House of Balšić

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House of Balšić
of Zeta

Country	Zeta
Titles	Prince (Knez) Grand Prince (Велики Жупан/Veliki Župan), King (Краљ/Kralj)
Founder	Balša I
Founding Year	1356
Nationality	Serbian

The House of Balšić was a Serbian medieval dynasty that ruled Zeta. It lasted from 1356 until 1435, when it was succeeded by the House of Crnojević.

1 Origins
2 Heads of the House and Rulers of Zeta
3 Family Tree
4 Sources and References

[edit] Origins

Although the Balšić family was Serbian, it is certain that it was of non-Slavic origin. The basis of their surname - "Balsha" - is Romanic and it is thus suggested that they descent of the Serbianized Vlachs of old that served as warriors - proniars - and could thus easily climb the ladder of nobility in the Serbian society even to the top.

Some historians argue that the family is of Gothic origins. One theory is that the family is originally from Provence, France. Their last name might have been originally de Baux (aliter de Baulx, de Bauge). Arguably, they came from France to Zeta at the end of the 13th century (in 1272 - 1280) or possibly in the end of the 14 th century. Queen Jelena of Anjou, widow of King Uroš I of Serbia was of French noble lineage, so she decided to help the Balšić family and give them lands and titles in a part of Doclea. ^[1] Others considers them Neapolitans from Italy (del Balzo).

Nevertheless, most probably the Balsha dynasty comes from the Albanian Balshaj family from northern Albania.

[edit] Heads of the House and Rulers of Zeta

There were 5 rulers of the dynasty:

Balša I (1356-1360 (unofficial); 1360-1362)
Đurađ I (1362-1378)
Balša II (1378-1385)
Đurađ II (1385-1403)
Balša III (1403-1421)

[edit] Family Tree

Balša I
- Stracimir
  - Đurađ II
    - Balša III
      - Jelena (Married Stjepan Vukčić Kosača, Herzog of Herzegovina)
        
        Vladislav
        
        Petar
        
        Matija
        
        Miklos
        
        Ivan
        
        Andrija
        
        Tomaš
        
        Unknown Daughter
        
        Unknown Daughter
        
        Vladislav Hercegović
        
        Vlatko Hercegović
        
        Marija
        
        Jovan Hercegović
        
        Isabella
        
        Sava
        
        Vlatko
        
        Giovanni
        
        Vlatko
        
        Elisabeta
        
        Ferante
        
        Katarina Kosača-Kotromanić (Married Stjepan Tomaš Kotromanić, King of Bosnia)
        
        Sigismund (Šimun) Kotromanić (Converted to Islam and changed his name to Išak-beg Kraljević (Ishak-bey Kraloglu))
        
        Katarina Kotromanić (Died in Skopje around the age of 10-11)
      - Unknown Son
      - Teodora (Dorotea)
- Đurađ I
  - Jelisaveta
    - Unknown Child
      - Jelena
        
        Nikola
        
        Jakov
        
        Monćino
        
        Dabiživ Monetić
  - Goisava
  - Jevdokija (Eudokia)
    - Giorgio de' Buondelmonti
  - Konstantin (Košta) (Married Elena Thopia, Daughter of Karl Thopia)
  - Gjergj?
    - Đorđe
    - Unknown Son
  - Jelena
  - Konstantin
    - Unknown Child
      - Stefan Balša (Stefan de Maramonte)
  - Đurađ
- Balša II
  - Ruđina
- Vojisava (Married Karl Thopia, Prince of Albania)
  - Gjergj Thopia, Duke of Durazzo
  - Elena Thopia, Lady of Krujë
  - Voislava Thopia