Tanush Thopia

Who is Tanush Thopia?

Tanush Thopia was an Albanian nobleman of the 15th century and one of the closest collaborators of George Kastrioti Skanderbeg.

Thopia descended from the Thopia family that converted from Orthodox Christianity to Catholicism. In 1444, together with his uncle Andrea Thopia, he participated in the founding of the League of Lezhe, the military alliance led by Skanderbeg. He was a commander of the infantry of the League of Lezhë, and his garrison became famous for their resistance during the Second Siege of Krujë. After that siege he is no longer mentioned in historical sources, and some suppose that he might have been killed in the end of that battle or died soon afterwards. He was a skillful commander and his loyalty to Skanderbeg was undeterred and that was the reason why he was appointed in that delicate position.

The name Tanush is an Albanian exonym for Athanassius.