Toplana (region)

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Toplana is a historic Albanian tribe and region in northern Albania, along the northern bank of the Drin river. Its main settlements are Serme and Toplane.

Etymology and location:
- Toplana sits in the eastern part of the old Shkodër area. It borders the Shoshi to the west, Mërturi to the northeast, Berisha to the southeast across the Drin, and the Dushmani to the southwest.
- The name Toplana has two main theories. One says it comes from Proto-Slavic for “warm,” possibly about springs, but this is unlikely given the cold climate. The more accepted idea is that it comes from Albanian elements meaning “to/at” plus “plan” (from Latin planus, meaning flat or plain), a pattern also seen in nearby places like Plani. The form Tplan is known and used, and a small place called Qafë Planës is found in Toplana.

History and people:
- Toplana appears in Ottoman records dating back to 1485 as an abandoned settlement in the Petrishpan-ili region. In the 17th century, a Catholic bishop’s report says Toplana had 22 houses and about 120 people, with five churches (Saint George, the Assumption of the Virgin, Saint Nicholas, Saint Catherine, and Saint Veneranda). The report also notes the Eucharist was not in regular use and there were no vestments.
- By the 19th century, the population is described as around 400 people in the late 1800s.
- In 1918, Austro-Hungarian authorities counted 52 households and 254 inhabitants.

Oral traditions and origins:
- In 1907, Franz Nopcsa claimed Toplana descended from the younger brother of Can Gabeti, linking them to the nearby Shllaku and to part of the Gashi from the Gjakova Highlands. He suggested they moved from highland areas in northeastern Montenegro and were pushed out by the Vasojevići. He estimated their forefather left Shllaku around 1524 or earlier.
- Some other traditions, like that of Giuseppe Valentini, say only part of Toplana came from the Vasojevići area, and most Toplana ancestors arrived earlier from Montenegro, especially from the Bardhaj kin group, with other lineages joining later. A Frrok Kola branch reportedly moved from Koprati to Iballë in 1600.
- The Koprati kin group is mentioned in Toplana legends as anas of the Shala Valley expelled by the Shala tribe. Toplana and Shllaku do not intermarry because of their kinship ties.

Genetics and relations:
- Modern genetic studies show that Toplana and Shllaku are related to each other, but they do not have direct blood ties to the Gashi.

Culture and society:
- The people of Toplana are Catholics and honor Saint George as their patron saint. They celebrate his feast on April 22–23, marking the start of summer.
- Notable brotherhoods and families in Toplana include Ndrepepaj, Lekaj, Geraj, Bicaj, Malutaj, Gjoklekaj, Gjomicaj, Mertiaj, Kolicaj, and Prezhmeshaj.

Summary:
Toplana is a small, historically Catholic region and tribe on the Drin’s northern bank with a long, complex heritage, including migrations from Montenegro, traditions of feuds, and a strong sense of local kinship and religious identity.