the surname of George Castriot, king of Albania, a province of Turkey in Europe, dependent upon the Ottoman empire. He was delivered up with his three elder brothers as hostages, by their father, to Amurath II. sultan of the Turks, who poisoned his brothers, but spared him on account of his youth, being likewise pleased with his juvenile wit and amiable person. In a short time he became one of the most renowned generals of the age; and revolting from Amurath, he joined Hunniade Corvin, a most formidable enemy of the Ottoman power. He defeated the sultan's army, took Amurath's secretary prisoner, and obliged him to sign and seal an order to the governor of Croia, the capital of Albania, to deliver up the citadel and city to the bearer of that order, in the name of the sultan. With this forged order he repaired to Croia, and thus recovered the throne of his ancestors; and maintained the independence of his country against the numerous armies of Amurath and his successor Mahommed II. who was obliged to make peace with this hero in 1461. He then proceeded to the assistance of Ferdinand of Aragon, at the request of Pope Pius II., and by his assistance Ferdinand gained a complete victory over his enemy the Count of Anjou. Scanderbeg died in 1467.