and English (1596). Unlike The Siege of Shkodra, Barleti relied on the testimonies of others to produce this work. Barleti's books were published and printed by Bernardino Vitali in Venice and Rome. The History of Scanderbeg is considered an Albanian cultural treasure, vital to the formation of Albanian national self-consciousness. A traduction of this work of Barleti is in slavonic, in the Cetinje chronicle. A note at the end of this manuscript says, according to Martinovic (1962) that the author of the text is "Marin from Shkodër of Slavic origin". Paolo Giovio was the first historian to confound Barletius with another contemporary Marinus Scodrensis, Marino Becichemi (1468-1526), professor of rhetorics and author of commentaries on classic literature. The confusion has been elucidated by Thomas Reinesius and Apostolo Zeno. While Barletius in his works calls himself "sacerdotis Scodrensis" (priest of Scodra), Becichemi professes himself married and a "father of boys", professor of Ragusa, Brescia, and Padua, neither of which applies to Barletius. A Brief History of Lives of Popes and Emperors (disputed) Barleti's third work is titled, A Brief History of Lives of Popes and Emperors (, Venice, 1555). Criticism Barletius' work has inspired chroniclers like Giammaria Biemmi and Theodore Spandounes. It is still popular among romanticist and nationalist historians. Modern historical research on Skenderbeg relies more on archival records than on Barletius. 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. 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. See also Albanian literature Culture of Albania Bernardino Vitali Siege of Shkodra References Sources Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum Principis Treasure of the National Library of Albania displayed by The European Library Historia de vita et gestis Scanderbegi Epirotarum Principis Online digital version presented at World Digital Library 1450s births 1510s deaths 16th-century Albanian historians People from Shkodër 15th-century Albanian Roman Catholic priests 16th-century Albanian Roman Catholic priests Venetian Albanians Albanian humanists