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The Socio-political Meanings of the Conflict between the Muslims and the Christians around the Western Balkan in the 15th Century. Centering on the Heroic Kastrioti-Skanderbey of Albania
oleh: Jayoung Che
Format: | Article |
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Diterbitkan: | Athens Institute for Education and Research 2017-10-01 |
Deskripsi
Georgi Kastrioti-Skanderbey (1405-1468) is known as an Albanian hero. He led the resistance against the Ottomans during the period 1443-1468, and became a paragon of wonder among the western Christians. Skanderbey has been defined as a hero who resisted the Ottoman's attack not only for Albania but for the entire European Christian world, i.e. a symbol of the Albanian populace, Albanian racialism, and the last fighter for Albanian independence, a protector of European culture, a warrior of the Renaissance, and a protector of freedom against the Muslims. Furthermore, his resistance has been compared even with the Greek partisans ("klephtoi") who, gathered in the Mountain area, fought the Turks later under the Ottoman Sultan’s domination. According to another view, however, his resistance was regarded as standing for the interests of Albanian feudal lords. In my opinion, however, Skanderbey could neither be identified as a protector of Albanian racialism, nor a warrior of Christendom. It is chronologically preposterous to apply the concept of racialism or modern nationalism to the 15th century, the age of Skanderbey. Christendom as well as the feudal lords were never a unified entity, but were divided into several sects according to their own interests. Actually, aiming for his own freedom against the yoke of the Sultan, Skanderbey rose upon the militarism of the Western crusades which, not all but a part of the western feudal lords, as well as the Roman Popes, sought after. Skanderbey’s military power was based on western feudalism which exploited the subordinate social class of populace-famers. Skanderbey’s resistance in pursuit of freedom did not promote but reduce the people's freedom. Skanderbey represented a cross section of society: He was one of those raised as a Janissary, then adapted to join the warlike feudal crusaders in order to enjoy freedom against the Sultan’s yoke.