Ruđina Balšić (Serbian Cyrillic: Руђина Балшић, Albanian: Rugjina Balsha; fl. 1396–1420) was a Zetan noblewoman and ruled upon today Montenegro and Albanian territory from the Balšić family. She married Mrkša Žarković and inherited his realm, the Principality of Valona, when he died in 1414. After unsuccessful negotiations to sell her duchy to the Venetians, the Ottomans captured it in 1417. Ruđina fled Valona to Zeta where she was governess of Budva from 1418. In 1420, during the Second Scutari War, she surrendered Budva to the Venetians without any resistance and moved to Dubrovnik with the town's treasury.
Ruđina Balšić Rugjina Balsha | |
|---|---|
| Reign | 1414 – 1417 |
| Predecessor | Mrkša Žarković |
| captured by | Ottoman Empire |
| Noble family | Balšić |
| Spouse(s) | Mrkša Žarković |
| Father | Balša II |
| Mother | Komnena Asen |
Family and marriage
edit
Ruđina (or Rugina, Rudina) was the daughter of Balša II, the lord of Zeta (1378–85), and Komnena Asen daughter of John Komnenos Asen. In 1391 Ruđina married nobleman Mrkša Žarković.[1] Their marriage was blessed by the Archbishop of Ohrid, although it was seen as noncanonical because they were close relatives.[2] In 1397 she and her mother were given citizenship of the Republic of Ragusa.[3]
Duchess of Valona, Kanina, Himare and Berat
editAfter her husband's death in 1414, Ruđina inherited control over Valona (Vlorë) and held it until it fell to the Ottomans in 1417.[4] She offered Valona to the Republic of Venice in exchange for 10,000 ducats. The Venetians were interested in gaining control over Valona in order to prevent the Ottomans from controlling entrance into the Adriatic Sea. While the Venetians prolonged negotiations with Ruđina hoping to get a better price, the Ottomans captured Valona in June 1417.[5]
Governess of Budva
editAfter the Ottoman conquest of Valona, Ruđina had to flee, first to Corfu[5] and then to Zeta, which was ruled by her nephew, Balša III, who entrusted her with the governorship of the coastal town of Budva in 1418.[6][7] When the Venetians sent a naval squadron to the port of Budva in 1419 during the Second Scutari War, Ruđina surrendered the town without any resistance and fled to the Republic of Ragusa (Dubrovnik) with the town's treasury.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ Veselinović & Ljušić 2008, p. 94.
- ^ Grozdanov, Krsteski & Alčev 1980, p. 23.
- ^ Purković 1956, p. 55.
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 391.
- ^ a b umetnosti 1983, p. 65.
- ^ Gavrilović 1981, p. 96.
- ^ Мишић 2010, p. 62.
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 516.
- ^ Pavle Mijović; Mirko Kovačević (1975). Gradovi i utvrđenja u Crnoj Gori. Arheološki institut. p. 101.
Sources
edit- Fine, John V. A. (1994). The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08260-4.
- Gavrilović, Slavko (1981). Istorija srpskog naroda. Vol. 2. Srpska književna zadruga. pp. 11, 13, 16, 48, 109–110, 166, 174, 177.
- Grozdanov, Cvetan; Krsteski, Ǵorǵi; Alčev, Petar (1980). Ohridsko zidno slikarstvo XIV veka. Institut za istoriju umetnosti, Filozofski fakultet.
- Мишић, Синиша (2010). Лексикон градова и тргова средњовековних српских земаља: према писаним изворима. Завод за уџбенике. ISBN 978-86-17-16604-3.
- Purković, Miodrag Al (1956). Princeze iz kuće Nemanjića. AV ALA printing and publishing.
- umetnosti, Srpska akademija nauka i (1983). Glas.
- Veselinović, Andrija; Ljušić, Radoš (2008). Srpske dinastije. Službene glasink. ISBN 978-86-7549-921-3.