Ivan Strez Balšić

Ivan Strez Balšić
Gjon Balsha
Lord of Malsia
Coat of arms
Diedafter 1468
Noble familyBalšić family
FatherStefan Strez-Balšić
MotherVlajka Kastrioti
OccupationMember of the League of Lezhë (1444–?)

Ivan Strez Balšić (Serbian Cyrillic: Јован Стрез Балшић; Albanian: Gjon Balsha) or John Balsha fl. 1444–1469)[A] and his brothers George Strez and Gojko Balšić were the lords of Misia, a coastal area from the White Drin towards the Adriatic. The brothers were members of the Balšić family, which earlier held Zeta, but had now placed itself among the nobility in Albania. They participated in founding of the League of Lezhë, an alliance led by their maternal uncle Skanderbeg. Ivan and Gojko supported Skanderbeg until he died in 1468 and then continued to fight against Ottomans together with Venetian forces. After Skanderbeg's death Venice installed Ivan Strez Balšić as Skanderbeg's successor.