Niko Rogo (alb. Nikë Rroga) was a successful merchant from Ulqin working in Kotor. He left distinct marks in the city. He had a brother Marin, also living (and married to Baranka Stan) in Kotor. Niko’s first wife was Anukla from Kotor, second Kristina, daughter of Zamira from Venice. It was also her second marriage; first husband was Marco Piero.
How do we know that Niko Rogo was an Albanian and not a Slav?
We know this by the fact that the name “Niko Rogo” exists among Albanians of Gjirokaster.
“… Niko Rogo , Ziso Kote , Mihal Kaso , Elvira Shapllo , Saide Kallfa , Sotir Joanidhi ; redaktimi : Arqile Bërxholi . KOLONJA : Aleks Gjergo , Vangjel Qirjazi , Anesti Tilka , Jorgji Qirijako , Skënder Aliu , Pe- rikli Kere ; redaktimi …”1
We also find the name here in “Fjalor enciklopedik shqiptar, page 1578:
“… Niko Rogo . Malësi në trevat e rretheve të Dibrës , Matit dhe Mirditës me majën më të lartë Kunora e Lurës. Është e ndërtuar kryesisht nga shkëmbinj ultra- bazikë dhe gëlqerorë . Relievi është shumë i copëtuar nga përrenj …”2
Women from Ulqin
“Among the women from Ulcinj was Marija, the niece of the priest Marin, whom her uncle married to Miha, the son of Pask Hramol from Kotor. The priest also gave his nephew a dowry, an inheritance from his mother, i.e. a house, four vineyards, an olive grove, three plots of land and 115 perper.”
Albanian Mekša (Mjeksha) family from Ulqin
The name Mjeksha is also of Albanian origin:
“Prishtina, Podujeva and Kamenica also used the anthroponyms: Biba, Bujak, Duka, Gan, Gec, Han, Malushat, Matko), Milko, Meksha/Mjeksha, Pavao, Ruk, Rus and Rush (for the names of others see also chapter 2. 1.) as well as the surnames Baliq, Baoshiq, Beshiq, Bushatovic, Govorkovic, Lekiq and Vranaj.”3
“Two brothers from the Mekša family married two sisters from the Tano family from Ulcinj. Urban Mekša got engaged to Slavuša, the daughter of Mah Marin’s Tano, who lived in Dubrovnik. We learn about the marriage from a document on the sale of a vineyard in Kotor worth 500 perper, which Tano gave to his son-in-law and father-in-law Marin as a dowry. The entire dowry was 1000 perper. Urban’s brother Simko married the sister of his daughter-in-law Slavuša and took the dowry, which consisted of a house with a garden in Kotor, 200 perperas in money and 150 aksadja of gold according to the Kotor custom.”
Marinko Boni of Ulqin
“The son of the noble Tonko Vrakjen, Matko, married Clara Maria, daughter of Marinko de Buoni from Ulcinj. The marriage was concluded with the mediation of Tonk and the priest Mihailo, Tonk’s second son and Matko’s brother. Maria’s dowry was, considering the origin of the groom, small – only 364 perper in money and things, and the question arises – why. It may be an illegitimate son, but there are no hints about that. There were many cases where illegitimate origins were covered up in documents.”
Marin Belca and Val, son of Nikola Basti, from Ulqin
“Prvoslava, daughter of Matej Saran from Kotor, got engaged to Andrija, son of Marin Belca from Ulcinj, with a huge dowry of 1000 perper, 50 aksadji of gold and dresses – according to the custom of noble women. The dowry is payable for up to three years, if Andrew wants to take it (si post dictum tempus ipse Andreas vellet accipere Pervoslavam), that is, if the marriage is concluded and consummated. In this case, the family delayed the payment of the dowry until the groom took his wife home, while in other cases the dowry, or part of it, was given even before that.
Vlade, daughter of Trifon Belecija from Kotor, also married Val from Ulcinj, son of Nikola Basti (alb. Nikolla Basti).”
References
- https://www.google.se/books/edition/Fjalor_enciklopedik_shqiptar/NDNBAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Niko+Rogo&dq=Niko+Rogo&printsec=frontcover ↩︎
- https://www.google.se/books/edition/Fjalor_enciklopedik_shqiptar_H_M/G_wnAQAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=Niko+Rogo&dq=Niko+Rogo&printsec=frontcover ↩︎
- https://www.ashak.org/repository/docs/2015.6.4_KERKIMEONOMASTIKE_165148.pdf ↩︎
Balkan Academia 