to resist the initial Ottoman onslaught and pushed back several attacking waves. When Skanderbeg returned, however, the Ottoman relief force was repulsed. Despite this, the Albanians were exhausted and their numbers had dwindled to the point where the siege could not be continued, thus the army lifted the siege and retreated. Around 6,000 of Skanderbeg's men died, including 800 men of a 1,000-man-strong contingent of Neapolitans from Alphonso V as experts in demolition, artillery, and siege warfare. The commander of the siege, Muzaka Thopia, also died during the conflict. Aftermath Skanderbeg himself was not at the battle, having moved southwest to inspect the routes to Vlorë and hinder a potential surprise attack from the garrison there. Upon hearing the news, he rushed back, but by the time of his arrival the battle was already over. Italian chronicles of the time describe Skanderbeg as performing feats of bravery “with sword and mace” and that many owed their life to his opportune intervention. The results at Berat were disastrous and badly crippled the Albanian resistance for a time. Berat remained in the hands of the Ottomans and was never again to be taken by the League. Notes References Warfare by Skanderbeg Berat 1455 Berat 1455 1455 in Europe History of Berat Berat 1455 in the Ottoman Empire