They mostly trace their origins to Kosovo, North Macedonia and to a lesser extent to Albania and other Albanian-speaking territories in the Balkan Peninsula.
This defensive alliance brought the Ottoman Empire to the brink of collapse on several occasions and was able to hold back the further expansion of the Islamic theocracy for 35 years.
Giorgio Basta came from an Albanian noble family and was commander-in-chief of the Habsburg imperial army during the Long Turk war.
This victory laid the foundation for the rise of Austria to become a great power and marked the beginning of the period of military decline for the Ottoman Empire.
Since 15 December 2010, Albanian nationals have been able to enter Austria without visa for tourism or business purposes for a period of up to 90 days per half-year.