Dominic Thopia

{{Short description|14th-century Albanian nobleman and Archbishop}}

{{Infobox Christian leader

| type = Bishop

| honorific_prefix = Most Reverend

| name = Dominic Thopia
{{small|{{lang|sq|Dominik Topia}}}}

| honorific_suffix =

| title = Bishop of Korčula & Ston
Archbishop of Zadar
Bishop of Bosnia

| image =

| image_upright =

| alt =

| caption = Coat of arms of the Thopia family

| native_name = Dominik Topia

| native_name_lang = sq

| church = Catholic Church

| archdiocese = Archdiocese of Zadar

| province =

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| diocese =

| see =

| elected =

| term = Archbishop of Zadar
(1368-1376)

| quashed =

| predecessor = Giacomo de Candia

| successor = Pietro Matafari

| opposed =

| other_post = Bishop of Korčula & Ston
(1350–1368)
Bishop of Bosnia
(1376-1382)

| previous_post =

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| laicized =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{circa|1300s}}

| baptised =

| birth_place = Durrës, Kingdom of Albania

| death_date = 1382

| death_place = Đakovo, Kingdom of Hungary

| buried =

| resting_place_coordinates =

| nationality =

| religion = Catholic (Dominican Order)

| residence =

| parents = Unknown

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}}

Dominic Thopia, O.P. ({{langx|sq|Dominik Topia}}; {{circa|1300s}}{{Spnd}}1382), also known as Domenico or Domenic was an Albanian nobleman and member of the Thopia family. He served as the court Chaplain and advisor of the King of Naples (1336) and became a Roman Catholic prelate, serving as the Bishop of Korčula and Bishop of Ston (1350–1368) and Archbishop of Zadar (1368–1376). He was then Bishop of Bosnia (1376–1382) until his death.

Early life and education

Dominic was born into the Thopia family, an Albanian noble family, in the early 1300s in the Kingdom of Albania, in Durrës.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=134}}{{sfn|Hopf|1873|p=532}}{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} His parents are unknown; he was the uncle of Karl Thopia through his brother.{{Cref2|a}}{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=79}}{{sfn|Hopf|1873|p=532}}{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}}

Dominic was educated in Italy where he dedicated himself to religious life, joining the Dominican Order,{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=134}}{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}} which had been active in Durrës since 1278.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}} Enrolled from a young age, he distinguished himself for his doctrine and for many virtuous deeds.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} His commitment to the order led him to become court chaplain and advisor to King Robert of Naples on June 12, 1336, where he played a key role in religious and political matters.{{sfn|Sufflay|Jireček|Thallóczy|1913|p=XXXVII & 239}}{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45}}{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}}{{sfn|Murzaku|2015|p=250}}

Ecclesiastical career

From 1345 to 1351, Dominic served as the general vicar of the Dominican Order for Dalmatia and Durrës.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}} During this time, he resided in Dubrovnik and focused on founding monasteries in Shkodër, Kotor, and Šibenik.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}} The Order of Preachers (Dominican Order) established a significant presence in Shkodër, with a house founded by Dominic in 1345.{{sfn|Murzaku|2015|p=250}}

{{multiple image | align = right | total_width = 280 | image_style = border:none; | image1 = RobertNeapol Martini, Simone.jpg | alt1 = Robert, King of Naples | caption1 = Robert, King of Naples | image2 = Louis I (Chronicon Pictum).jpg | alt2 = Louis I of Hungary | caption2 = Louis I of Hungary }}

Dominic’s rise in the church was strongly supported by King Louis the Great of Hungary, who aimed to strengthen his influence in the Balkans and uphold Catholic authority.{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45}} As a member of the powerful Thopia family, Dominic played a crucial role in bridging the gap between the Hungarian crown and local Albanian rulers.{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45}} With the king’s backing, he was appointed bishop of Ston and Korčula in 1350, a position he held for 17 years, during which he navigated both ecclesiastical and political affairs.{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45}}{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}}{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=134}}

In 1359, Dominic was present in Albania, where he had spent considerable time.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}} A Greek-language legal document pertaining to a vineyard lease by the Dominican monastery in Durrës names him as the responsible party.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173-174}} This period overlapped with the rise of Karl Thopia, following the death of Dominic's brother.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} It is likely that, during this time, Dominic worked closely with his nephew to establish a strong base of power in Dubrovnik.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}}

File:SKADAR I OKOLINA U SREDNJEM VIJEKU.png Albanian cities]]

In northern Albania at the same time, cities such as Drisht, Shas, Balec, and possibly Sapë were under the control of a bishop who held both religious and secular power.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} This example likely influenced Dominic’s ambition to secure the vacant archbishopric in Dubrovnik in 1360.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} His primary ally in this effort was a man named Theodore from Drisht.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} However, the council of Dubrovnik was alert to this threat.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} They had been forewarned by the late Archbishop Elijah Saraka, who, on his deathbed, had cautioned them about potential dangers to the city's autonomy.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} Saraka mentioned that it would have been easy for him to seize power or hand it over to others.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} The Dubrovnik leaders, acting on this warning, intercepted letters written by Theodore, which referred to simony, causing a scandal.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} On May 4, 1360, the city sent a chancellor to the Pope to request a new archbishop, specifically opposing any attempt by a Dalmatian, Albanian, or Venetian—or even someone from Dubrovnik—to claim the position.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}} By May 6, the council had decided to expel Bishop Dominic from the city, and Theodore was expelled on May 8.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174}}

After his expulsion from Dubrovnik, Dominic sought the support of King Louis I.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=174-175}} He convinced the king to take action against the citizens of Dubrovnik, leading to a special deputation being sent to the king on December 16.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=175}} The deputation included "false, forged, and fraudulent letters" that had been sent by the Bishop of Korčula in an attempt to secure the archbishopric of Dubrovnik.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=175}}

In 1362, Dubrovnik appointed a new archbishop, the Genoese Hugo Cigala.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=175}} As a result, Dominic's efforts to gain the archbishopric were completely undone.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=175}}

Later life and death

{{multiple image | align = right |total_width = 320 | image_style = border:none; | image1 = Zadarska nadbiskupija - dekanati i župe - karta.png | alt1 = Archdiocese of Zadar | caption1 = Archdiocese of Zadar | image2 = Catholic Dioceses in Bosnia and Dalmatia XV century.png | alt2 = Diocese of Bosnia | caption2 = Diocese of Bosnia }}

Dominic Thopia was appointed as the Archbishop of Zadar by Pope Urban V, who issued a papal bull from Avignon to facilitate the transfer.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} Dominic's ambitions were ultimately fulfilled when he became the Archbishop of Zadar in 1367, a position he held until 1376.{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45}}{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=175}} One source, however, suggests he may have assumed the position in 1368.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=134}} During this time, Zadar was one of the most significant Adriatic cities within the Hungarian Kingdom.{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45}} Dominic Thopia governed the church with great dedication, demonstrating notable charity towards the poor.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} He distributed all of his possessions to those in need, earning him the title {{Lang|la|Pater Pauperum}} (Father of the Poor).{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}}

It is likely that Dominic played a role in supporting his nephew, Karl Thopia, during his takeover of Durrës in 1368.{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=175}}

Dominic Thopia obtained royal confirmation from King Louis, which allowed the church’s chapter to use the royal seal for validating public acts.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} This confirmation not only legitimized the chapter’s official documents but also provided a source of income for the chapter through associated privileges and fees.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}}

{{multiple image | align = right |total_width = 320 | image_style = border:none; | image1 = Elizabeth of Bosnia 1383.jpg | alt1 = Elizabeth of Bosnia | caption1 = Elizabeth of Bosnia | image2 = Škrinja sv.Šimuna, Zadar (Croatia) - original.jpg | alt2 = Chest of Saint Simeon | caption2 = Chest of Saint Simeon, the silver ark dedicated to the relic of Saint Simeon, was a vow fulfilled by Queen Elisabeth during her visit to Zadar}}

In 1371, Dominic Thopia warmly received King Louis and his wife, Elizabeth of Hungary, in Zadar.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} During this visit, both Thopia and the church were granted numerous privileges by the royal couple.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} Elizabeth, deeply moved by her devotion to the miraculous relic of Saint Simeon and grateful for the blessings she believed she had received through the saint, pledged to donate a silver ark.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} She honored this vow shortly thereafter.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} Dominic maintained strong relations with King Louis the Great and his wife.{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45-46}}{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}}

Dominic Thopia did not stay in Zadar for the remainder of his life.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} Instead, on January 23, 1376, Pope Gregory XI, acting on the recommendation of King Louis, transferred him to the bishopric of Bosnia with a papal bull issued on the same day.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}} He held the position of Bishop of Bosnia for six years.{{sfn|Bianchi|1877|p=49}}{{sfn|Lala|2008|p=45-46}}

Dominic Thopia died in 1382 in Đakovo.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=134}}

Legacy

File:Silk Embroidered Fragments Zadar 14th Century.png

A collection of embroidered silk fragments from the time of Archbishop Dominic Thopia is displayed in the Permanent Exhibition of Sacred Art in Zadar.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133-134}} These eight fragments, once believed to be part of an altar frontal, feature depictions of saints.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133}} A new theory suggests that they may have originally been part of dalmatics, a type of liturgical garment, potentially adding significant typological value.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133}}

The eight fragments are likely designed to adorn two dalmatics, with four on each garment.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133}} The saints depicted in the Zadar fragments share stylistic similarities with pieces in the treasury of St. Mark’s Cathedral in Korčula, dating to the late 14th century.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133-134}} These saints were later sewn onto red velvet dalmatics in the 16th century, though their original function is believed to have remained unchanged.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133-134}}

The Zadar fragments also resemble an altar frontal from Budapest, which is believed to have been created in Zadar between 1358 and 1377.{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133-134}} This suggests that the Zadar pieces were made in the second half of the 14th century, possibly during Archbishop Dominic Thopia’s tenure as archbishop of Zadar (1368–1376).{{sfn|Rossi|Sullivan|2024|p=133-134}}

Notes

{{Cnote2|a|Sources conflict on the name of Dominic's brother, the father of Karl Thopia, with some identifying him as Andrea I Thopia{{sfn|Elsie|2003|p=52}}{{sfn|Sainty|2018|p=503}}{{sfn|Hopf|1873|p=532}} and others as Tanush Thopia.{{sfn|Zavalani|2015|p=55}}{{sfn|Jacques|2009|p=167}}{{sfn|Fine|1994|p=371}}{{sfn|Šufflay|2012|p=173}}}}

References

Bibliography

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{{succession box

| title = Bishop of Korčula & Ston

| years = 1350-1368

| before = Unknown

| after = Unknown}}

{{succession box

| title = Archbishop of Zadar

| years = 1368-1376

| before = Giacomo de Candia

| after = Pietro Matafari}}

{{succession box

| title = Bishop of Bosnia