Dushmani family
| Current region | Between Zadrima plain and Albanian Alps |
|---|---|
| Members | Goranin, Damjan, Nenad, Lekë Dushmani, Pal Dushmani, Božidar, Antonio Dusmani, Sofoklis Dousmanis and Viktor Dousmanis |
| Estate | Pult and Zadrima |
| 14th century: Vassals of Balšić family 1402 — Ottoman vassals 1403 — Venetian vassals 1444— Member of the League of Lezhë |
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The Dushmani was an Albanian noble family which ruled a territory in northern Albania, from Zadrima plain to Albanian Alps, during the 14th and 15th centuries.
They are mentioned first in the mid-14th century in Venetian charters, as vassals of the Balšić. A member of the family, Gjin Dushmani, was mentioned together with other Albanian feudals, as a commander of Albanian auxiliary troops at the Battle of Ankara in 1402. After the Ottoman defeat they offered themselves as vassals to the Republic of Venice in 1403. On 2 June 1403, the Venetian Senate confirmed Goranin, Damjan and Nenad of the Dushmani family the rule over Pult. Members of the family were also Catholic clergy; among whom was Pal Dushmani, mentioned as Bishop of Pult (“Dusmanus ep. Polat.”) in 1427. Another member of the family, Lekë Dushmani, was mentioned as one of the founders of the League of Lezhë. His daughter Irene Dushmani became famous while there was a dispute for her which brought the first defection among the members of League of Lezhë which led toward the Albanian–Venetian War of 1447–1448. Alongside the Spani family, the Dushmani were against the war with Venice and did not participate in it.
In March 1451 Lekë Dukagjini and Božidar Dushmani planned to attack Venetian-controlled Drivast. Their plot was discovered and Božidar was forced into exile.
In July 1452, the Pope sent Pal Dushmani to settle the conflict between Lekë Dukagjini and Skanderbeg.
According to Demetrios Sicilianos, the Dousmanis family in Greece ultimately descended from the 15th-century Albanian nobleman Lekas (Alexander) Dousmanis, whose family took refuge in Greece after the Ottoman conquest of Albania by Mehmed the Conqueror (r. 1444–81).
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