Data on Scanderbeg’s stay in Arberia before 1443

Abstract

Besides a lot of problems which accompanied Gjergj Kastrioti’s - Scanderbeg’s life and struggle, a great interest for researchers, certainly raises the issue of his stay in Albania before 1443. Precisely, this issue is the object of this research. Having in mind that this problem is obviously very complicated, we have nevertheless put efforts to shed new light on this period of life and actions of our national hero, always based on published sources and relevant literature. Accordingly, a conclusion can be reached through published sources and literature to support the fact that Scanderbeg was present in Albania before 1443. Researchers who support this version base it on documentary data from the periods before 1443, which directly or indirectly provide data related to the issue. In this regard, particular relevance receive data obtained from a 1420 document on which Gjon Kastrioti himself and on behalf of his sons signed a customs treaty with Ragusa merchants. Then, two acts from Hilandar of 1426, where Gjon Kastrioti with his four sons, according to the first document, donates to Hilandar monastery villages Radosushtë and Trebisht. And according to another document Gjon Kastrioti and three sons bought a castle in Athos Mountain from the monastery. During 1437-38, Scanderbeg is found in Kruja holding the position of subash, furthermore according to some researchers Scanderbeg was the Sanjac-Beg of Dibra. Finally, always based on data offered by documents we can find very important proofs for the issue, and also we can conclude that Scanderbeg has been present in Albania before 1443.