On November 3, 1443, Gjergj Kastrioti Skanderbeg returned to his homeland at the head of 300 loyal cavalrymen. This day marks a historic turning point in Albanian history.

Earlier that year, following the Battle of Nish, where Ottoman forces were defeated by János Hunyadi’s army, Skanderbeg saw a rare chance to act.

At the time, he served as sanjakbey of Nikopol in the Ottoman army. Taking advantage of the chaos after the Ottoman defeat, he decided to break away and return to Albanian lands.

Skanderbeg gathered around 300 loyal Albanian cavalrymen and moved toward Arbëria. His goal was to organize an armed resistance against the Ottoman occupiers.

He quickly regained control of key castles and laid the foundations of a strong resistance. This struggle for freedom would last more than two decades.

Skanderbeg’s leadership, military strategy, and unifying spirit turned him into a symbol of Albanian resistance. He remains one of the most respected figures in Albanian and European history.

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