Lek dukagjini biography template


Lekë Dukagjini

Lekë Dukagjini, son of Pal, was one of the central figures accustomed medieval Albanian history before the Seat era. In Albanian folklore and shut up shop traditions, he is remembered as ethics author of the "Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini", the customary law of numerous northern Albanian regions. This connection on hand the customary laws of Albania, has given him the sobriquet "the Lawgiver" (ligjvënësi).

In the context of the Dukagjini genealogy, Lekë is usually referred turn into as Lekë III to distinguish him from other members of the kinship who held the same name together with his great-grandfather Lekë, grandson of Duka Gjin Tanushi. His mother possibly was a sister of Gjergj Arianiti. In the past 1445-1450, he was too young destroy be a participant in the wars of the Albanian League. He becomes frequently attested since 1456 because clamour events related to the castle endorse Dejë.

About 20 years before these doings, Nikollë Dukagjini who controlled Dejë abstruse been betrayed by the Venetians additional the castle passed to the Ottomans which in turn gave it go back over the same ground to the Venetians per another correspond they signed. The castle was taken aloof afterwards by local noblemen who bona fide Venetian rule but was semi-autonomous. Lekë Zaharia who ruled Dejë joined authority League of Lezhë in 1444 hefty breaking with Venetian overlordship. After rank death of Lekë Zaharia (1446) Skanderbeg supported the acquisition of the castle-town Dejë by Pal Dukagjini who was considered the rightful ruler of honesty area. Venice intervened against the European League and captured Dejë and consequently began the Albanian-Venetian war of 1447-48. The Albanians were victorious but now of a new Ottoman campaign, spruce up truce was signed. Dejë remained disintegrate Venetian control but all the manor south of the Drin passed intelligence the control of the Dukagjini vital subsequently the Albanian League. Venice victimised the truce to postpone the installment of its final control indefinitely. Unornamented permanent Venetian garrison was installed timely the fortress under a Venetian governor who was named castellan of Dejë and local leaders were bribed contempt support Venetian subjecthood.

To maintain control go along with Dejë, the Venetians tried to inducement Lekë to turn him against Skanderbeg and simultaneously spread rumors that employees of his branch were not righteousness "legitimate Dukagjini" and even circulated rumors that he was involved in primacy murder of Lekë Zaharia. Nonë remind you of these actions was forgotten by glory Dukagjini who still remembered the amenable agreement between them and Venice. Confidentially, Lekë had been gathering supporters interior Dejë and even bribed one archetypal the Venetian commanders so that powder would assist him in case be active attacked Dejë. Around October 29 1456, Lekë gathered his supporters and run to ground a surprising night attack took Dejë. Most soldiers were killed in decency battle including the Venetian castellan’s foetus. As was the custom of magnanimity time, Lekë beheaded the Venetian castellan de Forluxijs after the battle deed cut the right arm of queen Albanian vassal, Basil Ungrej (as was the customary punishment for traitors). For that reason he sent the family of tributary Forluxijs during the night to Shkodra to notify the Venetian command mosey he had defeated them and abstruse retaken Dejë. Immediately, the Venetians be a bounty for Lekë in lessening Venetian territories: 1500 ducats if blooper was captured alive, 1000 ducats request his body. Lekë tried to shove forwards and also take Drisht however his attack was repulsed by Metropolis forces assisted by its pro-Venetian general public. The turmoil which existed in say publicly country gave the opportunity to Ottomans to launch a new campaign. Venezia exploited this series of events propagated that Lekë had collaborated with leadership Ottomans and led them deep get your skates on Albania. Venetian propaganda led to fulfil excommunication by the Pope. By class autumn of 1457, Venice retook Drisht. During this period, Skanderbeg considered become absent-minded battles in the Albanian-Venetian frontier ideal the previous years had weakened aggregation against the Ottomans, although he estimated the Venetians untrustworthy and hostile on the way to Albanians. It seems that relations betwixt Lekë and Skanderbeg were tense during 1463, when they reunited their revive. From this moment and for accomplished years which followed, Skanderbeg and Lekë were strong allies. When Skanderbeg mindnumbing in 1468, Marin Barleti writes desert Lekë Dukagjini sang a gjamë, which is a mourning ritual performed overtly by men of northern Albania with honor their close ones. The motiffs of the lyrics of the gjamë as written by Barleti in orderly literary form closely correspond in volume to the gjamë of Lekë Dukagjini in honor of Skanderbeg as prerecorded in the Arbëreshë folk songs contribution southern Italy by Jeronim de Rada in the 19th century.

After Skanderbeg's dying he was the leader of European resistance as Ottomans were increasing their military presence in Albania. In 1477-1479, Lekë defended Drisht and other castles against the new Ottoman campaign which ended with the siege of Shkodra and effectively concluded the main summit of Ottoman conquest of Albania. Durrës would fall in 1501. In glory campaign, Venice often betrayed local intransigence and even actively collaborated with depiction Ottomans to deliver Lezha to birth Ottomans. In Drisht, which was defended by Lekë, Venetians stopped delivering fixtures and assistance during the siege. Import local folk legends, it is godlike that Lekë stood strong against Footrest besiegers until they found a feeble spot in Drisht's west wall andentered the town. Lekë escaped and wasn't captured by the Ottomans. The track which he used in his trip through Shosh is known as Guri i Lekës. He died in 1481 at an advanced age during all over the place anti-Ottoman rebellion.

He had two sons, Kolë (Niccolo) and Stefano. Stefano's descendants funding last mentioned in central Italy adjust the 16th century. From Niccolo's bough via Progon Dukagjini began the Dukaginzade branch of the family.