"Since the end of the nineteenth century, the main trend of the Albanian nationalist discourses tend to play down the importance of religious identities in comparison with the national identity. The problem arises when this kind of discourse – reinforced by the atheist propaganda of the communist period – is taken as the reality. Let us take the example of Vaso Pasha‟s famous slogan “The religion of the Albanians is Albanianism”. In fact, he meant that the Albanians had to recognize themselves first as Albanians and not as “Muslims”, “Orthodox” or “Catholics”, and was denouncing at the same time the prehalshs-00189819, version 1 - 22 Nov 20073 eminence of the religious identities. Indeed, religious identities as social identities have always been very strong among the Albanians."[1]
GOD IN THE “LAND OF THE MERCEDES” THE RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES IN ALBANIA SINCE 1990, published in "Albanien, Peter Jordan, Karl Kaser, Walter Lukan et alii (Ed.) (2003) 277-314 Nathalie CLAYER (C.N.R.S., Paris)
Svetigrad - Venetians - Svetigrad
The article about that siege explains that Skanderbeg was Here are informations about Skanderbeg's participation in that siege (based on the article about it):
- Shortly before the Ottoman siege began (May 14), Skanderbeg positioned himself, and 4,000 cavalry, 7 miles (11 km) from the Turkish camp.
- his forces sprung the ambush and the Ottoman force was annihilated
- after Ottoman forces attacked Svetigrad Skanderbeg incorporated a scorched earth strategy because it was asked by Count of Gurrica
- Skanderbeg moved from village to village, disguised as a common soldier, and invoked the fighting spirit of the population.
- To relieve the garrison of Svetigrad, Skanderbeg continually harassed the Ottoman army.
- On June 22, Skanderbeg led a night attack on the Ottoman camp
- After he lost Svetigrad on 31 July Skanderbeg continued to shadow the Ottoman army as it headed back home.