# Lekë Zaharia

Lekë Zaharia Altisferi (died 1447) was an Albanian nobleman from the Zaharia family. He was the only son of his father Koja Zaharia and mother Bosa Dukagjini, who also had one daughter, Bolia, who named her son Koja after her father.

## League of Lezhë

In 1444 he was one of the founders of the League of Lezhë, which included some other members of the Albanian nobility. The League's known members included:
* Lekë Zaharia (lord of Sati and Dagnum) and his vassals Pal Dukagjin and Nikolla Dukagjini
* Pjetër Spani
* Lekë Dushmani
* Gjergj Stres Balsha with John and Gojko Balsha
* Andrea Thopia with his nephew Tanush Thopia
* Gjergj Arianiti Thopia Comneni
* Theodor Korona Muzaka
* Stefan Crnojević with his sons

## Lekë's murder

According to contemporary chronicler Marin Barleti, in 1445 during a marriage ceremony for Skanderbeg's sister Mamica Kastrioti, Zaharia had a dispute with Lekë Dukagjini. At the center of this dispute was a woman named Irene Dushmani, heir to the Dushmani family. She seemed to prefer Zaharia, while this was not accepted by Dukagjini. A skirmish happened and Dukagjini remained wounded, saved only by the intervention of Vrana Konti. Two years later, in 1447, Lekë Zaharia was killed in an ambush and Dukagjini was accused of the murder.
Original Venetian documents show that the murder occurred in 1444. According to the Venetian chronicler Stefano Magno, it was Nicholas Dukagjin, Zaharia's vassal, who killed Lekë Zaharia in the battle, not Lekë as stated by Barleti. Magno also stated that, before he died, Lekë Zaharia expressed his wish that his properties should be handed over to the Venetian Republic.

## Aftermath

Having left no heirs, the fortress of Dagnum was claimed from Skanderbeg in the name of the League of Lezhë, of which Lekë Zaharia was a participant. However, his mother surrendered the castle to the Venice Republic. This event triggered the Albanian–Venetian War, which lasted two years. In the end the castle of Dagnum remained in Venetian hands toward an annual tribute to Skanderbeg.

## Family tree

| | | Koja Zaharia | Koja Zaharia | Koja Zaharia | Koja Zaharia | Koja Zaharia | Koja Zaharia | | | | | | | Bosa Dukagjini | Bosa Dukagjini | Bosa Dukagjini | Bosa Dukagjini | Bosa Dukagjini | Bosa Dukagjini | | |
| Balša III Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić | Balša III Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić | Balša III Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić | Balša III Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić | Balša III Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić | Balša III Petar Pavlović or Petar Vojsalić | | | Bolia Zaharia | Bolia Zaharia | Bolia Zaharia | Bolia Zaharia | Bolia Zaharia | Bolia Zaharia | | | Lekë Zaharia | Lekë Zaharia | Lekë Zaharia | Lekë Zaharia | Lekë Zaharia | Lekë Zaharia | | | Daughter (unknown name) | Daughter (unknown name) | Daughter (unknown name) | Daughter (unknown name) | Daughter (unknown name) | Daughter (unknown name) | | | Đurašević | Đurašević | Đurašević | Đurašević | Đurašević | Đurašević |
| | | | | Koja | Koja | Koja | Koja | Koja | Koja | | | | | | | | | daughter1 | daughter1 | daughter1 | daughter1 | daughter1 | daughter1 | | | | | | | daughter2 | daughter2 | daughter2 | daughter2 | daughter2 | daughter2 |