Dagnum

Dagnum (Albanian: Danjë or Dejë, Serbian: Danj, Italian: Dagno) was an important medieval fortress in contemporary Albania.

History

It is known that in 1395, Konstantin Balšić captured Dagnum, however, lost it to his relative, Đurađ II Balšić, Lord of Zeta. By 1396, however, Koja Zakarija, an Ottoman vassal, conquered Dagnum.

After mistakenly heard that the Turkish Sultan, Murad II, had died, Gjergj Arianite raised a large rebellion against the Turks in 1433. Nikollë Dukagjini, however, took advantage of this rebellion and conquered his family's former lands, accepting Venetian suzerainty. He yielded Dagnum to Venice. Venice soon learned that Sultan Murad was actually alive. Fearing that Venice would be provoking the Ottomans, they broke all relations with Dukagjini, and transferred Dagnum to Turkish hands by 1435.

Members of the Albanian League of Lezhë, Nikollë Dukagjini and Lekë Zakarija, lord of Dagnum, were in dispute over who should marry Irene Dushmani, the only child of Lekë Dushmani, prince of Zadrima. The Albanian princes were invited to the wedding of Skënderbeg's younger sister, Mamica, who was getting married to Muzaka Thopia in 1445. Irene entered and hostilities soon began. Dukagjini asked Irene to marry him, but a drunken Zakarija saw this and assaulted Dukagjini. Some of the nobles attempted to end the fight, but this only led to more people being involved and resulted in many deaths until peace was established. Neither of the two antagonists had suffered any physical damage, but Dukagjini was morally humiliated. In an act of revenge, Dukagjini ambushed and killed Zakarija in 1447.

This resulted in the town's hostility towards the Albanian League. Venice quickly sent a force into Dagnum and the local population gave their support to Venice, including Zakarija's mother. Venice then set out to capture the rest of Zakarija's holdings, including Sati, Gladri and Dushmani, with Zakarija's mother's agreement. Skënderbeg had ordered the return of these towns, and Drivast, to Albanian hands, however, Venice refused. The Albanian League sent envoys to their northern neighbors, Principality of Zeta (under Stefanica Crnojević) and the Despotate of Serbia (under Đurađ Branković) to aid the League against their Venetian enemies. Branković expressed his willingness to help against Venice, however, made it clear he would not aid against their common Ottoman enemies.

Skënderbeg ordered the invasion of Dagnum in 1447. The Venetians, however, saw this city as important, more important in fact than their anti-Ottoman war. Venice offered an award to anyone who could assassinate Skënderbeg. Venice even sent out envoys to the Ottomans to attack Albania once more.

Skënderbeg, however, heard that Venice sent out a force to protect Dagnum. He then left a small force to continue the siege on the city. In the meantime, Skënderbeg marched from the town to meet the Venetian army at the Drin River. What would be known as the Battle of the Drin in 1448, the Albanian army defeated the Venetians.

Venetian presence was reduced to small garrisons within several walled cities, including Dagnum. The Venetians opened up negotiations for peace with the Albanians in Alessio and peace was signed between the various representatives of both parties on 4 October 1448. The signatories agreed that Venice would pay 1.400 ducats a year to Skënderbeg and his male heirs and that Dagnum and all lands surrounding it would be relinquished to Venice.

Lekë Dukagjini fought the Venetians over the control of Dagnum since 1456. In 1456, Dukagjini captured the city, but Venice retook the city by August 1457. Dukagjini finally made peace with Venice in 1459, however it is unknown whether he accepted Venetian control of the city.

In 1474, the Ottoman Turks directed an attack against Crnojević Zeta and Venetian Zeta (around Lake Scutari). This war directly led to Ottoman conquest of the city from Venetian hands. The Ottomans had no intentions of retaining the city, but were content to demolish its fortifications.

References