The Arianiti family is not well documented but, first documented member of the Arianiti family is David Arianiti who was a high-ranking Byzantine commander of the early 11th century. He may have had a brother or son named Constantine. The next documented member of the family is Komnen Arianiti, who was an Albanian nobleman of the Arianiti family, who held an area in central Albania around Durrës. His son Gjergj became a prominent leader of the Albanian-Ottoman wars.

Life

The Albanian Academy treats him as the same person as Comin Spata, who was mentioned between 1392 and 1407. That name appears in the Venetian archives. Gjergj Arianiti was also mentioned in contemporary documents as Aranit Spata. It is unclear whether the Arianiti adopted the name through intermarriage with the Spata family of central Albania or as a toponymic derived from the region of Shpat, which they held in the Middle Ages. The intermarriage theory is more likely and the adoption of the surname must have happened in the 14th century. Unclear is also his relation to the Komnenos dynasty; he may have descended from a paternal female ancestor who belonged to that imperial family and lived in the early-to-mid 13th century, or adopted the name as other Arianiti kinsmen had in order to strengthen his claims.

His domains are mentioned in contemporary Venetian sources as areas located in the vicinity of Durazzo.

Family

According to Franz Babinger and Lindsay L. Brook, Arianiti was certainly married to a daughter of Nicolò Sevati; while according to Dhimitër Shuteriqi, a daughter of Nikollë Zaharia. He had three sons who were named Gjergj, Muzakë (father of Moisi Golemi) and Vladan; and a daughter who was married to Niketa Thopia (according to Dhimitër Shuteriqi) or Pal Dukagjini (according to Skënder Anamali).