Post by Anittas on Feb 22, 2012 2:32:38 GMT -5
Albanians working together with Greeks:
By way of thrace and Macedonia the vast army went to Thessaly, where the sultan decided to spend a few days and wait the despots' plenipotentiaries. When they failed to appear, the column resumed its southward march, traversing all Greece. Nowhere did the Turks meet with serious resistence, for the Greek national spirit was dead, and above all there was no resolute common leadership. Shortly before the sultan reached the fortifications of the Hexamilion, which had long since been repaired, a legation arrived from the Palaeologi, bringing 4,500 gold pieces as part of the tribute due and hoping to obtain in return a treaty of peace and fealty. It was too late. The sultan accepted the money and replied scornfully that he himself would direct the negotiations on his arrival in the Morea. On May 15 the army entered the Peloponnese without opposition and camped near Corinth. An immediate assault seemed inadvisable in view of the city's powerful walls and fortress. Leaving a part of his Anatolian troops behind to besiege Corinth, in the hope of starving the poorly supplied city, mehmed himself proceeded into the interior of the peninsula.
Taros, a mountain city in the region of ancient Phlius (Polyphengon), which was defended by native Albanians, fell after brief resistance and purchased the victor's mercy by delivering 300 young men to the Turks and accepting an Ottoman commander. As for Phlius, it was situated on an elevation and strongly defended. The Turks reduced it by cutting off the only source of water, which lay outside the walls. In desperation the garrison of Greeks and Albanians tried to bake bread by mixing flour with the blood of slaughtered beasts of burden, but was finally obliged to sue for peace. While negotiations were under way, the Janissaries discovered an unguarded point in the wall. Making their way into the city, they plundered it and mercilessly slaughtered almost the entire population. Next the town of Akribe (Akrivi) was taken by storm and Rupela (Rouvali), where many Greeks and Albanians had sought refuge with their families, was besieged. For two days the place defended itself with heroic courage. The sultan gave the order to withdraw. But then the inhabitants, fearing that the sultan would seek vengeance later, accepted their fate and surrendered. The city itself was spared, but the entire population, including women and children, was led away to distant Istanbul under strong guard. Only twenty Albanians, who had been given leave to withdraw freely from Tarsos but had broken their word and taken up arms again in Rupela, incurred the sultan's vengeance. He ordered their limbs to be crushed with iron balls.
Continuing southward, the Turks invested the mountain citadel of Pazeniki (now Vlakherna). But the Albanian defenders possessed a secure escape route through a ravine situated behind the town, and even Manuel Cantacuzenus, who had led the Albanian uprising of 1464, could not move them to surrender.
---
Mehmed the Conqueror and his Time. Babinger, Franz. ISBN 0-691-01078-1; pp. 157-58
Albanians no longer working together with the Greeks
p. 162
Meanwhile, the Albanians, the scourge of the Peloponnese traversed the country, pillaging and looting, changing sides according to the prospects for spoils, and, throughout the southern part of the peninsula, committing the most hideous crimes against the Greek population.
Italians join in:
p. 166
After the manners of the Albanians, the Italians romaed the impoverished countryside, looting and pillaging, and finally vanished without a trace. The true masters of the battlefield were the Albanians under their powerful leader, Peter Bua, who dominated those sections of the peninsula that were not in Turkish hands.
My comments: it seems the Albanians were also in the mountains of Laconia. Indeed, the Albanian community was widespread in the Greek peninsula.
By way of thrace and Macedonia the vast army went to Thessaly, where the sultan decided to spend a few days and wait the despots' plenipotentiaries. When they failed to appear, the column resumed its southward march, traversing all Greece. Nowhere did the Turks meet with serious resistence, for the Greek national spirit was dead, and above all there was no resolute common leadership. Shortly before the sultan reached the fortifications of the Hexamilion, which had long since been repaired, a legation arrived from the Palaeologi, bringing 4,500 gold pieces as part of the tribute due and hoping to obtain in return a treaty of peace and fealty. It was too late. The sultan accepted the money and replied scornfully that he himself would direct the negotiations on his arrival in the Morea. On May 15 the army entered the Peloponnese without opposition and camped near Corinth. An immediate assault seemed inadvisable in view of the city's powerful walls and fortress. Leaving a part of his Anatolian troops behind to besiege Corinth, in the hope of starving the poorly supplied city, mehmed himself proceeded into the interior of the peninsula.
Taros, a mountain city in the region of ancient Phlius (Polyphengon), which was defended by native Albanians, fell after brief resistance and purchased the victor's mercy by delivering 300 young men to the Turks and accepting an Ottoman commander. As for Phlius, it was situated on an elevation and strongly defended. The Turks reduced it by cutting off the only source of water, which lay outside the walls. In desperation the garrison of Greeks and Albanians tried to bake bread by mixing flour with the blood of slaughtered beasts of burden, but was finally obliged to sue for peace. While negotiations were under way, the Janissaries discovered an unguarded point in the wall. Making their way into the city, they plundered it and mercilessly slaughtered almost the entire population. Next the town of Akribe (Akrivi) was taken by storm and Rupela (Rouvali), where many Greeks and Albanians had sought refuge with their families, was besieged. For two days the place defended itself with heroic courage. The sultan gave the order to withdraw. But then the inhabitants, fearing that the sultan would seek vengeance later, accepted their fate and surrendered. The city itself was spared, but the entire population, including women and children, was led away to distant Istanbul under strong guard. Only twenty Albanians, who had been given leave to withdraw freely from Tarsos but had broken their word and taken up arms again in Rupela, incurred the sultan's vengeance. He ordered their limbs to be crushed with iron balls.
Continuing southward, the Turks invested the mountain citadel of Pazeniki (now Vlakherna). But the Albanian defenders possessed a secure escape route through a ravine situated behind the town, and even Manuel Cantacuzenus, who had led the Albanian uprising of 1464, could not move them to surrender.
---
Mehmed the Conqueror and his Time. Babinger, Franz. ISBN 0-691-01078-1; pp. 157-58
Albanians no longer working together with the Greeks
p. 162
Meanwhile, the Albanians, the scourge of the Peloponnese traversed the country, pillaging and looting, changing sides according to the prospects for spoils, and, throughout the southern part of the peninsula, committing the most hideous crimes against the Greek population.
Italians join in:
p. 166
After the manners of the Albanians, the Italians romaed the impoverished countryside, looting and pillaging, and finally vanished without a trace. The true masters of the battlefield were the Albanians under their powerful leader, Peter Bua, who dominated those sections of the peninsula that were not in Turkish hands.
My comments: it seems the Albanians were also in the mountains of Laconia. Indeed, the Albanian community was widespread in the Greek peninsula.