Ballaban's campaign of 1465

Ballaban's Campaign
Part of Ottoman wars in Europe
Date August, 1465 Location Eastern and Central Albania Result Albanian victory
Belligerents
Albanian rebels	Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Skanderbeg	Ballaban Badera Jakup Arnauti †
Strength
12,000	Ballaban: 24,000 Arnauti: 16,000 Total: 40,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	24,000 killed, wounded or captured

On August 1465, Ballaban Badera, a sanjakbey of the Sanjak of Ohrid who was an Albanian-born janissary launched his fourth but largest campaign against Skanderbeg. He was defeated in both battles of Ohrid and Vajkal the year before. Ballaban had previously inflicted severe casualties on Skanderbeg's forces and soon received high favor from Mehmet II. He soon appointed Ballaban and Jakup Arnauti—both Albanian peasants by birth—to lead a joint-campaign against Skanderbeg's forces. According to some scholars, this act of inclusion by the Sultan was a promotion of a social revolution within Albania to wean forces away from Skanderbeg.^[1]

Whatever the motives, the Ottoman army marched forth with two separate forces: one from the south under Arnauti and the other, under Ballaban's personal command, from the east. Applying a pincer movement the goal of this action was to meet in central Albania in full force, storming what was supposed to be a hesitant Albanian defense. Skanderbeg, however, defeated both armies thoroughly by marching against Ballaban's column first, defeating it and engaging Arnauti's column afterwards with the same result. The victory brought great joy and relief to the Albanian people who had been expecting a serious defeat. Despite the tremendous results, the indomitable Sultan marched forth again the next year, bringing great devastation to the country.