The Zaharia family was an Albanian noble family that appears for the first time mentioned in the 14th century. A certain Nicholas Zaharia is first mentioned in 1385 as a Balšić family commander and governor of Budva in 1363. After more than twenty years of fidelity, Nicholas Zaharia revolted in 1386 and became ruler of Budva. However, in 1389 Đurađ II Balšić recaptured the city. The name of Nicholas Zaharia appears in the form of Nikola Sakat in many original Venetian and Ragusan documents. That is a basis for some conclusions that Nicholas Zaharia and Nikola Sakat are the same person who is related to Koja Zaharia. Komnen Arianiti of Arianiti family had married the daughter of Nicholas Zaharia Sakati, ruler of Budva. They had three sons, and one daughter who married Pal Dukagjini. In 1396, due to a favorable political situation, Koja Zaharija captured the castle of Dagnum and declared himself a vassal of the Ottomans. In his second marriageBalsha III married Bolja, a daughter of Koja Zaharia, in 1412 or at the beginning of 1413. In 1415 their only son and the only male descendant of Balša family died. Koja maintained the control of the region and upon his death, they were passed to his only son Lekë Zaharia. According to Marin Barleti, in 1445 during the ceremony of the marriage of Skanderbeg sister Mamica Kastrioti, he had a dispute with Lekë Dukagjini. The reason of this dispute was a woman named Irene Dushmani, the heir of Dushmani family. She seemed to prefer Zaharia, while this was not accepted by Dukagjini. A skirmish happened and Lekë Dukagjini remained wounded, saved only by the intervention of Vrana Konti. Two years later, in 1447, Lekë Zaharia was killed in an ambush and Lekë Dukagjini was accused of this murder. Original Venetian documents show that this murder happened in 1444. According to Venetian chronicler Stefano Magno it was Nicholas Dukagjin, Zaharia's vassal, who killed Lekë Zaharia in the battle, not Lekë as stated by Marin Barleti. Stefano Magno also stated that, before he died, Lekë Zaharia expressed the wish that his properties should be handed over to Venetian Republic. Having left no heirs, the fortress of Dagnum was claimed from Skanderbeg in the name of League of Lezhë, whose Lekë Zaharia was a participant. However, his mother surrendered the castle to the Venice Republic. This events triggered the Albanian Venetian war which lasted two years. In the end the castle of Dagnum remained in Venetian hands toward an annual tribute to Skanderbeg. According to Eqrem Vlora, some members of the Zaharia family were initially Eastern Orthodox Christians, later converting to Roman Catholicism in 1414. Bozha Zaharia, an Albanian nobleman who also was member of Zaharia family, died in fire which devastated Venetian Scutari in October 1448.
