Nikollë Zaharia

Nikollë Zaharia, also known as Nikola Zakarija or Nikola Sakat (fl. 1364–1388), was a 14th-century Albanian nobleman of the Zaharia family who served as the castellan of Budva under the Balsha family. He was a prominent figure in the political affairs of the southern Adriatic, holding Ragusan and Venetian citizenship, and at times acting as an ally or adversary in their conflicts with each other as well as Kotor and King Tvrtko I of Bosnia. Following the death of Balsha II in 1385, Zaharia sought independence from Zeta together with his brothers. He is last mentioned in 1388, after which his son Koja Zaharia emerged as the autonomous lord of Dagnum and Shati. Through his daughter’s marriage to Komnen Arianiti, Nikollë became the maternal grandfather of several leading figures of the Arianiti family, including Gjergj Arianiti.