Skanderbeg, George Kastrioti

(1405–1468), widely known simply as Skanderbeg, was a fifteenth-century Albanian nobleman. Sultan Murad II took him hostage in 1423 and he fought for the Ottoman Empire during the subsequent twenty years. In 1443, he deserted and became the ruler of Krujë. He organized local leaders, uniting their forces in war against the Ottomans. Skanderbeg’s first victory against the Ottomans in 1444 marked the beginning of more than 20 years of war with them. Skanderbeg’s forces achieved more than 20 victories in the field and withstood three sieges of their capital, Krujë. Skanderbeg is considered today a commanding figure not only in the national consciousness of Albanians but also in fifteenth-century European history. The failure of most European nations to give him support against the Ottomans meant that none of Skanderbeg’s victories permanently hindered the Ottomans from invading the Western Balkans. Albania considers Skanderbeg as its national hero, reason enough to give his equestrian statue a prominent place in its capital, Tirana.