Marin Barleti
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Marin Barleti (Latin: Marinus Barletius, Italian: Marino Barlezio; ca 1450, Shkodėr - 1512 or 1513, probably Rome) was a humanist of Albanian descent, the first and greatest Albanian historian, and a Catholic priest.
When Barleti lived in Shkodėr he was a scholar and a clergyman. When the Turks besieged Shkodėr he participated in the defense of the town both in the first siege of 1474 and the second time in 1478. When Shkodėr fell to the Ottomans he escaped to Italy where he became a profound connoisseur of history, classical literature and the Latin language. In Venice he wrote the "History of Skanderberg (Historia de vita et rebus gestis Scanderbegi) (1508-1511), "The Siege of Shkodėr" (De obsidione Scodransi, Venice, 1504) and "A Brief History of Lives of Popes and Emperors" (Compendium vitarum ponticum et imperatorum, Venice, 1555).
His most well-known work is the biography of the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg, Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum principis (The story of life and deeds of Skanderbeg, the prince of Epirotes). It was printed in Rome between 1506 and 1510, probably between 1508 and 1510. The book rapidly spread in several languages and eventually was translated into Latin and Portuguese four times (1582) and German seven times (1533). It is still the foundation of Skanderbeg studies, and also established the Skanderbeg cult that was important for the formation of the Albanian national self-consciousness.
Barleti's last work was the collection of popes and emperors, Compendium vitarum Summorum Pontificium usque ad Marcellum II Imperatorumque Romanorum (Compendium of biographies of Popes and Roman emperors until Marcellus II).
The old library of Shkodėr and a publishing house have been named after Marin Barleti.
External links
- Sustainable Energy Development Agency (http://www.seda.org.al/ACH/ottoman.htm)