The Ottoman occupation and forced conversions to Islam caused many Albanian Christians to emigrate to Italy Genealogy. As late as 1912, in a large number of villages in the Elbasan area most men had two names: a Muslim one for public use and a Christian one for private use. Even after accepting Islam, many people privately remained practicing Christians. Conversion to Islam was essential to realize position and privilege this was the usual motive for conversion. During the centuries of Ottoman rule, two-thirds of the Albanian population accepted or were forcibly converted to Islam. Ottoman domination lasted longer and influenced Albania more profoundly than that of any other foreign power. The original province boundaries remained quite constant from the mid-1400s until the mid-1800s at which time the administrative divisions of the Ottoman state underwent several changes. For administrative purposes, the Turks had divided Albania into four provinces of İşkodra (Shkodër), Kosovo, Monastir, and Yanya (Janina). The Ottoman Empire Genealogy gained control and ruled Albania from 1478 until 1912. The warrior hero, Gjergi Kastrioti, better known as Skanderbeg (Lord Alexander), formed a union of Albanian princes and defended the nation against superior Turkish forces to establish an independent Albania which lasted from 1443 until 1478. It was during these difficult times with the Turks that Albania finally achieved its national identity and a period of sovereignty as a nation.

Thereafter it became a target of Ottoman Turkish expansion in the early 1400s. Venice colonized the northern area in the 1000s and Naples soon became politically dominant in the whole region until the 1300s when the area was was taken by the Serbs. Byzantium regained control of the south in 1014. While nominally under Byzantine rule until 1347, northern Albania was invaded by Slavic tribes in the 600s and the southern area was annexed in the 800s by Bulgaria. It was during the period of Roman rule that Christianity was introduced. Once part of the ancient Greek and Roman empires, Albania came under the dominion of the Byzantine Empire in 395 A.D. The mountain chieftains retained much authority over their clans. Nevertheless the Albanian tribes, isolated by mountains, lakes and swamps, were never fully subdued by their many conquerors.

The mountains still bear the ruined walls of fortresses that once garrisoned Roman legions, Byzantine armies, and Venetian crusaders. Albania Genealogy has been a nation long subjected to foreign domination.

Alania extended timeline