| Skanderbeg's rebellion Kryengritja e Skënderbeut | |||||||||
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 Skanderbeg's portrait byCristofano dell'Altissimo (1552) | |||||||||
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Members
 Republic of Venice (from 1463) | Republic of Venice (1447–48) | ||||||||
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Skanderbeg's rebellion (Albanian:Kryengritja e Skënderbeut) was an almost 25-year long anti-Ottoman rebellion led by the Albanian military commanderSkanderbeg in what is todayAlbania and its neighboring countries. It was a rare successful instance of resistance by Christians during the 15th century and through his leadership led Albanians in guerrilla warfare against the Ottomans.[5]
On 2 March 1444 the regional Albanian chieftains and nobles united against the Ottoman Empire and established theLeague of Lezhë. The coalition would go on to successfully fight the Ottoman forces up until 1479, after which it was dissolved. After Skanderbeg's death in 1468, the league would continue fighting underLekë Dukagjini.
Skanderbeg's revolt represented a reaction by sections of local society and feudal lords against the loss of privilege and the exactions of the Ottoman government which they resented.[citation needed] Because of the frequent conflicts between rival families in Albania during Skanderbeg's rebellion, particularly between Skanderbeg andLekë Dukagjini, Albanian studies scholarRobert Elsie described the period as more of an Albanian civil war.[6] However, Skanderbeg reconciled with Lekë in 1453 and re-allied withGjergj Arianiti in 1456.
In Albania, the rebellion against the Ottomans had already been smouldering for years before Skanderbeg deserted the Ottoman army.[7] The most notable earlier revolt wasrevolt of 1432–36 led principally byGjergj Arianiti. Although Skanderbeg was summoned by his relatives during this rebellion, he remained loyal to the sultan and did not fight the Ottomans.[8] After this rebellion was suppressed by the Ottomans, Arianiti again revolted against the Ottomans in the region of central Albania in August 1443.
Skanderbeg decided to leave his position of Ottoman sanjakbey and revolt against the Ottomans only after the victoriousCrusade of Varna in 1443.[9] Successes of the crusaders inspired revolt of Skanderbeg and revolt ofConstantine XI Palaiologos in theDespotate of the Morea.[10] In early November 1443, Skanderbeg deserted the forces of Sultan Murad II during the Battle of Nish, while fighting against the crusaders of John Hunyadi.[11] Skanderbeg quit the field along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army.[12] He immediately led his men to Krujë, where he arrived on November 28,[13] and by the use of a forged letter from Sultan Murad to the Governor of Krujë he became lord of the city.[14] To reinforce his intention of gaining control of the former domains of Zeta, Skanderbeg proclaimed himself the heir of the Balsha family. After capturing some less important surrounding castles (Petrela, Prezë, Guri i Bardhë, Svetigrad, Modrič and others) and eventually gaining control over more than his father Gjon Kastrioti's domains, Skanderbeg abjured Islam and proclaimed himself the avenger of his family and country.[15] He raised a red flag with a black double-headed eagle on it: Albania uses a similar flag as its national symbol to this day.[16]
Dorotheos, theArchbishop of Ohrid and clerics and boyars ofOhrid Archbishopric together with considerable number of Christian citizens of Ohrid were expatriated by sultan toIstanbul in 1466 because of their anti-Ottoman activities duringSkanderbeg's rebellion.[17] Skanderbeg's rebellion was also supported by Greeks in the Morea.[18] According toFan Noli, the most reliable counselor of Skanderbeg wasVladan Jurica.[19]Himara also supported the war and supplied men to fight under Skanderbeg.
On 2 March 1444 the regional Albanian and Zetan chieftains united against theOttoman Empire.[20] This alliance (League of Lezhë) was forged in the Venetian heldLezhë.[21] The main members of the league were theArianiti,Balšić,Dukagjini,Muzaka,Spani,Thopia andCrnojevići. All earlier and many modern historians acceptedMarin Barleti's news about this meeting in Lezhë (without giving it equal weight), although no contemporary Venetian document mentions it.[22] Barleti referred to the meeting as thegeneralis concilium oruniversum concilium [general or whole council]; the term "League of Lezhë" was coined by subsequent historians.[23]
Kenneth Meyer Setton claims that majority of accounts on Skanderbeg's activities in the period 1443–1444 "owe far more to fancy than to fact."[24] Soon after Skanderbegcaptured Krujë using the forged letter to take control from Zabel Pasha, his rebels managed to capture many Ottoman fortresses including strategically very important Svetigrad (Kodžadžik) taken with support ofMoisi Arianit Golemi and 3,000 rebels fromDebar.[25] According to some sources, Skanderbeg impaled captured Ottoman officials who refused to be baptized into Christianity.[26][27]
The first battle of Skanderbeg's rebels against the Ottomans was fought on 10 October 1445, on the mountain Mokra. According to Setton, after Skanderbeg was allegedly victorious in theBattle of Torvioll, theHungarians are said to have sung praises about him and urged Skanderbeg to join the alliance ofHungary, thePapacy andBurgundy against the Ottomans.[24] In the spring of 1446, using help ofRagusan diplomats, Skanderbeg requested support from the Pope andKingdom of Hungary for his struggle against the Ottomans.[28]
Marin Span was commander of Skanderbeg's forces which lost the fortressBaleč to Venetian forces in 1448 duringSkanderbeg's war against Venice. Marin and his soldiers retreated towardDagnum after being informed by his relative Peter Span about the large Venetian forces heading toward Baleč.[29]
On 26 March 1450 a political treaty was stipulated inGaeta betweenAlfonso V for theKingdom of Naples andStefan, Bishop of Krujë, andNikollë de Berguçi, ambassadors ofSkanderbeg. In the treaty Skanderbeg would recognize himself a vassal of the Kingdom of Naples, and in return he would have the Kingdom's protection from theOttoman Empire. After Alfonso signed this treaty with Skanderbeg, he signed similar treaties with other chieftains from Albania:Gjergj Arianiti, Gjin Muzaka,Gjergj Balsha,Peter Spani,Paul Dukagjini, Thopia Muzaka, Peter of Himara,Simon Zenebishi andCarlo II Tocco.
To follow the treaty of Gaeta, Naples sent a detachment of 100 Napolitan soldiers commanded by Bernard Vaquer to the castle of Kruje in the end of May 1451.[30] Vaquer was appointed as special commissioner[31] and took over Kruje on behalf of the Kingdom of Naples and put its garrison under his command.[32]
Gjergj Balsha was perceived by Venice as Skanderbeg's successor,[33] whilstLekë Dukagjini became the leader of the League. After Skanderbeg's death Ivan and his brotherGjok Balsha, together with Leke, Progon andNicholas Dukagjini, continued to fight for Venice.[34]
A rare example of successful Christian resistance to the Turks in the 15th century, although in a fairly remote part of Europe, was provided by Skanderbeg, the Albanian mountain chieftain who became the leader of a national revolt. For over a quarter-century until his death in 1468, he led the Albanians in surprisingly effective guerrilla warfare against the Turkish occupiers.
Much legendry has been attached to the name of Scanderbeg...based on embellishments by historian Marinus ... according to legendry, Scanderbeg successfully repulsed thirteen Ottoman incursions, including three major Ottoman sieges of the citadel of Kruja led by the Sultans themselves...In fact, this period was more of an Albanian civil war between rival families, in particular between Skanderbeg and Leke Dukagjini
In Albania, where rebellion had been smouldering for several years, the heroic Skanderbeg (George Castriota) revolted and under ...
In 1432 Andrew Thopia revolted against his Ottoman overlords ... inspired other Albanian chiefs, in particular George Arianite (Araniti) ... The revolt spread ... from region of Valona up to Skadar ... At this time, though summoned home by his relatives ... Skanderbeg did nothing, he remained ... loyal to sultan
One result of the victorious campaign of 1443 was the successful revolt of Albanians under George Castriota
The crusaders' successes inspired two other major revolts, ... the revolt of Skanderbeg in Albania...
deportation of the Archbishop of Ohrid, Dorotei, to Istanbul in 1466, together with other clerks and bolyars who probably were expatriated because of their anti Ottoman acts during the Skender-Bey's rebellion.
A revolt against Turkish authority in Albania, led by George Castriota (Iskender Bey or "Skanderbeg") was successful for a brief period and was supported by dissident Greeks in the Morea.
...Vladan Jurica, këshilltari i tij më i besueshëm, ...
... a solid military alliance was concluded among all the Albanian and Serbian chieftains along the Adriatic coast from southern Epirus to the Bosnian border.
Мада ниједан савремени млетачки документ не помиње овај скуп, сви старији и многи новији историчари прихватили су Барлецијеве вести не придајући им, разуме се, исти значај.
George Skanderbeg, a man of noble birth, received his inheritance. ... fortress of Krujë by stratagem and declared himselfa Christian, going so far as to impale the Ottoman officials who refused to accept baptism; see Fine, LMB, 521–22, 556.
The names of religion and liberty provoked a general revolt of the Albanians, who indulged the Ottoman garrisons in the choice of martyrdom or baptism; and for 23 years Skanderbeg resisted the powers of the Turkish Empire, — the hero of ...
...с пролећа 1946 обраћао за помоћ папи и Угарској преко републике дубровачке...
Following the Treaty of Gaeta, in the end of May 1451, a small detachment of 100 Catalan soldiers, headed by Bernard Vaquer, was established at the castle of Kruje.
En vertu du traité, Alphonse V envoya en Albanie, au mois de juin 1451, un officier de sa trésorerie, Bernard Vaquer, avec les pouvoirs de commissaire spécial.
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{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)...Ivan Strez Balsics, des von Venedig anerkannten Nachfolgers Skanderbegs,...
die Skanderbegs Personlichkeit gelassen hatte, nicht zu füllen. Deshalb muste Venedig wie in den Jahrzehnten vor Skanderbeg mit einer Vielzahl von Adligen zusammenarbeiten; neben Leka, Progon und Nikola Dukagjin gehörten zu dieser Schicht auch Comino Araniti, wohl derselbe, der 1466 Durazzo überfallen hatte; die Söhne von Juani Stexi, di Johann Balsha, Machthaber zwischen Alessio und Kruja; Gojko Balsha und seine söhne der woiwode Jaran um Kruja (1477), und auch der mit seinem Erbe überforderte Johann Kastriota.
Albanians under the Ottoman Empire | |||||||||||
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