Charles I of Anjou, King of Naples, occupied in the years 1268-72 Durres, Vlora and the land in between. On the basis of the Treaty of Viterbo on May 27, 1267 between Charles of Anjou and the Latin emperor of Constantinople Baldwin II, Charles I. received all lands which Michael II. previously received from Manfred Hohenstaufen. In these territory the Kingdom Arberia (Regnum Albaniae) was founded in February 1272 under Charles I. His vassals were the Albanian feudal families who had possessions in the territory of Fieri, the Matrënga, the Muzaka and Arianiti.
The most important Albanian families of the XII - XV century were, the Skurra, the Blinishti, the Jonima, the Arianiti, the Thopia, the Gropa, the Muzaka, the Matrënga, the Bue, and the Shpata. The came mainly from the mountain areas. Their power was based on the relationships their leaders had ith the population of the country, including blood ties, and as a result of this, the number and quality of the armed forces that these leaders had.
Family Matrënga
The Matrënga were the first rulers of the Myzeqe. Their possessions are precisely defined in a document from 1297, which talks about the “Matarangi de Varavastassi" (the Matrëngët from the Kravastasa). During the reign of the Byzantine Empire, they were vassals of Byzantium (sub sunt domini domino imperatoris). Like all representatives of the Albanian feudal families, the members made a career in the military or in the administration. A member of the family Matrënga was appointed Palaeologus from the Emperor Andronikos II . "General Judge of the Empire", a important title in the Byzantine administration. Moreover, this family also maintained relations with the King of Naples, which had its own interests in the eastern Adriatic. In a document from the year 1304 two Matrënga are mentioned as vassals of the Angevins. In 1310 the nobles Bardh Matrënga (Dominues Bardo Mataranga) was converted together with other nobles by the Pope from Orthodoxy to Catholicism.
1. Selected sources on the history of Albania.
2. Myzeqeja No. 5, P. Xhufi. "Familje dhe stema feudal nga Myzeqeja"
The name Matarangolo first appeared at the beginning of 1300 century in Italy. During this time, members of the family were also active in the Byzantine administration. A member of the family, Nicholas Matarangos, became one of the four common judge, member of the supreme imperial court and had a prominent role in the Byzantine civil war of 1341 to 1347. With “Notary Nicola Matarangolo" of Castelabbate near Naples, the name is first documented around 1310. Descendants of the Matrënga todays names are Matarangolo or Matarazzo.