The “Battle of Torviolli” was the first battle of the Albanian army, formed after the League of Lezha (1444), in the Lower Dibra, against the Ottoman army. Skenderbeu commanded the Albanian army, while the Ottoman army was commanded by the well-known general Ali Pasha. Skanderbeg hid behind the enemy 3000 horsemen commanded by Gjon Muzaka and Hamza Kastrioti, and left an important reserve commanded by Vrana Konti. Skenderbeu responded to the attack of the Ottoman army with a new order of battle, which was based on close interaction between cavalry and infantry. Within three hours, the Albanians managed to put it between two fires, from the front and the back, to surround and annihilate the great Ottoman army, which left many dead in this battle. This first victory increased the confidence of the Albanians in their forces and the authority of Skënderbeu. (In the photo: Illustrative photo “Skanderbeg on the attack.”)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 232.
Photo: © https://gazetavatra.com/perkujtojme-betejen-e-torviollit/
Graphic processing: AHCF
