Petrit Latifi

The Medieval Albanians as Ethnic Entity

Despite the absence of nation-states in medieval Europe, relevant sources have demonstrated that “nationalistic” sentiments existed among the peoples both in Byzantium and Western Europe during the Middle Ages.

In both versions of the Chronicle of loannina and on more than one occasion, the Albanians have been identified collectively as one ethnic entity by the term “genos”, and on several occasions as a “very bad race” (γένος κάκιστον), although in an effort to demonstrate objectivity, the chronicler used the expression “ἐπειδὴ ἔλεγον” (“that is what people said”):

And in the Ioannina there were many merchants and great lords and all kinds of things were done, who, in order not to fall into the hands of the Albanians (because they said that they were a bad race) … (Epitome 79, 11. 14-19)

The “bad nature” of the Albanian race is also highlighted in the description of how in 1355, immediately after the death of Stephen Dusan, Thomais’s brother, Nikephoros II, invaded with his troops the region and tried to re-establish the Roman Greeks who were chased from Vlachia by the Serbs and from Aetolia by the cantankerousness and maliciousness of the Albanians:

And in the Ioannina there were many merchants and great lords and all sorts of things were done, who, in order not to fall into the hands of the Albanians (because they said that they were a bad race) …

In 1360, avoiding conflict with the Albanian forces and admitting thus their military superiority, Symeon Uroś left in their hands Aetolia, which was divided between two rulers belonging to the Albanian race (genos), namely Gjin Bouas Spatas, who became Despot of Acheloos and Angelokastron, and Peter Liosas who was made Despot of Arta, Rogoi and the region of Amphilochia:

…and the entire province of Aetolia is divided into two; and two of the Albanian tribes stand out as despots, ….

In the framework of the Albanian attack against Ioannina in 1375, the Chronicler defines the Despot Spatas and his men collectively by using the term “γενεᾶς αὐτοῦ, τῶν Ἀλβανιτῶν”, with the meaning “Spatas and the Albanians of his own race” or perhaps, more precisely “of his own clan”.

But the despot Spatas did not always cease raids against Thomas with his generation, the Albanians….

In the following example, the meaning of the term γενεά almost certainly may be defined as clan because it identifies specific groups, organised as clans, with their collective names, Mazarakaioi and Malakasaioi, which referred to their chiefs.

And Petros Liosas, according to him, campaigned three times with the Mazarakaians and Malakasians of his generation.

The Chronicle(s) provide rich and detailed information on the Albanians’ continuous attacks and destructive invasions in Epiros and campaigns against Epirote cities:

• In 1359 in Acheloos, with the help of the Turks, Nikephoros II fought against the Albanians and lost his life after only three years of ruling (1355-1359).
  
• Responding to the request of the citizens of Ioannina to appoint a new Despot and protect them from the Albanians, Symeon Uroś assigned his son-in-law, the Serb Thomas Preljubović (1367-1384), who arrived with his wife, Maria Angelina Palaiologina, in 1367 in Ioannina as the city’s Despot. However, according to the Chronicler, by accepting Thomas as their ruler, the citizens of Ioannina fell victims of their own misjudgement:

For the Ioannitai came astray, turning upon themselves a great evil; for, fleeing the service of the Albanians, great evils surrounded themselves.

As Despot, throughout both versions of the Chronicle, Thomas is described as a wicked and merciless sadist and murderer. On other occasions, he is portrayed as a greedy and avaricious man, and he is condemned as being tyrannical and cruel because of his actions against Church, archontes, soldiers and individuals (Nicol 1984:144-145; cf. also Thekla Sansaridou-Hendrickx 2010).

Reference

The Albanians in the Chronicle(s) of loannina: An Anthropological Approach