Myzeqe

The Myzeqe (myzɛˈcɛ; Myzeqeja; Muzachia) is a plain in the Western Lowlands of Albania. The Myzeqe is the largest and widest plain, measured by area, in the Lowlands. The Myzeqe plain is a large alluvial plain traversed by three main rivers, the Shkumbin, Seman and Vjosë. The Vjosë gives a rough approximation of the southern extent of the Myzeqe, while the Shkumbin is roughly its northern extent. Administratively, the region falls mainly within Lushnjë and Fier District. Other terms like Myzeqeja e Vogël (Small Myzeqe), Myzeqeja e Beratit (Berat's Myzeqe), or Myzeqeja e Vlorës (Vlora's Myzeqe) are used to point respectively to the Fier part of the region, and to tiny parts that fall into the adjacent districts of Berat and Vlorë. It stretches 65 km north–south and 50 km east–west, with a total area of around 1350 square kilometers. The oldest population to inhabit the Myzeqe plain are the Albanian tribe of the Lalë. The name of the region comes from the Medieval times, it is named after the ruling family of Muzaka (1280 – 1600) which possessed the area. The toponym is first recorded as Musachia in 1417. In antiquity, the Greek colony of Apollonia was founded near the coast. The site of Apollonia lay on the territory of the Taulantii, a cluster of Illyrian tribes that remained closely involved with the settlement for centuries and lived alongside the Greek colonists. The Taulantii controlled much of the plain of Myzeqe in classical antiquity. In the Middle Ages, and was ruled by various Albanian noble families including the Skuraj and Muzaka families. At various times it was included in the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire, often with the local ruling families serving as vassals to the rulers of the realm. Plenty of Slavic language toponyms are present in Myzeqe. In the late 13th century the area came under the rule of the officially Catholic and French-tied Angevin Kingdom of Albania. At first, relations were bad between the kingdom's rulers and the local nobility, and at times the nobility, such Gjin Muzaka, collaborated with the Byzantines against the kingdom.