Gropa family

The Gropa family was an Albanian noble family which ruled the region between Pogradec, Ohrid and Debar in the period 12th — 14th century.[3]

Gropa
Crest of Gropa Family[1]
Country Kingdom of Sicily (fl. 1273)
 Serbian Empire (1355-1371)
Vassal to Mrnjavčević family[2]
League of Lezhë (1444-1479)
Foundedbefore 1242[3]
Final rulerZacharia Gropa
TitlesGospodar (lord)
Estate(s)(eastern Albania and western Macedonia);

The region between Pogradec, Ohrid and Debar:

  • Ohrid (1377-1385)
Dissolution1467 (emigration to Italy)[3]

In the 13th century members of Gropa family were Catholics, but in the 14th century they converted to Orthodoxy because of the political relations with Archbishopric of Ohrid.[4] Pal Gropa, a nobleman of the Kingdom of Albania was given extended privileges by Charles I of Naples on May 18, 1273: "nobili viro sevasto Paulo Gropa »casalia Radicis maioris et Radicis minons, пeс non Cobocheste, Zuadigorica, Sirclani et Craye, Zessizan sitam in valle de Ebu".[5][6] A member of Gropa family, Andrea Gropa, ruled the region and the city of Ohrid as a vassal to King of Serbia Vukašin Mrnjavčević until his death in 1371 and later to Vukašin's son Prince Marko. After a while he became semi-independent from Prince Marko and was referred to as Župan and Gospodar of Ohrid (Lord of Ochrid).

After Andrea's death his lands were again under direct Marko's rule.

Zacharia Gropa is mentioned by Athanase Gegaj as one of the military commanders of Skanderbeg's forces.[7]

Members

References
  1. Heraldika Shqiptare, Gjin Varfi, 2000, ISBN 978-9992731857 http://www.abebooks.com/9789992731857/Heraldika-Shqiptare-Varfi-Gjin-9992731850/plp
  2. Srejović;Gavrilović;Ćirković 1982, p. 24: "Андрија Гропа, пре маричке битке несумњиво вазал Мрњавчевића"
  3. Vlora 1956, 5. Gropa Archived 2012-01-27 at the Wayback Machine: "The sphere of influence of the Gropas was no doubt concentrated in the region between Pogradec, Ohrid and Dibra. They seem to have ruled in that area for two centuries"
  4. Bulgarian historical review 2003, p. 177
  5. Sufflay 1925, p. 126
  6. Lala 2008, p. 20
  7. Gegaj, Athanase (1937). L'Albanie et l'Invasion turque au XVe siècle (in French). Universite de Louvain. p. 117. Retrieved 24 March 2012. l'intention d'y livrer une bataille décisive (i) ; mais Scanderbeg se retira plus loin, dans les montagnes ... un autre contingent fut confié à Moïs Dibra et le troisième à plusieurs chefs, dont Pietro Emanueli et Zaccaria Gropa.

Sources
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