• Source: Helena Thopia

Helena Thopia (fl. 1388–1403) was an Albanian princess of the Thopia family who held the Krujë region as sovereign lady for two terms; 1388-1392 and 1394–1403.




Life


Princess Helena Thopia was the eldest daughter of Karl Thopia and Voisava Balsha. Her first marriage was to Marco Barbarigo, a Venetian nobleman, around the 1380s. After the death of her father, in 1388, she inherited the castle of Krujë and the surrounding region. In 1392 as a result of the hostilities between her husband and the Venetian forces, her half-brother, Niketa Thopia, a Venice loyal, attacked the city of Krujë and forced them to find refuge among the Balsha family.
After her brother Gjergj Thopia died in 1392 she gained the bulk of the rest of his holdings. A smaller portion was also left to their younger sister, Voisava Thopia.
In 1394, Konstantin Balšić, who was appointed by the Ottomans to govern Krujë, married her. Konstantin ruled as an Ottoman vassal and was killed in 1402. In 1403 Niketa Thopia captured the castle from Helena. After Konstantin's death Helena and their son Stefan first went to Venice and then lived with her sister Maria, Baroness of Botrugno.




Issue


She married Marco Barbarigo, and then Konstantin Balšić in 1394. She had a son with Konstantin, Stefan Maramonte.




Family tree






See also


Thopia family
Principality of Albania (medieval)
Saint Gjon Vladimir's Church




References

Kata Kunci Pencarian:

• Roberto dari Napoli
• Helena Thopia
• Principality of Albania (medieval)
• Thopia family
• Gjergj Thopia
• Karl Thopia
• Niketa Thopia
• Thopia
• Voisava Balšić
• Maria Thopia
• Voisava Thopia