310:, and later Demetrio. Before 1204, Arbanon was an autonomous principality of the Byzantine Empire. The fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1204, had two main political consequences for the region of Albania. The first was that Byzantine overlordship had crumbled, which allowed for the local rulers to seek independence. The second was that in accordance to the agreements about the partition of the Byzantine Empire, control of Albania had been awarded to the Republic of Venice. In this geopolitical environment, Dhimitër Progoni assumed power in 1207-08. In primary sources of the period, he is mostly referred to as
342:
350:
considered conversion to
Catholicism from Eastern Orthodoxy for the first time in order to obtain support against his Venetian rivals. As Venice had been given the nominal rights to control Albania, conversion to Catholicism would nullify Venetian claims over territory controlled by another Catholic state, the Principality of Arbanon. It would also protect him from expansion by post-Byzantine successor states like the Despotate of Epiros. In his preserved correspondence with
487:
46:
331:
462:, the patron saint of Arbanum. He had maintained the semi-independence of this area under an agreement in which he accepted the high suzerainty of Zeta and the rulers of Zeta didn't get involved in internal affairs of the region in return. In the inscription which also serves as the last will of Progoni, the church is dedicated to his people (
447:
river valley, a core area of
Arbanon. In 1212, Venice also allowed for the possession of the coastal duchy of Durrës to pass to Michael and abandoned its direct control of central Albania. The agreement had dire consequences for the principality, which surrounded by hostile forces, seems to have been
349:
Since the beginning of his rule, Progoni sought out to create friendly networks in foreign policy in order to preserve the sovereignty of
Arbanon against external threats, the most important of whom were for much of his reign the Republic of Venice and later the Despotate of Epiros. In 1208-09, he
546:
around 70 years later. In
Albanian historiography, his attempt has been assessed negatively as an "Anjou invention" which sought to turn Albania into an armed base for Angevin campaigns in contrast to the Principality of Arbanon, which was an attempt of local unification and independence from the
366:, the Grand prince of Zeta and a Venetian vassal whom he bordered to the north and thus felt less threatened by Venice. Nemanjić had previously promised military support to Venice if Progoni attacked Venetian territory, in a treaty signed on 3 July 1208. He also had secured a marriage with
452:
in
Mirdita. The inscription is written in Latin and has been produced after Progoni's death. The inscription shows that Progoni, who had been reaccepted in the Catholic Church, had provided funds for the building of the church, which he might have planned to become the seat of the
555:
and the claim of the
Dukagjini that they were the hereditary overlords of Ndërfandë and the abbacy of Gëziq has led historians to consider that the two clans may have been related or even that the Dukagjini were descendants of the Progoni via protosevastos Progon.
559:
The connection of the church of Ndërfandë with the
Diocese of Arbanum and consequently with the territory of Arbanon led to later disputes. The Dukagjini who held hereditary rights over the region, were in actual control of the abbacy.
448:
reduced by the end of the life of Dhimitër
Progoni to the area north of Shkumbin and south of Drin. Evidence for this period has been provided by the foundational inscription of the Catholic church of Gëziq in the Ndërfandë near modern
550:
Progoni didn't have any sons. His successor was his nephew, Progon. The rule of this Progon in the
Mirdita area, the many similarities between the emblem of the Progoni family in the Gëziq inscription and the coat of arms of the later
378:. After the death of the Catholic archbishop of Durrës, the Venetians and Progoni - each in their respective territories - seized church property. For his actions against church property, he was excommunicated. He used the title
525:
until his death in 1241. He then oscillated between Doukas and the
Nicaeans until he was finally annexed by the Nicaeans in the phase of reconstitution of the Byzantine Empire in 1252-56. The events prompted the
457:
or a new diocese in the centre of his remaining domain. This is indicated by the fact that the new church was built on the site of an older church dedicated to St. Mary but Progoni dedicated the new church to
210:
he married. The Gëziq inscription found in the Catholic church of Ndërfandë (modern Gëziq) shows that by the end of his life he was a Catholic. In Latin documents, of the time, he is often styled as
263:(Principality of Albania/Arbanon). Many later feudal rulers of Albania would lay claim to the same title and present their rule as the continuation of this state. The first to do so was
1177:"Rindërtimi i mbishkrimit të Arbërit dhe mundësitë e reja për leximin e tij / La reconstruction de l'inscription de l'Arbër et les nouvelles possibilités qui s'offrent pour sa lecture"
530:
in 1257. The Principality of Arbanon is the first Albanian state that emerged in the Middle Ages. Under Progoni, it reached its maximum extent. Progoni was the first to use the terms
538:. The legacy of a local, independent power center in Albania was used by future rulers to legitimize their power by presenting their realms as its successors. The first to do so was
362:
had been instructed to make preparations for the mission. Shortly after, however, Demetrio stopped the process because he didn't consider it important any longer. He had defeated
226:. Under increasing pressure from the Despotate of Epiros, his death around 1216 marks the end of Arbanon as a state and the beginning of a period of autonomy until its final ruler
358:
of Arbanon, who signed as his followers, asked the Pope to send missionaries to spread Catholicism in his land. The Pope responded that Nicolaus, the Catholic archdeacon of
382:("prince of the Albanians") to refer to himself and was recognized as such by foreign dignitaries. In the correspondence with Innocent III, the territory he claimed as
178:, he managed to further secure the independence of Arbanon and extended its influence to its maximum height. Throughout much his rule he was in struggle against the
435:
which allowed for free passage of Ragusan merchants in Albanian territory. In 1210, an agreement was concluded between the Republic of Venice and
406:). In general, Progoni brought the principality to its climax. The area the principality controlled, ranged from the Shkumbin river valley to the
1237:
568:
claimed that the abbacy should pass into his territory. The dispute was solved with mediation by the Papacy, which transferred it to the
501:
who needed the wedding to happen in order legitimize succession of power. After he took control of Kruja, strengthening relations with
252:
which appeared in historical record 70 years later in the same region may have been relatives or direct descendants of the Progoni.
1212:
374:. In this context, because of the relation of his consort to the Byzantine imperial family, he was recognized by the title of
1232:
1222:
1217:
1154:
1124:
1024:
968:
370:, who was both the daughter of Stefan Nemanjić, rival of Đorđe Nemanjić and grand-daughter of the last Byzantine Emperor
1097:
1045:
569:
1003:
960:
Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime: Shqiptarët gjatë luftës së dytë botërore dhe pas saj, 1939-1990
203:
543:
268:
1202:
1013:
Ducellier, Alain (1999). "24(b) – Eastern Europe: Albania, Serbia and Bulgaria". In Abulafia, David (ed.).
502:
1227:
1252:
490:
The Kingdom of Albania, around 70 years after Progoni's death, was claimed to be a successor state by
1247:
436:
238:
in 1257. He didn't have any sons to continue his dynasty, but his wealth and a part of his domain in
443:
under which Doukas would become a vassal of Venice, if the republic recognized his claims up to the
522:
514:
995:
The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest
617:
335:
283:
159:
154:
53:
1242:
1176:
363:
187:
1116:
129:
1207:
1037:
Historia e qytetërimit shqiptar: nga kohet e lashta deri ne fund të Luftës së Dytë Botërore
527:
235:
242:
passed after Demetrio's death to his underage nephew, Progon (son of Gjin), whom he named
8:
518:
440:
371:
191:
367:
207:
107:
539:
491:
454:
432:
264:
195:
179:
199:
1150:
1120:
1109:
1093:
1041:
1020:
999:
964:
459:
351:
183:
141:
271:
as a descendant state of the Principality of Arbanon about 60 years later, in 1272.
552:
249:
222:
171:
1077:
Regnum Albaniae, the Papal Curia, and the Western Visions of a Borderline Nobility
1165:
1142:
1056:
1035:
1014:
993:
989:
979:
958:
947:
498:
279:
167:
341:
299:
587:
561:
510:
303:
231:
227:
175:
119:
1196:
475:
244:
83:
1111:
Islam in the Balkans: religion and society between Europe and the Arab world
610:
471:
420:
407:
307:
216:
163:
71:
1075:
255:
In historical record, Dhimitër Progoni is the first ruler to call himself
1090:
George Akropolites: The History: Introduction, Translation and Commentary
287:
1083:, Central European University, Department of Medieval Studies, p. 1
404:
regionis montosae inter Scodram, Dyrrachium, Achridam et Prizrenam sitae
411:
298:
and its surroundings at least since the era between 1190 and 1198. The
506:
513:, who continued to rule as a semi-independent ruler in Arbanon under
486:
149:
399:
359:
444:
295:
45:
1149:. Pisa: Edizioni Plus – Pisa University Press. pp. 125–154.
565:
449:
391:
387:
239:
114:
194:
and inversely, maintained good relations with their rivals, the
162:, the first Albanian state. He was the successor and brother of
1016:
The New Cambridge Medieval History: Volume 5, c.1198 – c.1300
984:. Vol. 10. Dallas, TX: Political Research, Incorporated.
395:
414:
in the east. In Latin documents, he is also referred to as
1019:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 779–795.
410:
river valley in the north and from the Adriatic sea to the
1061:. Ècole des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. p. 48
899:
497:
He died around 1215-16. His wife was soon married off to
345:
Maximum extent of Arbanon and claims of Dhimitër Progoni
330:
302:
and other territories remained in the possession of the
214:(prince of the Albanians) and in Byzantine documents as
887:
718:
431:
In search for allies, he also signed a treaty with the
863:
851:
824:
923:
564:
who held control of the territory of the diocese of
509:. Komnena had a daughter with Kamonas that married
1108:
572:which had been formed in the 15th century and was
694:
640:
1194:
1145:. In Ellis, Steven G.; Klusáková, Lud'a (eds.).
505:, which had weakened after a Slavic assault on
316:Demetrius, Progoni archontis filius et successor
1115:. University of South Carolina Press. p.
799:
797:
795:
334:Krujë and its fortress were the center of the
282:, father of Dhimitër Progoni formed the first
25:
956:
841:
839:
818:
712:
1163:
1058:La façade maritime de l'Albanie au Moyen âge
769:
657:
655:
1143:"The Ethnic Composition of Medieval Epirus"
981:Clements' Encyclopedia of World Governments
792:
424:and after the consolidation of his rule as
1147:Imagining Frontiers, Contesting Identities
957:Anamali, Skënder; Prifti, Kristaq (2002).
836:
814:
812:
44:
1054:
1012:
803:
782:
780:
778:
735:
733:
724:
706:
652:
1087:
1033:
977:
917:
905:
893:
830:
765:
763:
750:
748:
688:
485:
418:. In Byzantine records, he is titled as
340:
329:
259:and the first to identify his domain as
1174:
1140:
875:
869:
857:
845:
809:
739:
661:
306:, and Progon was succeeded by his sons
1195:
1106:
929:
775:
730:
672:
670:
945:
881:
760:
745:
1073:
988:
786:
754:
700:
676:
646:
1238:People from the Despotate of Epirus
667:
481:
466:) and his successor is designated,
16:Prince of Albania from 1208 to 1216
13:
1040:. Academy of Sciences of Albania.
14:
1264:
1164:Haluščynskyj, Theodosius (1954).
1167:Acta Innocentii PP. 3: 1198-1216
998:. University of Michigan Press.
170:. Following the collapse of the
1213:13th-century monarchs in Europe
911:
1170:. Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis.
682:
1:
634:
576:part of the Dukagjini lands.
274:
267:who sought to legitimize the
234:. The annexation sparked the
1233:13th-century Venetian people
1223:13th-century Albanian people
1218:12th-century Albanian people
503:Grand Principality of Serbia
7:
1092:. Oxford University Press.
354:, Progoni as leader of the
10:
1269:
938:
1141:Osswald, Brendan (2007).
1055:Ducellier, Alain (1981).
1034:Frashëri, Kristo (2008).
819:Anamali & Prifti 2002
713:Anamali & Prifti 2002
624:
615:
607:
602:
581:
437:Michael I Komnenos Doukas
125:
113:
103:
95:
91:
79:
67:
59:
52:
43:
34:
21:
523:Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
515:Theodore Komnenos Doukas
290:. Little is known about
1175:Zamputi, Injac (1984).
1088:Macrides, Ruth (2007).
978:Clements, John (1992).
949:The Despotate of Epiros
336:Principality of Arbanon
325:
257:Prince of the Albanians
160:Principality of Arbanon
155:Prince of the Albanians
38:Prince of the Albanians
1107:Norris, H. T. (1993).
946:Nicol, Donald (1957).
542:with the creation of
521:(until 1230) and then
494:
346:
338:
158:from 1208 to 1216 the
145:
26:
1074:Lala, Etleva (2008),
489:
386:was the area between
344:
333:
130:Progon, Lord of Kruja
528:Rebellion of Arbanon
261:Principatum Albaniae
236:Rebellion of Arbanon
152:leader who ruled as
1203:12th-century births
519:Despotate of Epiros
441:Despotate of Epiros
372:Alexios III Angelos
192:Despotate of Epiros
36:Prince of Albania
1228:Princes of Albania
952:. Basil Blackwell.
908:, pp. 323–24.
544:Kingdom of Albania
540:Charles I of Anjou
532:Princeps Arbanorum
495:
492:Charles I of Anjou
455:Diocese of Arbanum
433:Republic of Ragusa
384:princeps Arbanorum
380:princeps Arbanorum
347:
339:
269:Kingdom of Albania
265:Charles I of Anjou
212:princeps Arbanorum
196:Republic of Ragusa
180:Republic of Venice
166:and their father,
87:(as Lord of Krujë)
75:(as Lord of Krujë)
1253:Albanian monarchs
1156:978-88-8492-466-7
1126:978-0-87249-977-5
1026:978-0-52-136289-4
970:978-99943-1-452-2
963:. Botimet Toena.
770:Haluščynskyj 1954
632:
631:
627:semi-independency
625:Succeeded by
618:Prince of Albania
583:Demetrio Progoni
536:Princeps Albaniae
352:Pope Innocent III
294:Progon who ruled
206:, whose daughter
135:
134:
54:Prince of Albania
1260:
1248:Panhypersebastoi
1188:
1171:
1160:
1137:
1135:
1133:
1114:
1103:
1084:
1082:
1070:
1068:
1066:
1051:
1030:
1009:
990:Fine, John V. A.
985:
974:
953:
933:
927:
921:
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909:
903:
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873:
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822:
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728:
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710:
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686:
680:
674:
665:
659:
650:
644:
622:1208–1216
608:Preceded by
598:
579:
578:
570:Diocese of Lezhë
553:Dukagjini family
482:Death and legacy
426:panhypersebastos
376:panhypersevastos
368:Komnena Nemanjić
250:Dukagjini family
223:Panhypersebastos
172:Byzantine Empire
146:Dhimitër Progoni
138:Dhimitër Progoni
108:Komnena Nemanjić
48:
30:
29:
27:Demetrio Progoni
22:Dhimitër Progoni
19:
18:
1268:
1267:
1263:
1262:
1261:
1259:
1258:
1257:
1193:
1192:
1191:
1157:
1131:
1129:
1127:
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1080:
1064:
1062:
1048:
1027:
1006:
971:
941:
936:
928:
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916:
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868:
864:
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844:
837:
829:
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746:
738:
731:
723:
719:
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683:
675:
668:
660:
653:
645:
641:
637:
628:
621:
613:
592:
591:
584:
499:Gregory Kamonas
484:
464:nationi obtulit
328:
280:Progon of Kruja
277:
200:Stefan Nemanjić
198:, and at first
168:Progon of Kruja
86:
74:
37:
24:
23:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1266:
1256:
1255:
1250:
1245:
1240:
1235:
1230:
1225:
1220:
1215:
1210:
1205:
1190:
1189:
1172:
1161:
1155:
1138:
1125:
1104:
1099:978-0199210671
1098:
1085:
1071:
1052:
1047:978-9995610135
1046:
1031:
1025:
1010:
1004:
986:
975:
969:
954:
942:
940:
937:
935:
934:
922:
910:
898:
896:, p. 280.
886:
874:
872:, p. 210.
862:
860:, p. 213.
850:
835:
823:
808:
804:Ducellier 1999
791:
774:
759:
744:
729:
727:, p. 646.
725:Ducellier 1981
717:
705:
693:
681:
666:
651:
638:
636:
633:
630:
629:
626:
623:
614:
609:
605:
604:
603:Regnal titles
600:
599:
588:Progoni family
585:
582:
562:Gjon Kastrioti
483:
480:
364:Đorđe Nemanjić
327:
324:
304:Progoni family
284:Albanian state
276:
273:
232:Nicaean Empire
228:Golem of Kruja
190:and later the
188:Đorđe Nemanjić
176:Fourth Crusade
133:
132:
127:
123:
122:
117:
111:
110:
105:
101:
100:
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65:
64:
61:
57:
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50:
49:
41:
40:
32:
31:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1265:
1254:
1251:
1249:
1246:
1244:
1243:Progon family
1241:
1239:
1236:
1234:
1231:
1229:
1226:
1224:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1214:
1211:
1209:
1206:
1204:
1201:
1200:
1198:
1186:
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1178:
1173:
1169:
1168:
1162:
1158:
1152:
1148:
1144:
1139:
1128:
1122:
1118:
1113:
1112:
1105:
1101:
1095:
1091:
1086:
1079:
1078:
1072:
1060:
1059:
1053:
1049:
1043:
1039:
1038:
1032:
1028:
1022:
1018:
1017:
1011:
1007:
1005:0-472-08260-4
1001:
997:
996:
991:
987:
983:
982:
976:
972:
966:
962:
961:
955:
951:
950:
944:
943:
932:, p. 35.
931:
926:
919:
918:Clements 1992
914:
907:
906:Macrides 2007
902:
895:
894:Macrides 2007
890:
883:
878:
871:
866:
859:
854:
848:, p. 216
847:
842:
840:
833:, p. 73.
832:
831:Frashëri 2008
827:
821:, p. 198
820:
815:
813:
806:, p. 786
805:
800:
798:
796:
788:
783:
781:
779:
772:, p. 338
771:
766:
764:
756:
751:
749:
742:, p. 134
741:
736:
734:
726:
721:
715:, p. 215
714:
709:
703:, p. 51.
702:
697:
690:
689:Clements 1992
685:
678:
673:
671:
664:, p. 218
663:
658:
656:
649:, p. 23.
648:
643:
639:
620:
619:
612:
606:
601:
596:
590:
589:
580:
577:
575:
571:
567:
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557:
554:
548:
547:Byzantines.
545:
541:
537:
533:
529:
524:
520:
516:
512:
508:
504:
500:
493:
488:
479:
477:
476:protosevastos
473:
469:
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245:protosevastos
241:
237:
233:
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220:and later as
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218:
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84:Grigor Kamona
82:
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62:
58:
55:
51:
47:
42:
39:
33:
28:
20:
1184:
1180:
1166:
1146:
1130:. Retrieved
1110:
1089:
1076:
1063:. Retrieved
1057:
1036:
1015:
994:
980:
959:
948:
925:
920:, p. 31
913:
901:
889:
884:, p. 48
877:
870:Zamputi 1984
865:
858:Zamputi 1984
853:
846:Zamputi 1984
826:
789:, p. 17
757:, p. 16
740:Osswald 2007
720:
708:
696:
691:, p. 31
684:
679:, p. 18
662:Zamputi 1984
642:
616:
611:Gjin Progoni
594:
586:
573:
558:
549:
535:
531:
496:
472:Gjin Progoni
467:
463:
430:
425:
421:megas archon
419:
415:
403:
383:
379:
375:
355:
348:
319:
315:
311:
300:Krujë castle
291:
278:
260:
256:
254:
243:
221:
217:megas archon
215:
211:
164:Gjin Progoni
153:
137:
136:
72:Gjin Progoni
35:
1208:1216 deaths
930:Norris 1993
460:Shën Premte
288:Middle Ages
286:during the
230:joined the
68:Predecessor
1197:Categories
882:Nicol 1957
635:References
412:Black Drin
275:Background
787:Lala 2008
755:Lala 2008
701:Fine 1994
677:Lala 2008
647:Lala 2008
470:- son of
322:Progoni.
312:Demetrius
148:) was an
80:Successor
63:1208–1216
1132:15 March
1065:15 March
992:(1994).
445:Shkumbin
320:Demetrio
150:Albanian
142:Albanian
939:Sources
574:de jure
566:Arbanum
517:of the
507:Scutari
450:Rreshen
439:of the
392:Prizren
388:Shkodra
356:iudices
240:Mirdita
208:Komnena
174:in the
120:Progoni
1153:
1123:
1096:
1044:
1023:
1002:
967:
593:
468:Progon
400:Durrës
360:Durrës
292:archon
248:. The
126:Father
104:Spouse
1181:Ilira
1081:(PDF)
595:Died:
511:Golem
474:- as
416:iudex
396:Ohrid
318:) or
296:Krujë
204:Raška
115:House
60:Reign
1187:(2).
1151:ISBN
1134:2012
1121:ISBN
1094:ISBN
1067:2012
1042:ISBN
1021:ISBN
1000:ISBN
965:ISBN
597:1216
534:and
408:Drin
398:and
326:Rule
308:Gjin
184:Zeta
99:1216
96:Died
202:of
186:of
1199::
1185:14
1183:.
1179:.
1119:.
1117:35
838:^
811:^
794:^
777:^
762:^
747:^
732:^
669:^
654:^
478:.
428:.
394:,
390:,
182:,
144::
1159:.
1136:.
1102:.
1069:.
1050:.
1029:.
1008:.
973:.
402:(
314:(
140:(
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