Zaharia family

Zaharia
Current region Albania
Members Koja Zaharia, Lekë Zaharia
Estate Budva, Dagnum, Sati, Gladri and Dušmani
14th and 15th century nobility

The Zaharia family was an Albanian noble family that appears for the first time mentioned in the 14th century.[1] A certain Nicholas Zaharia is first mentioned in 1385 as a Balšić family commander and governor of Budva in 1363.[2] After more than twenty years of fidelity, Nicholas Zaharia revolted in 1386 and became ruler of Budva. However, in 1389 Đurađ II Balšić recaptured the city.[3]

The name of Nicholas Zaharia appears in the form of Nikola Sakat in many original Venetian and Ragusan documents (as governor of Budva in 1383, influential person in Zeta in 1386 and lord of Dagnum during a period of cooperation with Balšić family).[4][5][6] That is a basis for some conclusions that Nicholas Zaharia and Nikola Sakat are the same person who is related to Koja Zaharia.[7] Komnen Arianiti of Arianiti family had married the daughter of Nicholas Zaharia Sakati, ruler of Budva. They had three sons (Gjergj, Muzaka, and Vladan), and one daughter who married Pal Dukagjini.[8]

In 1396, due to a favorable political situation, Koja Zaharija captured the castle of Dagnum and declared himself a vassal of the Ottomans. In his second marriage Balsha III married Bolja, a daughter of Koja Zaharia, in 1412 or at the beginning of 1413.[9] In 1415 their only son and the only male descendant of Balša family died.[10] Koja maintained the control of the region and upon his death, they were passed to his only son Lekë Zaharia.

According to Marin Barleti, in 1445 during the ceremony of the marriage of Skanderbeg sister Mamica Kastrioti, he had a dispute with Lekë Dukagjini. The reason of this dispute was a woman named Irene Dushmani, the heir of Dushmani family. She seemed to prefer Zaharia, while this was not accepted by Dukagjini. A skirmish happened and Lekë Dukagjini remained wounded, saved only by the intervention of Vrana Konti. Two years later, in 1447, Lekë Zaharia was killed in an ambush and Lekë Dukagjini was accused of this murder.

Original Venetian documents show that this murder happened in 1444.[11] According to Venetian chronicler Stefano Magno it was Nicholas Dukagjin, Zaharia's vassal, who killed Lekë Zaharia in the battle, not Lekë as stated by Marin Barleti.[12] Stefano Magno also stated that, before he died, Lekë Zaharia expressed his wish that his properties should be handed over to Venetian Republic.[13]

Having left no heirs, the fortress of Dagnum was claimed from Skanderbeg in the name of League of Lezhë, whose Lekë Zaharia was a participant. However, his mother surrendered the castle to the Venice Republic. This events triggered the Albanian Venetian war which lasted two years. In the end the castle of Dagnum remained in Venetian hands toward an annual tribute to Skanderbeg.[14]

According to Eqrem Vlora, some members of the Zaharia family were initially Eastern Orthodox Christians and then converted to Roman Catholicism in 1414.[15]

Bozha Zaharia, an Albanian nobleman who also was member of Zaharia family, died in fire which devastated Venetian Scutari in October 1448.[16]

Family tree

 
 
 
Koja Zaharia
 
 
 
Boža
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Balša III
Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić
 
Bolja
 
Leke Zaharia
 
Daughter (unknown name)
 
Đurašević
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Koja
 
 
 
 
Dorothea
 
 
 
Helen

See also

References

  1. ↑ Anamali, Skënder (2002), Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime (in Albanian), I, Botimet Toena, p. 268, OCLC 52411919
  2. ↑ The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest Author John Van Antwerp Fine Edition reprint, illustrated Publisher University of Michigan Press, 1994 ISBN 0-472-08260-4, ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5 p. 419
  3. ↑ The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest Author John Van Antwerp Fine Edition reprint, illustrated Publisher University of Michigan Press, 1994 ISBN 0-472-08260-4, ISBN 978-0-472-08260-5 p. 392
  4. ↑ Bešić, Zarij M. (1975). Istorija Črne Gore: Od poćetka XVI do kraja XVIII vijeka. Red. za istoriju Črne Gore. pp. 42, 51. Retrieved 2 August 2011. почетком 1383... заповједник Будве Никола Сакат...наводно испољили жељу да Ђурђа II Страцимировића лише власти Никола и Андреја Сакат, па их је зетски господар по савету Дукађина, казнио...Никола Сакат помиње се у одлукама дубровчког Малог вијећа крајем марта 1386 год. као утицајна личност у Зети...
  5. ↑ Albanološki institut u Prištini (1968), Gjurmime albanologjike, Volumes 7-8 (in Serbian), Priština: Filozofski fakultet u Prištini. Katedra za albanologiju, pp. 123, 124, retrieved 29 January 2012, ..je taj isti Nikola Sakat bio ne samo gospodar Budve već i čitave teritorije koju sada drži gospodin Koja, što znači gospodar Danja i okoline, zatim da je bio verni i odani sluga mletački. Valjda se po predaji Skadra 1386 zatekao na njihovoj teritoriji i pokazao gotovost da podrži njihovu politiku
  6. ↑ Božić, Ivan (1979), Nemirno pomorje XV veka (in Serbian), Beograd: Srpska književna zadruga, p. 214, OCLC 5845972, Једна одлука млетачког Сената из 1417. године говори да је тај исти Никола Сакат био не само господар Будве...
  7. ↑ Albanološki institut u Prištini (1968), Gjurmime albanologjike, Volumes 7-8 (in Serbian), Priština: Filozofski fakultet u Prištini. Katedra za albanologiju, p. 124, retrieved 29 January 2012, ..upućivali bi na zaključak da je i sam Koja Zakarija pripadao istoj porodici
  8. ↑ Anamali, Skënder (2002), Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime (in Albanian), I, Botimet Toena, pp. 255–257, OCLC 52411919
  9. ↑ Albanološki institut u Prištini 1968 p. 125: "Poznato je takođe da se Balša III krajem 1412 ili početkom 1413 godine oženio u drugom braku ćerkom Koe Zaharije"
  10. ↑ Spremić 2004, pp. 73–108
    ускоро је дочекао велику несрећу: 1415. умро му је син јединац. Тако је Јелена сахранила унука, а династија Балшића остала је без мушког наследника
  11. ↑ Schmitt, Oliver Jens (2001), Das venezianische Albanien (1392-1479), München: R. Oldenbourg Verlag GmbH München, p. 300, ISBN 3-486-56569--9, In ein Aktenstück von Januar 1445 inseriert ist eine Urkunde des Skutariner Grafen Francesco Querini vom 18. Septembar 1443, in der Lekas witwe Bozha, seiner Tochter Bolja und derren sohnchen Koja einge Dorfer aus Lekas baština und eine pension...
  12. ↑ Božić, Ivan (1979), Nemirno pomorje XV veka (in Serbian), Beograd: Srpska književna zadruga, p. 364, OCLC 5845972, 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
  13. ↑ Božić, Ivan (1979), Nemirno pomorje XV veka (in Serbian), Beograd: Srpska književna zadruga, p. 364, OCLC 5845972, Према причању Стефана Мања, и сам Лека Захарија је, пре но што ће умрети, изразио жељу да се његови поседи предају Млечанима.
  14. ↑ Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu, 1405-1468 Volume 4 of (Vepra të plota) / Fan S(tylian) Noli, Fan Stylian Noli Author Fan Stylian Noli Publisher Naim Frashëri, 1967 p. 90-92
  15. ↑ Bey Vlora, Ekrem (1956). "The Ruling Families of Albania in the pre-Ottoman Period". Robert Elsie. Retrieved 23 January 2012. 10. The Zacharias This name refers to the Zacharias who were Lords of Danjo in the fourteenth century. Originally Orthodox, they converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1414 and subsequently disappeared from history.
  16. ↑ Schmitt, Oliver Jens (2001), Das venezianische Albanien (1392-1479) (in German), München: R. Oldenbourg Verlag GmbH München, p. 304, ISBN 3-486-56569--9, Oktober 1448 geschlossen hatte; denn wenige Tage später verwüstete ein Brand die Stadt Skutari; unter den Opfern befand sich auch Bozha Zaharia.

Sources

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