Gjergj Kastrioti – Scanderbeg in the Modern Greek Historiography and Literature

Abstract

Fan Noli, this Albanian eminent personality in the field of politics, literature and religion tells us in his Autobiography that when was still a student at the Adrianopolis Greek high school, during the summer holidays in his village Ibrik – Tepe, read two of the most precious books recommended by '"uncle Tassi": The New Testament translated by Kristoforidhi and a history of Scanderbeg, written and published in Greek. The biography of the Albanian hero in Greek impressed him so much, that the personality of Gjergj Kastrioti would continuously lead him throughout his life.¹ Also, Jani Vreto, another Albanian intellectual and ardent representative of the Albanian Renaissance, read the biography of Scanderbeg in Greek, when was a student at the Zosimaia school in Ioannina, which made him so much enthusiastic, that just finishing it, wrote the poem Historia e Sk nderbeut (The history of Scanderbeg).²