| Karl Topia | |
|---|---|
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| Reign | 1358 - 1388 |
| Predecessor | Tanush Topia |
| Successor | Gjergj Topia |
| Spouse | Voisava Balšić |
| Dynasty | Topia |
| Father | Tanush Topia |
| Mother | Fiammetta |
| Born | 1331 Durazzo, Kingdom of Albania, modern day Durrës, Albania |
| Died | 1388 (aged 57) Elbasan, Princedom of Albania |
| Burial | St. Jovan Vladimir's Church, Albania |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Karl Topia was one of the powerful feudal princes and warlord, who between them ruled Albania from the middle of the 14th century until the Ottoman conquest.[1] To the Roman Curia, Karl maintained usually good relations, therefore that could do. In 1376 a vacant place became an ore diocese in Durrës, again with a Latin Bishop to be occupied.
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He was the son of Tanush Topia and his mother was a daughter of Robert I of Naples.[2][3] Robert of the famous house of Anjou, king of Naples, had an illegitimate daughter whom he wished to marry to a French gentleman of Greece.[4] En route, her ship touched at Durres, where she met and fell in love with Tanush Topia. They were married and had a son Karl. King Robert, feigning pleasure at the marriage, invited the daughter and her husband to Naples, where he killed them both.[5]
The long protracted turmoil of dynastic wars had made germinate in their real victims, the Albanians, the seeds of national sentiment which contained great promise, so that, when after Dušan's death, a decendant of the former Stephen Uroš, returned to the province, the inhabitants rose en masse and, under the leadership of Karl Topia, cut down the pretender and his entire force in the battle of Acheloos.[6]
In 1358, Karl rose against the rule of the Anjou and managed to drive them out of Durrës from Epirus and Albania. He ruled most of modern central Albania from 1358 to 1387 and had the title of Princeps Albaniae.
Since 1362, Karl sought himself to set Durrës, which was in the possession of the Duchess Joanna of Anjou, also into the possession of the city. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Topia had to withdraw his troops, who were weakened by an epidemic disease. Only in 1367 could Karl conquer Durrës, who had attained in the meantime the tacit agreement of the Venetians for his project and make important port his residence.
Karl gained control of Durazzo in 1368, which was where the Angevins held out due to their Kingdom becoming smaller in size. This event caused the Kingdom of Albania to end and the formation of the Princedom of Albania.
Topia rulled over the regions of Durrës, Kruja, Peqin, Elbasan, Mokra and Gora, that is, along both sides of the Via Egnatia as far east as Lake Ohrid.[7]
Balša II made a fourth attempt to conquer Durrës, an important commercial and strategetic center, which was ruled by rival, Karl Topia. In 1382, Balša II began a war to seize Durrës. In 1383, Balsha II captured Durres from Karl Topia and proclaimed himself Duke of Durres.[8] Topia called on the Turks for assistance. Murad I gladly sent an army of 40,000 men from Macedonia. In the plain of Savre between Elbasan and Lushnja, Balsha fought the Turks and was defeated and killed.[9] This event was known as the battle on Saurian Field.
However, according to Kristo Frashëri, An Ottoman force had been prepared in Macedonia to strike against Topia in 1384 before Balša had conquered Durrës. He did not invite the Ottoman forces into Albania as has been claimed by writers like Marin Barleti. Furthermore, Turkish sources never refer to Topia calling for Ottoman aid.[10]
In the last decade of his rule Karl followed closely the Republic of Venice particularly with regard to foreign policy. On August 17, 1386, Karl Topia allied himself with Venice. Karl committed himself to participate in all wars of the Republic or pay auxiliary funds and supply grain. In addition, he promised the Venetian buyers protection in his country. Venice supplied, in response, a galeere to it with, permitted its mercenaries in their areas to recruit and instructed the captain of their Adriatic fleet to protect Karl's coasts from the Turks. These undertook several heavy attacks on Durrës, which also still persisted as Karl in January 1388 died. His son, Gjergj, became Karl's successor.
In 1381, Karl built the St. Jovan Vladimir's Church in the proximity of Elbasan, where Jovan Vladimir's remains were held until 1995.[11] He is depicted in the icon of St. Vladimir, painted by Onouphrios Protopapas (known in Albania as "Onufri", wearing a crown and standing by the Church of the Saint. A calligraphic inscription in Greek says: "ΚΑΡΛΑ ΘΕΩΠΙΑC ΚΑΙ ΚΤΗΤΩΡ ΤΗC ΑΓΙΑC ΜΟΝΗC ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ" (Karla Theopias, builder of the Holly Monastery of the Saint). Another Greek inscription in the building refers to him as: "... ο πανυψηλώτατος πρώτος Κάρλας Θεωπίας ανεψιός δε και αίματος ρύγας της Φραγγίας... οικοδόμησεν τον πάνσεπτον ναόν τούτον του αγίου Ιωάννου του Βλαδιμήρου ..." (the highest and prime Karlas Theopias, nephew and by blood king of Francia ... built this holly church of St. John the Vladimir ... ) dated 1382. This inscription today is in the Historical Museum of Komberat (Albania).[12]
Karl married Serbian Voisava Balšić, ca 1370. The pair had four children:
Karl had two more children but the parentage is unknown:
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Joanna of Durazzo as Duchess of Durazzo |
Prince of Albania 1368–1383 |
Succeeded by Balša II |
| Preceded by Balša II |
Prince of Albania 1385–1388 |
Succeeded by Gjergj Topia |