Thomas Preljubović

Thomas Preljubović (Serbian: Тома Прељубовић, romanized: Toma Preljubović; Greek: Θωμάς Κομνηνός Παλαιολόγος, romanized: Thōmas Komnēnos Palaiologos) was ruler of the Despotate of Epirus in Ioannina from 1367 to his death in 1384. Thomas was an unpopular ruler and is appraised very negatively by his contemporaries. On December 23, 1384 he was stabbed to death by his guards at dawn. The conspiracy of the faction which overthrew him involved his wife Maria Angelina who succeeded him.

A great deal of his rule was preoccupied with fighting against the Albanians of the Despotate of Arta to his south, the Zenebishi family to his north and the Mazreku and other clans to his northwest. Thomas gave himself the self-styled epithet of Albanian-slayer (Greek: Αλβανοκτόνος/Αλβανιτόκτονος) after torturing Albanian prisoners in order to terrify his enemies.