he Battle of Ujebardha

The Battle of Ujebardha(white water in Albanian)

The Commanders

In spring 1457, Mehmed send against Skanderbeg a 70,000 strong force led by Isa Beg Evrenoz and Hamza Kastrioti. Evrenoz was the only Ottoman general that had ever achieved a victory over Skanderbeg, defeating him in the Siege of Berat. Accompanying him was Hamza Kastrioti, Skanderbeg’s nephew. Hamza has proven himself over the years, but he nurtured hopes to one day inherit the principality of Albania after Skanderbeg. His ambition proved too much for him, for when Skanderbeg fathered a child with Donika Kastrioti, he felt cheated by fate and went over to the Ottomans. The presence of these two men demonstrates that this expedition was of a vital importance for the Sultan Evrenoz, as we mentioned, was the only general to have defeated Scanderbeg. Hamza Kastrioti, on the other hand, had spent 14 years as the right hand of Skanderbeg, and new every military tactic that his uncle had ever employed in his war against the Ottomans. Also, by vanquishing Albania, the Sultan could finally resume his two-pronged attack over Europe by reaching Rome and Vienna; his proclaimed ambitions.

The Battle

The orders were simple: engage Scanderbeg and defeat him. Evrenoz entered the valley of Mat and proceeded slowly westwards toward Kruja. A few minor clashes ensued, after which Scanderbeg withdrew his forces. Unhindered, the Ottomans carried on, plundering the small settlement and harassing the population for information. After several weeks and no sign of Skanderbeg, Evrenoz and Hamza were induced in believing that Skanderbeg had indeed fled for his life. Sketchy reports were coming that he had lost the loyalty of the army, who had deserted him, while he, himself, was trying to cross the border over to the domains of Venice in Albania.

In fact, on July 21, Marco Diedo, the Venetian governor of Durres had written to the Republic’s Senate that: “The Magnificent Skanderbeg,” deserted by all was trying to find refuge high in the mountains, while the Turk ruled supreme in Albania. In August the position of the Ottomans in Albania seemed solidified. Twenty thousand soldiers protected the supply routes, while keeping under siege the forts in Cidhna, Dibra, Guri i Bardhe (White Stone), Mat, Rodon, and Petrela.

The rest of the army, fifty thousand strong, moved from the gully of Mat to Ujebardha, northwest of Kruja and south of Lezha so that both cities could be kept under watch, as well as giving the army something to do to keep morale in place. By the end of August, three months after they crossed the border, the Ottoman army seemed to have reached a level of complacency, and its vigilance had lowered significantly. On September 2, Skanderbeg made his move. The strategy was simple. Skanderbeg had to deliver a strong and surprise thrust to the main Ottoman army and destroy it before any of the additional forces that were roaming the country free could come to its relief.

Indeed, so it happened. Small Albanian detachments neutralized the Ottoman patrols, while the main body of the army approached the northern side of the camp. At noon, the Ottomans were awakened from their midday sleep to find their enemy already within their camp. An infernal noise, produced by thousands of metal-clapping devices, gave the impression that they were facing a large force. Confusion settled in as the Albanian cavalry charged on from the west, while the infantry punched its way through to the center of the camp. Soon confusion turned to panic as unit commanders failed to address the situation properly.

The only serious defense was mounted by Hamza Kastrioti, who knew, that not matter what had happened during the last three months, Skanderbeg could not have mustered more than 11,000 soldiers there. Indeed, Skanderbeg had placed considerable care in defeating Hamza and his sipahis first, by sending against him his personal guard of 2,000 cavalry. Hamza was being pushed back, but his retreat was ordered and sustained. This made the task even more difficult, since his resistance could bolster the courage of the Ottomans in other sectors. If this had happened, then Skanderbeg would have been defeated by the superior numbers of his enemy. But this did not happen. The thrust had achieved what Skanderbeg had planned for. Within two hours the Ottoman camp was entirely in his hand, while the remnants of the defeated army made their way through the valley of Tirana, on to Elbasan. The Ottoman casualties amounted to 20,000 dead, wounded and prisoners, whereas the Albanians lost less than 2,000. Hamza Kastrioti was captured alive, and sent to jail in Naples. He was freed later and went on his own, with his wife and children in Turkey, where he died as beggar in early 1460s.