The Liberation of Krujë () was the capture of the city of Kruje from the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

Skanderbeg Gjergj Kastrioti (17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanians, Albanian Albanian nobility, feudal lord and military commander who led Skanderbeg's rebellion, a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in what is today Albania, ...

on 28 November 1443. It marks the start of

Skanderbeg's rebellion 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 du ...

and is an important event in

Albanian history During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Albanoi, Ardiaei, Bylliones, Dassaretii, Enchele, Labeatae, Taulantii, Parthini, Penestae, Amantes, and many others, but also Bryges and Epirote tribes, a ...

Background

According to Chalcocondyles, "Weary after Hunyadi forced the Ottomans to retreat in the Balkans in 1443, the old lords hurried on all sides to regain possession of their fathers' fields". One of them was

Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg Gjergj Kastrioti (17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg, was an Albanian feudal lord and military commander who led a rebellion against the Ottoman Empire in what is today Albania, North Macedonia, Greece, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Ser ...

, who deserted the Ottoman army along with his nephew

Hamza Kastrioti Hamza Kastrioti () was a 15th-century Albanian nobleman and the nephew of Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg. Probably born in Ottoman territory, after the death of his father Stanisha he was raised by Skanderbeg, who took him in his military expediti ...

and 300 Albanians, which were placed on the left flank of the Ottoman army, but retreated without engaging Hunyadi.

Battle

On 28 November 1443, Skanderbeg's 300 soldiers reached the city of

Krujë Krujë ( sq-definite, Kruja; see also the etymology section) is a town and a municipality in north-central Albania. Located between Mount Krujë and the Ishëm River, the city is 20 km north of the capital of Albania, Tirana. Krujë was ...

hid his soldiers in the woods as

made his way to the entrance of the castle, handing over a forged letter from the

Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...

to its leader, Zabel Pasha, which stated that Skanderbeg was to be appointed the new ruler of the castle. After Zabel Pasha left the castle, Skanderbeg entered it together with his 300 Albanian soldiers. When it became nighttime, the Albanian forces attacked the Ottoman guards, picking them off one-by-one. The remaining Ottoman guards asked for mercy, leading to Skanderbeg asking for an ultimatum, in which the Ottomans were to leave the city. However, some of them didn't accept and charged at the Albanian soldiers, but they were quickly killed. Skanderbeg let the remaining Ottomans escape, however, as soon as they left the castle walls, they were killed by mobs of Albanian civilians, with no Ottoman guard being left alive. After the end of the clash, Skanderbeg gave a speech where he stated:

Aftermath

After liberating Krujë,

, together with the help of the Dibran forces led by

Moisi Golemi Moisi Arianiti, also known as Moisi Golemi and Moisi of Dibra (), was an Albanian nobleman and a commander of the League of Lezhë. From late 1443 until early 1444 he captured all Ottoman holdings in the area of Dibër region. For a brief perio ...

, captured many other Albanian castles that were under the rule of the

Ottomans Ottoman may refer to: * Osman I, historically known in English as "Ottoman I", founder of the Ottoman Empire * Osman II, historically known in English as "Ottoman II" * Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empir ...

, one of the most crucial ones being the castle of Svetigrad. On 2 March 1444, the regional Albanian chieftains and nobles united against the Ottoman Empire and established the

League of Lezhë The League of Lezhë (), also commonly referred to as the Albanian League (), was a military and diplomatic alliance of the Albanian aristocracy, created in the city of Lezhë on 2 March 1444. The League of Lezhë is considered the first unif ...

References

Sources

*{{citation, last=Noli, first=Fan Stilian, year=1947, title=George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405-1468), publisher=International Universities Press, oclc=732882 Warfare by Skanderbeg Battles involving Albania 1440s in the Ottoman Empire 1443 in Europe Battles involving the Ottoman Empire