Petrit Latifi

Although it is known who fortified the Ohrid Castle, the so-called “Samoil’s Castle” speaks of history denied by Macedonian historiography, which, contaminated by short-sighted political interests, in the name of Orthodoxy continues to appropriate even what does not belong to it, such as the truth of the medieval Albanian Gropaj family and the legacy it has left in the Lake Ohrid basin.

The Gropajs, Albanian noble family

Only with an objective approach can the understanding of the idea of ​​this taboo topic, which contains within it the narrative of a denied history, be completed. Through these historiographical, cultural and socio-historical elaborations on the Albanians in Macedonia, their Orthodox part will be reflected.

The centuries-old presence of Orthodox Albanians, documented for many centuries in these geographical areas, due to the neglect by various researchers, even today we lack the meritorious treatments regarding the fate and role of this community in Macedonia.

Historical chronicles say that the Gropajs were one of the oldest, but also the most prominent Albanian feudal families, whose descendants are mentioned for their exploits during the 13th century and especially during the 14th century. It is known that the princely family of the Gropajs ruled in the Lake Ohrid basin as a vassal of the Angevins since 1273.

As early as 1274, it has been proven that members of the Gropaj family were important members of the Albanian nobility of the Middle Ages. The family, originating from the Dibra district in northeastern Albania, later controlled several northwestern regions of Macedonia, mainly concentrated around Ohrid, Struga and Pogradec.

Not only the Albanian explanation of the anthroponym Gropa, which means hole, but also many different documents, prove the Albanian affiliation of this tribe with a medieval voice of the Lake Ohrid basin. And, not coincidentally, the capital of this family was the city of Ohrid, one of the most important contemporary cities of the Balkans.

Among the most prominent personalities of the Gropaj family, we would single out only three of them: Andrea, Pal and Zaharij Gropaj. Each of them has its role and weight in the history of that period of the Middle Ages still not sufficiently illuminated. In 1273, one of them, Pal Gropaj, was recognized by King Charles Anjou the right to own several villages in the Dibra region (including Zerqani), just as he had owned them under Byzantine rule.

Meanwhile, in 1380, another Gropaj is mentioned as the ruler (zhupan) of Ohrid and the donor of a rich church. In the documentation we find their descendants also connected with Skanderbeg. We are talking about Zaharij Gropaj, who as a prominent commander of that period distinguished himself in a series of battles in the Battle of Sfetigrad and the Battle of Vajkal.

Undoubtedly, the most prominent member of the Albanian noble family of the Middle Ages was Andrea Gropa, who ruled Ohrid during the years 1371-1385 and was at the same time one of the most prominent men of this city. During his rule, towards the middle of the 14th century, the city of Ohrid experienced a real architectural flourishing.

Evidence shows that during that time the construction of many churches and other buildings of Christian worship, but also other public buildings, was erected or completed. It is known that Andrea Gropa in 1378/9 became the founder (protector) of the church of St. Clement (St. Marai Preivlebta), founded by Progon Zgurraj.

But, what is most important to emphasize is the finding of prof. dr. Ivan Mikulčić that since in the early Middle Ages the settlement of Ohrid was not fortified, the castle that we see today belongs to the late Middle Ages. There is no doubt that the fortification of the Ohrid Castle, otherwise known among the Macedonian-speaking population as the Samoil’s Castle, was built in the 14th century.

There is also no doubt that the fortification is the work of Andrea Gropa, built according to the construction tradition influenced by European regions via the Adriatic coast. This tradition and fortification technique is also close to the walling technique of the Mespotami Monastery near Saranda in Albania. Andrea Gropa is the one who minted his own coin in the city of Ohrid, which proves that the Gropaj family was strongly consolidated in this city.

So far, four coins are known, of which three bear his name with the title of zhapnit (great), while one does not bear the title, which is assumed to have been minted when he was still a vassal of Vukashin. The Gropajs were protectors of the seat of the Archbishopric of Ohrid.
After the death of Skanderbeg, the Gropajs repeated what had happened to many important Albanian families.

A good part of them crossed the sea and settled in Southern Italy and other parts of Europe. Meanwhile, another part converted to Islam and, while preserving their properties, became pashas in Ohrid, Dibër, St.road, etc.

Assimilation and denial

The Albanian Orthodox community in Macedonia has been subjected to two unstoppable downpours for centuries. One has to do with assimilation and the other with denial. Assimilation is a process conditioned by many circumstances and as such becomes the main cause of the disappearance of any community, as happened with the Albanian Orthodox community in Macedonia.

This is how the assimilation processes and ethnic fusions that have occurred for centuries in Macedonia, which are related to historical, cultural, religious and ethno-political aspects, should be explained. But, denial is a different phenomenon, because it is deliberately done by various institutions or individuals to preserve or spread their “truth”.

By taking advantage of the assimilation processes, the new Macedonian state is strengthening the idea of ​​​​compactly building an ethno-cultural and religious identity, denying almost any other traces, especially Albanian ones. As a result of this denial, today the Albanian Orthodox community has been completely anathema, almost denying even the contribution of the Gropaj family.

All those cultural and religious good things, in the name of Orthodoxy, are being inherited by the Macedonians today, but just because of the Albanian origin of the Gropajs, much that is related to this noble family is not affirmed. This speaks volumes about the irrationality of the Macedonian “strategists”.