Dobrotitsa

Dobrotitsa
Monument to Dobrotitsa in Dobrich (Bulgaria).
Despot of Dobruja
Reign	1347 - 1386
Predecessor	Balik
Successor	Ivanko
Issue Ivanko
Born	14th century
Died	1386

Dobrotitsa (Bulgarian: Добротица, pronounced [dɔˈbrɔtitsa]; Romanian: Dobrotici or Dobrotiţă; Τομπροτίτζας in contemporaneous Byzantine documents;Dobrodicie in contemporaneous Genoese documents) was a Bulgarian noble, ruler of the de facto independent Principality of Karvuna and the Kaliakra fortress from 1354 to 1379–1386.

Dobrotitsa's ethnic origin is disputed, in consequence he is considered by some a Bulgarian noble kindred of the Terter dynasty (from the Cuman Terteroba clan), to others a Vlach (mostly by Romanian historians), and to others a Christianized Turk. Venetian sources from the late 14th century refer to Dobrotitsa as a "despot of Bulgarians" (DESPOTUM BULGARORUM DOBROTICAM) and to his realm as "parts of Zagore (Bulgaria) subordinate to Dobrotitsa" (PARTES ZAGORAE SUBDITAS DOBROTICAE).

In 1346, Dobrotitsa and his brother Theodore were sent along with 1,000 soldiers by the Dobrujan ruler Balik to help the Byzantine Empress Anna of Savoy in the civil war against John VI Kantakouzenos, but were defeated by George Phakrases. The following year, after the death of Balik, he became the ruler of Dobruja. In 1348 Dobrotitsa took over the fortress of Midia and by 1356 managed to seize Kozyak (present-day Obzor) and Emona from the Byzantines.