George Kastrioti Skanderbeg
(Albanian: Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu; Italian: Giorgio Castriota Scanderbeg; 1405 – 17 January 1468), commonly known as Skanderbeg (from Turkish: İskender Bey), was a 15th-century Albanian nobleman.
Skanderbeg was born in 1405 to the noble Kastrioti family. Sultan Murad II took him hostage in 1423 and he served the Ottoman Empire during the next twenty years. He was appointed as the governor of the Sanjak of Dibra by the Ottomans in 1440. In 1443, he deserted the Ottomans during the Battle of Niš and became the ruler of Krujë, Svetigrad and Modrič.
In 1444, he initiated and organized the League of Lezhë, which proclaimed him Chief of the League of the Albanian people, and defended the region of Albania against the Ottoman Empire for 25 years. Skanderbeg's rebellion was not a general uprising of Albanians, and he did not enjoy support in the largest Albanian cities, whether in the Ottoman-controlled south or Venetian-controlled north. His followers, along with Albanians, included Slavs, Vlachs and Greeks. In 1451 he recognized de jure the suzerainty of Kingdom of Naples through the Treaty of Gaeta, to ensure a protective alliance, although he remained a de facto independent ruler. In 1460–1461, he participated in Italy's civil wars in support of Ferdinand I of Naples. In 1463, he became the chief commander of the crusading forces of Pope Pius II, but the Pope died while the armies were still gathering. Together with Venetians he fought against the Ottomans during the Ottoman–Venetian War (1463–79) until his death in January 1468.
Skanderbeg's military skills presented a major obstacle to Ottoman expansion, and he was considered by many in western Europe to be a model of Christian resistance against the Ottoman Muslims. Skanderbeg is Albania's most important national hero and a key figure of the Albanian National Awakening.
CZ: Jednoduchá a rychlá krabička v Zemi Orlů věnovaná albánskému národnímu hrdinovu Jardovi Kastriotovi Skanderbeu. Ať se líbí a dlouho vydrží. Hodně štěstí při hledání. Nenechte se zmást možným výskytem dvou logbooků. V místě se dost "krade", tak snad vydrží aspoň jeden.
Source of text: wikipedia.com