Albania after Skanderbeg's Death (1478)

Timeline

1. 1471–1477Albanian interior · AlbaniaThe anti-Ottoman league Skanderbeg had united split after his death. Kastrioti family members held various fortresses, while great families like Lekë Dukagjini held the mountains, competing for power yet occasionally uniting. Venice controlled Durres, Lezha, and other ports, while the Ottomans gradually nibbled at the lowlands, leaving Albania's political map severely fragmented.
2. 1478–1479Kruja and Shkodër · AlbaniaMehmed II campaigned in person, first besieging Kruja without success, then turning to a prolonged siege of Venetian-held Shkodër. Despite stubborn defense and blocked Venetian reinforcements, in 1479 Venice made peace with the Ottomans and surrendered Shkodër to protect its maritime interests. This campaign marked the substantive end of independent resistance in Skanderbeg's era, with the Ottomans controlling northern Albania's strategic strongholds.
3. 1479–1480Southern and coastal Albania · AlbaniaAfter the war Albania was divided between Ottoman rule inland and Venetian-held coastal cities. Many nobles converted to Islam to keep their lands, and Lekë Dukagjini's traditions and customary law continued to function in mountain communities. By 1480, though Albania had lost independence, local identity and clan structures left a social foundation for later resistance movements.