Spani family

The Spani (or Span family) was a northern Albanian noble family and clan.[2] The center of the family was Drivast, which it ruled holding the titles of Duke and Count. In the late 15th century, a large part of it settled in Venetian territories, primarily Venice itself and Dalmatia. Members of this family lived in a wider region ranging from northern Albania and Montenegro to western Kosovo.

Spani family
MembersPeter Spani, Alessio Span
Estate(s)Drivast[1]

History

The Spani family was of Greek origin.[3][4] The surname Span or Spani probably derives from the Greek word spanos (beardless).[4][5] In Croatia and Serbia, the surname is transliterated as Spanić and Spanović. Serbian historians including J. Erdeljanović and Petar Šobajić linked the surname with the descendants of the Romanized Illyrian population of Montenegro, although that is considered unlikely as the name is neither related to a particular population nor are all its bearers related.[2]

As a family with noble status, the Spanis first appear in 1304–1305 as part of the nobility of the Angevin Kingdom of Albania.[6] The territories the family ruled varied from time to time, but Drivast seems to have been their center.[5] In the 1380s, the Balšići had taken over Spani territory, along with much of the rest of northern Albania, all the way to Mirdita and Alessio.[7]

After Alfonso V (r. 1416–1458) signed the Treaty of Gaeta with the Albanian leader Skanderbeg in 1451, he signed similar treaties with other chieftains from Albania: Gjergj Arianiti, Gjin Musachia, George Strez Balšić, Peter Spani, Paul Dukagjini, Thopia Musachi, Peter of Himara, Simon Zenevisi and Carlo Tocco who were all, like Skanderbeg, recognized as vassals of the Kingdom of Naples.[8] In the early subdivisions of Albania during the Ottoman era, the region ruled by Pjetër Spani was known in Ottoman Turkish as Petrishpani or I-shpani.[9][10] Of the branches that migrated to Venetian territories, the one in Venice became extinct by the late 16th century, while the Dalmatian branch mainly found in Korčula was elevated into the ranks of local nobility. In 1455, during the Ottoman conquest of Novo Brdo, Alessio Spani (Serbian: Љеш Спановић) was the last Serbian despot's voivode in the town.[11]

Members

A branch of the family claimed descent from several imperial Byzantine families. In Gjon Muzaka's 1510 work Breve memoria de li discendenti de nostra casa Musachi, Alessio Span is mentioned as a descendant of Emperor Theodosius, although it is unclear to whom it refers as there were three Byzantine emperors named Theodosius.

Marin and his descendants

At the beginning of the 15th century, most notable members of Span family were Marin and his son Peter.[12] Peter's father Marin is mentioned in 1409 as already dead.[13] In 1415, Peter did not have any sons so he decided that he will be inherited by his nephew Marin, a son of his brother Brajko, and ceded several fortresses to him.[14][15] When the Venetians recaptured Drivast in 1442, Peter Span lost all of his possessions.[16]

Peter's brother, Stefan,[17] was appointed by Venetians as the lord of village Podgora in 1406.[18][19] After Podgora was given to Hoti, Venetians compensated this lost to Stefan and gave him two small villages (Bistriola and Charochi).[20] When Balša III died in 1421, Stefan joined Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarević who recognized his rule over three villages in Drivast.[21]

Marin Span was commander of Skanderbeg's forces which lost fortress Baleč to Venetian forces in 1448 during Skanderbeg's war against Venice. Marin and his soldiers retreated toward Dagnum after being informed by his relative Peter Span about the large Venetian forces heading toward Baleč.[22]

List of notable members
  • Nikša Span[23]
    • Dominika (married in November 1400).
    • Peter
  • Marin Span (died before 1409), one of the most notable members of Span family at the beginning of the 15th century.
    • Peter Span
    • Stefano Span, of Greek origin, was a 15th-century nobleman in Drivast.[1]
    • Brajko Span (died before 1415).
      • Marin Span, nephew and successor of Peter Span, was one of Skanderbeg's military commanders.
  • Alessio Span (1442–1495), diplomat of Venice.
  • Pjetër Spani, Bishop of Bar from 1422–1423 to 1448.
  • Peter Spani, who for a period was a member of the League of Lezhë.
  • Nikola Spanić, Croatian author, magister and bishop of Korčula from 1673 to 1707.[2]

References

Citations
  1. Schmitt 2001, p. 128: "Stefano Span (griechischer Herkunft; im 15 Jahrhundert Drivastiner patrizier)".
  2. Zemaljski Muzej Bosne i Hercegovine 1971.
  3. Božić 1980, p. 37: "СПАНИ — ШПАЊЕ Приказано на V скупу Одељења историјских наука 15. септембра 1976 Спани су били разграната породица грчког порекла, коjа је у XV веку имала извесну улогу у друштвеном и политичном животу северне Албаније."
  4. Šufflay 1925, p. 134: "Toj skupštini pribiva i katolički Arbanas Petar Span, moćan pro* nijar oko Skadra i Drivosta. Obitelj ova Span, de Span, Hi* spanus, Spanović podrijetlom je grčka (σπανός znači ćosat, bezbrad, pogrdna riječ kod sredovječnih Grka)."; Šufflay 1924, p. 45: "Die mächtigen Span von Drivasto waren ursprünglich griechische Großhändler in Skodra."
  5. Demiraj & Camaj 2010, p. 544.
  6. Lala 2008, p. 147.
  7. Frashëri 2002, p. 33
  8. Noli 1947, p. 49: "Later on Alphonse concluded similar treaties with George Araniti, Ghin Musachi, George Stresi Balsha, Peter Spani, Paul Ducaghini,..."
  9. Pulaha 1968, p. 338
  10. Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë 1985, p. 354
  11. Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti 1980, p. 57.
  12. Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti 1980, p. 39: "Најистакнутије личности међу Спанима почетком XV века били су Марин и његов син Петар".
  13. Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti 1980, p. 39: "Петров отац Марин се помиње 1409 год као покојник".
  14. Božić 1979, p. 281: "Петар Спан уступио je тврђаве Петра свом братићу Марину, Senato Misti LI, 44 V° (1415)".
  15. Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti 1980, p. 39: "Сам тај Петар ни 1415 није имао мушких потомака па је истицао као свог наследника нећака Марина, сина већ преминутог Брајка."
  16. Božić 1979, p. 281: "Када су Млечани поново загосподарили градом, изгубио je све."
  17. Bešić 1970, p. 91: "...затим браћу Петра и Стефана Спана...[...and brothers Petar and Stefan Span...]"
  18. Božić 1979, p. 277: "Стефан Спан, „скадарски племић", најпре je 1406. био постављен за главара великог села Подгоре,..."
  19. Bojović 1991, Marica Malović-Đukić, "Pilot u Srednjem Veku": "Стефан Спан je био главар села Подгоре...Стефан и Петар Спан били су браћа. [Stefan Span was lord of village Podgora...Stefan and Peter Span were brothers.]"
  20. Božić 1979, p. 358: "Стефан je најпре био главар великог села Под-горе (од 1406), a када je то село уступљено Хотима, добио je два мала села (Bistriola и Charochi),"
  21. Božić 1979, p. 281: "После смрти Балше III, Стефан Спан ce придружио српском деспоту, који му je признао три села у подручју Дриваста."
  22. Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti 1980, p. 39: "...да поруше обновљени Балеч с таквим снагама као да је у питању највећа тврђава. То је Петар Спан јавио свом рођаку Марину и овај је у последњем тренутку сакупио војнике и спустио се према Дању".
  23. Novak 1998, p. 104: "По други пут женио се са Домиником, кћерком Никше Спана из Дриваста која му је у мираз донела 200 перпера а то јој је обезбедио брат Петар."

Sources
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  • Bešić, Zarij M. (1970). Istorija Črne Gore: Od Kraja XII do Kraqja XV Vijeka (in Serbian). Titograd: Redakčija za Istoriju Črne Gore.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Bojović, Jovan R. (1991). Stanovništvo Slovenskog Porijekla u Albaniji: Zbornik Radova sa Međunarodnog Naučnog Skupa Održanog u Cetinju 21, 22. i 23. Juna 1990 (in Serbian). Titograd: Istorijski Institut SR Crne Gore.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Božić, Ivan (1980) [1976]. "Спани - Шпање". Glas (in Serbian). Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts. OCLC 183333221.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Božić, Ivan (1979). Nemirno Pomorje XV Veka (in Serbian). Belgrade: Srpska Književna Zadruga. OCLC 5845972.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Demiraj, Bardhyl; Camaj, Martin (2010). Wir sind die Deinen: Studien zur albanischen Sprache, Literatur und Kulturgeschichte, dem Gedenken an Martin Camaj (1925-1992) gewidmet (in German). Wiesbaden: Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. ISBN 978-3-447-06221-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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  • Lala, Etleva (2008). "Regnum Albaniae, the Papal Curia, and the Western Visions of a Borderline Nobility" (PDF). Budapest: Central European University, Department of Medieval Studies. Retrieved 21 January 2012.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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