Vrana Konti

Count Vrana^[A]; fl.(1442–1458†) was a Napolitan nobleman, who received the title of conte (count) by King Alfonso the Magnanimous and later became one of the closest collaborators of George Kastrioti "Skanderbeg" in Albania. He was Skanderbeg's counselor and one of his best generals, serving him for 16 years.

Vrana participated in all of Skanderbeg's major battles until 1458. He is known mainly for his resistance as the commander of the Albanian garrison during the First Siege of Krujë. He was offered a great deal of money and a high-ranking post in the Ottoman administration by Sultan Murad II conditional on his surrender, but he refused.

Background

Skanderbeg and League of Lezhë

George Kastrioti "Skanderbeg", son of lord Gjon Kastrioti, had been an Ottoman vassal as sipahi (cavalry commander). After his participation in the Ottoman loss at Niš (November 1443), Skanderbeg deserted the Ottoman army and rushed to Albania along with 300 other Albanians. He captured Krujë with no armed violence in November 1444.^[5] Hungarian captain John Hunyadi's continued operations against Sultan Murad II gave Skanderbeg time to prepare operations against the Ottoman Empire. Skanderbeg summoned Stefan Crnojević, George Araniti, Pal Dukagjini, Andrea Thopia, Peter Spani, Lekë Zaharia, and George Strez Balšić, and more, in the Venetian-held town of Alessio (Lezhë) on 2 March 1444,^[6] which resulted in the League of Lezhë.^[7] The chosen captain was Skanderbeg.^[8] Skanderbeg's scouts reported a planned Ottoman invasion in spring 1444, giving Skanderbeg time to plan for the engagement.^[9]

Life

Identity

The real identity of Vrana has yet not been determined.

There are no reliable information regarding his surname.^[10]

• According to Zanović (1751-1786), he was part of the Ćuda family.^[10]

• Hopf identified Hamza Kastrioti (Branilo) with Vrana, although Gopčević dismisses the theory, stressing that Hamza was the nephew of Skanderbeg.^[11]

• According to J. G. v. Hahn: Hopf's finds do not provide any insight into the ancestry of Vrana.^[12] Barleti only says the following about his ancestry: "Vranacontem Epiro oriundum gratum et avorum rueritis et propria virtute".^[12] Muzaka gives little information, it is undetermined whether Maria Zardari was the wife or daughter-in-law of Vrana, but the notice that she was just married, when in 1466 she fled to Naples together with Skanderbeg's widow, could rather support the assumption of being the daughter-in-law.^[12] In addition, Muzaka only mentioned that she married after both lost i loro stati paterni.^[12] In lack of certain information, Hahn speculates the Branai as a side branch of Kastrioti (named after Branilo, governor of Alexander Gioritsch).^[12] Considering that according to Muzaka, Skanderbeg's mother was a Tripalda, and that a descendant of Vrana held the title "Marchese di Tripalda", Hahn speculated that Vrana and Voisava Tripalda were related by blood.^[12] Vrana was the forefather of the dukes of Ferrandina, who descended from Skanderbeg maternally (through Skanderbeg's granddaughter who married Antonio Branai).^[12] The theory that the dukes of Ferrandino were paternally Kastrioti is a weak assumption.^[12]

• According to Noli, his surname was "Altisferi", the same given to Leke Zaharia.^[13]
  • Some sources name him Simon Altisfieri^[14] or Altafoglia.^[14][15] The Altafoglias were a noble family in Brescia prominent in the 14th century.^[16]

Early history

Vrana served King Alfonso the Magnanimous, from whom he received the title of count.^[15] He entered the service of Skanderbeg in 1442.^[4] Vrana has been described as a man of great authority and experience, and noted for his intelligence and judgement.^[17] He became one of the best friends of Skanderbeg.^[4] He was an associate of Vlladan Grivici, and Vladan Jurica.^[18]

Military history

Battle of Torvioll

Ali Pasha, one of Murad's most favoured commanders, left Üsküp (Skopje) in June 1444 with an army of 25,000 (primary sources say 40,000^[19]) in Albania's direction.^[20][21] 15,000 Albanian soldiers were brought together, consisting of 8,000 cavalry and 7,000 infantry.^[22][23] Skanderbeg's army headed towards the planned location of battle in Lower Dibra, at the Torvioll plain, north of Peshkopi.^[24] On the way there he marched through the Black Drin valley, to the expected Ottoman entry point.^[7] After having camped near Torvioll, Skanderbeg placed a contingent of 3,000 men under five commanders, Hamza Kastrioti, Muzaka of Angelina, Zacharia Gropa, Peter Emanueli, and John Musachi, in the surrounding forests with orders to attack the Ottoman wings and rear after a given signal. While preparing the ambush, Ali Pasha arrived and encamped opposite the Albanians.^[23] Another reserve force of 3,000 was under the command of Vrana Konti.^[23]

On the morning of 29 June,^[25] Skanderbeg arranged his army for battle. The Albanian army was positioned in a crescent shape curving inwards and split into three groups each composed of 3,000 men placed at the bottom of a hill, with the intention of luring the Ottoman cavalry-based army into a downhill charge. The left wing was commanded by Tanush Thopia, divided equally between cavalry and infantry; the right wing was commanded by Moisi Golemi in the same manner;^[26] in the center were the main infantry under the command of Skanderbeg and Ajdin Muzaka, with 1,000 horsemen and 1,000 archers in front with orders to blunt the initial Ottoman cavalry charge. In front of the wings, foot archers were placed to lure the enemy in.^[26]

After the army was marshalled, Skanderbeg signaled battle when he saw Ali Pasha advancing. Ali sent a unit to charge. The League's front line retreated; Skanderbeg sent a body of horsemen to prevent the line from breaking, and marshalled the retreating troops back to their places.^[26] Ali believed he had the Albanians trapped.^[7] The same situation occurred on the left wing.^[26] Then Skanderbeg's main offensive began with Thopia and Golemi pushing back the Ottoman wings. In the centre, Skanderbeg assaulted a selected battalion. On signal, the 3,000 horsemen hidden in the woods sprang out and charged into the Ottoman rear, routing large parts of their army to rout. The wings of the Albanian army turned towards the Ottoman centre's flanks. Ajdin Muzaka, having charged the centre, was met by fierce resistance and the Ottomans continued to direct forces until Vrana arrived with his reserves, deciding the battle^[27] by surrounding the Ottoman army.^[7] The Ottoman front ranks were annihilated except for 300 soldiers; Ali and his personal battalion escaped.^[27]

Between 8,000^[25] and 22,000^[28] Ottomans died; 2,000 were captured. The League, with about 4,000 men dead and wounded,^[7] retreated toward Krujë.^[29] Skanderbeg's victory was praised throughout Europe.^[30][31] The Hungarians urged Skanderbeg to join the alliance of Hungary, the Papacy, and Burgundy against the Ottomans.^[32] The European states thus began to consider a crusade to drive the Ottomans out of Europe.^[30][33] When Ali returned to Edirne, he explained to the sultan that the loss should be attributed to his forces and the fortunes of war and not his generalship.^[34] The battle premiered the quarter-century war between Skanderbeg and the Ottoman Empire.^[24]

Siege of Krujë

Skanderbeg had given Vrana the governorship of Krujë prior to the Siege.^[2][35]

In June 1450, two years after the Ottomans had captured Svetigrad, they laid siege to Krujë with an army numbering approximately 100,000 men and led again by Sultan Murad II himself and his son, Mehmed.^[36] Following a scorched earth strategy (thus denying the Ottomans the use of necessary local resources), Skanderbeg left a protective garrison of 1,500 to 4,000^[37] under Vrana, while, with the remainder of the army, which included many Slavs, Germans, Frenchmen and Italians,^[38] he harassed the Ottoman camps around Krujë by continuously attacking Sultan Murad II's supply caravans. The garrison repelled three major direct assaults on the city walls by the Ottomans, causing great losses to the besieging forces. Ottoman attempts at finding and cutting the water sources failed, as did a sapped tunnel, which collapsed suddenly. An offer of 300,000 aspra (Turkish silver coins) and a promise of a high rank as an officer in the Ottoman army made to Vrana Konti, were both rejected by him.^[39][40] Vrana addressed the army with encouraging speeches in order to raise morale, in Albanian and Italian, and through interpreters.^[41]

After the triumph of Skanderbeg, Vrana was given the county of Mat.^[3]

Siege of Berat

The sultan sent an army of 20,000 troops in mid-July 1455, led by Issa beg Evrenoz, which surprised Skanderbeg's army. Only one commander, Vrana, managed to resist the initial Ottoman onslaught and pushed back several attacking waves. When Skanderbeg returned, however, the Ottoman relief force was repulsed and defeated. But the Albanians were exhausted and their numbers had dwindled to the point where the siege could not be continued.^[42]

More than 5,000 of Skanderbeg's men died, including 800 men of a 1,000 man strong contingent of Neapolitans from Alfonso, who were experts in demolition, artillery, and siege warfare.^[43] The commander of the siege, Muzaka Thopia, also died during the conflict.^[44]

Death

Vrana died in 1458, at an old age.^[35] He married Maria Zardari, the daughter of Paul Zardari and Theodora Muzaka.^[1] They possibly had a son,^[1] according to İnalcık it was possibly scribe Zaganos.^[35]

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