They may have been descendants of the earlier Progoni family, who founded the first Albanian state in recorded history, the Principality of Arbanon.

He is mentioned in 1281 in a letter of the captain of Angevine Durazzo as duca Ginium Tanuschium Albanensem.

[4] The first known ancestor of the Dukagjini who gave his name to the family was an Albanian military figure, Gjin Tanushi, who in 1281 became known with the title of dux (ducam Ginium Tanuschium Albanensem).

[2] Gjin Tanushi is mentioned as an enemy of the Angevin rule in Albania who was later captured and imprisoned for his actions.

Gjon Muzaka's genealogies are considered highly dubious historically, but of value about what they reflect about their author and his era.

Another such oral story which has been recorded in the archives of the Republic of Ragusa names them as regional rebels in the 7th century AD, who had twice attacked the city.

The representative of one branch, Gjergj Dukagjini, appears as an owner of some villages near Lezhë and a commander of a force of 40 cavalry and 100 infantry.

In 1409, the Venetian Senate pardoned his son Nikola (Nikollë) for the activities of his father, based on the request of Dimitrije Jonima.

Together with many other Albanian noblemen (such as Moisi Arianit Golemi, Pal Dukagjini and Hamza Kastrioti) he abandoned Skanderbeg's forces and deserted to the Ottomans.

[16] His sons, Draga and Gjergj Dukagjini who were killed around 1462, ambushed by other nobleman from Albania, played minor political roles.

[18] They supported Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarević during the Second Scutari War until January 1423, when they, alongside some other nobility, were bribed over by the Venetians.

The brothers Lekë and Paul Dukagjini are described as owners of Lezhë who secured a free pass to Ragusan merchants in their dominion.

[21] Progon Dukagjini married the girl of Karl Thopia and appears to have been killed in 1402 under Venetian service.

[22] His little son, Lekë Dukagjini (born in 1420), did not play a great political role and is mentioned for the last time in 1451, as an enemy of Venice.

Nicholas murdered Lekë, and the Dukagjini continued to rule over their villages Buba, Salita, Gurichuchi, Baschina under Venetian vassalage.

Pal and Nicholas were part of the League of Lezhë, a military alliance forged in 1444 that sought to capture Albania from the Ottoman Empire, led by Skanderbeg.