Teodor II Muzaka

Teodor II Muzaka
Lord of Berat
Lord of Myzeqe
Statue of Teodor II Muzaka
Lord of Berat & Myzeqe
Reign1372–1389
PredecessorAndrea II Muzaka
SuccessorTeodor III Muzaka
Born1337
Died15 June 1389 (Aged 51 or 52)
Battle of Kosovo, Kosovo Polje (modern Kosovo)
IssueNicola Muzaka
DynastyMuzaka
FatherAndrea II Muzaka
MotherEuphemia Mataranga
ReligionEastern Orthodoxy

Teodor II Muzaka (Albanian: Teodor Muzaka), was an Albanian Prince from the House of Muzaka, he was the Lord of Berat and Lord of Myzeqe.

Life

Church of St. Athanasius of Mouzaki in Kastoria built by Teodor II Muzaka and his brother Stoya Muzaka

Teodor II Muzaka was born into the House of Muzaka as the second son of Andrea II Muzaka and Euphemia Mataranga, who was from the Mataranga family.[1][2]

Upon the death of his father Andrea II, his lands were divided among his three sons, Gjin I, Teodor II and Stoya.[3] Gjin inherited the majority of his father’s holdings, except for Berat, Myzeqe, and Kastoria. Teodor received Berat and Myzeqe, while Stoya inherited Kastoria along with its associated villages and estates.[4]

Between 1383 and 1384, Theodor II, together with his brother Stoya and the monk Dionysius, had a Greek Orthodox church (Church of St. Athanasius of Mouzaki) built in Kastoria, which was dedicated to Athanasius the Great.

Succession

He died fighting during the Battle of Kosovo in 1389 on the side of the anti-Ottoman coalition led by Lazar of Serbia.[5][6] After his death the rule of his domain passed over to his nephew Teodor III Muzaka. This could only happen because his only son Nicola must have been dead at the time or was held captive by his aunt Comita.[7]

See also

Notes and references

References:

  1. ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...Lord Andrew Musachi, the said second despot, and his wife, Euthymia...
  2. ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...From the said Lord Andrew Molosachi the Despot were born with three sons and two daughters. The first-born was called Lord Gjin, the second Lord Theodore and the third Lord Stoya. Of the daughters, the first one was called Lady Comita Musachi and the second Lady Chiranna....
  3. ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...The first-born was called Lord Gjin, the second Lord Theodore and the third Lord Stoya...
  4. ^ Elsie, Robert (2003). Early Albania A Reader of Historical Texts, 11th-17th Centuries. Harrassowitz. p. 42. ISBN 978-3-4470-4783-8. ...He left all of his land, with the exception of Berat, Myzeqe and Castoria, to his first-born son, Lord Gjin Musachi. To his second son, Lord Theodore, he left Berat and Myzeqe, and to his third son, Lord Stoya, he left Castoria with all the villages and estates belonging to it...
  5. ^ "1515 | John Musachi: Brief Chronicle on the Descendants of our Musachi Dynasty". Albanianhistory.net. Archived from the original on 10 September 2010. Retrieved 13 February 2012. Lazar (6), the Despot of Serbia, and King Marko of Bulgaria and Theodore Musachi, the second-born of our family, and the other Lords of Albania united and set off for battle, which the Christians lost (7).
  6. ^ Muhadri, Bedrı (29 March 2021). "The Battle of Kosovo 1389 and the Albanians". Tarih Ve Gelecek Dergisi. 7 (1): 436–452. doi:10.21551/jhf.898751. S2CID 233651440. The famous Arbër prince, Teodor Muzaka II, was killed in this battle, as well as many other Arbër comrades.
  7. ^ Ludwig von Thallóczy (1916), Illyrisch-Albanische Forschungen (in German), vol. 1, München: Duncker & Humblot, p. 170


Sources