The village is famous for the great battle on 9 March 1230, between the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Asen II and the Byzantine Greek despot Theodore Komnin of Epirus.
Pyrrhus of Epirus | Northern Epirus | Despotate of Epirus | Despotate of Arta | Charops of Epirus | Serbian Despotate |
Pipa and Repishti conclude that Arbanon was the first sketch of an "Albanian state", and that it retained semi-autonomous status as the western extremity of an empire (under the Doukai of Epirus or the Laskarids of Nicaea).
After several setbacks under Boril I (1207–1218), Ivan Asen II decisively defeated the Despotate of Epirus in the battle of Klokotnitsa, in which the much smaller Bulgarian army outmaneuvered its enemy.
Thus he became the son-in-law of Shpata and the brother-in-law of the wife of Esau de' Buondelmonti, Despot of Epirus.
Michael II Komnenos Doukas (died 1266/8), ruler of the Despotate of Epirus (1230–1266/8)
Michael I Komnenos Doukas (died 1215), ruler of the Despotate of Epirus (1205–1215)