Giorgios Kastriotis aka Gjerg Kastriot Skanderbeg

[Ervald]

In 1457, an Ottoman army numbering approximately 80,000 men[citation needed] invaded Albania with the hope of destroying Albanian resistance once and for all; this army was led by Isa beg Evrenoz, one of the only commanders to have defeated Skanderbeg in battle, and Hamza Kastrioti, Skanderbeg’s nephew. After wreaking much damage to the countryside[citation needed], the Ottoman army set up camp at the Ujebardha field (literally translated as "Whitewater"), halfway between Lezhë and Krujë. After having evaded the enemy for months, Skanderbeg attacked there and defeated the Ottomans in September.

In 1461 the Sultan proposed[7] terms of accommodation with Skanderbeg and a peace was concluded between them on June 22. In the same year, Skanderbeg launched a successful campaign[11] against the Angevin noblemen and their allies who sought to destabilize King Ferdinand I of Naples. For his services[13] he gained the title of Duke of San Pietro in the kingdom 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 who had captured a large number of Albanian army commanders,[14] including Moisi Arianit Golemi, a cavalry commander; Vladan Giurica, the chief army quartermaster; Muzaka of Angelina, a nephew of Skanderbeg, and 18 other noblemen and army captains. These men were sent immediately to Istanbul and tortured for fifteen days.[14] Skanderbeg’s pleas to have these men back, by either ransom or prisoner exchange, failed.

In 1466 Sultan Mehmed II personally led an army into Albania and laid siege to Krujë as his father had attempted sixteen years earlier. The town was defended by a garrison of 4,400 men, led by Prince Tanush Topia. After several months, Mehmed, like Murad II, saw that seizing Krujë 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 40,000 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. Durrës would be the next target of the sultan, in order to be used as a strong base opposite the Italian coast.[15] The second siege of Kruja was eventually broken by Skanderbeg, resulting in the death of Ballaban Pasha from firearms.

A few months later in 1467, Mehmed, frustrated by his inability to subdue Albania, again led the largest army of its time into Albania. Krujë 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 Epirus 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 Lezhë, and died on January 17, 1468, just as the army under the leadership of Leke Dukagjini defeated the Ottoman force in Shkodër.

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, including Pope Pius II, who hailed him as the Christian Gideon.[13]

Profoundly shaken by the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Pius II tried to organize a new crusade against the Ottoman 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. the latter named him captain general of the Holy See. This policy was continued by his successor, Pope Paul II. They gave him the title Athleta Christi, or Champion of Christ.

[Ervald]

After death

A horseman statue portraying the Albanian folk hero, George Castriota Skanderbeg, in the square Piazza Albania in Rome, Italy.The Albanian resistance went on after the death of Skanderbeg for an additional ten years under the leadership of Dukagjini, though with only moderate success and no great victories. In 1478, the fourth siege of Krujë 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.[15]

In 1479, the Ottoman forces captured the Venetian-controlled Shkodër after a fifteen-month siege.[16] Shkodër was the last Albanian castle to fall to the Ottomans and Venetians evacuated Durrës in 1501. Albanian resistance continued sporadically until around 1500.

The union[1] which Skanderbeg had maintained in Albania did not survive him. Without Skanderbeg at their lead, their allegiances faltered and splintered until they were forced into submission. The defeats triggered a great Albanian exodus[16] to southern Italy, especially to the kingdom of Naples, as well as to Sicily, Greece, Romania, and Egypt. Following this, most of its population converted to Islam. Albania remained a part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912, never again posing a serious threat to the Ottomans.


[edit] Effects on the Ottoman expansion
The Ottoman Empire's expansion was ground to a halt during the timeframe in which Skanderbeg and his Albanian forces resisted. He has been credited with being the main reason for delaying Ottoman expansion into Western Europe, giving Vienna time to better prepare for the Ottoman arrival. While the Albanian resistance certainly played a vital role in this, it was one piece of numerous events that played out in the mid-15th century. Much credit must also go to the successful resistance mounted by Vlad III Dracula in Wallachia, as well as the defeats inflicted upon the Ottomans by Hunyadi and his Hungarian forces.


Descendants
Skanderbeg's family, the Castriots,[3] were invested with a Neapolitan dukedom after the Turkish pressure became too strong. They obtained a feudal fiefdom, the Duchy of San Pietro di Galatina. John, Skanderbeg's son, married Irene Palaeologus of the Byzantine royal family, the Palaeologus.[17]

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.

Name
His names have been spelled in a number of ways: George, Gjergj, Giorgio; Castriota, Kastrioti, Castrioti, ,[7] Kastriotes, Castriot,[13] Kastriot, Skanderbeg, Scanderbeg, Skenderbeg, Skanderbeu, Scander-Begh, or Iskander Bey.

Legacy

When the Ottomans found the grave of Skanderbeg in Saint Nicholas, a church in Lezhë, they opened it and made amulets of his bones,[3] believing that these would confer bravery on the wearer.

Skanderbeg today is the national hero of Albania. Many museums and monuments, such as the Skanderbeg Museum next to the castle in Krujë, have been raised in his honor around Albania and in predominantly Albanian-populated Kosovo. 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, but also the defender of Christianity. For the Albanians in Albania, a large majority of whom are Muslims, Skanderbeg is a national argument proving Albania's cultural affinity to Europe. Many have argued he was Muslim himself, although he was not. He had converted while held captive in Anatolia, but later reverted back to Christianity upon escaping.

The Helmet

Skanderbeg’s helmet is made of white metal, adorned with a strip dressed in gold. On its top lies the head of a horned goat made of bronze, also dressed in gold. The bottom part bears a copper strip adorned with a monogram separated by rosettes * IN * PE * RA * TO * RE * BT *, which means: Jhezus Nazarenus * Principi Emathie * Regi Albaniae * Terrori Osmanorum * Regi Epirotarum * Benedictat Te (Jesus Nazarene Blesses Thee [Skanderbeg], Prince of Mat, King of Albania, Terror of the Ottomans, King of Epirus). It is thought that the copper strip with the monogram is the work of the descendants of Skanderbeg and was placed there by them, as Skanderbeg never held any other title but “Lord of Albania” (Dominus Albaniae)


The first element which commands attention is the meaning and symbolism of the horned goat on the helmet. It is difficult to assess with certainty what the horned goat might signify. It might be explained by the cult of the wild goat, the symbol of the “zana” or goddess "Diana".Note: Dhi-ana; Lady of the Goats in Albanian. The 'Z', 'D', 'Th' shift is vey common like Zeus, Deus, Theos. There are signs indicating that the cult of the wild goat is very ancient. The Roman writer and historian of the I-II century A.D., S. Suetom Tanquilli (De Vita Caesarum, L.II, 12, 94.) writes that the Roman Emperor Augustus, after putting down the Illyrian revolt of Bato, cut a coin bearing the head of a horned goat to celebrate the victory.

There is another possible explanation with serious historical ramifications. According to a report by historian Shefqet Pllana, Sami Frasheri in his Kamus-al-Alam maintains that the wording "Dhu lKarnejn" (owner of the two horns) was an appellative attributed to Alexander the Great of Macedon, the very name which Skanderbeg bore in the Islamic form. This second explanation may be the truer, since the theory of the Macedonian-Albanian and Epirot-Albanian continuance is strong not only among Albanians but among all the peoples of Europe. This opinion agrees with the work of Marin Barleti who writes: “When the people saw all those young and brave men around Skanderbeg, then it was not hard to believe that the armies of [Sultan] Murat were so defeated by the Albanians. Indeed, the times when the star of Macedon shone brilliantly had returned, just as they seemed in those long forgotten times of Pyrrhus and Alexander."

At the request of the pre-WWII Albanian government, an identical copy of the helmet of Skanderbeg lies now in the National Museum of Tirana, Albania. The copy was manufactured by a talented Austrian master in 1937.

[akritas]

Ervald welcome to the macedoniaontheweb.

All your previous posts are directly from the Skanderbeg - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . So I will use also your source.

Personally I am not from those that we support Greek or Albania origin because the lack of the historical sources.All the historical sources mentioned him as Epirotan.One from your historical argument is this that came from Barleti History.Below is the front page of his biography. that I took it from your source. I think in 1968 Albanian authorities published a mail stamp with this pic.

So my question if there is in that biography any reference that mention him as Albanian ? As I know he mentioned him only as Epirotan.

[Theodosivs]

Akritas have you ever read Martin Barletius work? The context inwhich he uses Epirotian is not in anyway related to some kind of separate identity, rather in the middle ages until around the late 1800's, Albania was associated as Epirus.

I cant provide you with the text, but I can provide you with the next best thing, a study of it:

There have been various translations of Barletius work, one in English is entitled:

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

Another in French is called:

Histoire de Georges Castriot Surnomé Scanderbeg, Roy d'Albanie



According to Edward Gibbons:

John Castriot, the father of Scanderbeg, (36) was the hereditary prince of a small district of Epirus or Albania, between the mountains and the Adriatic Sea.

This is corroborated by an Albanian priest named Frang Bardhi who writes:

In Epirotic (Albanian), this town is known as Ndenscati (Nënshat), meaning 'under Sapa' (1), from which derives the title of the bishop, Bishop of Sapatensis. It is known for certain that four bishops come from this village: George Summa (Gjergj Suma), Tosolo Bianchi (Tozol Bardhi), Nicholas Bianchi (Nikollë Bardhi) and the afore-mentioned Gjergj Bardhi, now Archbishop of Bar. The last three made great efforts to rule and to protect the Christian faithful from the impiety of the Muslims over the last ninety years, right up to the present bishop, Francis Bianchi (Frang Bardhi), their relation and successor. The family and lineage of the Bardhis is considered noble in Albania.

Frang Bardhi also write a well known Latin-Albanian dictionary which was called the "Latino-Epiroticum" dictionary

This is corroborated by Scanderbeg himself who replies to the prince of Taranto after the prince calls the Albanians sheep:

You will find other men who all support your proud appearance (?) and no one will avoid your face. Our Italian soldiers will challenge you very well and have no fear of the Albanese. We already know your generation and respect the Albanese like sheep, and it is an embarrassment to have such cowardly people for enemies; (neÕ?) would you have embarked on such a business if you had stayed to dwell in your house.

Here the prince makes no mention of the Epirots, however Scanderbeg responds:

Moreover, you scorned our people, and compared the Albanese to sheep, and according to your custom think of us with insults. Nor have you shown yourself to have any knowledge of my race. My elders were from Epirus, where this Pirro came from, whose force could scarcely support the Romans. This Pirro, who Taranto and many other places of Italy held back with armies.

Remember the the prince of Taranto never makes a mention of the "epirots" in his writings. Why does Scanderbeg bring them up now? He is using Albanian and Epirot interchangably.

He was not the only one:

In Musachi's writing(An Albanian lord who now resided in Italy, Albania is named as part of Epirus:

They say in fact that our dynasty stems from the city of Constantinople and came to rule over Epirus in Albania.

He gives away his origin by saying:

When you come upon the name Theodore Musachi Chiscetisi (Kishetisi), know that Kishetisi means long haired. And indeed they wore their hair long. In Albanian, the word 'kishet' (gërshet) means 'braids' and that was the way they were accustomed to wearing their hair, as far as I remember. Even in our times, they usually wore their hair down to their shoulders in our principality. This is why I mention this.

This a result of the Despot of Epirus. Afterwards when it crumbled Albs felt themselves to be the inheritors of the land.

As for those using Disraeli as a source, well he is not a valid one.

The Rise of Iskander makes no attempt to be historical nor in any way does it endeavour to paint a realistic picture of Scanderbeg's life. It is simply a sentimental tale in the form of a short novel, which makes use of the figure of Scanderbeg to provide the oriental backdrop, with requisite local colour and costumes which the author so loved.

He calls Scanderbeg Greek because he is connecting him to Christianity at a time when being Albanian meant Muslim.

The confusion in the sources is not there to say that Scanderbeg had any greek origin. At the time Greek did not equate Epirotian and neither did Greeks call themselves such, the common phrase was still Roman. In the west there occurred a general confusion since the people did not know the makeup of the area until relatively recently. They did not know what Epirus was exactly. On top of it all they connected the people living in an area automatically as descendants of a certain ancient dwellers there the Bulgarians were Panonnians, Albanians were Epirotians while the Yugoslavs were considered Illyrians. The fact that the word was used interchangably did not help out. The League of Lezhe as known today(lezhe is in northern Albania, as well as Kruja aswell as Mat. All areas related to Scanderbeg) was actually known as the League of Epirus:

This is Alexander Castrioti, or Scanderbeg. During the armed resistance of the Ottoman advance in northern Albania, he was the leader of a number of Albanian chieftains, but he never took the title of King of Epirus. Epirus was a territory comprehending part of northern Greece and Albania south of the Apsus River (today Seman river).... Sarrochi, like her contemporaries, uses the name Epirus to indicate the country claimed by Scanderbeg alliance and calls Scanderbeg king of Epirus.

Heroes and Deeds of Scanderbeg, King of Epirus. pp.75

The general concensus is that Scanderbeg was infact Albanian and commanded over Albanians. This has never been doubted by historians, only by "agendaists"...

If anyone wants my sources email me. Unfortunately I cannot post HTML's on this site...

[Tsontos]

Ervald you cant possiblt consider posting the entire wikipedia article on him as a feasable argument. For god's sakes the opening paragraph of that article says that he "fought for the independence of albania", which we both know is bollocks. Look at the discussion page of that article; the albanians have gone nuts there. Every second word of the article is Albanian and they have erased thing which describes him as Greek.

Theodosivs said:

King of Albinie

Did you see Kastriotis' seal? it said he was emperor of the romaioi and king of the serbs, albanians, Bulgarians and Turks.

Name
His names have been spelled in a number of ways: George, Gjergj, Giorgio; Castriota, Kastrioti, Castrioti, ,[7] Kastriotes, Castriot,[13] Kastriot, Skanderbeg, Scanderbeg, Skenderbeg, Skanderbeu, Scander-Begh, or Iskander Bey.

Yes thats right Im sure he was never described as "Kastriotis" very unbiased wikipedia article

Theodosivs surely you can agree at least that the etymology of Kastriotis is Greek? Was his surename Hellenised?

[Theodosivs]

Did you see Kastriotis' seal? it said he was emperor of the romaioi and king of the serbs, albanians, Bulgarians and Turks.

On Scanderbeg's seal:

Maybe the seal was 'designed' when Scanderbeg was organising a crusade against the Osmans, maybe it was manufactured when Scanderbeg served as a vassal to the King of Naples. Probably the seal was commissioned of the family of Scanderbeg some time in the 16th century. You cannot know exactly. Even, it is not to say whether the seal is a fake (from the 15th or 16th century).

It is not accepted as genuine among academic circles. The oldest date ascribed to it is the mid-16th century.

Theodosivs surely you can agree at least that the etymology of Kastriotis is Greek? Was his surename Hellenised?

1. Albanian nomenclature has evolved significantly since the middle-ages.
2. There are numerous placenames in northern Albania near Dibra that have Kastrati, Kastriot and such.

[Tsontos]

You cannot know exactly. Even, it is not to say whether the seal is a fake (from the 15th or 16th century).

"You cannot know exactly", hmmmm I wonder what was the nationality of the person who threw that little edit in on the wikipedia page


What does 'Kastrioti' mean in Albanian?

[Theodosivs]

"You cannot know exactly", hmmmm I wonder what was the nationality of the person who threw that little edit in on the wikipedia page

The quote is not from wikipedia....

//bjoerna.dk Forlag

/albansk-historie/

Seal-of-Scanderbeg .

here is the link. If you can configure it

What does 'Kastrioti' mean in Albanian?

Kastriot.. Person from Kastra(t). -iot suffix has been borrowed by Albs to a certain extent.

[Tsontos]

This is the link BA Forlag. Im not sure what this site is and why it has articles about Kosovo etc. It also has a link to the wikipedia article in the top left hand corner. Who is 'borrowing historical information' from whom? In regards to his seal even if it is not from the time of the Ottoman invasions and is created by his family is it not still a telling and relevant point of discussion? Who is supposed to have faked it and for what cause?



This is what you beleive the eymology to be ok. The 'Greek' etymology is "Kastro" 'Castle' iotis 'man of'. Castleman. What do you think is more accepted by linguists and historians of Skanderbeis?

Kastriot.. Person from Kastra(t). -iot suffix has been borrowed by Albs to a certain extent.

it seems that not only the -iot suffix is borrowed by Albanians but also the -ioti, where his name is spellt as 'Kastrioti'

[Theodosivs]

The person who placed it on wiki copied it directly from that website. I have been trying to bring it to the attention of people on wiki but nobody has noticed so far.

-i is a suffix added to every Albanian male name. If it's Mehmet, we would say Mehmeti, if its Panagiot we say Panagioti. Arian is Ariani. etc. etc.

Hence it was originally just George Kastriot, however Albs would say Kastrioti.

Historians of Scanderbeg. the only person who commented on this was Harry Hodgkinson in his book "Scanderbeg". It's in his notes page. I would get it but right now I am not home. However I will get it some other time.