Skanderbeg's rebellion

Skanderbeg's rebellion
Kryengritja e Skënderbeut

Skanderbeg's portrait by Cristofano dell'Altissimo (1552)
DateNovember 1443 — 17 January 1468
Location
(modern Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro, and Kosovo)
Result
  • Albanian victory
Territorial
changes		 Some Ottoman-held Albanian territories are ceded to the newly formed League of Lezhe
Belligerents

League of Lezhë

Members

Crown of Aragon (1450-)[1][2][3][4]

Republic of Venice (from 1463)

Ottoman Empire

Republic of Venice (1447-48)
Commanders and leaders

Skanderbeg's rebellion (Albanian: Kryengritja e Skënderbeut) 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.[5]

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.[citation needed] Because of the frequent conflicts between rival families in Albania during Skanderbeg's rebellion, particularly between Skanderbeg and Lekë Dukagjini, Albanian studies scholar Robert Elsie described the period as more of an Albanian civil war.[6] However, Skanderbeg reconciled with Lekë in 1453 and re-allied with Gjergj Arianiti in 1456.

  1. ^ Marinescu, Constantin (1994). La politique orientale d'Alfonse V d'Aragon, roi de Naples (1416-1458) (in French). Institut d'Estudis Catalans. ISBN 978-84-7283-276-3.
  2. ^ Pastor, José Manuel Azcona; Abdiu, Majlinda (2020). La política exterior de la Corona de Aragón en los Balcanes (1416-1478): la Albania de Skanderbeg y la guerra contra los turcos (in Spanish). Ommpress. ISBN 978-84-17387-59-4. Archived from the original on 23 May 2024. Retrieved 19 April 2024.
  3. ^ Spremić, Momčilo (2005). Balkanski vazali kralja Alfonsa Aragonskog [Spremić, Momčilo (2005). Balkan vassals of King Alfonso of Aragon]. Archived 23 May 2024 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ Muhaj, Ardian (2008). "A política oriental de Alfonso V de Aragao e a Albânia de George Castriota-Skenderbeg". Iacobus: Revista de estudios jacobeos y medievales (23): 237–248. ISSN 1137-2397. Archived from the original on 28 April 2024. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  5. ^ Jean W Sedlar (1994). East Central Europe in the Middle Ages, 1000-1500. University of Washington Press. pp. 393–. 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.
  6. ^ Elsie, Robert (2005), "Muslim literature", Albanian literature: a short history, London: I.B. Tauris in association with the Centre for Albanian Studies, pp. 33, 34, 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