Andrea II Muzaka (ca. 1319-1372) was an Albanian nobleman of the Muzaka family and the ruler of the Principality of Muzaka in the 14th century. He inherited the principality from his father, Teodor I Muzaka, who died around 1331. Andrea II is known for having expanded the Principality of Muzaka to its greatest extent, from the southern Adriatic coastline of Albania in the west to Kastoria in the east by the time of his death in 1372.
He was recognized Despot of the Kingdom of Albania and as Marshal of Albania by the Angevin Kingdom of Albania in 1336-37. In the next decade, he led resistance against the Serbian invasions of Albania, and after the fall of the Serbian Empire, he regained his former territories and began to expand again. During his wars against the Serbian successor states, Andrea II succeeded in defeating both Vukašin of Serbia and his son, Prince Marko, solidifying his family's principality. He was recognized as Despot of Epirus by the Byzantine Emperor John V Palaiologos for his victories against the Serbians.
Rule
Early reign
Andrea II Muzaka came from the wealthy Albanian Muzaka noble family of southern Albania. His grandfather, Andrea I Muzaka, established de facto independent territorial rule around 1280 in the Myzeqe region west of Berat, which was later named after the family. Andrea I was succeeded by Teodor known as "Këshetisi". Teodor's son, Andrea II, would become the most prominent ruler of the Muzaka noble family in the medieval era. Like his father, Andrea II served the Angevins as the titular marshal of Albania. He held various other titles such as sebastokrator, and was recognized as despotus Regni Albaniae (despot of the Kingdom of Albania) and Marshal of Albania by the Angevins. His father, Teodor, was recognized as prothosevastor. At the beginning of his rule he exercised nominal control over much of the country's Adriatic sea between the Vjosa and Devoll rivers eastwards. In practice this continued to be dominated by the historic Albanian noble families who paid little heed to Muzaka's authority. A 1336 agreement between the Angevins and Andrea II allowed members of the Muzaka family to travel freely to and from Durrës, and the friendly ties between the two noble families remained up until the Muzaka family fled from the Ottoman conquest of Albania.
Resistance against the Serbians
During 1341–1347, the Byzantine Empire was engaged in a civil war, and the Serbians capitalised on this situation by invading much of the Byzantine holdings within the southern Balkans. Andrea II led the resistance against the Serbs and formed various alliances with other Albanian noble families, as well as maintaining ties with his traditional Angevin allies. In 1336, the Kingdom of Serbia under Stefan Dušan captured Angevin-controlled Durrës. Although the Angevins managed to recapture Durrës, Dušan continued his expansion, and in the 1337–1345 he had captured Kanina and Valona.
Andrea II Muzaka waged war against the Serbian forces around 1340. In an alliance with the Gropa family, he would have several other successful campaigns against Dušan, but his domains were soon invaded by the Serbian king, as were other Albanian principalities. In 1345 all Albanian lands were under Serbian rule except Durrës, which was under Angevin control. In 1350, Andrea II seized Berat from the Serbians, which forced the local lord appointed by Stefan Dušan, John Komnenos Asen, to move his seat to Kanina. It is uncertain whether the Serb troops were able to capture any towns or exert control over the area of southern Albania, despite their incursions into the region. Although some historians attribute the acquisition of several towns to this period, others suggest that the Serbs only obtained submission, which may have been nominal, from different Albanian tribes.