Ballaban had previously inflicted severe casualties on Skanderbeg's forces and soon received high favor from Mehmet II.
[1] Whatever the motives, the Ottoman army marched forth with two separate forces: one from the south under Arnauti and the other, under Ballaban's personal command, from the east.
Applying a pincer movement the goal of this action was to meet in central Albania in full force, storming what was supposed to be a hesitant Albanian defense.
Instead of accepting them, Skanderbeg sent back a pickax and a plough to remind Ballaban of his origins as a peasant, showing that it would have been more noble to have stayed so than to turn against one's own people.
[6] Many Albanian princes allied to Skanderbeg—most notably Moisi Golemi—began to advocate a purely defensive campaign to thwart the Ottoman invasion.
But Skanderbeg felt that he must, at all costs, prevent the linking up of the two armies sent against him, especially now that he had received fresh troops and supplies from King Ferdinand I of Naples, bringing his forces' numbers to 12,000 men.
He soon split up his forces into four groups: this first to Tanush Thopia; the second to Pal Engjelli's brother in-law who ruled over Durrës[clarification needed]; the third to Zaharia Gropa; and the last to himself.
Ballaban got his opportunity when Skanderbeg received news from his sister that Jakup Arnauti's forces had reached central Albania, destroying much of the land they marched through.
Skanderbeg's intentions were fulfilled and Arnauti split his forces into three in order to surround and defeat the Albanian cavalrymen who continued to be chased without being stopped.
When the Ottoman forces were spotted by the Albanians, a powerful charge was launched onto the unsuspecting Turks resulting in an initially fierce battle.
Arnauti's death devastated Ottoman morale, resulting in most of the force fleeing and being pursued by the Albanians who inflicted heavy casualties.