Noble family Arianiti Children Gjergj Arianiti | Religion Christianity | |
Occupation Vassal of the Republic of Venice Grandchildren Saint Angelina of Serbia, Donika Kastrioti Great grandchildren Gjon Kastrioti II, Đorđe Branković, Jovan Branković Similar Gjergj Arianiti, Donika Kastrioti, Saint Angelina of Serbia | ||
Komnen Arianiti (fl. 1392–1407) was an Albanian nobleman of the Arianiti family, who held an area in central Albania around Durrës. His son Gjergj became a prominent leader of the Ottoman-Albanian wars.
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Life
The Albanian Academy treats him as the same person as Comin Spata (Albanian: Komin Spata), who was mentioned between 1392 and 1407. That name appears in the Venetian archives. Gjergj Arianiti was also mentioned in contemporary documents as Aranit Spata. It is unclear whether the Arianiti adopted it through intermarriage with the Spata family of central Albania or as a toponymic derived from the region of Shpat, which they held in the Middle Ages. Unclear is also his relation to the Komnenos dynasty; he may have inherited it from a paternal female ancestor that lived in the early-to-mid 13th century or adopted it as other Arianiti kinsmen in order to strengthen his claims.
His domains are mentioned in contemporary Venetian sources as areas located in the vicinity of Durazzo (Durrës) (in partibus Durrachii).
Family
Arianiti was married to a daughter of Nikollë Zaharia. His three sons were Gjergj, Muzakë (father of Moisi Golemi) and Vladan. His daughter was married to Niketa Thopia (according to Dhimitër Shuteriqi) or Pal Dukagjini (according to Skënder Anamali).