The Dushmani family was an Albanian

Albanians

Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...

 feudal family, which ruled during the 14th and 15th centuries a territory in northern Albania

Albania

Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...

, from Zadrima plain

Zadrima

Zadrima is a region in the Shkodër District, Albania. It lays mostly in the Zadrima Plain....

 to Albanian Alps.

History

They are mentioned first in the middle of the fourteenth century in Venetian charters, as vassals of Balšić. One member of the family, Gjin Dushmani has been mentioned together with other Albanian feudals, as a commander of Albanian auxiliary troops in the Battle of Ankara

Battle of Ankara

The Battle of Ankara or Battle of Angora, fought on July 20, 1402, took place at the field of Çubuk between the forces of the Ottoman sultan Bayezid I and the Turko-Mongol forces of Timur, ruler of the Timurid Empire. The battle was a major victory for Timur, and it led to a period of crisis for...

 in 1402. After the Ottoman defeat they offered themselves as vassals to the Venice Republic in 1403. Members of this family were also elected in Catholic clergy. Among them is Pal Dushmani

Pal Dushmani

- Life :A member of the Dushmani family he was born in northern Albania in the late 14th century. In a 1427 papal document he is mentioned as Bishop of Pult. From 1443 to 1446 he held the bishopric of Shas, while in 1446 he became Bishop of Drisht. He authored several short biografies and...

 which is mentioned as Bishop of Pult (“Dusmanus ep. Polat.”) in 1427. Another member of the family, Lekë Dushmani

Lekë Dushmani

- Life :A member of the Dushmani family he ruled over the region of Zadrima, in modern Shkodër District. In Venetian documents he is also mentioned along with his relative Damian as lord of Pult in 1446. In March 2, 1444 he became a founding member of the League of Lezhë...

, is mentioned as one of the founders of League of Lezhë

League of Lezhë

The League of Lezhë was an alliance of Albanian Principalities forged in Lezhë on the 2nd of March 1444. It was initiated and organised by Skanderbeg with the aim of uniting the Albanian principalities that had been founded in the 12th - 14th centuries, to fight the Ottoman Armies...

. His daughter Irene Dushmani became famous while there was a dispute for her which brought the first defection among the members of League of Lezhë which led toward Albanian–Venetian War of 1447–1448. Alongside with Spani family, the Dushmani family was against the war with the Venice Republic and did not participate in it.

Legacy

In the XXth century Albania there was still a Dushmani tribe called after the name of the feudal family. The description of the tribe taraditions and customs has been done by Edit Durham in her book "Some tribal origins, laws and customs of the Balkans" published in 1928. After the occupation of Albania from Ottoman Empire, part of family that descended from Lekë Dushmani migrated in the Venetian territory of Corfu. Notable members of this branch of the family include Anthony Dousmanis, Sofoklis Dousmanis

Sofoklis Dousmanis

Sofoklis Dousmanis was a Greek naval officer. Distinguished in the Balkan Wars, he became twice the chief of the Greek Navy General Staff, and occupied the post of Navy Minister in 1935....

 and Viktor Dousmanis

Viktor Dousmanis

Viktor Dousmanis was a Greek military officer, who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He distinguished himself as a staff officer during the Balkan Wars and became a leading royalst during the National Schism, serving three terms as Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff.- Life :A...

.