Battle of Vaikal

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Vaikal


caption=
partof=the Ottoman wars in Europe
date=June, 1444 ["The Late Medieval Balkans" by John Van Antwerp Fine.]
place= Dibër Valley, Republic of Macedonia
result=Albanian victory
combatant1=League of Lezhë
combatant2=Ottoman Empire
commander1=Skanderbeg
commander2=Ali Pasha
strength1=15,000 ["George Castriot, Surnamed Scanderbeg, King of Albania" by Clement Clark Moore]
strength2=40,000 [ [http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/Holberg.htm] ] ["George Castriot, Surnamed Scanderbeg, King of Albania" by Clement Clark Moore]
casualties1=120+ [ [http://bjoerna.dk/albansk-historie/Holberg.htm] ]
casualties2=10,000 [Hodgkinson, Harry. "Scanderbeg: From Ottoman Captive to Albanian Hero".] -24,000 ["George Castriot, Surnamed Scanderbeg, King of Albania" by Clement Clark Moore] The battle of Vaikal, also known as the battle of Torvioll, was fought on June of 1444 in the modern day Republic of Macedonia. The Albanian army under Skanderbeg managed to defeat the larger Ottoman force of Ali Pasha.

Background

After the battle of Nish, Skanderbeg deserted the Ottoman army and headed towards his native Albania. He liberated his father's lands and called a congress in the Venetian occupied town of Lezhë to resist the Turks in March of 1444. The tribesmen elected Skanderbeg as the leader of the united Albanian armies. In the spring of 1444, Skanderbeg's scouts reported that the Ottoman army was planning an invasion of Albania, so Skanderbeg moved towards them to prepare for an engagement. ["The Late Medieval Balkans" by John Van Antwerp Fine.]

Notes