Komnena Nemanjić

Early life

Komnena, born around 1194, was the daughter of Stefan the First-Crowned, Grand Prince of Serbia and later King of Serbia, and his first wife, Eudokia Angelina, a Byzantine noblewoman and daughter of Alexios III Angelos.^{[1][2][3][4][5]} Not much is known about her early life.

First Marriage

Komnena married Dhimitër Progoni, Prince of Arbanon and lord of Krujë, likely around 1208 to 1210.^{[1][6][7][3][2][5]} Through this marriage, she became princess consort of Arbanon and lady of Krujë. Dhimitër held the high Byzantine title of panhypersebastos, a title he received as a son-in-law of the Serbian royal court.^[1][8][6] Dhimitër viewed Venice as his main adversary, particularly after Venice allied with George of Zeta, on 3 July 1208, against Dhimitër, who ruled from his stronghold at Krujë.^[9][2][10] George promised Venice military support if Dhimitër attacked Venetian territories (Duchy of Durazzo).^[9][2][10] Dhimitër, who had married Komnena, had close ties to Raška, which influenced these regional tensions.^[9][2]

Around 1212-1213, Michael Angelos of Epirus invaded the Duchy of Durazzo, Venice decided to abandon its struggling duchy in Albania, ceding control to Michael.^[11][2][12] Michael then advanced northward into Albania around 1215, eventually taking Krujë, which was Dhimitër Progoni’s stronghold, after which Dhimitër disappears from historical records.^[11] The Principality of Arbanon effectively ceased to exist as an independent entity, coming under the control of the Despotate of Epirus.^[6][13][14] Although Arbanon ceased to be fully independent following the Epirote conquest, it continued to exist as a semi-autonomous region under Epirote suzerainty.^[15] Dhimitër Progoni died around 1215, leaving Komnena a widow at about twenty or twenty-one years old after a relatively short marriage.^[1][16][17]

Second Marriage

After Dhimitër Progoni’s death, Komnena shortly after married Grigor Kamona, Sebastos and Lord of Krujë.^{[16][2][18][17]} Grigor had inherited the fortress of Krujë and its associated rights through his previous marriage to the daughter of Gjin Progoni, who was the brother of Dhimitër.^[16][17][4] By this time, Krujë was fully incorporated into the Despot of Epirus ruled by Theodore of Epirus.^[16]

However, this second marriage sparked a dispute, as it raised concerns under canon law due to the close relationship between the two women because Grigor's previous wife was Komnena’s former niece by marriage.^[1][4] According to canon law, this close familial connection raised questions about the legitimacy of the new marriage.^[1][4] The bishop of Krujë, where the dispute had arisen, objected to the union on these grounds.^[1][16][4]

To resolve the issue, Grigor appealed to Demetrios Chomatenos, the Chartophylax of the Archbishopric of Ohrid and later Archbishop himself.^[1][2][4] Chomatenos addressed the matter by writing a formal letter to the bishop of Krujë, offering a detailed justification for the marriage from a canonical standpoint.^[1][2][4] His legal and theological reasoning ultimately upheld the validity of the union, settling the matter in favor of Grigor and Komnena.^[1][2][4]