Written by Petrit Latifi
The Buzëzez
Among the Arbëro tribes that have consolidated and occupied a leading place in the political and economic life of the Middle Ages, we are acquainted with the Buzëzez from documents of the 14th century1. First, we find the sevast Tanush Buzëzesia of the 13th century, about whom the good expert on medieval Balkan history, Milan Shuflai, tells us that he is a member of the family with the same name in the territories of Shkodra.
The Buzëzez appear alongside the most prominent tribes and clans known in the Middle Ages. Eqrem Çabej says:
“The history of the Albanian tribes, i.e. the unwritten history of Albania, is still in the dark … after the Illyrian tribes that we know, the second place is occupied by the 13 tribes mentioned in 1304.”
Çabej also lists the Buzëzez among these tribes.1
“Philip, Prince and Despot of Taranto… To the Albos, Spatos, Catarucos, Bischesini, Aranitos, Lecenis, Turbaceos, Marchaseos, Scuras, Zeneuios, Bucceseos, Logorescos and Mateseos, his loyal ones, (wishes) health and sincere love. Since the love of your good will towards us has been revealed, through the representatives sent here to us, this love, through which you, with sincere conviction, intend to return and with persistence, to remain in loyalty and in the orders of the aforementioned prince, our father, the glorious king of Jerusalem and Sicily, such a return of yours is pleasing and acceptable to us, and with all your heart…”
The Buzëzezes had a territorial extension, in a part of the plain area of Zadrima, with their properties in the present-day Puka Highlands and they also owned the port of Shëngjin, together with the hilly massif on the sea coast, which today is called Mali Kolaj, up to Velipoje.
We do not know about this branch of the Arbër nobility for the 11th century and earlier whether they were a tribe with a wide spread in the aforementioned territories or a noble branch that had traditional privileges over this territory.
The title sevast, practiced by Byzantium, since the 11th century, shows that this tribe and its leader are an important political factor, since before the 11th century, when we know this branch affirmed in the ranks of the Albanian feudal aristocracy.
This large tribe, which extended in a territory where the inhabitants prioritized agriculture and auxiliary livestock, from the 11th to the 15th century, we know it divided into three branches 1) Bushati (Buza, Bus-sati), 2) Ziu (Zezaj, Kryeziu) and Renësi-Buzuku. We find some members of this branch, also with the name Buzëzezët of the 16th century. XIII, and at the beginning of the 1400s. These retain this old name of the door from which they are inherited, for the reason that they are settled far from the settlement site and according to custom, they are called by the name of the family from which they originate.
In this period, the 15th century, we know the Bushats, scattered throughout the villages of Zadrima and some suckers of this door, according to the custom of the Albanian feudal aristocracy, are settled in Shkodër.
In the glorious years of the war against the Ottoman invaders (the first half of the 15th century), the door of Buzëzezaj, we do not find active in political and military life, but we know the exploits of one of its branches, which emigrated to the Kingdom of Naples, by order of the General Captain of the Albanians, to help the ally of Skanderbeg.
The chronological overview of this door, from the 11th to the 15th century, must be seen in the context of the events of this region. The strengthening and emergence of noble doors, such as the Dukagjins, the Zaharias, the Spans, as seen from their properties, developed to the detriment of the Buzëzez. But more importantly, this powerful tribe was weakened by the invasion of the Serbian despots.
In 1348, Tsar Stefan Dushan, precisely the villages where we know that this door had its headquarters, donated to the monastery of Prizren:2
“I Stefan…(give to the monastery of Prizren…) the village of Zheravina (Ranas, J.B.) with vineyards and orchards and with all rights and the border is under Perje, from the Drini straight to the Cross of Koziçin and from the Cross to the house of Varshin and from the house of Varshin to the road of Juban and from the road to Fiku to Preshigjetë and from Preshigjetë straight to the poplar in Glina, from Glina straight to Pistolli, from Pistolli to the river Gjadr and along the Gjadr to the house of Çreljen, by the house to the square in Dorbarishka straight to Bogotir, from Bogotir to Kuçë, from Kuçë straight to the Drini…”
This seizure was not made without resistance. We do not know the chronology of events, but if there had not been clashes between the Buzëzezes and the Serbian invaders, then we would not have had these territories seized.
Even the rapid development that the Albanian door of Balsha had jve, which bowed the Albanian noble doors to vassalage, on the eve of and after the fall of the Serbian despots, has influenced the weakening of this door. This is the path, which did not allow this noble door time to strengthen and became a factor in the division and development of its three separate branches.
References
1). In the document of 1304, we have the name of the head of the tribe with the same name; Bucceseos, this name is read Buzëzezët. The document is published in; Acta et Diplomata res Albaniae media aetatis…, vol. I. Vindbonae, 1913, doc. 563, p. 166.
2). Milan Shuflai says, about this: “sevast Tanush Bezëzezia (1274), should be compared with Buzëzezi, which derives from the Buzëzezi tribe, which is mentioned in the cadastre of Shkodra of 1416”. M. Shuflai, Serbs and Albanians, Tirana 2002, p. 18-19. Tanush Bezëzezi appears in documents from 1274, see; Acta et diplomata…, doc. 333, p. 97.
3). Eqrem Çabej, Studime Gjuhësore, volume V, Prishtina 1975, p. 110. This statement of Çabej must be understood correctly, because there is no doubt that in the dark age of documents, when the Balkans suffered the invasions of peoples in the Illyrian lands, the dominant local population continued the Albanian ethno-cultural continuity, but we know little written data about these until the beginning of the 9th century.
4). Tanush Buzëzezi in the Treaty of Charles I of Anjou is mentioned alongside the well-known Albanian doors: Skura, Jonima, Topia, Araniti, etc. See; doc. 333, page 97 in; Acta et Diplomata … Vindobonae, 1913.
5). The document mentioned above is dated September 5, 1304. The title of the document states that: “…it secures the old privileges to the Albanians…”. So these families, these titles and privileges have had them since before, which shows the seniority of these families, who inherit privileges and titles. Initially, it is thought that they had their headquarters in the mountains, which lie in the hinterland of the Zadrima plain, where the door of the Blacks (Zezaj) continued to be preserved and inherited, in today’s Puka.
6). Regarding the title of sevast, which the Buzëzezes have, it can be said that they enjoyed it since the 11th century, when this title was granted by the Byzantine Empire.
7). The Venetian Cadastre of Shkodra, there are two families with this surname in the city of Shkodra.
Buza-Buzati
These three branches of a common trunk-tribe, in the 16th century, were united, but as we will see below, the shoots that were released became great trunks in the history of the Albanian North. On the one hand, the Bushats managed to create a state, the importance of which we will not analyze here, but we will only emphasize that the Bushats knew and managed to create a unity of the Albanian Islamic and Catholic population, which preserved and strengthened religious harmony for the benefit of national unity.
We first encounter the name Bushat as a surname in 1335; Paulus et Busat and in the same year Gon Busat, which is read Buzat. At the beginning of the 15th century, from the Venetian Cadastre, we see that the surname Buza-Bushati has not yet stabilized. This is very clearly seen from the registration of the heads of households of the village “Villa Sancto Auracio”. Although the registration was made by the same clerk, this surname was written once; Bencho Bussati and once, the same surname; Giergi Busati. In “Busati”, we are sure about the reading; Buzati, while in the first case we can read it; Bushati.
This uncertainty is commonly seen in this register, e.g. in the village of Grizhë (Grisa) we have again a resident; Giergi Busati (Buzati), in addition to numerous other cases with Bussati, which we can also read Bushat. Still in the year 1416-17, we do not know a village, with the name Buzati or Bushati, as it will appear in later centuries, Bushati with the neighborhood, where the heads of this door, Kryebushat, lived.
In this period, the 15th century, we know the Bushats, scattered throughout the villages of Zadrima and some suckers of this door, according to the custom of the Albanian feudal aristocracy, are located in Shkodër.
On the one hand, the Bushati managed to create a state, the importance of which we will not analyze here, but it should be emphasized that the Bushati managed to create a unity of the Albanian Islamic and Catholic population, which preserved and strengthened religious harmony for the benefit of national unity.
References
1). Various authors tell us that the name of the Arbëresh village Mbuzati of Calabria comes from the name Buza of an Albanian family, who settled here. Dominiko Zangari, Le colonie Italo Albanesi di Calabria, Editore Casello, Napoli 1941, p. 11.
2). Yes, in the Cadastre of Shkodra, we have residents of the city; Zorzi Bussati. Register of Cadastre and Concessions for the District of Shkodra 1416-17, Tirana, 1977, p. 25.
Zezët
The other suckling family of this ancient tribe, named Ziu (Zezaj), appears to us with its headquarters in the village of Zezaj, extending to the settlement of the present-day city of Puka, but there are also inhabitants with this name and from this family in the Zadrima plain, on both sides of the Drin.
The 15th century, when we recognize these branches of the mother tribe, is two centuries of continuity, with multiplication and division into branches, where from a tribal leader, with the high title of nobility sevast, now also for the branches, the title krye, (head) and zotni, for the separate doors, which were inherited, from this door of the Middle Ages, are preserved and proven.
For the Bushats we have “Kryebushats”, who have also given the name to a neighborhood of the village and for the Zi (Zezajs) we have Kryezez, who we know in this century (15th) and onwards, as lords and owners of the mountainous areas, which were part of the properties of the door of the Buzëzezëve, of the 11th centuries, until the dispersion of this community. The Zezajs were inherited as lords of the Dheu (province) of today’s Puka, with property and pastures of the Terbun Mountain.
But, in the division of property, centuries ago, they were also left a part of the Drin valley, which stretched from Karma to Danjë, where there are good pastures for the winter season. As evidence of this property, the toponym has also been preserved; The Kryezezët Mountain, in today’s Laç i Vadejë. This toponym speaks in favor of the clarification of the title of chief (krenë), which the Zezaj had, since the 13th-14th centuries3, when they separated as a brotherhood from the Buzëzezët maternal clan.
Of these pastures, some were sold to the highlanders of the Terbun area in the first years of the Turkish reforms, in the 19th century4, and some were inherited by an early branch of the Zezaj, who today bear the surname Laçaj. In Puka, in the Middle Ages, we have the center of residence (headquarters) of the Zezaj, where even today, the foundations of the church of the nobleman Pal Ziu (Zezë)5 can be seen.
We know the Zezaj as active participants in the Albanian Assemblies and in the church hierarchy6. This, Pal Zeza, is known by documentation, but also by oral tradition, as a rival and opponent of the Dukagjini princely clan.
The Door of the Blacks bears the typical medieval autochthonous name; Zezaj, the Head of the Blacks-Kryeziu. A branch of this door, since the early 1600s, broke away and settled in Gjakova, having a primary role in local government and at the foundation of the political and social organization of the area, preserving the inherited tradition, since before the Turkish invasion.
Another branch of the Kryeziu traditionally known, was accepted with the rights and title of medieval Albanian nobility; sir8 also by the Turkish government, in the early 1700s, moved from Puka (Zezaj village) to Iballe (Pukë district) and very soon moved towards the village with the medieval name Bardhet (Pukë), a village to which it gave its name, Kryeziu.
During the two centuries XVIII-XIX, this door had the institutional attributes of governance, according to the canonical traditions of the Three Mountains of Puka (Pukë, Iballe, Malzi). During these centuries, the only obligation of the inhabitants of this region to the Turkish invaders was to protect and maintain the Vadejs-Ura e Veziri (Kukës) road.
The inhabitants recognized and accepted the title and institution of the lord, according to the pre-Turkish tradition, and respected and responded to his call constantly, for the sake of unity and preservation of self-governing traditions.
We spoke briefly about the Buza-Bussati branch and the toponyms; Kryebushat (Shkodër) and Zezaj-Kryezezët, inherited from the Buzezët. Another branch of this ancient tribe is the Zamadhe Renësi-Buzuku tribe. They preserved in their surname Buz(a)-uku to distinguish themselves from the other Buza-Bussati branch, they also kept the surname Renësi, from the name of the village where they had their headquarters in their ancient settlement.
References
1). In the village of Sancto Auricio; Giergi Cruesio (p. 70), In Copenico, Pal Exi (Ziu), (p. 76), in Barbarossi, Zorzi Yzi (p. 123), in Valmi, Giergi Sesa (p. 141), in Reci, Marin Ysi (p. 141), etc. See: Catasto veneto di Scutari e registrum concessionum 1416-17, Scutari, 1940.
2). Even today it is inherited by the former inhabitants of the village of Pukë.
3). In memory of the former owners, the Zezajs, until the 19th century, the toponym was preserved in Laç i Mjeda; “Mali i Kryezezët”. Fuvlio Kordinjano (Cordignano, F). L’Albania traverso opera e gli scriti di un grande Missionario italiano il P. Domenico Pasi (1847-1914), Rome 1934, p. 396.
That we have the Kryezez with this surname is also proven by a document from the middle of the 15th century. On 18.03.1445 we have: “…The sons of Medon Kryeziu take the concession of Kazena…”, A.Q.Sh, Fondi “Urdheri Jezuit”, Zef Valentini, file 73, year 1929. See also; Shaban Sinani, Njëxundëmijë referenë për kulturën albanën, in the book; Kështëllë e Virtutit, Tirana 2001, p. 196.
4). Nikoll Lleshi, Gomsiçja në Histori e Etnoloji, “Geer”, Tirana 2001, p. 7v.
5). The Puka Mosque is built, according to oral tradition and archaeological traces, on the foundations of the church of Pal e Boç Ziu. See the notes below.
6). In the Dukagjini assembly of 1601-2, Shtjefën (Teta) Zezaj is among the main leaders of the Zadrimë-Lezha region. We are quoting the document: “…The enlightened bishop of Sapa, Gjon Bardhi, Teta i Zi (Tetta Issi), Leka Kola, elders and first leaders of the Zadrima region with all of Lezha, and other leaders”. L. Ugolini, Studies and texts, Legal Department, Volume I, Florence 1944, doc. no. 227. In these same years we have Dom Pjetër Zezaj (Pietro Isio abate di S. Paolo) writer (secretary) of the Letter of the Albanian Leaders addressed to King Philip of Spain, ibid., doc. 377. List of members of the Zezaj family is very long during the 16th-19th centuries, we mentioned only these.
7). The Austro-Hungarian consul Teodor Ippen tells us: “A church ruin, located in Puka, is from the pre-Turkish period, that is, medieval…”, Old Albania, Tirana, 2002, p. 58. While the author Gopçeviç, in the book published in Leipzig, in 1881, on the history of Albania, on page 228, says: “…In Dukagjin, near Puka are the ruins of a castle, which was inhabited by the Albanian prince Paolo Zenta (Pal Ziu)…”
Another Albanologist, H. Hecquard, in the work published in Paris, in 1858, Histoire et description de la Haute Albanie ou Guegarie, on page 218, writes: “…Near Puka, there is the castle inhabited by Pal Zenta. Some families, who live near these ruins, enjoy great respect and consideration and claim to be the descendants of this prince, adding his name to their names, they are now Mohammedans”.
8). “The word zot, zotni, does not have the meaning of god, but the content “lord”. This should be distinguished as a careful preservation of a classical politeness, and we accept that the appellation “zot” is an early oral heritage”. Sh. Sinani, Kënga e Gjorg Golemit dhe cikl i Skanderbeut, published in the collection “Çermenika”, Tirana 2004, p. 90-97.
Other references
Excerpt from the Book: “Kronikë e derës së Gjon Buzukut” by the author
Jaho Brahaj.
Balkan Academia 