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Karl Thopia

Karl Thopia (Albanian: Karl Topia) was an Albanian feudal prince and warlord who ruled Albanian domains from the middle of the 14th century until the first Ottoman conquest of Albania.[1] Thopia usually maintained good relations with the Roman Curia.

Karl Thopia

1358–1388

Andrea I Thopia

George Thopia

1331
Durrës, Princedom of Albania, Kingdom of Naples (modern day Albania)

1388 (aged 57)
Elbasan, Princedom of Albania

St. Gjon Vladimir's Church, Albania

Voisava Balsha

Gjergj Thopia
Helena Thopia
Voisava Thopia
Maria Thopia
Niketa Thopia

Thopia, Anjou-Naples

Andrea I Thopia

Hélène of Anjou

Roman Catholic

Rivalry with Balsha II[edit]

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, Balša was defeated by Karl and Gjergj I 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 Gjergj.[10]


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 Balša 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.[11]

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 in Tirana.[13]

Albanian Historical Museum

"These signs of a great lord ... Carla Thopea" (ετούτα τα σιμάδηα αυθέντου μέγα ... Κάρλα Θοπήα).

[14]

In 1381, Karl built the St. Gjon Vladimir's Church in the proximity of Elbasan, where Jovan Vladimir's remains were held until 1995.[12] He is depicted in the icon of St. Vladimir, painted by Onufri, wearing a crown and standing by the Church of the Saint.


Inscriptions:

(fl. 1388–d. 1392), Lord of Durrës (Durazzo), married Teodora Branković

Gjergj Thopia

(fl. 1388–1403), married Venetian count Marco Barbadigo (first marriage) and lord Konstantin Balsha (second marriage)

Helena Thopia

married N. Cursachio (first marriage) and in 1394, Progon Dukagjini, Lord of Lezhë and uncle of Pal Dukagjini[15] (second marriage)

Voisava Thopia

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


Karl had two more children but the parentage is unknown:

Thopia family

Principality of Albania (medieval)

Saint Gjon Vladimir's Church

Fine, John V. A. (1994). . University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08260-4.

The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest