Marin Barleti

Life

Barleti was born and raised in Scutari (modern Shkodra, Albania), then part of the Republic of Venice. Many western scholars believe that Barleti was an Italian settler from Italy, while most Albanian scholars today claim he was an ethnic Albanian. In 1474, the Ottoman Empire besieged Shkodra and Barleti participated in the successful defense of the town, both in the first siege in 1474 and the second in 1478. Both Barleti's parents were killed in the sieges. When Venice ceded Shkodra to the Ottomans in 1479, Barleti escaped to Italy where he would become a scholar of history, classical literature and the Latin language.

Soon after Barleti arrived in Venice, he was given a stall at the Rialto meat market as a temporary means of financial aid. In 1494 became a priest after his theological studies in Venice and Padova, and soon was appointed to serve at St. Stephen's Church in Piovene.

The Siege of Shkodra

Barleti's first work was The Siege of Shkodra (Latin: De obsidione Scodrensi, Venice, 1504). It was published several times in Latin and translated into Italian, Polish, French, Albanian, and English. Barleti wrote this work as an eyewitness. Of this work, acclaimed Albanian author Ismail Kadare wrote that "if one were to search for a literary creation wholly worthy of the expression 'monumental work,' it would be hard to find a better example than The Siege of Shkodra."

The History of Scanderbeg

Barleti's second and largest work was The History of Scanderbeg, fully entitled About the excellent Prince of the Epirots, George Castrioti's, life, character and deeds, especially against the Turks. Because of his famous exploits he was surnamed Scanderbeg, that is, Alexander the Great. Thirteen books by Marin Barleti of Shkodra (Latin: De Vita Moribus Ac Rebus Praecipue Aduersus Turcas, Gestis, Georgii Castrioti, Clarissimi Epirotarum Principis, qui propter celeberrima facinora, Scanderbegus, hoc est, Alexander Magnus, cognominatus fuit, libri Tredecim, per Marinum Barletium Scodrensem conscripti). It was published in Latin between 1508 and 1510 and translated into Portuguese, German, French, English, Serbian, and Albanian. Unlike The Siege of Shkodra, Barleti relied on the testimonies of others to produce this work.

The History of Scanderbeg is still the foundation of Scanderbeg studies and is considered an Albanian cultural treasure, vital to the formation of Albanian national self-consciousness. The Serbian language version is the major part and the first manuscript of the Cetinje chronicle. A note at the end of this manuscript says that the author of the text is "Marin from Shkodër of Slavic origin".

A Brief History of Lives of Popes and Emperors (disputed)

A third work has often been attributed to Barleti, A Brief History of Lives of Popes and Emperors (Latin: Compendium vitarum pontificum et imperatorum, Venice, 1555), but new research asserts that it was not his work, but rather an extract from Giovanni Stella’s works, published by Bernardino de Vitali.

Criticism

Barleti invented spurious correspondence between Vladislav II of Wallachia and Skanderbeg, wrongly assigning it to the year 1443 instead to the year of 1444. Barleti also invented correspondence between Scanderbeg and Sultan Mehmed II to match his interpretations of events. His first work is considered more reliable than his second work due to its nature of being an eyewitness account of the events that occurred in his home town. However, one should keep in mind that inserting fictive speeches suited to the historical character was characteristic of classical/classicizing historiography.

Memorials

The main public library of Shkodra and a publishing house have been named after Marin Barleti. Also, a university in Tirana, Albania has been established under his name.