In Vau i Deja, the “Battle of Oroniku” took place, where Albanian warriors led by Skënderbeu fought against a large Ottoman army in open combat, with the Venetians also opposing them. Only a small portion of the Albanian forces participated in this battle, while the majority remained in the northwestern region of the country to confront the Venetians. The Ottoman army, predominantly composed of cavalry and commanded by Mustafa Pasha, had been incited to attack by Venice. The Albanians launched a surprise attack on the enemy, achieving a complete defeat and annihilation of the opposing forces. Mustafa Pasha attempted to flee but was captured by Moisi Golemi in the valley known as Rrethë. The battle resulted in heavy losses for the Ottomans, with thousands dead and numerous troops taken prisoner, alongside the capture of 15 flags. The Albanian side suffered the loss of 300 fighters during the fierce engagement. (In the photo: Ruins from Danja Castle.)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 230-231.
Photo: © https://ejanevaudejes.al/2022/04/25/kalaja-e-danjes-vau-dejes/
Graphic processing: AHCF
