it is complicated. i will try to explain. skenderbeg is nick name. like your on line handle. it is not his real name. his real name is Gjergj Kastrioti, Đurađ Kastriot, Juraj Kastriotić Skenderbeg, Jure Kastriotić, Đuro Kastriotić, Đorđe Kastriotić. he comes from something that is called Principality of Kastrioti.
Principality of Kastrioti (1389–1444) was one of the most important principalities in Medieval Albania. It was created by Gjon Kastrioti and then ruled by the national hero of Albania, George Kastrioti Skanderbeg.
Gjon Kastrioti had originally only two small villages. In short time John Kastrioti managed to expand its lands so as to become the undisputed lord of Central Albania. He married Voisava Tripalda who bore five daughters - Mara, later wife of Stefan Crnojević of Montenegro; Jela, then wife of Gjin (Gino) Musacchio; Angjelina (Angelina), later wife of Vladan Arianit Comnenus Thopia; Vlajka, later wife of Stefan Maramonte Balšić; Mamica, later wife of Karol Musacchio Thopia - and four sons: Repoš, Staniša (Stanislaus), Kostandin (Constantine) and George Kastrioti. Gjon Kastrioti was among those who opposed[1] the early incursion of Ottoman Bayezid I, however his resistance was ineffectual. The Sultan, having accepted his submissions, obliged him to pay tribute and to ensure the fidelity of local rulers, George Kastrioti and his three brothers were taken by the Sultan to his court as hostages. After his conversion to Islam,[2] the young George Kastrioti attended military school in Edirne and led many battles for the Ottoman Empire to victory. For his military victories, he received the title Arnavutlu İskender Bey, (Albanian: Skënderbe shqiptari, English: Lord Alexander, the Albanian) comparing Kastrioti's military brilliance to that of Alexander the Great.
Restoration of Gjergj Kastrioti
He was distinguished as one of the best officers in several Ottoman campaigns both in Asia Minor and in Europe, and the Sultan appointed him General. He even fought against Greeks, Serbs and Hungarians, and some sources say that he used to maintain secret links with Ragusa, Venice, Ladislaus V of Hungary, and Alfonso I of Naples.[3] Sultan Murat II gave him the title Vali which made him General Governor. On November 28, 1443, Skanderbeg saw his opportunity to rebel after a battle against the Hungarians led by John Hunyadi in Niš as part of the Crusade of Varna. He switched sides along with 300 other Albanians serving in the Ottoman army. After a long trek to Albania he eventually captured Krujë by forging a letter[1] from the Sultan to the Governor of Krujë, which granted him control of the territory. After capturing the castle, Skanderbeg[4] abjured Islam and proclaimed himself the avenger of his family and country. He raised a flag showing a double-headed eagle, an ancient symbol used by various cultures of Balkans (especially the Byzantine Empire), which later became the Albanian flag. The Governor was killed as he was returning to Edirne, unaware of Skanderbeg's intentions… Skanderbeg allied with George Arianite[5] (born Gjergj Arianit Komneni) and married his daughter Donika (born Marina Donika Arianiti).[6]
he was sent to otoman empire as part of Devshirme. Devshirme is (literally "lifting" or "collecting")also known as the blood tax or tribute in blood,[2] was chiefly the practice where the Ottoman Empire sent military officers to take Christian boys, ages 8 to 18, from their families in Eastern and Southeastern Europe in order that they be raised to serve the state.[3] This tax of sons was imposed only on the Christian subjects of the empire, in the villages of the Balkans and Anatolia. The boys were then converted to Islam[5] with the primary objective of selecting and training the ablest children and teenagers for the military or civil service of the empire, notably into the Janissaries en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devshirme
this is house of kastrioti en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Kastrioti
to conclude, people living in albania are not of the same genetics. there are different genetics living in albania calling them self albanians but they are not all albanians. he could be serb, from montenegro, macedonia…but it would be most accurate to say that skenderbeg was from House of Kastrioti. it is old nobility way before Albania as state started to exist. albanians are claiming that he is albanian but there is not enough data to validate this claim
Attached: 394px-Coa_Kastrioti_Family.svg.png (394x454, 75.68K)
