Albanian Sanjak
| Sanjak of Albania | |||||
| sanjak of the Ottoman Empire | |||||
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Coat of arms |
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| Capital |
Gjirokastër (since 1419) Vlorë (since 1431) |
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| History | |||||
| • | Establishment | 1415 | |||
| • | Construction of Elbasan Castle | 1466 | |||
| Today part of |
 Albania Greece
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Coat of arms
The Sanjak of Albania (Turkish: sancak-i Arvanid, Arvanid-ili sancağı) was a second-level administrative unit (sanjak) of the Ottoman Empire, located in what is today central and southern Albania. Its territory stretched between Krujë in the north and Kalamas river in the south. It was established in 1415–17, and was disestablished in 1466 with the establishment of the Sanjak of Elbasan.
During the 14th century, Ottoman rule began to extend over the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans. The division of the Albania into small, quarreling fiefdoms ruled by independent feudal lords and tribal chiefs made them easy prey for the Ottoman armies. In 1385, the ruler of Durrës, Karl Thopia, appealed to the sultan for support against his rivals, the Balšić family. An Ottoman force quickly marched into Albania along the Via Egnatia and routed Balša II in the Battle of Savra. The principal Albanian clans soon swore fealty to the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans allowed conquered Albanian clan chiefs to maintain their positions and property, but they had to pay tribute, send their sons to the Ottoman court as hostages, and provide the Ottoman army with auxiliary troops.
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Wikipedia