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540:. He switched sides along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army. After a long trek to Albania he eventually captured Krujë by forging a letter from the Sultan to the Governor of Krujë, which granted him control of the territory. After capturing the castle, Skanderbeg abjured Islam and proclaimed himself the avenger of his family and country. He raised a flag showing a double-headed eagle, an ancient symbol used by various cultures of Balkans (especially the Byzantine Empire), which later became the
715:
127:
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640:, capital of the Principality of Kastrioti. This city was particularly symbolic to Skanderbeg because he had been appointed suba of Kruja in 1438 by the Ottomans. The fighting lasted four months and over one thousand Albanians lost their lives while over 20,000 Ottomans died in battle. Even so, the Ottoman forces were unable to capture the city and had no choice but to retreat before winter set in. In June 1446,
624:
noble families. For 25 years, from 1443–1468, Skanderbeg's 10,000 man army marched through
Ottoman territory winning against consistently larger and better supplied Ottoman forces. Threatened by Ottoman advances in their homeland, Hungary, and later Naples and Venice – their former enemies – provided
582:
The
Albanians, a martial race, were unanimous to live and die with their hereditary prince. ... In the assembly of the states of Epirus, Skanderbeg was elected general of the Turkish war and each of the allies engaged to furnish his respective proportion of men and
441:, however his resistance was ineffectual. The Sultan, having accepted his submissions, obliged him to pay tribute to ensure the fealty of local rulers, and to send his three sons Gjergj Kastrioti to the Sultan's court as hostages. After his conversion to
587:
With this support, Skanderbeg built fortresses and organized a mobile defense force that forced the
Ottomans to disperse their troops, leaving them vulnerable to the hit-and-run tactics of the Albanians. He managed to create the
729:
Renowned for his military leadership, he successfully resisted
Ottoman expansion into Albania for over two decades, earning widespread recognition as a national hero. Skanderbeg played a central role in the formation of the
644:, known as "the conqueror", led an army of 150,000 soldiers back to Kruja but failed to capture the castle. Skanderbeg's death in 1468 did not end the struggle for independence, and fighting continued until 1481, under
625:
the financial backbone and support for
Skanderbeg's army. By 1450 it had certainly ceased to function as originally intended, and only the core of the alliance under Scanderbeg and Araniti Comino continued to fight on.
632:
where he defeated the
Ottoman forces. Skanderbeg's victory was praised throughout the rest of Europe. The battle of Torvioll thus opened up the quarter-century war between Skanderbeg's Albania and the Ottoman Empire.
738:. On 2 March 1444, at the assembly of Lezhë, Skanderbeg was proclaimed "Chief of the League of the Albanian People," uniting regional chieftains and nobles to resist Ottoman expansion under his leadership.
708:. His diplomacy and military leadership were instrumental in expanding and consolidating the territorial influence of the Kastrioti family. He was able to maintain stability in the principality.
484:
Skanderbeg was distinguished as one of the best officers in several
Ottoman campaigns both in Asia Minor and in Europe, and the Sultan appointed him General. He fought against
1116:
429:
originally had only two small villages. In a short time, Gjon
Kastrioti managed to expand its lands so as to become the undisputed lord of Central Albania. He married
356:
433:
who bore 5 daughters, Mara, Jela, Angjelina, Vlajka, and Mamica, and 4 sons, Reposh, Stanisha, Kostandin and Gjergj
Kastrioti (who would come to be known as
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861:
636:
On 14 May 1450, an
Ottoman army, larger than any previous force encountered by Skanderbeg or his men, stormed and overwhelmed the castle of the city of
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544:. The Governor was killed as he was returning to Edirne, unaware of Skanderbeg's intentions. Skanderbeg allied with George Arianite (born
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which made him General Governor. On November 28, 1443, Skanderbeg saw his opportunity to rebel after the
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991:
The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest
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The Late Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Late Twelfth Century to the Ottoman Conquest
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399:
170:
525:
1160:
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Strategically navigated the political landscape by forming alliances with major powers such as
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1094:
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The History of Modern Greece, from Its Conquest by the Romans B.C.146, to the Present Time
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ruled until his death in 1437 and then ruled by the national hero of Albania,
1207:
902:
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617:
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437:). Gjon Kastrioti was among those who opposed the early incursion of Ottoman
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The League of Lezhë first distinguished itself under Skanderbeg at the
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A Heroic Tale: Marin Barleti's Scanderbeg between orality and literacy
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1017:"2008 | Oliver Jens Schmitt: Scanderbeg: an Uprising and its Leader"
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managed to bring together all the Albanian princes in the town of
496:, and some sources say that he used to maintain secret links with
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776:"History of Albanian People" Albanian Academy of Science.
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1077:(in Albanian). Botimet Toena. 2002-01-01. p. 141.
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Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu: jeta dhe vepra (1405-1468)
988:
Fine, John V. A.; Fine, John Van Antwerp (1994-01-01).
472:) comparing Kastrioti's military brilliance to that of
45:. Please help to ensure that disputed statements are
965:
The later Crusades, 1274-1580: from Lyons to Alcazar
453:. For his military victories, he received the title
862:
History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire
445:, the young Skanderbeg attended military school in
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684:First ruler of the Principality of Kastrioti.
410:who ruled it until 1407, after which his son,
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793:
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1219:States and territories established in 1389
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1103:
937:
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596:.The main members of the league were the
65:Learn how and when to remove this message
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449:and led many victorious battles for the
41:Relevant discussion may be found on the
871:
812:
1206:
1171:Despotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto
817:. Rome: Newton Compton. p. 1136.
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520:. Sultan Murat II gave him the title
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18:
1234:Vassal states of the Ottoman Empire
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1051:. General Books LLC. p. 22.
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1045:Noli, Fan Stylian (2009-12-01).
994:. University of Michigan Press.
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566:Following the capture of Krujë,
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293:• The establishment of the
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16:Principality of medieval Albania
1229:Former countries in the Balkans
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1038:
1008:
981:
552:(born Marina Donika Arianiti).
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815:La grande enciclopedia di Roma
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528:against the Hungarians led by
131:Domains of the Kastrioti, 1420
1:
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867:Volume 6, Scanderbeg section
470:Lord Alexander, the Albanian
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7:
1048:George Castroiti Scanderbeg
842:George Castrioti Scanderbeg
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651:
548:) and married his daughter
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1191:Principality of Kastrioti
1186:Principality of Dukagjini
1181:Principality of Zenebishi
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938:Stavrianos, L.S. (2000).
813:Rendina, Claudio (2000).
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1146:Principality of Albania
1141:Principality of Arbanon
1126:Albanian Principalities
1021:www.albanianhistory.net
761:Albanian principalities
594:Albanian Principalities
400:Albanian principalities
396:Principata e Kastriotit
84:Principata e Kastriotit
1214:1444 disestablishments
1161:Principality of Muzaka
940:The Balkans Since 1453
878:Fine, John V. (1994).
592:, a federation of all
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546:Gjergj Arianit Komneni
395:
1151:Principality of Gropa
798:James Emerson Tennent
580:
157:Common languages
152:(after November 1443)
34:factual accuracy is
1015:Elsie, Dr. Robert.
914:Minna Skafte Jensen
474:Alexander the Great
466:Skënderbe shqiptari
455:Arnavutlu İskender
406:. It was formed by
260:• Established
924:2011-07-19 at the
766:History of Albania
751:House of Kastrioti
630:Battle of Torvioll
480:Rise of Skanderbeg
270:• Fall under
1239:Former monarchies
1199:
1198:
1176:Despotate of Arta
974:978-0-19-822136-4
963:Housley, Norman.
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578:writes that:
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319:Succeeded by
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186:Principality
140:Principality
117:Coat of Arms
61:
52:
33:
1130:Middle Ages
506:Ladislaus V
468:, English:
402:during the
314:Preceded by
178:(1443–1444)
173:(1389–1437)
1208:Categories
1031:2016-03-26
1001:0472082604
772:References
574:Historian
568:Skanderbeg
494:Hungarians
435:Skanderbeg
416:Skanderbeg
183:Government
642:Mehmed II
622:Crnojević
606:Dukagjini
514:Alfonso I
439:Bayezid I
422:Formation
167:Religion
90:1389–1444
55:June 2011
43:talk page
922:Archived
916:, 2006,
859:, 1788,
800:, 1845,
745:See also
704:and the
659:Picture
652:Monarchs
598:Arianiti
462:Albanian
392:Albanian
249:Medieval
161:Albanian
36:disputed
1128:in the
510:Hungary
375:Albania
145:Capital
1081:
1055:
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702:Venice
668:Notes
665:Reign
618:Thopia
610:Muzaka
602:Balšić
583:money.
550:Donika
518:Naples
512:, and
502:Venice
498:Ragusa
486:Greeks
447:Edirne
196:
192:Prince
137:Status
662:Name
638:Kruja
614:Spani
572:Lezhë
490:Serbs
443:Islam
149:Krujë
1079:ISBN
1053:ISBN
996:ISBN
969:ISBN
944:ISBN
884:ISBN
819:ISBN
778:ISBN
620:and
522:Vali
492:and
386:The
300:1444
287:1443
277:1437
264:1389
534:Niš
532:in
516:of
508:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
