siege siege occurred ottoman army approximately men laid siege town led experienced low morale losing support clergy claimed visions angels victory motivated defend capital league costs leaving protective garrison men trusted lieutenant known harassed ottoman camps attacked supply sultan army september ottoman camp disarray morale sank disease ran rampant ottoman army acknowledged castle fall strength arms lifted siege way soon winter died succeeded son campaigns early failed invasions albania ottoman captains laid siege fortress thought today force men important strategic point controlled routes macedonia albania small garrison composed europeans held fortress attacked ottoman camp outside ottomans poisoned wells group defenders decided open gates let turks giving control fortress ottomans sultan retired albania laid siege september failed assaults lifted siege retreated early captured night attack causing desert cause prelude morale siege morale sank losses previous years turks began marching april people claimed seen angels flying albania claimed received vision handing sword destroy enemies true religion christianity speech visions clergy raised morale fight preparations siege began exited men italians germans infantry cavalry found known suitable position attack ottomans left garrison men command command germans italians emphasized importance siege ordered positions supplies sixteen month siege women children sent protection venetian possessed cities ordered burn crops mountains fortresses ottoman preparations reached approximately best soldiers cavalry proposed hand fortress refused receiving refusal set army cast cannons fire rocks weighing pounds pounds despite firepower turkish firing positions disadvantage mountain built cannons fire times day accurate large smaller guns placed remainder aimed main gateway siege phase fired days breach finally sultan believed advantage ordered troops walls garrison managed push assault gaining time repair walls fearing counterattack sent scouting patrol surrounding mountains watch attack managed lead dusk raid turkish killing men capturing destroying turkish supplies losing life returned men shield battered shape scarce raid cost dead wounded assault continued guns sounding time time defenders facing great difficulty forth damage walls repelled attempts enter main weight attack come turkish losses heavy second phase second assault began turks tried break gate heavy casualties attackers retreated held days council generals immediate precaution guard camp surprise attack responded placing force men command prince attack taken place attack horsemen alarm given turks prepared attack forces moved camp broke expected organized counterattack retreated camp attacks caused turks aim cannons expected guerrilla forces instead fortress large force turkish cavalry sent followed mouth turned away large ottoman assault friendly fire turks forced assault ottomans attempted fortress succeed fortress built rock food supplies beginning run turks received provisions venice turkish attacks ottoman army lost dead wounded force lost men far raised couple thousand force split making attacks turkish camp easier began camp turks assembled men began slowly retired broke camp turkish force sent lured foothills morning july surrounded completely destroyed day seen rocks conference surprising final phase returned castle chosen conference bringing rich presents tried convince count suitable master siege refused surrender result fresh ottoman assault began sent envoy trying convince offering crowns annually refused divide partner empire suffer albania stained disgrace assault continued positions desperate october offered threatening fortress turks accept lifted siege october arriving winter replied offer rejecting offered help relationship ottomans aftermath siege cost ottoman casualties casualties claims died disease fortress fact died began retire albania fear losing men winter retreat caused loss thousands ottoman troops attacks local militias end resources travelled urging assistance informed pope financial assistance managed hold regain territory success brought praise europe ambassadors sent rome naples hungary vassal march treaty gaining needed men supplies crown according legend night siege sent herd goats goats horns turks believed attack movement herd turks advanced far launched attack force destroying siege lifted commemorated victory designing helmet head goat reference ingenious tactics night popular culture legacy prominent poet wrote siege saved europe ottoman invasion today pride actions performed siege siege film stages siege setting novel siege writer
Siege of Krujë (1450)