BCANDERBEG (properly, Is•ander-beg, "the prince Alexander," the name given him by the Turks), the famous patriot chief of Epirus, was b. in that country in 1414. His real name was George Castrion, and Ids father. John Castriota, was one of the great lords of Epirus, his mother, Voisava, being a Servian princess. In 1423, he was given as One of the hostages for the obedience of the Albanian chiefs, and his physical beauty and intelligence so pleased II., that he was lodged in the royal palace. and subsequently circumcised and brought up in Islamism, being also put under the tuition of skillful masters in the Turkish, Arabic, Slave, and In 1433, be greatly distinguished himself in Asia as a Turkish pasha (of one tail); but being offended at the confiscation of his paternal domains, and being solicited by some Epircite friends to return to his native country to aid in the restoration of its independence, he witched an opportunity of withdrawing front the Turkish army. He had not long to wait, for the generous and unsuspicious sultan, who had caused to be brought up as if he had been his own son, gave him the command of a large divisimt of time army which was destined to act against the Hungarian invaders. Scanderbeg, having concerted his plans with 300 of his fellow-Countrymen in the Turkish army, deserted during the confusion of the first battle (1443), and having previously compelled Amurath's secretary (whom he afterward murdered to avoid detection) to prepare an order investing him with the gov ernment of Croia (now Ak-hisser), the capital of Epirus, he and has companions tied thither with all possible speed. The unsuspecting governor at once resigned the town into his hands, and was massacred along with the garrison. At the news of Scanderbeg 's success, the whole country rose in insurrection, and in 30 days he had driven every Turk, except the garrison of Sfetigmd, out of the country. In order to strengthen himself in his new position, he invited a number of the neighboring princes and Albanian chiefs to a conference, at which it was unanimously agreed to make no terms with the Turks, and to obey Scanderbeg implicitly as their leader. Scauderbeg then raised an army of 15,000 men, with which he completely scattered (1444) the 40,000 Turks whom the indignant sultan had sent against him, killing an immense number of them, and taking a few prisoners. Three other Turkish armies shatted the same fate, and the "animus" with which the contest was carried on may be imagined, when we consider that the number of prisoners taken in the last (1448) of these three battles amounted to serenty two. Amurath himself in 1449 'took the field, and stormed many of the principal
fortresses, but being then ill of his fatal malady, he retired from before Croia, to die at Adrianople (1450). Scanderbeg's splendid successes brought in congratulations from the pope and the sovereigns of Italy and Aragon, but many of the Epirote chiefs were becoming wearied of the continual strife, and fell off from him, some of them even join ing the Turks. Seauderbeg's career was now, in consequence, of a more checkered character, but in spite of occasional defeats, he stoutly refused all the liberal stud fair proposals of the sultan, Mohammed II., who had a profound admiration for him, and sheltered by the mountainous nature of the country, carried on tin unceasing warfare. At last an armed convention was agreed to in 1461, and Scanderbeg profited by this leisure to pay off his debt to the pope and the king of Aragon (both of whom had sup plied him with material assistance during his greatest need), and crossing over to Italy, he routed the partisans of Anjou, and restored the kingdom of Naples to the latter of his' benefactors, returning home laden with honors and benedictions. At the instigation of the pope, who had tried in vain to raise the other Christian princes of Europe against the Turks, Scanderbeg broke the armed truce in 1464, and repeatedly defeated the Turks; but Mohammed becoming furious at these unprovoked aggressions, equipped two mighty armies, the first of which invested Croia, the second, under his own leadership, advanced more leisurely. The first army was, after a desperate contest, defeated by Scanderbeg in 1466; but the restless and indomitable chief, worn out with the incessant toil of 24 years, died at Alisso, Jan. 17, 1467. The war continued to rage some time longer, but the great mainstay of the country was now wanting, and before the end of 1478, the Turkish standard floated undisturbed over Epirus. Barlesio, a fellow-countryman of Scanderbeg, who has written his biography (De Vita et Moribus ac rebus gestis Geo, ail.. trudi, Rome, 1537), remarks his sobriety, the purity of his manners, and the strictness of his religious belief. He had vanquished the Turks in 22 pitched battles.