Albanians Commemorate 578th Anniversary of the League of Lezha

TIRANA, March 2

Today Albanians commemorate the League of Lezha (Lidhja e Lezhës)

The League of Lezha was held 578 years ago on 2 March 1444 at Shen Kolli Kathedral in Lezha. That is the same place where is now located the memorial of Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu.
The League marked one of the most important moments of Albanian war and resistance against the Ottoman invaders. It was the first political and military pan-Albanian union known in our history. It laid the foundation of national unity. The Albanian nobles and princes that attended the league were:
Gjergj Arianiti;
Andrea Topia, the descendant of Karol Thopia, the prince that ruled the area between Kruja and Durres. He was accompanied by his two sons and his nephew Tanush Topia;
Teodor Korona Muzaka, prince of Berati and other princes from Myzeqe area;
Gjergj Stres Balsha and his brothers Gojko and Gjon Balsha, rulers of the area between Kruja and Lezha;
Princes Pal and Nikolla Dukagjini who ruled a participate that expanded from Drini River to Kosovo;
Lek Zaharia Prince of Danja;
Pjeter Spani and his four sons, rulers of the Highlands of Shoshi and Shala;
Lek Dushmani, prince of Zadrima;
Stefan Cernojevic, prince of Upper Zeta.
Delegates from Venice were present at the league as observers.
The League proclaimed Gjergj Kastrioti Skenderbeu (Skanderbeg) as the Chief of the League of the Albanian people. As a leader, he was the commander of joint armed forces. On their part, the prices would contribute to the league with men and monetary funds.

Image: The League of Lezha fresco at Gjergj Kastrioti National Museum in Kruja by painter Bashkim Ahmeti
Photo by Asia licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license