Dhimitër Frëngu
Encyclopedia
Dhimitër Frëngu was an Albanian
scholar, soldier and Catholic priest. His foremost work is considerered to be Comentario de le cose de' Turchi, et del S. Georgio Scanderbeg, principe d' Epyro, a biography of the national hero of Albania
Skanderbeg
.
, Venetian Empire (today in northern Albania) in 1443. Through his mother he was member of the noble family of Engjëlli and a cousin of Pal Engjëlli
, the Archbishop of Durrës. At the age of sixteen he joined the armies of the League of Lezhë
, while in 1466 he accompanied Skanderbeg, the leader of the League, in Rome as a scribe. In 1479 after the last city of the League of Lezhë was conquered by the Ottoman Empire
he migrated to Italy, where he served as vicar until his death in Trevi in 1525.
, Skanderbeg
titled Comentario de le cose de' Turchi, et del S. Georgio Scanderbeg, principe d' Epyro. Frëngu's name is listed as Demetrio Franco, while it also includes a glossary of Albanian words. as an addendum. Some scholars consider Frëngu's work to be more critical towards foreign allies of the League of Lezhë than that of Marin Barleti
, while others view it more as a summary of Barleti's biography than an original work. Some scholars in the past disputed Frëngu's authorship, because the first edition of the work had no authorship information. Originally published in Venice
in 1545, in 1584 it was translated in Italian by Catholic priest Giovanni Maria Bonardo with the title Gli illustri e gloriosi gesti e vittoriose imprese fatte contro i Turchi dal Signor Don Georgio Castriotto detto Scanderbeg, principe d' Epiro.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
scholar, soldier and Catholic priest. His foremost work is considerered to be Comentario de le cose de' Turchi, et del S. Georgio Scanderbeg, principe d' Epyro, a biography of the national hero of Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
Skanderbeg
Skanderbeg
George Kastrioti Skanderbeg or Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu , widely known as Skanderbeg , was a 15th-century Albanian lord. He was appointed as the governor of the Sanjak of Dibra by the Ottomans in 1440...
.
Life
Dhimitër Frëngu was born in DrivastDrivast
Drivast was an important medieval town in contemporary Albania. Today, it is located in the municipality Postribë in the Shkodër District.- History :Drivast is known to have existed before the twelfth century AD...
, Venetian Empire (today in northern Albania) in 1443. Through his mother he was member of the noble family of Engjëlli and a cousin of Pal Engjëlli
Pal Engjëlli
Pal Engjëlli was an Albanian Catholic clergyman, Archbishop of Durrës and Cardinal of Albania who in 1462 wrote the first known sentence retrieved so far in Albanian. Pal Engjëlli is reported to have been a friend, co-worker and close counselor of Skanderbeg. As his envoy, he frequently traveled...
, the Archbishop of Durrës. At the age of sixteen he joined the armies of the League of Lezhë
League of Lezhë
The League of Lezhë was an alliance of Albanian Principalities forged in Lezhë on the 2nd of March 1444. It was initiated and organised by Skanderbeg with the aim of uniting the Albanian principalities that had been founded in the 12th - 14th centuries, to fight the Ottoman Armies...
, while in 1466 he accompanied Skanderbeg, the leader of the League, in Rome as a scribe. In 1479 after the last city of the League of Lezhë was conquered by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
he migrated to Italy, where he served as vicar until his death in Trevi in 1525.
Works
Frëngu's most important work is a biography of the national hero of AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, Skanderbeg
Skanderbeg
George Kastrioti Skanderbeg or Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu , widely known as Skanderbeg , was a 15th-century Albanian lord. He was appointed as the governor of the Sanjak of Dibra by the Ottomans in 1440...
titled Comentario de le cose de' Turchi, et del S. Georgio Scanderbeg, principe d' Epyro. Frëngu's name is listed as Demetrio Franco, while it also includes a glossary of Albanian words. as an addendum. Some scholars consider Frëngu's work to be more critical towards foreign allies of the League of Lezhë than that of Marin Barleti
Marin Barleti
Marin Barleti . was an Albanian historian and Catholic priest. He is considered the first Albanian historian, especially because of his biography on Skanderbeg, translated in many languages in the 16th to the 18th centuries.-Life:Barleti lived in Shkodër and was a scholar and a clergyman...
, while others view it more as a summary of Barleti's biography than an original work. Some scholars in the past disputed Frëngu's authorship, because the first edition of the work had no authorship information. Originally published in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
in 1545, in 1584 it was translated in Italian by Catholic priest Giovanni Maria Bonardo with the title Gli illustri e gloriosi gesti e vittoriose imprese fatte contro i Turchi dal Signor Don Georgio Castriotto detto Scanderbeg, principe d' Epiro.