Skanderbeg's rebellion
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 Republic of Venice (from 1463) |
Republic of Venice (1447-48) | ||||||||
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Skanderbeg's rebellion was an almost 25-year long anti-Ottoman rebellion led by the Albanian military commander Skanderbeg in what is today Albania 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.[1]
On 2 March 1444 the regional Albanian chieftains and nobles united against the Ottoman Empire and established the League 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 under Lekë 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.[
Background
In Albania, the rebellion against the Ottomans had already been smouldering for years before Skanderbeg deserted the Ottoman army.
Skanderbeg decided to leave his position of Ottoman sanjakbey and revolt against the Ottomans only after the victorious Crusade of Varna in 1443.[5] Successes of the crusaders inspired revolt of Skanderbeg and revolt of Constantine XI Palaiologos in the Despotate of the Morea.[6] In early November 1443, Skanderbeg deserted the forces of Sultan Murad II during the Battle of Niš, while fighting against the crusaders of John Hunyadi.[7] Skanderbeg quit the field along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army.[8] He immediately led his men to Krujë, where he arrived on November 28,[9] and by the use of a forged letter from Sultan Murad to the Governor of Krujë he became lord of the city.[10] 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.[11] 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.[12]
Forces
Dorotheos, the
League of Lezhë (1444–1450)
On 2 March 1444 the regional Albanian and Zetan chieftains united against the
Early battles
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 the
War against Venice
Marin Span was commander of Skanderbeg's forces which lost the fortress
Treaty of Gaeta
On 26 March 1450 a political treaty was stipulated in Gaeta between Alfonso V for the Kingdom of Naples and Stefan, Bishop of Krujë, and Nikollë de Berguçi, ambassadors of Skanderbeg. 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 the Ottoman 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 and Carlo 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.[26] Vaquer was appointed as special commissioner[27] and took over Kruje on behalf of the Kingdom of Naples and put its garrison under his command.[28]
Aftermath
Gjergj Balsha was perceived by Venice as Skanderbeg's successor,[29] whilst Lekë Dukagjini became the leader of the League. After Skanderbeg's death Ivan and his brother Gjok Balsha, together with Leke, Progon and Nicholas Dukagjini, continued to fight for Venice.[30]
See also
References
- ISBN 978-0-295-97291-6.
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.
- ISBN 1845110315, retrieved January 18, 2011,
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
- Zachary Nugent Brooke (1966). The Cambridge Medieval History. Macmillan. p. 383.
In Albania, where rebellion had been smouldering for several years, the heroic Skanderbeg (George Castriota) revolted and under ...
- ^ Fine 1994, p. 535
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
- ISBN 978-0-299-10744-4.
One result of the victorious campaign of 1443 was the successful revolt of Albanians under George Castriota
- ISBN 0-472-08260-4.
The crusaders' successes inspired two other major revolts, ... the revolt of Skanderbeg in Albania...
- ISBN 99927-1-627-4.
- ISBN 99927-1-627-4.
- ^ Drizari, Nelo (1968). Scanderbeg; his life, correspondence, orations, victories, and philosophy.
- ISBN 9789992716274.
- ^ Gibbon, Edward (1802). Volume 12. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. T. Cadell jun. and W. Davies. pp. 168.
- ISBN 9789992716274.
- OCLC 276645834, retrieved 26 December 2011,
deportation of the Archbishop of Ohrid, Dorotei, to Istanbul in 1466, to-gether with other clerks and bolyars who probably were expatriated be-cause of their anti Ottoman acts during the Skender-Bey's rebellion.
- ISBN 978-0-691-15301-8.
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.
- Noli, Fan Stylian (1968). Vepra të plota: Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu (1405-1468). Rilindija. p. 138.
...Vladan Jurica, këshilltari i tij më i besueshëm, ...
- ISBN 0-691-01078-1.
... a solid military alliance was concluded among all the Albanian and Serbian chieftains along the Adriatic coast from southern Epirus to the Bosnian border.
- ^ "A Timeline of Skanderbeg's Campaigns". Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved March 28, 2011.
- ^ Božić 1979, p. 363
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.
- ISBN 978-9951-8735-4-3.
- ^ a b Setton p. 73.
- ^ Stojanovski, Aleksandar (1988). Istorija na makedonskiot narod. Makedonska kniga. p. 88.
- ISBN 978-0-8132-2182-3.
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.
- ^ (Firm), John Murray (1872). A Handbook for Travellers in Greece: Describing the Ionian Islands, Continental Greece, Athens, and the Peloponnesus, the Islands of the Ægean Sea, Albania, Thessaly, and Macedonia. J. Murray. p. 478.
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 ...
- ^ Jovan Radonić (1905). Zapadna Evropa i balkanski narodi prema Turcima u prvoj polovini XV veka. Izd. Matice srpske. p. 249. Retrieved 21 June 2013.
...с пролећа 1946 обраћао за помоћ папи и Угарској преко републике дубровачке...
- ^ Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti 1980, p. 39: "...да поруше обновљени Балеч с таквим снагама као да је у питању највећа тврђава. То је Петар Спан јавио свом рођаку Марину и овај је у последњем тренутку сакупио војнике и спустио се према Дању".
- ISBN 978-93-85505-66-9.
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.
- ISBN 9780598935991. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
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.
- ISBN 978-84-7283-276-3.
- OCLC 62309552,
...Ivan Strez Balsics, des von Venedig anerkannten Nachfolgers Skanderbegs,...
- ^ Schmitt 2001, p. 297
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.
Sources
- ISBN 978-3-406-63031-6
- Setton, Kenneth Meyer (1978), The Papacy and the Levant, 1204–1571, DIANE Publishing, ISBN 978-0-87169-127-9
- Božić, Ivan (1979). Nemirno pomorje XV veka (in Serbian). Belgrade: Srpska književna zadruga. OCLC 5845972. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
- ISBN 0-472-08260-4.
- Srpska Akademija Nauka i Umetnosti (1980). Glas (Volumes 319–323) (in Serbian). Belgrade: Serbian Academy of Science and Arts.
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