Gjon Muzaka

His memoir is considered to be the oldest substantial text written by an Albanian. It was originally written in Latin and his name was listed as Giovanni Musachi.^[4] In it he mentions several interesting things that were confirmed to have been accurate by Noel Malcolm.^[5] Among other things he claims that, according to family history, the name "Musachi" is derived from a corrupted form of the name "Molossachi", ancient tribesmen of Epirus known as the Molossians.^[4]

Attached to the chronicle is a document from Gjon's son, Constantine Muzaka, dated 1535. In this document, he mentions that his father “was interred in the large church of Francavilla in the region of Otranto, in a marble grave where masses are held three times a week. The grave bears an inscription that reads: Almighty Jesus, this is the grave of John Musachi, son of Gjin the Despot, Lord of Epirus and Myzeqe, who hailed from the city of Byzantium and carried the double-headed eagle as his symbol. A wreath was dedicated to him in the year of our Lord 1510.” This inscription is the reason the chronicle is conventionally dated to 1510. However, a reference to the Battle of Chaldiran in 1514 indicates that Gjon Muzaka must have died after 1515.^[6]

His name is mentioned in sources in several different versions, like John, Giovanni,^[7] Ivan,^[8] and Jovan.^[9]