NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg

Gjergj Kastrioti (George Kastrioti) (1405, Kruja - January 17, 1468, Lezha), better known as Skanderbeg, is the most prominent figure in the history of Albania. He was a descendant of the Kastrioti family, a respected Albanian family of princes in Albania. Sculpture of Skanderbeg (taken from the German wikipedia) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Categories: Albania geography stubs | Cities in Albania ... Events May 29 - Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland, meets Archbishop Richard Scrope of York and Earl of Norfolk Thomas Mowbray in Shipton Moor, tricks them to send their rebellious army home and then imprisons them June 8 - Archbishop Richard Scrope of York and Thomas Mowbray, Earl of Norfolk, executed in... Categories: Albania geography stubs | Cities in Albania ... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Baeda Maryam succeeds his father Zara Yaqob as Emperor of Ethiopia Births February 29 - Pope Paul III (died 1549) Juan del Encina, Spanish poet, dramatist and composer William Lilye, English scholar (approximate date; died 1522) Charles I of Savoy John, Elector of Saxony (died 1532) Juan de ZumÃ¡rraga... Lezhë (Albanian: Lezhë or Lezha) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ...

Obliged by the Ottomans to pay tribute to the Empire, and to ensure the fidelity of local rulers, Gjon Kastrioti's sons were taken by the Sultan to his court. In 1423, Gjergj Kastrioti and his three brothers were thus taken by the Turks. He attended military school and led many battles for the Ottoman Empire to victory. For his military victories, he received the title Arnavut İskender Bey, (Albanian: Skënderbeu Shqiptari, English: Skanderbeg, the Albanian). In Turkish this title means Lord Alexander, comparing Kastrioti's military brilliance to that of Alexander the Great). Skanderbeg soon switched sides and came back to his native land to successfully defend Albania against the Ottoman Empire until the time of his death. Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-mÃ¼ddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335 - 1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million... John (IPA: ) is a common English males name. ... Events July 31 - Hundred Years War: Battle of Cravant - The French army is defeated at Cravant on the banks of the river Yonne. ... The name George has its origin in ancient Greek GeÅrgios (), a derivation of the noun geÅrgos () husbandman, farmer, a compound of gÄ“ () earth and ergon () work. The name was rare in Antiquity, but became extremely popular in Christianity thanks to Saint George. ... Bey is the Turkish word for chieftain, traditionally applied to the leaders of small tribal groups. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Alexander the Great fighting Persian king Darius (not in frame) (Pompeii mosaic, from a 3rd century BC original Greek painting, now lost). ...

Success in the Ottoman Army

He earned distinction as an officer in several Ottoman campaigns both in Asia Minor and in Europe, and the Sultan appointed him to the rank of General by giving him a cavalry force of 5,000 men. Some sources claim that he maintained secret links with Ragusa, Venice, Ladislaus V of Hungary, and Alfonso I of Naples. Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... Ragusa can refer to: The city of Ragusa in Sicily, Italy. ... Location within Italy Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venessia in the local dialect), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice, 45Â°26â€²N 12Â°19â€²E, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ... Ladislaus Posthumus (22 February 1440 - 23 November 1457), Archduke, king of Hungary as LÃ¡szlÃ³ V (or VI); king of Bohemia as Ladislav I; duke of Austria, the only son of Albert II, Holy Roman Emperor, and of Elizabeth, daughter of the emperor Sigismund, was born at Komarom four months... Alfonso V of Aragon (also Alfonso I of Naples) (1396 â€“ June 27, 1458), surnamed the Magnanimous, was the King of Aragon and Naples and count of Barcelona from 1416 to 1458. ... Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek ÎÎÎ± Î ÏŒÎ»Î¹Ï‚ - NÃ©a PÃ³lis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ...

Fighting for the Freedom of Albania

In 1443, Skanderbeg saw his opportunity to rebel during the battle against the Hungarians led by John Hunyadi in Nis. He switched sides along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army, leading an Albanian resistance. After a long run to Albania he eventually captured Kruje by forging a letter from the Sultan, giving him control of the territory. After capturing the castle, he raised the Albanian flag above the castle and reportedly pronounced: "I have not brought you liberty, I found it here, among you." Download high resolution version (2272x1362, 1138 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (2272x1362, 1138 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The castle of Skanderbeg KrujÃ« (Albanian: KrujÃ« or Kruja, Italian: Croia) is a capital city of the District of KrujÃ« in Albania. ... Events Albanians, under Skanderbeg, defeat the Turks John Hunyadi defeats Turks at the Battle of Nis Vlad II Dracul begins his second term as ruler of Wallachia, succeeding Basarab II. Births January 27 - Albert, Duke of Saxony (died 1500) February 23 - Matthias Corvinus of Hungary (died 1490) May 17 - Edmund... John Hunyadi John Hunyadi (Latin: Ioannes Corvinus, Hungarian: Hunyadi/Hunyady JÃ¡nos, Romanian: Iancu (or Ioan) de Hunedoara) (c. ... NIS is an acronym for: National Intelligence Service (Albania), Albanias new state security agency Naval Investigative Service, predecessor of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) National Intelligence Service (South Korea), South Koreas state security agency Network Information Service New Israeli sheqel Newly Independent States of the Former Soviet... Categories: Albania geography stubs | Cities in Albania ... Flag Ratio: 5:7 The national flag of Albania ( ) is a base red flag with a black two-headed eagle in the centre. ...

Following the capture of Kruje, Skanderbeg managed to bring together all the Albanian princes in the town of Lezhë (see League of Lezhë, 1444) and unite them under his command against the Ottomans. He fought a guerrilla war against the opposing armies, using the mountainous terrain to his advantage. LezhÃ« (Albanian: LezhÃ« or Lezha) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ... The League of LezhÃ« was the first coordinated Albanian Independence movement led by Gjergj Kastrioti, or Skanderbeg. ... Events March 1 - Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg proclaimed commander of the Albanian resistance April 16 - Truce of Tours. ... Guerrilla War redirects here. ...

Skanderbeg would continue his resistance against the Ottoman forces, arguably the most powerful army of the time, with a force rarely exceeding 20,000. In June 1450, an Ottoman army numbering approximately 150,000 men led by Sultan Murad II himself laid siege to Kruje. Leaving a protective garrison of 1,500 men under one of his most trusted lieutenants, Vrana Konti (also know as Kont Urani), Skanderbeg harassed the Ottoman camps around Kruje and attacked the supply caravans of the Sultan's army. By September the Ottoman camp was in disarray as morale sank and disease ran rampant. Grudgingly, Sultan Murad acknowledged that the castle of Kruje would not fall by strength of arms, and he decided to lift his siege and make his way to Edirne. Soon thereafter in the winter of 1450-1451, Murad II died in Edirne and was succeeded by his son Mehmed II. Events March - French troops under Guy de Richemont besiege the English commander in France, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in Caen April 15 - Battle of Formigny. ... A sultan (Arabic: Ø³Ù„Ø·Ø§Ù†) is an Islamic title, with several historical meanings. ... Murad II Murad II (1404 â€“ February 3, 1451) was the sultan from 1421 to 1451 (except for a period from 1444 to 1446). ... Selimiye Mosque, built by Sinan in 1575 Edirne is a city in Thrace, the westernmost part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria; the city was known in English until after the First World War as Adrianople (see below, and also List of traditional Greek place names). ... Events March - French troops under Guy de Richemont besiege the English commander in France, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, in Caen April 15 - Battle of Formigny. ... // Events February 3 - Murad II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire dies and is succeeded by his son Mehmed II. April 11 - Celje acquires market-town status and town rights by orders from the Celje count Frederic II. June 30 - French troops under the Comte de Dunois invade Guyenne and capture... Mehmed II Mehmed II, Mehmet II, or Muhammed II, (also known as el-Fatih, the Conqueror, in Ottoman Turkish, or, in modern Turkish, Fatih Sultan Mehmed) (March 30, 1432 â€“ May 3, 1481) was first the sultan of the Ottoman Empire for a short time from 1444 to 1446, and later...

For the next five years Albania was allowed some respite as the new sultan set out to conquer the last vestiges of the Byzantine Empire in Europe and Asia Minor. The first test between the new Ottoman sultan's army and Skanderbeg's army came in 1455 during the Siege of Berat. Skanderbeg had sieged the castle of the city for months and the turkish officer holding it, had promised to surrender, being deeply demoralized by the long siege. At that point, Skanderbeg relaxed the grip and left the siege location. He left behind one of his generals and half of his cavalry at the bank of the river Osum, to finalize the surrender. The turks saw this moment as an opportunity for attack. They send a large cavalry force from Fushe-Kosove, which is the north, to Berat. The turks caught the Albanian cavalry by surprise, while they were resting in the shores of the river Osum. Almost all the Albanian cavalry laying siege to Berat, some 5000 men, was massacred by the turks. When Skanderbeg finally made it to the battlefield, everything was over; the ottoman cavalry had already left for turkey. This was the worst military defeat that Skanderbeg would ever suffer. It might have costed him a lot more than the men on the field because it broke his winning streak and demoralized his western allies which were already terrified by the turks. The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Europe is conventionally considered one of the seven continents which, in this case, is more a cultural and political distinction than a physiogeographic one. ... Anatolia (Greek: ανατολη anatole, rising of the sun or East; compare Orient and Levant, by popular etymology Turkish Anadolu to ana mother and dolu filled), also called by the Latin name of Asia Minor, is a region of Southwest Asia which corresponds today to the Asian portion of Turkey. ... // Events February 9 - Wars of the Roses: Richard, Duke of York dismissed as Protector February 23 - Johannes Gutenberg prints the first Bible on a printing press May 22 - Wars of the Roses: First Battle of St Albans - Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick defeat... The Siege of Berat. ...

In 1457, an Ottoman army numbering approximately 80,000 men invaded Albania with the hope of destroying Albanian resistance once and for all; this army was led by Isa beg Evrenoz, the only commander to have defeated Skanderbeg in battle and Hamza Kastrioti, Skanderbeg’s own nephew. After wreaking much damage to the countryside, the Ottoman army set up camp at the Ujebardha field (literally tranlated as "Whitewater"), halfway between Lezha and Kruje. There, in September, after having evaded the enemy for months, Skanderbeg attacked with a force not exceeding fifteen thousand men, and defeated the Ottomans. Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 2157 KB)This is a picture of a statue of the Albanian National hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeg, in the city of Kruja, Albania. ... Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 2157 KB)This is a picture of a statue of the Albanian National hero, Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeg, in the city of Kruja, Albania. ... Scanderbeg sculpture Gjergj Kastrioti (Italian: Giorgio Castriota) (1405–January 17, 1468), better known as Skanderbeg or Skenderbej, was an Albanian leader who resisted the expanding Ottoman Empire for 25 years and is today considered a national hero of Albania. ... The castle of Skanderbeg KrujÃ« (Albanian: KrujÃ« or Kruja, Italian: Croia) is a capital city of the District of KrujÃ« in Albania. ... Events University of Freiburg founded. ... Battle of Ujebardha Prelude The Battle of Ujebardha (also Albulena) was fought on 2 September 1457 and was, arguably Skanderbeg’s most important victory against any Ottoman army in an open field. ... Lezhë (Albanian: Lezhë or Lezha) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ... Categories: Albania geography stubs | Cities in Albania ...

In 1461 Skanderbeg launched a successful campaign against the Angevin noblemen and their allies who sought to destabilize King Ferdinand of Naples. After securing the Neapolitan kingdom, a crucial ally in his struggle, he returned home. In 1464 Skanderbeg fought and defeated Ballaban Badera, an Albanian renegade. Events February 2 - Battle of Mortimers Cross - Yorkist troops led by Edward, Duke of York defeat Lancastrians under Owen Tudor and his son Jasper Tudor, Earl of Pembroke in Wales. ... Angevin is the name applied to three distinct medieval dynasties which originated as counts (from 1360, dukes) of the western French province of Anjou (of which angevin is the adjectival form), but later came to rule far greater areas including England, Hungary and Poland (see Angevin Empire). ... A monarch (see sovereign) is a type of ruler or head of state. ... Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the words for prepared and journey. ... Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek ÎÎÎ± Î ÏŒÎ»Î¹Ï‚ - NÃ©a PÃ³lis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ... Events February - Christian I of Denmark and Norway who was also serving as King of Sweden is declared deposed from the later throne. ... Ballaban Badera (also known as Ballaban Pasha) was a battle hardened and experienced commander from Mat, Albania. ...

Though Ballaban Badera was defeated by Skanderbeg, he was successful in capturing a large number of Albanian army commanders, including Moisi Arianit Golemi, a cavalry commander; Vladan Giurica, the chief army economist; Muzaka of Angelina, a nephew of Skanderbeg, and 18 other noblemen and army captains. These men, after they were captured, were sent immediately to Istanbul and tortured for fifteen days. Skanderbeg’s pleas to have these men back, by either ransom or prisoner exchange, failed. Moisi Arianit Golemi, (also, Moisi Arianit Golem Komneni or simply Moisiu i Dibres), the Albanian feudal lord of Dibra, and grandnephew of Gjergj Arianit Komneni. ... Shows the Location of the Province Istanbul The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Istanbul Istanbul (Turkish: Ä°stanbul) (a Turkish contraction of Greek ÎµÎ¹Ï‚ Ï„Î·Î½ Ï€Î¿Î»Î¹Î½ into the city, the former Constantinople, ÎšÏ‰Î½ÏƒÏ„Î±Î½Ï„Î¹Î½Î¿ÏÏ€Î¿Î»Î¹Ï‚) is the largest city in Turkey, and arguably the most important. ...

In 1466, Sultan Mehmed II personally led an army into Albania and laid siege to Kruje as his father had also attempted sixteen years earlier. Kruje was defended by a garrison of 4,400 men, led by Prince Tanush Topia. After several months, Mehmed, like Murad II, saw that seizing Kruja by force of arms was impossible for him to accomplish. Shamed, he left the siege to return to Istanbul. However, he left a force of forty thousand men under Ballaban Pasha to maintain the siege, even building a castle in central Albania, which he named El-basan (the modern Elbasan), to support the siege. This second siege was no more successful than the first was eventually broken by Skanderbeg, resulting in the death of Ballaban Pasha, who fell victim to the use of firearms. Events ChimÃº Empire conquered by troops of the Inca End of term for Regent of Sweden JÃ¶ns Bengtsson Oxenstierna. ... Elbasan (Albanian: Elbasan or Elbasani) is a city in central Albania. ... An assortment of modern firearms using fixed ammunition, including military assault rifles, a sporting shotgun (fourth from bottom), and a tactical shotgun (third from bottom). ...

A few months later, in 1467, Mehmed, frustrated by his inability to subdue Albania, again led an army into Albania, this one the largest of its time. Kruje was besieged for a third time, but on a much grander scale. While a contingent kept the city and its forces pinned down, Ottoman armies came pouring in from Bosnia, Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece with the aim of keeping the whole country surrounded, thereby strangling Skanderbeg’s supply routes and limiting his mobility. During this conflict, Skanderbeg fell ill with malaria in the Venetian controlled city of Lezhe, and died on January 17, 1468, just as the army under the leadership of Leke Dukagjini defeated the Ottoman force in Shkodra. Events October 29 - Battle of Brusthem: Charles the Bold defeats Liege Beginning of the Sengoku Period in Japan. ... Bosnia and Herzegovina (officially Bosna i Hercegovina, shortened to BiH, also in English variously written Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bosnia-Hercegovina) is a mountainous country in the western Balkans. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Red blood cell infected with Malaria (Italian: bad air; formerly called ague or marsh fever in English) is an infectious disease which in humans causes about 350-500 million infections and approximately 30. ... Location within Italy Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venessia in the local dialect), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice, 45Â°26â€²N 12Â°19â€²E, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ... Lezhë (Albanian: Lezhë or Lezha) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ... January 17 is the 17th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Events Baeda Maryam succeeds his father Zara Yaqob as Emperor of Ethiopia Births February 29 - Pope Paul III (died 1549) Juan del Encina, Spanish poet, dramatist and composer William Lilye, English scholar (approximate date; died 1522) Charles I of Savoy John, Elector of Saxony (died 1532) Juan de ZumÃ¡rraga... Lekë Dukagjini (1410-1481) is an Albanian historical figure, contemporary of Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, who fought against the Turks and is known for the code of law instituted in northern Albania and still applied today in some remote areas known as Kanuni. ... Shkodër (Albanian: Shkodër or Shkodra, Serbian Skadar, Latin Scutari, German Skutari) is a city located in North West Albania, in the District of Shkodër and it is the capital of the County of Shkodër. ...

The Albanian resistance went on after the death of Skanderbeg for an additional ten years under the new leadership of Leke Dukagjini. In 1478, the fourth siege of Kruje finally proved successful for the Ottomans; demoralized and severely weakened by hunger and lack of supplies from the year-long siege, the defenders surrendered to Mehmed, who had promised them to leave unharmed in exchange. As the Albanians were walking away with their families, however,the Ottomans reneged on this promise, killing the men and enslaving the women and children. A year later, the Ottoman forces captured Shkodra, the last free Albanian castle (although it was under Venetian control at the time), but the Albanian resistance continued sporadically until around 1500. Events February 18 - George, Duke of Clarence, convicted of treason against his older brother Edward IV of England, is privately executed in the Tower of London. ... // Events Europes population was ~60 million. ...

Papal Relations

Skanderbeg's military successes evoked a good deal of interest and admiration from the Papal States, Venice, and Naples, themselves threatened by the growing Ottoman power across the Adriatic Sea. Skanderbeg managed to arrange for support in the form of money, supplies, and occasionally troops from all three states through his diplomatic skill. One of his most powerful and consistent supporters was Alfonso the Magnanimous, the king of Aragon and Naples, who decided to take Skanderbeg under his protection as a vassal in 1451, shortly after the latter had scored his second victory against Murad II. In addition to financial assistance, the King of Naples supplied the Albanian leader with troops, military equipment, and sanctuary for himself and his family if such a need should arise. As an active defender of the Christian cause in the Balkans, Skanderbeg was also closely involved with the politics of four Popes, one of them being Pope Pius II, the Renaissance humanist, writer, and diplomat. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Papal States (Gli Stati della Chiesa or Stati Pontificii, States of the Church) was one of the major historical states of Italy before the boot-shaped peninsula was unified under the Piedmontese crown of Savoy (later a republic). ... The Adriatic Sea Source: NASA The Adriatic Sea (Italian Mare Adriatico, German Adriatisches Meer or Adria, Croatian Jadransko more or Jadran) is an arm of the Mediterranean Sea separating the Apennine peninsula (Italy) from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps... Alfonso V of Aragon (also Alfonso I of Naples) (1396 â€“ June 27, 1458), surnamed the Magnanimous, was the King of Aragon and Naples and count of Barcelona from 1416 to 1458. ... // Events February 3 - Murad II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire dies and is succeeded by his son Mehmed II. April 11 - Celje acquires market-town status and town rights by orders from the Celje count Frederic II. June 30 - French troops under the Comte de Dunois invade Guyenne and capture... Pius II, nÃ© Enea Silvio Piccolomini, in Latin Aeneas Sylvius (October 18, 1405 â€“ August 14, 1464) was pope from 1458 to 1464. ... By region Italian Renaissance Spanish Renaissance Northern Renaissance French Renaissance German Renaissance English Renaissance The Renaissance, also known as Il Rinascimento (in Italian), was an influential cultural movement which brought about a period of scientific revolution, religious reform and artistic transformation, at the dawn of modern European history. ... ...

Profoundly shaken by the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Pius II tried to organize a new crusade against the Turks, and to that end he did his best to come to Skanderbeg's aid, as his predecessors Pope Nicholas V and Pope Calixtus III had done before him. This policy was continued by his successor, Pope Paul II. They gave him the title Athleta Christi, or Champion of Christ. Map of Constantinople. ... Events May 29 - Fall of Constantinople to Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II the Conqueror, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire). ... {{| English name=Nicholas V| image= | birth_name=Tomaso Parentucelli| term_start=6 March 1447| term_end=24 March 1455| predecessor=Eugenius IV| successor=Callixtus III| birth_date=15 November 1397| birthplace= Sarzana, Liguria, Italy | dead=dead|death_date=24 March 1455| deathplace=Rome|}} Nicholas V, nÃ© Tomaso Parentucelli (November 15, 1397 â€“ March 24, 1455) was... Callixtus III, né Alphonso de Borgia (December 31, 1378 - August 6, 1458) was born in Xàtiva, Valencia, Spain and was pope from April 8, 1455 to August 6, 1458. ... Pope Paul II, nÃ© Pietro Barbo (February 23, 1417 â€“ July 26, 1471), was pope from 1464 to 1471. ... Athleta Christi (Latin: Champion of Christ) is a title granted by the pope to men who have led military campaigns to defend Christianity. ...

Skanderbeg's 25-year resistance against the Ottoman Empire succeeded in helping protect the Italian peninsula from invasion by the Turks.

Gjergj Kastriot's Legacy

During his reign Skanderbeg issued many laws (census of the population, tax collecting etc) based on Roman law and Byzantine law. After his death from natural causes in 1468 in Lezhë, his soldiers resisted the Turks for the next 12 years. In 1480 Albania was finally conquered by the Ottoman Empire. When the Turks found the grave of Skanderbeg in Saint Nicholas church of Lezhe, they opened it and made amulets of his bones, believing that these would confer bravery on the wearer. The same year, they invaded Italy and conquered the city of Otranto. Roman Law is the legal system of ancient Rome. ... Justinian I depicted on a mosaic in the church of San Vitale, Ravenna, Italy The Corpus Juris Civilis (Body of Civil Law) is a fundamental work in jurisprudence, issued from 529 to 534 by order of Justinian I, Byzantine Emperor. ... Events Baeda Maryam succeeds his father Zara Yaqob as Emperor of Ethiopia Births February 29 - Pope Paul III (died 1549) Juan del Encina, Spanish poet, dramatist and composer William Lilye, English scholar (approximate date; died 1522) Charles I of Savoy John, Elector of Saxony (died 1532) Juan de ZumÃ¡rraga... LezhÃ« (Albanian: LezhÃ« or Lezha) is a city in northwest Albania, in the district and county with the same name. ... Events March 6 - Treaty of Toledo - Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain recognize African conquests of Afonso of Portugal and he cedes the Canary Islands to Spain Great standing on the Ugra river - Muscovy becomes independent from the Golden Horde. ... Otranto is a seaport and archiepiscopal see of Apulia, Italy, in the province of Lecce, from which it is 291 miles southeast by rail, 49 ft. ...

Skanderbeg's posthumous fame was not confined to his own country. Voltaire thought the Byzantine Empire would have survived had it possessed a leader of his quality. A number of poets and composers have also drawn inspiration from his military career. The French sixteenth-century poet Ronsard wrote a poem about him, as did the nineteenth-century American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Antonio Vivaldi composed an opera entitled Scanderbeg. Castle of Skanderbeg (now a museum) in Krujë, Albania (taken from the German wikipedia) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Castle of Skanderbeg (now a museum) in Krujë, Albania (taken from the German wikipedia) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Pierre de Ronsard, commonly referred to as Ronsard (September 11, 1524 - December, 1585), was a French poet and prince of poets (as his own generation in France called him). ... Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 â€“ March 24, 1882) was an American poet who wrote many works that are still famous today, including The Song of Hiawatha, Paul Reveres Ride and Evangeline. ... For the two explorers who sailed into the Atlantic in 1291, see Vandino and Ugolino Vivaldi. ...

Skanderbeg today is the National Hero of Albania. Many museums and monuments are raised in his honor around Albania, among them the Skanderbeg Museum next to the castle in Krujë.

Skanderbeg's struggle against the Ottoman Empire became highly significant to the Albanian people, as it strengthened their solidarity, made them more conscious of their national identity, and served later as a great source of inspiration in their struggle for national unity, freedom, and independence.

In Arbëresh poems he is not only the defender of their home country, he also the defender of Christianity. For the Albanians in Albania, a large majority whose muslims, Skanderbeg is a national argument proving Albania's cultural affinity to Europe. Flag Of The Arberesh People ArbÃ«reshÃ« are Albanian people living in southern Italy. ...

Arms of Skanderbeg

Seal of Skanderbeg

A seal, that is assumed to be a seal of Skanderbeg, has been kept in Denmark since it was discovered in 1634. It was bought by the National Museum in 1839. According the intepretation of the symbols and inscriptions on the seal as they have been studied and analysed by Danish scholars, the seal is made of brass, is 6 centimers in length and weighs 280 grams. The inscription is in Greek and reads Alexander (Skender) is an Emperor and a King. Emperor of the Romaic nation (Greeks) and King of the Turks, the Albanians, the Serbs and the Bulgars. It naturally follows that the inscription is laterally reversed. It is possible that the seal was made after the fall of Constantinople in 1453, since Scanderbeg is referred to as an Emperor of the Byzantines. The double eagle in the center of the seal is a famous ancient Illyrian symbol, and the origin of the flag of modern Albania. Furthermore, Scanderbeg never was a King of the Serbs or the Bulgars. It is possible that the seal was 'designed' while Scanderbeg was organising a crusade against the Osmans, or that it was manufactured when Scanderbeg served as a vassal to the King of Naples. It's also possible that the seal was commissioned of the family of Scanderbeg some time in the 16th century, or even that it is a fake from the 15th or 16th century. Image File history File links Picture of the seal of Skanderbeg File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Picture of the seal of Skanderbeg File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... ... Bulgars (also Bolgars or proto-Bulgarians) - a people of Central Asia, probably originally Pamirian, who became Turkified and later Slavicized over time. ... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... Naples (Italian Napoli, Neapolitan Napule, from Greek ÎÎÎ± Î ÏŒÎ»Î¹Ï‚ - NÃ©a PÃ³lis - meaning New City; see also List of traditional Greek place names) is the largest city in southern Italy and capital of Campania Region and the Province of Naples. ...

Descendants

Skanderbeg's family later took refuge to south Italy, as Turkish pressure became too much. They obtained there a feudal fief, Duchy of San Pietro di Galatina. An illegitimate branch of that family lives onwards in south Italy, having used the name Castriota Scanderbeg for centuries. They have been part of Italian lower nobility. The legitimate line of George Castriota went extinct as to males within a few generations, but apparently the family continues through a Sanseverino branch. There is also a Spanish nobleman by the name of Juan Alandro Castriota who contributed a great deal towards Albania's struggle for independence. The Lords and Barons prove their Nobility by hanging their Banners and exposing their Coats-of-arms at the Windows of the Lodge of the Heralds. ...

Epitaph

Scanderbeg had gathered quite a posthumous reputation in Western Europe in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. With virtually all of the Balkans under Ottoman rule and with the Turks at the very gates of Vienna in 1683, nothing could have captivated readers in the West more than an action-packed tale of heroic Christian resistance to the Moslem hordes. Books on the Albanian prince began to appear in Western Europe in the early sixteenth century. One of the earliest of these histories to have circulated in Western Europe about the heroic deeds of Scanderbeg was the Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi, Epirotarum Princeps (Rome ca. 1508- 1510), published a mere four decades after Scanderbeg's death. This: History of the life and deeds of Scanderbeg, Prince of the Epirotes was written by the Albanian historian Marinus Barletius Scodrensis (ca. 1450 - ca. 1512), known in Albanian as Marin Barleti, who after experiencing the Turkish occupation of his native Shkodër at first hand, settled in Padua where he became rector of the parish church of St. Stephan. Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-mÃ¼ddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335 - 1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million... As a noun, Christian is an appellation and moniker deriving from the appellation Christ, which many people associate exclusively with Jesus of Nazareth. ... A page from Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis Marin Barleti (Latin: Marinus Barletius, Italian: Marino Barlezio; ca 1450, Shkodër - 1512 or 1513, probably Rome) was a humanist of Albanian descent, the first and greatest Albanian historian, and a Catholic priest. ... Location within Italy Tronco Maestro Riviera: a pedestrian walk along a section of the inland waterway or naviglio interno of Padua The city of Padua (Lat. ...

The work was widely read in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries and was translated and/or adapted into a number of foreign language versions: German by Johann Pincianus (Augsburg 1533), Italian by Pietro Rocca (Venice 1554, 1560), Portuguese by Francisco D'Andrade (Lisbon 1567), Polish by Ciprian Bazylik (Brest-Litovsk 1569), French by Jaques De Lavardin, also known as Jacques Lavardin, Seigneur du Plessis-Bourrot (Paris 1576), and Spanish by Juan Ochoa de la Salde (Seville 1582). The English version, translated from the French of Jaques De Lavardin by one Zachary Jones Gentleman, was published at the end of the sixteenth century under the title, Historie of George Castriot, surnamed Scanderbeg, King of Albinie; containing his Famous Actes, his Noble Deedes of Armes and Memorable Victories against the Turkes for the Faith of Christ, London 1596. Another important work which increased the renown of Scanderbeg in Europe was the Commentario delle cose de' Turchi, Venice 1531 (Commentary on the affairs of the Turks) by Paulus Jovius (1483-1552), Bishop of Nocera. This was translated from a Latin version into English as A short treatise upon the Turke's Chronicles, London 1546. Location within Italy Venice (Italian: Venezia, Venessia in the local dialect), the city of canals, is the capital of the region of Veneto and of the province of Venice, 45Â°26â€²N 12Â°19â€²E, population 271,663 (census estimate 2004-01-01). ... Paulus Jovius, 16c prelate, bishop of Nocera then of Como; mostly known as a historian, author of a celebrated work of contemporary history. ...

Among other works of this period dealing with the Albanian prince were: Polish author Martin Cromer's Oration of Arsanes agaynst Philip; of the Ambassadors of Venise against the Prince that vnder crafty league with Scanderbeg layd snares for Christendom and of Scanderbeg prayeng ayde of Christian Princes agaynst periurous murderying Mahumet, and agaynst the old false Christian Duke Mahumet's confederate, London 1560?; Andrea Cambini's Two very notable commentaries; the one of the originall of the Turcks and empire of the house of Ottomanno, written by Andrewe Cambine; and thother of the warres of the Turcke against George Scanderbeg, prince of Epiro, and of the great victories obteyned by the seyd George, as well as against the Emperour of Turkie as other princes, and of his other rare force and vertues, worthye of memorye, London 1562; and Richard Knolles The Generall Historie of the Turkes, London 1603. One year after the Turkish siege of Vienna (1683) which was overcome by Polish king John III Sobieski (r. 1674-1696), a book was published in London on the victorious monarch, comparing his deeds to those of Scanderbeg. This anonymous history was entitled: Scanderbeg redivivus. An historical account of the life and actions of the most victorious Prince John III (Sobiesky), king of Poland, London 1684. In the eighteenth century, we come upon yet another historical work on Scanderbeg, entitled: A brief account of the life and character of George Castriot, King of Epirus and Albania, commonly called Scanderbeg, London 1735. With the aid of such publications, the figure of Scanderbeg was kept very much alive in Europe in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries as a prime symbol of Christian resistance to the ever-expanding Ottoman Empire. With time, the Albanian prince also came to serve as a modest source of inspiration for creative literature throughout Europe. We have a sonnet on Scanderbeg by French poet Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585); a 'comedia famosa' entitled El Principe Escanderberg by noted Spanish dramatist Lope de Vega (1562-1635); and at least three operas on the Scanderbeg theme, one of which by Venetian composer Antonio Vivaldi (1675- 1741). A page from Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis Marin Barleti (Latin: Marinus Barletius, Italian: Marino Barlezio; ca 1450, Shkodër - 1512 or 1513, probably Rome) was a humanist of Albanian descent, the first and greatest Albanian historian, and a Catholic priest. ... Portrait Marcin Kromer, (German Martin Kromer or Cromer) (1512-1589) was a 16th century bishop of Warmia, cartographer, diplomat, and historian in Poland and later in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... London is the capital city of the United Kingdom and of England. ... Reign From May 21, 1674, until June 17, 1696 Elected On May 21, 1674 in Wola, today suburb of Warsaw, Poland Coronation On February 2, 1676 in the Wawel Cathedral, Kraków, Poland Nobel Family Sobieski Coat of Arms Janina Parents Jakub Sobieski Zofia Teofillia Daniłowicz Consorts Marie Casimire Louise Children... Imperial motto (Ottoman Turkish) Devlet-i Ebed-mÃ¼ddet (the Eternal State) The Ottoman Empire at the height of its power Official language Ottoman Turkish Capital Bursa (1335 - 1365), Edirne (1365-1453), Ä°stanbul (1453-1922) Imperial anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Sovereigns Padishah of the Osmanli Dynasty Population ca 40 million... The term prince (the female form is princess), from the Latin root princeps, when used for a member of the highest aristocracy, has several fundamentally different meanings - one generic, and several types of titles. ... Pierre de Ronsard, commonly referred to as Ronsard (September 11, 1524 â€“ December, 1585), was a French poet and prince of poets (as his own generation in France called him). ... Lope de Vega (also Félix Lope de Vega Carpio or Lope Félix de Vega Carpio) (25 November 1562 – 27 August 1635) was a Spanish playwright and poet. ... For the two explorers who sailed into the Atlantic in 1291, see Vandino and Ugolino Vivaldi. ...

The American poet, Henri Wadsworth Longfellow also dedicated also a poem to Skanderbeg in his collection Tales by the Wayward Inn. Other famous names involved in literary creations on Skanderbeg are Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593), dramatist Ben Jonson (1572-1637); dramatist and pamphleteerist Thomas Dekker; James Shirley; poet and critic John Dryden and also none other than the great Lord Byron (1788-1824). The list of references in invariably long. More recently, a good number of articles have been published, principally in the late nineteen sixties, dealing with the role of Scanderbeg in the various European literatures which have appeared in Italian, French, English, German, Swedish, Hungarian, Russian and Ukrainian, and Serbian. An anonymous portrait, often believed to show Christopher Marlowe Christopher (Kit) Marlowe (baptised 26 February 1564 â€“ 30 May 1593) was an English dramatist, poet, and translator of the Elizabethan era. ... Benjamin Jonson (June 11, 1572 â€“ August 6, 1637) was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. ... Thomas Dekker, (c. ... James Shirley (or Sherley) (September 1596 - October 29, 1666), was an English dramatist. ... John Dryden John Dryden (August 19, 1631 â€“ May 12, 1700) was an influential English poet, literary critic, and playwright. ... Lord Byron, English poet Lord Byron (1803), as painted by Elisabeth Vigee-Lebrun George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron, (January 22, 1788 – April 19, 1824) was the most widely read English language poet of his day. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... The Serbian language is one of the standard versions of the Å tokavian dialect (former standard was known as Serbo-Croatian language). ...

List of Skanderbeg's battles

The battle of Ujebardha (also Albulena) was fought on September 2, 1457 in and was one of Skanderbegs most important victory against any Ottoman army in an open field. ... The Siege of Berat. ...

Sources

Adapted from Fan S. Noli's biography George Castrioti Scanderbeg and the 1911 Encyclopedia. Theophan (Fan) Stylian Noli (January 6, 1882 - March 13, 1965) was an Albanian bishop and politician, who served briefly as prime minister and regent of Albania in 1924. ... The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclop dia Britannica (1911) in many ways represents the sum of knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century. ...

Name Variants

In English, his names have variously been spelled: Gjergj, George, Giorgio; Kastrioti, Castrioti, Castriot, Kastriot; Skanderbeg, Scanderbeg, Skenderbeg, or Scander-Begh.

Contents

Success in the Ottoman Army

Fighting for the Freedom of Albania

Papal Relations

Gjergj Kastriot's Legacy

Arms of Skanderbeg

Seal of Skanderbeg

Descendants

Epitaph

List of Skanderbeg's battles

Sources

Name Variants

See also

External links

Bibliography

Contents

Success in the Ottoman Army GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Fighting for the Freedom of Albania

Papal Relations

Gjergj Kastriot's Legacy

Arms of Skanderbeg

Seal of Skanderbeg

Descendants

Epitaph

List of Skanderbeg's battles

Sources

Name Variants

See also

External links

Bibliography

Success in the Ottoman Army