Princess Argjiro Explained

Princess Argjiro or Argyro (Albanian: Princesha Argjiro; Greek, Modern (1453-);: Πριγγίπισα or Αρχόντισσα Αργυρώ) is a legendary figure in Albanian. She is supposed to have lived in the 15th century.Argjiro inspired Ismail Kadare in a poem he wrote in the 1960s.^[1] According to local Albanian folkloric traditions she lived in the 15th century and jumped off Gjirokastër Castle in the southern Albanian city of Gjirokastër, along with her child so as to avoid being captured by the Ottomans.^{[2] [3] [4]} Gjirokastër, located within historical Epirus takes its name from the Greek form Argyrokastro meaning silver castle and legend has it that the city was named for her, but the toponym long predates Princess Argjiro's time.

In Greek tradition Princess Argyro or Argyri or Argyrini was a Byzantine princess and the eponymous founder of Gjirokastër. She built a castle there in the 15th century.^[5] Thus, the town is also known by some local Greeks as Castle of Argyro (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Κάστρο της Αργυρούς). The fact that she was the founder of Gjirokastër isn't in agreement with archaeologists today. Nevertheless, the settlement was most probably founded during the Byzantine period (5th-15th century).^[6] Greek author Alexandros Georgitsis states in 1885 that there were three sisters of royal blood: Gianno (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Γιαννώ), Leno (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Λενώ), and Argyro. Each princess became the eponymous founder of a town: Gianno of Gianna, Leno of Tepelenë and Argyro of Argyrokastro (modern Gjirokastër).^[7] Author Kostas Krystallis in his short novel “Argyro the single-breasted” (Greek, Modern (1453-);: Αργυρώ η Μονοβύζα), in 1893, describes that the castle of Argyro was besieged and taken by the Turks. However, Argyro’s son following his mother’s advice, had already escaped to nearby Sofratikë and then secretly moved to Kastaniani.^[7] There he was murdered by traitors. Argyro, when hearing the news of his death, was eager to take revenge. She finally managed to regain control of her castle and the surrounding region.^{[7] [8]}

Notes and References

1. Book: Sinani. Shaban. Kadare. Ismail. Courtois. Stéphane . Le dossier Kadaré . 2006. O. Jacob. Paris. French. 37. 978-2-7381-1740-3 .
2. Web site: Një histori e shkurtër e Gjirokastrës[A short history of Gjirokastër] ]. Gjirokastra Conservation and Development Organization . 2010-12-15. "Prejardhja e emrit të Gjirokastrës ka një shpjegim mitik dhe dy të tjerë me natyrë më historike. Sipas legjendës, gjatë rrethimit përfundimtar të qytetit nga turqit, Princesha Argjiro, motra e zotit të qytetit u hodh nga muret e kalasë bashkë me djalin e saj për të mos rënë e gjallë në duart e armikut. Që këtu rrodhi edhe emri “kalaja e Argjirosë”. [The origin of the name of Gjirokastra is a mythical explanation and the other two most historical nature. According to legend, during the final siege of the city by the Ottomans, Princess Argjiro, the sister of the city's ruler jumped from the walls of the castle together with her son not to fall alive into enemy hands. From here came the name "Argjiro castle".]"
3. Mezini, Ledita, and Dorina Pojani (2015). "Defence, identity, and urban form: the extreme case of Gjirokastra." Planning Perspectives. 30.(3): 27-28. "This identity presents itself even in relatively minor details, such as the legend surrounding the city name origin. To date many local residents claim that ‘Gjirokastra’ derives from the name of Princess Argyro, the sister of the local feudal lord, who, during the final siege of the city by the Turks threw herself and her infant son from the fortress battlements into the rocks so as not to be taken alive by the enemy – an unlikely explanation since the first mention of the city’s name appears in Byzantine records, well before the Ottoman conquest."
4. Web site: AMAZONAT SHQIPTARE . 2010-12-15 . Andrea, Fotaq . 2007-06-03 . Ndryshe.
5. Book: Babiniotis. Georgios. Λεξικό της Νέας Ελληνικής Γλώσσας με Σχόλια για τη Σωστή Χρήση των Λέξεων. 1998. Kentro Lexikologias. 275. 978-960-86190-0-5 . Αργυρόκαστρον, από παράδοση κατά την οποία η πόλη χτίστηκε από τη Βυζαντινή αρχόντισσα Αργυρή ή Αργυρίνη.
6. Web site: Γιαννακού. Μαρία. The Bishop of Argyrokastro Panteleimon and the North Epirus Issue. digital.lib.auth.gr. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. 3 October 2015. 20 . Ο χρόνος στον οποίον χτίστηκε η πόλη είναι άγνωστος σε εμάς σήμερα, όμως λαϊκή εγχώρια παράδοση μαρτυρεί ότι κατά τους Βυζαντινούς χρόνους η αρχόντισσα Αργυρώ ή Αργυρίνη έχτισε το Αργυρόκαστρο και γι’ αυτό ονομαζόταν από αρκετούς και «Κάστρο της Αργυρώς». Αυτή την παράδοση περί κτίσης του Αργυρόκαστρου την Βυζαντινή εποχή, ενισχύουν οι τοιχοδομίες του φρούριου και τα βυζαντινά κειμήλια που σώθηκαν στην κοιλάδα Δρόπολη, η οποία βρίσκεται πριν το Αργυρόκαστρο, όπως επίσης και από τις Βυζαντινές Εκκλησίες και τα μνημεία, τα οποία στόλιζαν την πόλη και αποκάλυπταν τον ελληνικό πολιτισμό. Όμως δεν συμφωνούν όλοι οι ιστορικοί με αυτή την άποψη..
7. Book: Politis. Nikolaos. Μελέται περί του Βίου και της Γλώσσης του Ελληνικού Λαού (Studies about the History and the Traditions of the Greek People]. 1965. Erganē. 693–695. Greek.
8. Book: Τόμος 170 του Νεοελληνική Γραμματεία. Ηπειρώτικαι αναμνήσεις. 24 November 2014 . Pelekanos Books. 9789604007691.