House of Kastrioti

Kastrioti Kastriotët
Noble family
Colored rendition of the Kastrioti coat of arms based on an illustration found in the book "Gli Albanesi e la Questione Balkanica" by prominent Arbëresh author and linguist Giuseppe Schirò
Country	Medieval Albania
Current region	Mat, Dibër
Founded	14th and 15th centuries
Members	Konstantin Kastrioti Pal Kastrioti Gjon Kastrioti Stanisha Kastrioti Mamica Kastrioti Hamza Kastrioti Skanderbeg Gjon Kastrioti II Costantino Castriota
Website	castriotascanderbeg.it

The Kastrioti were an Albanian noble family, active in the 14th and 15th centuries as the rulers of the Principality of Kastrioti. At the beginning of the 15th century, the family controlled a territory in the Mat and Dibra regions. The most notable member was Gjergj Kastrioti, better known as Skanderbeg, regarded today as an Albanian hero for leading the resistance against Mehmed the Conqueror's efforts to expand the Ottoman Empire into Albania. After Skanderbeg's death and the fall of the Principality in 1468, the Kastrioti family gave their allegiance to the Kingdom of Naples and were given control over the Duchy of San Pietro in Galatina and the County of Soleto, now in the Province of Lecce, Italy.^[1] Ferrante (died 1561), son of Gjon Kastrioti II, Duke of Galatina and Count of Soleto, is the direct ancestor of all male members of the Kastrioti family today. Today, the family consists of two Italian branches, one in Lecce and the other in Naples. The descendants of the House of Kastrioti in Italy use the family name "Castriota Scanderbeg".