John Zenevisi or Gjon Zenebishi was an Albanian magnate that held the estates in Epirus, such as Argyrokastro and Vagenetia.
12 Facts About John Zenevisi
1.
2.
The John Zenevisi family was from the Zagoria region, between Permet and Gjirokaster.
3.
John Zenevisi submitted to the Ottomans after their victory against Balsa II in the Battle of Savra in 1385, and gave them his son as a hostage to be sent to Edirne to the court of the sultan.
4.
Shortly after his submission, John Zenevisi revolted and seized the fortress of Gjirokaster, encouraged no doubt by the attack on Ioannina by the Albanians of Acarnania.
5.
John Zenevisi was married Irene, the daughter of Gjin Bua Shpata, Despot of Arta, and thus became the son-in-law of Shpata and the brother-in-law of the wife of Esau de' Buondelmonti Despot of Epiros.
6.
In 1412 Maurice Shpata and John Zenevisi formed an alliance against Carlo Tocco.
7.
In 1414, Maurice Spata died, and John Zenevisi was defeated by the Ottomans and fled to the Venetian island of Corfu where he died in 1418.
8.
John Zenevisi landed again on the mainland and laid siege to Gjirokaster in 1434, but was killed in battle with a reinforcing Ottoman army in 1435.
9.
John Zenevisi's descendants continued to live undisturbed in the mountains of Zagoria and eventually faded into history.
10.
In 1455, a certain Simon John Zenevisi, who was the lord of Kastrovillari was active at the court of the king of Naples and Aragon on behalf of Skanderbeg in order to gain back Napolitan support for his land in Albania.
11.
The fate of this Alfonso John Zenevisi was to be closely linked to that of Skanderbeg.
12.
John Zenevisi married a daughter of Gjin Bua Shpata, whose name is unknown.