Festive parade in Prishtina,on the 620th anniversary of Skanderbeg's birth

Skanderbeg (born Gjergj Kastrioti, c. 1405–1468) was an Albanian nobleman and military leader who became a national hero for his resistance against the Ottoman Empire in the 15th century. As a child, Skanderbeg was taken hostage by the Ottomans and raised at the Sultan’s court, where he was converted to Islam and trained as a soldier. He served in the Ottoman army and earned the title Iskender Bey (meaning “Lord Alexander”), which later became Skanderbeg in Albanian. In 1443, during a battle in Central Europe, Skanderbeg deserted the Ottoman army and returned to Albania. He reclaimed his family’s castle in Krujë and declared independence from Ottoman rule. The following year, he helped form the League of Lezhë, an alliance of Albanian nobles united in resistance against the Ottomans. For over 25 years, Skanderbeg led a highly effective guerrilla campaign, winning key battles and preventing the Ottomans from fully conquering Albania. He became a symbol of Christian resistance in Europe and was admired by the Papacy and several European powers. He died in 1468 in the city of Lezhë. Although Albania eventually fell to the Ottomans after his death, Skanderbeg’s legacy endured. He remains Albania’s most celebrated historical figure and a symbol of national unity and resistance.