Mjeda family


The Mjeda family is an old noble Albanian family which played a role in the history of Albania and Kosovo.

History

According to family tradition they are descended from the princely house of Dukagjini, which ruled northern Albania in the 14th and 15th centuries. The Dukagjini descended themselves from Duke Gin Tanusio, first mentioned in 1281, while 15th century Ottoman chronicles mention them as "Princes of German origin".

The family took its name from the village of Mjeda where they held lands, in the Zadrima region near Shkodër, and have been established in Shkodër since at least the early 18th century. The family has two branches: Prizren and Shkodër. They became the leading Catholic family of Prizren and were engaged in trade between the Italian peninsula, Constantinople, and the Balkans.
Over the centuries, members of the family were merchants, landowners, clerics, and political leaders. Today, members of the family mainly live in Albania and Croatia.

Notable members