Gjin was born in the first half of the 14th century. His father was
Pjetër Bua Shpata, an Albanian noble, whilst his mother remains unknown. She may have a member of the
Bua clan.
Early Reign In 1358, some Albanian commanders overran Epirus, Acarnania and Aetolia, and subsequently established two principalities under their leaders, Shpata and
Pjetër Losha.
Nikephoros II Orsini launched a campaign against the invading Albanians, and also faced with the threat of
Radoslav Hlapen to the north, he negotiated with
Simeon Uroš, presumably to prevent Simeon's Albanian allies from supporting the Albanians in Epirus. The negotiations were thwarted by Nikephoros' death fighting the Albanians
at Acheloos (1359). In 1360,
Simeon Uroš, the titular Serbian Emperor, in an attempt to avoid conflict with the Albanians and as an acknowledgement of their military strength decided to leave the areas of Arta and Aetolia to Shpata and Losha.
Conflict with the Knights Hospitallers In 1376 or 1377, Shpata conquered
Nafpaktos; by this time he controlled Arta and much of southern Epirus and Acarnania. The
Achaean Knights Hospitallers of
Juan Fernández de Heredia began their
invasion of Epirus, moving onto Shpata, capturing Nafpaktos, and then
Vonitsa in Acarnania (April 1378). However, Shpata managed to defeat and capture Heredia as a hostage, ending their campaign; he was again master of Nafpaktos by 1380. In May 1379, Shpata again devastated the countryside of Ioannina.
Conflict with Thomas Preljubović The Despot of
Ioannina,
Thomas Preljubović, had betrothed his daughter to Losha's son in 1370, satisfying the Albanians and ending the conflict between them. In 1374, however, Pjetër Losha died of the plague in Arta, after which Shpata took the city. At this time he was not bound by agreement to Thomas, and so he laid siege to Ioannina and ravaged the countryside by defeating the forces of Preljubović. Thomas brought peace when he betrothed his sister Helena to Shpata the following year. Attacks on Ioannina continued, however, by the
Malakasioi, who didn't succeed to take Ioannina in 1377 and 1379. This tribe acted independently and nor under the order of Shpata. In 1376 or 1377, Shpata conquered
Nafpaktos; by this time he controlled Arta and much of southern Epirus and Acarnania. The
Achaean Knights Hospitallers of
Juan Fernández de Heredia began their
invasion of Epirus, moving onto Shpata, capturing Nafpaktos, and then
Vonitsa in Acarnania (April 1378). However, Shpata managed to defeat and capture Heredia as a hostage, ending their campaign; he was again master of Nafpaktos by 1380. In May 1379, Shpata again devastated the countryside of Ioannina. In 1380, Thomas made an offensive with the help of Turks reaching up to the upper
Kalamas River, where however, the Albanians, in particular, the tribe of Mazaraki held their defensive position and defeated Thomas again. In 1384 Thomas Preljubović was killed by some of his bodyguards. Gjin Bua Shpata attacked Ioannina but was unsuccessful in cracking the defense set up by
Esau de' Buondelmonti. The two made peace but soon returned to the conflict. In 1386, Esau gained Ottoman military help. The Ottomans were, after the
Battle of Kosovo (1389), unable to assist Esau, thus, the Albanians seized the opportunity and raided the environs of Ioannina in the summer by defeating Esau and forcing him to stay inside the city. The Malakasioi then raided into the territory, after which they concluded alliance with Shpata. Esau then allied himself with the caesar of Thessaly (either Alexios Angelos or Manuel), who defeated the Albanians, presumably the Malakasioi, later that year, but not Shpata.
Later life and death In January 1396, Esau married Shpata's only daughter, Irene. The marriage was part of a deal which the archons of Ioannina enforced on Esau in order to make peace with the Albanians. Shpata died on 29 October 1399, under the continuous pressure of Tocco. Shpata's son would become the next despot of Arta and Angelokastron for the next decade. ==Legacy==