on Saurian Field.
However, according to Kristo Frashëri, An Ottoman force had been prepared in Macedonia to strike against Topia in 1384 before Balša had conquered Durrës. He did not invite the Ottoman forces into Albania as has been claimed by writers like Marin Barleti
Marin Barleti
Marin Barleti . was an Albanian historian and Catholic priest. He is considered the first Albanian historian, especially because of his biography on Skanderbeg, translated in many languages in the 16th to the 18th centuries.-Life:Barleti lived in Shkodër and was a scholar and a clergyman...
. Furthermore, Turkish sources never refer to Topia calling for Ottoman aid.
Venetian Alliance
In the last decade of his rule Karl followed closely the Republic of VeniceRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
particularly with regard to foreign policy. On August 17, 1386, Karl Topia allied himself with Venice. Karl 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 country. Venice supplied, in response, a galeere to it with, permitted its mercenaries in their areas to recruit and instructed the captain of their Adriatic fleet to protect Karl's coasts from the Turks. These undertook several heavy attacks on Durrës, which also still persisted as Karl in January 1388 died. His son, Gjergj
Gjergj, Lord of Durrës
Gjergj Thopia was the Lord of Dyrrhachium from 1387 to 1392. He was the son of Karlo Thopia and Vojisava Balšić. Gjergj married Teodora Branković of the Serbian Branković family....
, became Karl's successor.
Buildings from Topia
In 1381, Karl built the St. Jovan Vladimir's Church in the proximity of ElbasanElbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
, where Jovan Vladimir
Jovan Vladimir
Jovan Vladimir or John Vladimir was ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from around 1000 to 1016. He ruled during the protracted war between the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire...
's remains were held until 1995.
He is depicted in the icon of St. Vladimir, painted by Onouphrios Protopapas (known in Albania as "Onufri
Onufri
Onufri was a 16th century Albanian painter best known for his Byzantine style icons. He also painted portraits, landscapes and churches.-Life:...
", wearing a crown and standing by the Church of the Saint. A calligraphic inscription in Greek says: "ΚΑΡΛΑ ΘΕΩΠΙΑC ΚΑΙ ΚΤΗΤΩΡ ΤΗC ΑΓΙΑC ΜΟΝΗC ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ" (Karla Theopias, builder of the Holly 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 holly church of St. John the Vladimir ... ) dated 1382. This inscription today is in the Historical Museum of Komberat (Albania).
Marriage and children
Karl married Serbian Voisava BalšićHouse of Balšic
The Balšić was a noble house that ruled Zeta and the coastlands , from 1362 to 1421, during the fall of the Serbian Empire. Balša, the eponymous founder, was a petty nobleman that held only one village during the rule of Emperor Dušan the Mighty The Balšić was a noble house that ruled Zeta and...
, ca 1370. The pair had four children:
- Gjergj TopiaGjergj, Lord of DurrësGjergj Thopia was the Lord of Dyrrhachium from 1387 to 1392. He was the son of Karlo Thopia and Vojisava Balšić. Gjergj married Teodora Branković of the Serbian Branković family....
- The successor of Karl. Married Teodora Branković - Elena Topia - Married Sergiant Marco Barbadigo (first marriage) and Serbian Konstantin BalšićKonstantin BalšicKonstantin Balšić , was a lord of the House of Balšić, who ruled over lands in Albania.Konstantin Balšić was the son of Đurađ I and his wife, Theodora...
(second marriage) - Voislava Topia - Married N Cursachio (first marriage) and in 1394, Progon Ducaghin, Lord of Alessio (second marriage)
Parentage uncertain
Karl had two more children but the parentage is unknown:- Maria Topia Married Filippo di Maramonte
- Nicheta Topia Married a daughter a Cominum Shpata.
- Mara Topia, Daughter of Nicheta Topia and a daughter of Cominum Shpata. Married Serbian Balša IIIBalša IIIBalša III was the fifth and last ruler of Zeta from the House of Balša, from April 1403 - May 1421. He was the son of Đurađ II and Jelena Lazarević.- Reign :...
.
- Mara Topia, Daughter of Nicheta Topia and a daughter of Cominum Shpata. Married Serbian Balša III