Konstantin Balšić

Konstantin Balšić (fl. 1378–died 1402), was a lord of the Balšić family, who ruled over lands in northern Albania.

Konstantin Balšić
Lord of Krujë
Lord of Krujë
Reign	1394–1402
Successor	Helena Thopia
Died	1402 Durazzo, Republic of Venice
Noble family	Balšić
Spouse	Helena Thopia
Issue Stefan Balšić "Maramonte"
Father	Đurađ I Balšić
Mother	Teodora Dejanović

Life

Konstantin was the son of Đurađ I Balšić, the Lord of Zeta (r. 1362–1378) and his wife, Teodora Dejanović (the daughter of despot Dejan). After his father's death in 1378, he inherited a small parcel of land between the rivers of Bojana and Drin.

To expand links in the western Balkans, he married his sister Eudokia to the Florentine Despot of Ioannina Esau de' Buondelmonti.

In late 1394, Konstantin was installed as governor of Krujë by the Ottomans and married Marco Barbadigo's first wife, the Albanian princess Helena Thopia, daughter of Karlo Thopia. Helena was Konstantin's first cousin as Helena's mother Vojisava and Konstantin's father Đurađ were brother and sister. Helena's maternal grandfather and Konstantin's paternal grandfather was Balša I. He was sent to become the Balšićs head as an Ottoman protégé and apparently failed, losing his stronghold, Dagnum, to his cousin, Đurađ II, in 1395.[1]

Konstantin was very faithful to Sultan Bayezid I. On 17 May 1395 he fought in the Battle of Rovine and witnessed the deaths of some Serb noblemen but managed to survive himself. Of those who died included his cousin Konstantin Dejanović, after whom he was named, and King Marko Mrnjavčević.

In a Venetian document dating 8 August 1401, he is mentioned as "Konstantin, lord of Serbia, in the territory around our territory of Durachi (Durrës)" (Constantini domini Servie, teritorii, quod est circa teritorium nostrum Durachii).[2] In 1402, he was executed in Durazzo for unknown reasons, but it is generally believed that his absence at the Battle of Ankara had something to do with this. After Konstantin's death his wife Helena and their son Stefan first went to Venetians and then lived with her sister Maria. Since Maria was married to Filip Maramonte, the Venetians and Ragusans often referred to Stefan Balšić as "Stefan Maramonte".[3]

Coin of Konstantin Balšić featuring his portrait. It is the only type of coin which he minted.

In 1920 Yugoslav historian Milan Šufflay published, under pseudonym Alba Limi, a historical novel about Konstantin Balšić.[4]

See also

Ancestors of Konstantin Balšić
4. Balša I 2. Đurađ I Balšić 1. Konstantin Balšić 6. Dejan 3. Teodora Dejanović 28. Stephen Uroš II Milutin of Serbia 14. Stephen Uroš III Dečanski of Serbia 29. Ana Terter 7. Teodora-Evdokija 30. John Palaiologos (Caesar) 15. Maria Palaiologina, Queen of Serbia 31. Irene Metochitissa

References

1. Anamali, Skënder and Prifti, Kristaq. Historia e popullit shqiptar në katër vëllime. Botimet Toena, 2002, ISBN 99927-1-622-3 pp. 251–252
2. Monumenta spectantia Historiam Slavorum Meridionalium. 1874. pp. 437–.
3. M. Bešić, Zarij (1970). Istorija Crne Gore /2. Crna gora u doba oblasnih gospodara (in Serbian). Titograd: Redakcija za istoiju Crne Gore. p. 119. OCLC 175122851. ...може се као доста поуздано прихватити дшшљење да је Стефан Балшић Марамонте био син Конставл-ина Балшића и Јелене Тогшје....његова је удовица отишла у Млетке, а затим се повуклакод своје рођаке Марије Топија, удате за Фшшпа Марамонте...Ду-бровчани и Млечани често називали Стефан Марамонте.
4. Elsie, Robert (2013). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. I.B.Tauris. p. 28. ISBN 978-1-78076-431-3. Croat historian Milan von Šufflay (using the pseudonym Alba Limi) wrote a three-part historical novel about him, Kostadin Balšić, Zagreb 1920. BALSHA, GEORGE I ( -01.1378) Mediaeval Serbian ruler.

Preceded by Niketa Thopia	Lord of Krujë 1394–1402	Succeeded by Helena Thopia