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COAT OF ARMS
DETAILS
On
the coins of the Balsic family the wolf's head
turned to the right side is a constant detail.
This particular shape of the helmet and the
shield can be seen on the seal of duke Balsa
from 1385, while the crown and coat are clearly
shown on the coins of Balsa III.There are many
disputes on the coat of arms itself since some
later presentations include eight-sided golden
or silver star. Romanian family of Bals whose
members believed that the Balsics were their
ancestors also have golden star on the red
shield. Serbian royal family of Obrenovic
(1830-1904) used their family relations with
this Romanian family to prove that they
originated from the Balsics, that is, from the
Nemanjics
and therefore that they were the legal owners to
the crown of Serbia. |
The
very first written document relating to the Balsics
family is in the chart of Uros issued to the Republic
of Dubrovnik from 1360. We do not know for sure of
their origin but their name is suggesting Roman origin
which led many historians to believe that they came
form Naples.
The
founder of the family, Balsa I, was controlling one
village only but with the help of his sons, he
conquered Gornja Zeta and the following towns: Skadar,
Kotor and most probably Bar. They fought Albanian
nobleman Carlo Topi who captured Djuradj and liberated
him in 1366 when they reached the peace. Already in
1368 Djuradj is controlling Ulcinj and being so
powerful he rejected king Uros as his master and
becomes his enemy. Djuradj is mentioned with prince
Lazar as the organiser of the religious convention of
1375 which proves that he was very powerful and
influential nobleman of his time.
His youngest brother Balsa II becomes the next
heir and he defeated the forces of king Tvrtko and
makes peace with him with the assistance of Venice in
1385.The Turks started to invade his lands and he gets
killed in the battle of Satursko polje the same year
(1385). The grandson of Balsa I, Djuradj, is the next
heir and at first he becomes the ally of the Turks but
later he turns to the Catholics and becomes the enemy
of the Turks leaving all his lands to the pope
Bonifacius IX if he does not produce an heir. His son,
Balsa III, started to conquer the old lands of the
family and with the help of the Turks he captures
Skadar. Being successful negotiator he manages to
balance his power among Venice, Hungary and the Turks
but after he dies at the court of his uncle, prince
Stefan Lazarevic
(who became the heir to the Balsics' lands) Venice
captures all their territories.
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