Albanian nobility

In 1204, Arbanon attained full, though temporary, political independence, taking advantage of the weakening of Constantinople following its pillage during the Fourth Crusade.

1216, when the ruler of Epirus, Michael I Komnenos Doukas, started an invasion northward into Albania and Macedonia, taking Kruja and ending the independence of the principality.

[6][7] Arbanon is generally considered to have retained large autonomy until Demetrius death in 1216, when the principality fell under the vassalage of Epirus or the Laskarids of Nicaea.

[10] Many Albanian noblemen were included in the feudal hierarchy of the Kingdom of Serbia and had titles and privileges of župans, voivodas or kaznacs.

[12][13] Serbian emperor wanted to gain the support of the Albanian nobility so he confirmed the privileges Kruje had been granted by the Byzantine Empire.

[15] Albanian nobility did not fight against Ottomans with united and compact forces like Serbian and Bulgarian aristocracy, but with small independent local rulers.

The first was Skanderbeg who signed the Treaty of Gaeta on March 26, 1451 and after him many other Albanian noblemen like George Arianiti, Ghin Musachi, George Strez Balšić, Peter Spani, Pal Dukagjini, Thopia Musachi, Peter of Himara, Simon Zenebishi and Carlo II Tocco signed similar treaties.

[32][33] Skanderbeg had to fulfill his vassal obligations to send his forces to Italy to support Ferdinand I of Naples in his struggle against the Angevin Dynasty.

Балеч је, после њега, припао његовом брату Андрији, који је био војвода предела изнад Скадра, и сину Којчину.Radic und Maran Humoj verwalteten seit 1441 Gleros bei Skutari, das einst den Bonzi gehört hatte.In einer getreidearmen Gegend war dies ein Anschlag auf die Lebensgrundlagen der Gemeinde.

Venedig ging in dieser Frage äusserst behutsam vor, denn Koja und Andreas Humoj hatten der Signoria bedeutende Dienste geleistet.