George Strez Balšić

George Strez Balšić (Serbian Cyrillic: Ђурађ Стрезов Балшић) or Gjergj Balsha (Albanian: Gjergj Balsha)[A] (fl. 1444–57) and his brothers Gojko and Ivan were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The brothers were members of the Balšić noble family, which had earlier held Zeta. They participated in founding of the League of Lezhë, an alliance led by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg. George later betrayed Skanderbeg, by selling a domain to the Ottomans, while his two brothers continued to support Skanderbeg until his death and then continued to fight for the Venetian forces.

George Strez Balšić
Gjergj Balsha
Lord of Misia[1]
Coat of arms
Full name
George , Strez Balšić[A]
Noble familyBalšić family
FatherPavle Balšić
MotherHelena Kastrioti
OccupationMember of the League of Lezhë (1444-?)

Family

According to Fan S. Noli George and his brothers Ivan and Gojko were nephews of Skanderbeg from his sister Jelena[2] who married Pavle Balšić.[3] Genealogy of Kastrioti family written by Karl Hopf does not present the information about George Strez Balšić being a son of Skanderbeg's sister Jelena.[4]

League of Lezhë

The three Balšić brothers joined the League of Lezhë, an alliance formed by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg, after meeting in the St. Nicholas Church in Lezhë on 2 March 1444. The members included Lekë Zaharia, Peter Spani, Lekë Dushmani, Andrea Thopia, Gjergj Arianiti, Theodor Musachi, Stefan Crnojević, and their subjects.[B] Skanderbeg was elected its leader, and commander in chief of its armed forces numbering a total of 8,000 warriors.[5][6]

In 1451 after Alfonso signed the Treaty of Gaeta with Skanderbeg, he signed similar treaties with George Strez Balšić and other chieftains from Albania: Gjergj Arianiti, Gjin Muzaka, Peter Spani, Pal Dukagjini, Thopia Muzaka, Peter of Himara, Simon Zenebishi and Carlo II Tocco.[7]

According to Albanian historians Kristo Frashëri and Fan Noli, Strez Balšić betrayed Skanderbeg by selling the fortress he controlled (Modritza) to the Ottoman Empire in spring 1457.[8] Skanderbeg was betrayed by another of his nephews, Hamza Kastrioti, who deserted to the Ottomans.[8][9]

Issue

Karl Krumbacher believed that the first daughter of Maurice Spata married Giorgio, a son of "George Balšić and Eudokia".[10]

Annotations
  1. ^
    Name: His full name in Serbian is written Đurađ Strezov Balšić (Ђурађ Стрезов Балшић), while in Latin and Italian his name was written Georgio Stresio.[11] His given name is also rendered Georg,[12] Georgi,[13] Gjorgje,[14] Đerđ,[15] Gjergj and Đurađ (Serbian: Ђурађ).[16] His family name also appears in versions such as Stres, Stresi, Stresio, Strez, Strezov or Sturz. .
  2. ^
    League of Lezhe:[17][18][19]

References
  1. Gopčević 1914, pp. 74–75: "in Misia"
  2. Noli 1947, p. 208
    Scanderbeg had three Balšić nephews from his sister Yella. Of these only George Strez Balšić betrayed him, while the two others, Ivan and Gojko, served him loyally to the end
  3. Spandouginos, Theodōros; Donald MacGillivray Nicol (1997). On the Origin of the Ottoman Emperors. United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 96. ISBN 9780521585101. Retrieved 25 March 2012. Skanderbeg... sisters...Iella, who married Paul Balša
  4. Hopf 1873, p. 236
    Yella e.p.:n.n.)
  5. Fox, Robert (1993), The inner sea: the Mediterranean and its people, Alfred A. Knopf, p. 195, ISBN 9780394574523
  6. Vlora, Ekrem Bey (1956), The Ruling Families of Albania in the pre-Ottoman Period in: Contributions to the History of Turkish Rule in Albania: an Historical Sketch, archived from the original on 2011-11-24
  7. Noli 1947, p. 49
    Later on Alphonse concluded similar treaties with George Araniti, Ghin Musachi, George Strez Balšić, Peter Spani, Paul Ducaghini,...
  8. Frashëri 1964, pp. 79, 208, Noli 1947, p. 114
  9. Skendi, Stavro (1980). Balkan cultural studies. East European Monographs. p. 175. ISBN 9780914710660. Retrieved 24 March 2012. ..Arianiti's nephew,...Nicholas and Paul Dukagjini and Hamza Kastrioti deserted to the Ottomans
  10. Karl Krumbacher (1988). Byzantinische Zeitschrift. C. H. Beck'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung. p. 75. Nerata, wife of Spata, Muriki, had three daughters; one married Giorgio, son of George Balsic and Eudokia (62 jo); one married Zenevesi, Symeon (6522); one married Carlo II Tocco (also known as Leonardo), son of Leonardo II Tocco ...
  11. SANU 1890, p. 41: "... је у центру стајао Скандербег са својим сестрићем Ђурђем Стрезовим Балшићем (ipse cum Georgio Stresio, nepote, feroci iuvene, stationem fixerat sibi, књ. II, 51). По Барлетију је резервом командовао Врана-конте ..."
  12. Schmitt 2001, p. 297, Georg Strez Balsha
  13. Марин Барлети о учешћу македонског становништва у Скендербеговим борбама против Турака: "10. На овом месту М. Барлети не помиње још Македонце као етникон, али се да јасно наслутити да се ради о словенском становништву. И имена појединих његових команданата носе словенско обележје, као на пример, Георги Стрез, a касније помиње и његове рођаке као и друге месне феудалце."
  14. Gopčević, Spiridion (1914). Geschichte von Montenegro und Albanien. F.A. Perthes. p. 79. Retrieved 25 March 2012. Gjorgje Strez
  15. Centar CK SKH za idejno-teorijski rad "Vladimir Bakarić.", Narodna omladina Hrvatske. Centralni komitet, Savez omladine Hrvatske. Centralni komitet, Socijalistički savez radnog naroda Hrvatske. Republička konferencija (1989). Naše teme, Издања 4-5 (in Serbo-Croatian). CK SHK. p. 850. Retrieved 25 March 2012. Djerdj Strez Balša{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  16. Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore (1963). Istorijski zapisi, Том 16 (in Serbian). Titograd: Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore. p. 604. Retrieved 25 March 2012. Ђурађ Стрез
  17. Noli 1947, p. 36
  18. Božić 1979, pp. 364: "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"
  19. Schmitt 2001, p. 297
    Nikola und Paul Dukagjin, Leka Zaharia von Dagno, Peter Span, Herr der Berge hinter Drivasto, Georg Strez Balsha sowie Johann und Gojko Balsha, die sich zwischen Kruja und Alessio festgesetzt hatten, die Dushman von Klein-Polatum sowie Stefan (Stefanica) Crnojevic, der Herr der Oberzeta

Sources
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