Albanian nobility

The Albanian nobility was an elite hereditary ruling class in Albania, parts of the western Balkans and later in parts of the Ottoman world. The Albanian nobility was composed of landowners of vast areas, often in allegiance to states like the Byzantine Empire, various Serbian states, the Republic of Venice, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Naples in addition to the Albanian principalities. They often used Byzantine, Latin or Slavic titles, such as sebastokrator, despot, dux, conte and zupan. The Muzaka family was loyal to the Byzantine Empire. For their loyalty to Byzantium, the head of the family Andrea II Muzaka gained the title of Despot in 1335, while other Muzakas continued to pursue careers in Byzantine administration in Constantinople. Principality of Arbanon The first Albanian state in the Middle Ages it was ruled by the Progoni family and extended from the Drin river to the southern boundary of the Ohrid lake. Its rulers were known in Catholic sources with the titles of judices, while in Byzantine ones the titles mentioned are those of the grand archon and the panhypersebastos. When Durrës was captured by the Kingdom of Serbia, Milutin was titled the King of Albania while his rule was occasionally recognized by Albanian noblemen around Durrës. Many Albanian noblemen were included in the feudal hierarchy of the Kingdom of Serbia and had titles and privileges of župans, voivodas or kaznacs. Albanian nobility was included into hierarchy of the feudal system of Serbian Empire without any discrimination and participated in the work of the highest government institutions, where Albanian archons had the same rights as the Serbian nobility had. Serbian emperor wanted to gain the support of the Albanian nobility so he confirmed the privileges Kruje had been granted by the Byzantine Empire. A decisive point of the relation of Albanian nobility with Ottoman Empire was the Battle of Savra in 1385. After the Battle of Savra Albanian nobility became vassals of the Ottoman Empire.