Karl Thopia
| Karl Topia | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Prince of Albania | |
| Reign | 1358–1388 |
| Predecessor | Tanusio Topia |
| Successor | George Thopia |
| Born | 1331 Durrës, Kingdom of Albania, Kingdom of Naples (modern day Albania) |
| Died | 1388 (aged 57) Elbasan, Princedom of Albania |
| Burial | St. Jovan Vladimir's Church, Albania |
| Spouse | Voislava Balšić |
| Issue | George Thopia, Helena Thopia, Voislava Thopia, Maria Topia, Niketa Thopia |
| Dynasty |
Topia 
|
| Father | Andrea Topia |
| Mother | Illegitimate Anjou |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
Karl Topia was an Albanian feudal prince and warlord who ruled Albania from the middle of the 14th century until the first Ottoman conquest of Albania. Topia usually maintained good relations with the Roman Curia. In 1376 a vacant place became an ore diocese in Durrës, again with a Latin Bishop to be occupied.
The first mention of the Topia is from 1329, when Tanusio Topia was mentioned as one of the counts of Albania. In 1338, Tanusio was mentioned as Count of Matia (conte di Matia). According to Karl Hopf, Tanusio's son or brother Andrea, as told by Gjon Muzaka (fl. 1510), had fallen in love with the daughter of King Robert of Naples when her ship, en route to the Principality of the Morea to be wed with the bailli, had stopped at Durazzo where they met. Andrea abducted and married her, and they had two sons, Karl and George. King Robert, enraged, under the pretext of reconciliation had the couple invited to Naples where he had them executed.
The long protracted turmoil of dynastic wars had made germinate in their real victims, the Albanians, the seeds of national sentiment which contained great promise, so that, when after Emperor Stefan Dušan's death, a descendant of Stefan Uroš I, returned to the province, the inhabitants rose en masse and, under the leadership of Karl Topia, cut down the pretender and his entire force in the battle of Acheloos.
In 1358, Karl rose against the rule of the Anjou and managed to drive them out of Durrës from Epirus and Albania. He ruled most of modern central Albania from 1358 to 1388 and claimed the title of princeps Albaniae.
Since 1362, Karl sought himself to set Durrës, which was in the possession of the Duchess Joanna of Anjou. The first, certainly still unsuccessful siege lasted from April 1362 until May 1363. Then, Topia had to withdraw his troops, who were weakened by an epidemic disease. Only in 1367 could Karl conquer Durrës, who had attained in the meantime the tacit agreement of the Venetians for his project and turn this important port into his residence.
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Wikipedia