Andrea Gropa also known as Andrija was a 14th-century Albanian nobleman who ruled the region and the city of Ohrid, first as a minor vassal for a very short time (à ¾upan) to Serbian King Vukaà ¡in MrnjavÃÂevià(r. 1365âÂÂ1371), then as independent after 1370. He was a rival to Prince Marko and together with Andrea II Muzaka managed to take Prilep and Kostur from him. He hailed from the noble Gropa family.
Andrea was a member of the Albanian Gropa family. His ancestor Pal Gropa was acknowledged by Charles I of Naples in 1273: "nobili viro sevasto Paulo Gropa ûcasalia Radicis maioris et Radicis minons, neànon Cobocheste, Zuadigorica, Sirclani et Craye, Zessizan sitam in valle de Ebu". During the Serbian expansion in Macedonia, the Gropa also moved towards the south, becoming neighbours with Arianiti and Spata.
After Emperor Duà ¡an's death (1355), Gropa was a local ruler in the district of Ohrid. Prior to the Battle of Maritsa, Gropa was a vassal to the MrnjavÃÂeviàfamily; The King of Serbia Vukaà ¡in MrnjavÃÂevià(r. 1365 â died 1371), held Western Macedonia as a co-ruler to Emperor Stephen Uroà ¡ V of Serbia (r. 1355 â died 1371). After the death of King Vukaà ¡in and his brother Jovan Ugljeà ¡a at the Battle of Maritsa against the Ottomans in 1371, and the subsequent death of the Emperor, there was a crisis in appointing the successor of the throne. Vukaà ¡in's son, Marko, did not have the power to unite his lords, and only retained nominal rule over the area from his base at Prilep.
After Maritsa, the DejanoviÃÂi became Ottoman vassals. By 1377, Vuk BrankoviÃÂ extended his rule over Skopje, and Gropa is mentioned as lord of Ohrid. Bogdan, Gropa and Marko, and the rest of the rulers in Western Macedonia became vassals to Murad I. The vassals had to pay tribute to the Ottoman sultan and supply troops in case of war.
According to the Muzaka chronicles, Gropa joined Andrea II Muzaka and the Balà ¡iàfamily against Marko; He gained Kostur and Debar, and became virtually independent from Marko. Andrea also participated in the Battle of Kosovo alongside other Albanian nobles as well.
Gropa is mentioned as megas zupanos (à ¾upan veliki) in a Greek stone inscription dating to 1378. He set himself up as Grand à ½upan of Ohrid, in southwest Macedonia. In 1379, he became a ktitor for a church in Ohrid dedicated to St. Clement. Gropa was mentioned as "à ¾upan Gropa" in the funeral inscription of his son-in-law Ostoja Rajakovià(1380).Gropa also minted coins, findings dating to c. 1377 â c. 1385, inscribed in Old Serbian with his title as à ¾upan and gospodar, with his signature as "Po milosti Boà ¾ijoj à ¾upan Gropa". He was the last Christian ruler of Ohrid before the Ottoman conquest. His signature is found in the scriptorium of the Church of St. Sofia in Ohrid.
The date of GropaâÂÂs death remains unknown. The Muzaka chronicles written by Gjon Muzaka, claims that Gropa had no surviving issue and his domains were inherited by the Principality of Muzaka after his death.
Gropa married Anne (Kyranna), the daughter of Andrea II Muzaka. His brother-in-law was Balà ¡a II Balà ¡iÃÂ. Gropa's son-in-law was Ostoja RajakoviÃÂ, a lord in Ohrid and relative to Marko.
Gropa is, like other provincial lords during the breakdown and fall of the Serbian Empire (between 1354 and 1371), enumerated in the Serb epic poetry.