Siege of Svetigrad

As soon as Skanderbeg had encamped before this place, a messenger was sent to him with an offer to surrender the place upon the same conditions which had been granted to Petrella, which, being agreed upon, the place was without delay given up, and the agreement entered into faithfully performed by Skanderbeg.

petra alba being thus recovered and all things in it well ordered scanderbeg proceeded without delay to stelusa distant from croia fifty miles it is a small place but strongly and very delightfully situated upon the top of a high hill in emathia surrounded by pleasant and fruitful plains skanderbeg encamped near this stronghold a little before sunset and remained quiet that night in the morning he summoned the place offering the same conditions which had been received by betrilla and petra alba the greater part of the garrison were desirous of accepting these terms but des drottes the governor of the town with a few others resolutely refused them whereupon a fierce contest arose between the two parties in the garrison at length the majority set upon the governor and his adherents and delivered them fast bound to scandabeg at the same time yielding up the fortress those who had thus betrayed their commander being afraid to expose themselves to the vengeance of amurath either remained with scandabeg and became christians or were provided for without a change of religion or were well rewarded and suffered to depart where they would There remained yet the city of Svetigrad in the possession of the enemy, for the weaker Turkish garrisons in Epire, when they heard that the strongest places were recovered by the Epirots, soon delivered themselves up to Skanderbeg.

Svetigrad, which in the Scalavonian language means the holy city, is situated on the frontiers of Epire, in the upper country of Dibra, like an eagle's nest upon a high and steep hill.

To this city Skanderbeg advanced, with all his forces, and having pitched his tents and arranged his camp, he demanded a parley with the inhabitants of the town.

He endeavoured at first to gain the place by composition, as he had done the rest, and to that end directed his messenger to declare what had happened at Croia, Petrella, Petra Alba, and Stelusa, especially to set forth his liberal treatment of the garrison of the last place.

The Dibrians were noted for their activity and valour, and much esteemed by Scanderbeg on account of their fidelity, and for the many services which they had rendered in the protection and defence of the state under John, his father, when molested by the Turks.

Footnote Dibra was the only town or fortress in the parts of Epirus towards Macedonia, with the exception of Svetigrad.

The people of that portion of the kingdom, being dispersed among the mountains and valleys, without any walled enclosures, protected themselves against the incursions of their enemies by favour of the natural defences of the country.

Footnote end Scanderbeg had ordered his march so as to arrive at the town of Dibra in the night.

For he had, before the arrival of Scanderbeg, expelled the garrison which the enemy had in that place.

In the general destruction of the Turks, the governor of Kroja, while on his way to Adrianople, was also attacked and slain, together with all his retinue, and his baggage seized and plundered.

Scanderbeg's first care was to station two thousand good troops from the frontiers near to Svetigrad, as well as to intercept the escape of any enemies from within his territories as to prevent any incursions which might be made from without by the forces of the Sultan.

For in that quarter was the entrance into Epirus most easy from Macedonia and Thrace.

The Dibrians were noted for their activity and valour, and much esteemed by Scanderbeg, on account of their fidelity, and for the many services which they had rendered in the protection and defence of the state under John, his father, when molested by the Turks.

Footnote Dibra was the only town or fortress in the parts of Epirus towards Macedonia, with the exception of Svetigrad.

The people of that portion of the kingdom, being dispersed among the mountains and valleys, without any walled enclosures, protected themselves against the incursions of their enemies by favour of the natural defences of the country.

Footnote end Scanderbeg had ordered his march so as to arrive at the town of Dibra in the night.

For he had, before the arrival of Scanderbeg, expelled the garrison which the enemy had in that place.

In the general destruction of the Turks, the governor of Kroja, while on his way to Adrianople, was also attacked and slain, together with all his retinue, and his baggage seized and plundered.

Scanderbeg's first care was to station two thousand good troops from the frontiers near to Svetigrad, as well as to intercept the escape of any enemies from within his territories as to prevent any incursions which might be made from without by the forces of the sultan.

For in that quarter was the entrance into Epirus most easy from Macedonia and Thrace.

Those who had thus betrayed their commander, being afraid to expose themselves to the vengeance of Amorath, either remained with Skanderbeg and became Christians, or were provided for without a change of religion, or were well rewarded and suffered to depart where they would.

There remained yet the city of Svetigrad in the possession of the enemy, for the weaker Turkish garrisons in Epire, when they heard that the strongest places were recovered by the Epirots, soon delivered themselves up to Skanderbeg.

Svetigrad, which in the Scalavonian language means the holy city, is situated on the frontiers of Epire, in the upper country of Dibra, like an eagle's nest upon a high and steep hill.

To this city Skanderbeg advanced, with all his forces, and having pitched his tents and arranged his camp, he demanded a parley with the inhabitants of the town.

He endeavoured at first to gain the place by composition, as he had done the rest, and to that end directed his messenger to declare what had happened at Croia, Petrella, Petra Alba, and Stelusa, especially to set forth his liberal treatment of the garrison of the last place.

The Dibrians were noted for their activity and valour, and much esteemed by Scanderbeg on account of their fidelity, and for the many services which they had rendered in the protection and defence of the state under John, his father, when molested by the Turks.

Footnote Dibra was the only town or fortress in the parts of Epirus towards Macedonia, with the exception of Svetigrad.

The people of that portion of the kingdom being dispersed among the mountains and valleys, without any walled enclosures, protected themselves against the incursions of their enemies by favour of the natural defences of the country.

Footnote end Scanderbeg had ordered his march so as to arrive at the town of Dibra in the night.

For he had, before the arrival of Skanderbeg, expelled the garrison which the enemy had in that place.

In the general destruction of the Turks, the governor of Kroia, while on his way to Adrianople, was also attacked and slain, together with all his retinue, and his baggage seized and plundered.

Skanderbeg's first care was to station 2,000 good troops from the frontiers near to Svetigrad, as well as to intercept the escape of any enemies from within his territories as to prevent any incursions which might be made from without by the forces of the Sultan.

For in that quarter was the entrance into Epyre most easy from Macedonia and Thrace.