Albanian principalities
Some of these principalities were notably united in 1444 under the military alliance called League of Lezhë up to 1480 which defeated the Ottoman Empire in more than 28 battles.
The leaders of these principalities were some of the most noted Balkan figures in the 14th and 15th centuries such as Gjin Bua Shpata, Andrea II Muzaka, Gjon Zenebishi, Karl Topia, Andrea Gropa, Balsha family, Gjergj Arianiti, Gjon Kastrioti, Skanderbeg, Dukagjini family and Lek Dukagjini.
During this period the Despotate of Epirus was ruled by Thomas II Preljubović, who was in an open conflict with Gjin Bua Shpata.
Among the animosities with the rulers of Janina Gjin's successor, Muriq Shpata, had to deal with the intentions of the Venetians and of Count Carlo I Tocco of Cefalonia.
Zenebishi was defeated by the Turks, he fled to the Venetian island of Corfu, but was called back two years later (1416) by an uprising of the mountain tribes.
The Muzaka family continued to be a formidable and influential dynasty in central Albania until 1417 when it eventually fell under the Ottoman Empire.
Gjon Kastrioti had originally only two small villages, which probably emblem of the eagle family with a black two-headed, even if it can provide different interpretations.
Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg was distinguished as one of the best officers in several Ottoman campaigns both in Asia Minor and in Europe, and the Sultan appointed him General.
On 28 November 1443, Skanderbeg saw his opportunity to rebel during a battle against the Hungarians led by John Hunyadi in Niš as part of the Crusade of Varna.
Gibbon[7] reports that the "Albanians, a martial race, were unanimous to live and die with their hereditary prince" and that "in the assembly of the states of Epirus, Skanderbeg was elected general of the Turkish war and each of the allies engaged to furnish his respective proportion of men and money".
The Mataranga family, who were wealthy in the southern Albania coastal region between Durazzo and Valona, whose first known members were recorded in a document from the Republic of Ragusa as rulers of the territory.
Temporary vassals of the Byzantine Emperors, at the beginning of the 14th century they accepted the supremacy of Philip of Taranto, who recaptured Durazzo in 1304 for the House of Anjou of the Kingdom of Naples.
[13] After the Albanian Revolt of 1432–1436 was crushed the sultan entrusted Koja's son Lekë Zaharia with a position of Dagnum's governor.
један скадарски фрањевац упознао јемлетачку владу са жељом Ко је Закарије да се приклони Млеча-нима, јер је турску власт прихватио наводно из нужде, и да засличан став придобије свог рођака Димитрија Јониму.
Као господар Дања и Шатија, ... Предлагао је да се инсценира сукоб у коме би га Млечани побиједшш и ... Сам је као награду тражио млетачку провизију од 500 дуката годишње.
Упркос привлачности понуде,Млечани су одложили коначну одлуку, поготову када се послијенеколико дана сазнало да је и сам.
