But being under Roman rule didn’t put an end to the military action and violence. While many wars would continue to plague most of Europe, the turbulent history of military conquest for the important trading port around Shkoder would continue far longer than in most of the rest of the continent. In 1101 there was a Crusade that included Shkoder. In 1214, after the Fourth Crusade, it was conquered by the frighteningly named “Despotate of Epirus”.

In 1396 Venice tightened their control of the trade route and took over Shkoder. While under the Venetian occupation, Shkoder had their hilltop fortress reinforced in an effort to dissuade future attempts by others to take over the port city. Their reinforcement and updating of the already ancient fortress would prove to be an important asset in the near future against the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror. Mehmed earned the title “Conqueror” for a reason. He already had an impressive list of important conquests before heading to Shkoder, including important kingdoms such as Constantinople, Serbia, Morea, Wallachia, Bosnia, Moldavia, etc.

Mehmed the Conqueror eventually made his way to Shkoder in 1478, and settled in for a siege, setting up camps, and sacking other nearby cities. This siege was to turn out to be one of the most important for the struggle of power and control between the Europeans and the Ottomans. The trade routes not only controlled the goods and money, but also the culture, religion, and political influence in the area as well. But the Rozafa Fortress stood high on the hill, right in Mehmed’s way.

Most Albanians in the area fled the approaching Ottoman army, fleeing into the mountains or into the castle itself. About 1,600 men, along with a few women, were inside the fortress, awaiting the onslaught from the Ottoman forces that some say were more than 300,000 in number. The siege began with a 19 day long bombardment of artillery on the fortress. The Ottoman cannons were cast onsite, and lobbed cannon-balls as heavy as 830 pounds at the Rozafa fortress walls.  The constant two-week long bombardment must have been catastrophic for the defenders. After the artillery fire stopped, the Ottomans stormed the fortress but were beaten back five times. The castle, situated high and well placed for defense, along with its reinforced walls, weathered the attacking army, causing the Ottoman forces many more casualties than they were inflicting. Despite their advantageous position within Rozafa Castle, the demoralizing effects of artillery and the dwindling supplies and food made it clear that a truce needed to be made. In January 1479, the Venetian and Albanian forces surrendered. The small number of defenders held out valiantly against the Ottoman army, but given the overwhelming force of the attackers, it would never have been able to outlast them.