Ivan Strez Balšić

Ivan Strez Balšić
Lord of Misia
Coat of arms
Noble family	Balšić family
Father	a Strez Balšić (unclear)
Mother	a Kastrioti (unclear)
Died	after 1468
Occupation	Member of the League of Lezhë (1444-?)

Ivan Strez Balšić (fl. 1444–1469) and his brothers George Strez and Gojko Balšić were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The brothers were members of the Balšić family, which earlier held Zeta, but had now placed itself among the nobility in Albania. They participated in founding of the League of Lezhë, an alliance led by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg. Ivan and Gojko supported Skanderbeg until he died in 1468 and then continued to fight against Ottomans together with Venetian forces. After Skanderbeg's death Venice installed Ivan Strez Balšić as Skanderbeg's successor.

According to Gjon Muzaka and Karl Hopf, Ivan Strez Balšić and his brother Gojko were children of Vlajka Kastrioti and Stefan Strez who was a son of Đurađ Balšić, an illegitimate child of Đurađ I Balšić. According to Fan Noli, Ivan had two brothers (George Strez and Gojko) who were all children of Jela Kastrioti and Pavle Balšić. Both views confirm that Gojko was Skanderbeg's nephew.

The three Balšić brothers joined the League of Lezhë, an alliance formed by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg, after meeting in Lezhë on March 2, 1444. The members included Lekë Zaharia, Peter Spani, Lekë Dushmani, Andrea Thopia, Gjergj Arianiti, Theodor Musachi, Stefan Crnojević, and their subjects. Skanderbeg was elected its leader, and commander in chief of its armed forces numbering a total of 8,000 warriors.

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