The Battle of Kosovo 1389: An Albanian Epic [Hardcover]

Anna Di Lellio (Author), Robert Elsie (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 7, 2009 | ISBN-10: 1848850948 | ISBN-13: 978-1848850941

The Battle of Kosovo of 1389 holds enormous significance in the formation of modern Balkan nation states, especially among South Slav and Serbian nationalist circles. What has given this single battle such resonance, even more than six centuries later, and what does it reveal about the complex tangle of identity in the contemporary Balkans?

Robert Elsie’s beautiful new translation brings a little-known Albanian epic account of the battle between the Ottoman Sultan Murat I and a coalition of Balkan forces brilliantly to life. The fantastic tale of Murat’s campaign in Kosovo and his assassination by the Albanian knight Millosh Kopiliq is more often presented from the Serb perspective, which extols particularly the valour of the Serbian knight Milos Obilic. By proposing an alternative narrative, The Battle of Kosovo offers a more nuanced understanding of this powerful myth of nationalism and belonging. Anna Di Lellio’s sensitive commentary explores the significance of this epic poem and of the battle more generally in post-war Kosovo in reinforcing a collective identity that emphasises resistance against foreign oppression and identifies strongly with a European, predominantly Christian culture. The Battle of Kosovo is an important addition to our understanding of the past, present and future of this complex Balkan nation as well as the broader issues of national memory and identity.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'The construction of national identities in the Balkans has been a fascinating process of creativity and destruction, of enrichment and impoverishment, for the history of the ethno-linguistic groups who once shared a common past. The Battle of Kosovo 1389 vividly illustrates this tragic duplicity, which continues even today in the region among Albanians and Serbs, as well as other ethnic groups, and can often descend into a history of insults and injuries. In contrast Anna Di Lellio suggests how, through the confrontation of different narratives of the same past, it is possible to build a postnationalistic narrative.' - Fatos Lubonja, author of Second Sentence: Inside the Albanian Gulag; 'Anna Di Lellio has afforded us a rare insight into an alternative - Albanian - tradition of the Battle of Kosovo. This valuable collection, meticulously translated, edited and commented, represents a labor of love that is simultaneously of great importance for all students of the Balkan past.' - Ivo Banac, Bradford Durfee Professor of History, Yale University; 'A superb volume with a fluent, close and eloquent translation. The Battle of Kosovo 1389 is a remarkable feat of synthesis - of interest to folklorists, linguists, anthropologists, Ottomanists and those who are interested in movements in contemporary history.' - Harry Norris, Professor Emeritus, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London

About the Author

Anna Di Lellio is Lecturer at the Graduate Program in International Relations at the New School University in New York and at the Kosovo Institute of Journalism and Communication in Prishtina.  She is the editor of The Case for Kosova: A Passage to Independence. A sociologist, journalist and policy analyst who has worked in and on Kosovo for the past ten years, she holds a PhD in Sociology from Columbia University and a Masters in Public Policy from the Wagner School of Public Service at New York University.

Robert Elsie is a writer, translator, interpreter and specialist in Albanian studies. He has worked on Albanian culture and history for thirty years. Among his numerous publications, the translation of the Albanian classic, Gjergj Fishta’s The Highland Lute (I.B.Tauris), represents perhaps the most remarkable achievement.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: I. B. Tauris (July 7, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1848850948
• ISBN-13: 978-1848850941
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,438,475 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #78 in Books > History > Europe > Albania

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars What a waste of my time, December 8, 2011

By 

Dragan (Serbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battle of Kosovo 1389: An Albanian Epic (Hardcover)

The fictional story presented in this book could be published on 'The Onion' as well. However, I think the story would hardly pass 'The Onion's publishing standards since they tend to have stories that have at least something related to reality.

8 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fiction, but not SF - Its called propaganda or order a book, April 10, 2010

By 

Vojin Vidanovic "rastavox" (Belgrade, Serbia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Battle of Kosovo 1389: An Albanian Epic (Hardcover)

At the time of Kosovo battle,

it was a field of battle and not that much settled territory,

where the Serbian Church was founded.

Milos is not Albanian (aka Kosovar) name

Obilic is Serbian sername.

Battle was fought between Serbian and Bosnian knights and the Ottoman Empire.

At the best, Albanians could be infantry on one or both sides.

Its Turkish victory, but both Turks and Serbs suffered great losses, included

the leaders and so Turks reatreated to decide who is the next Sultan.

Serbs have builded the EPIC of this battle,

but now I see Albanians do the same mistake.

But they even change the history.

Just like I have heard that Serbian monatasteries are Dardanian-Byzanth style

on the web site of the Ministry of culture of Kosovo.

Lies do not help, they just make this author look stupid,

as well as very well known publisher.

Shame on you both!

And before you buy it, at least check historical accounts.

(...)

Also, I believe Serbian diaspora will

stop buying the books of both author and publisher

and keep them blamed for such an ignorant book.

there is a way to change history, but this is just

like DERETIC JOVAN in Serbian.

Someones high ego and stupidness.

For that, she shall be punished by the law,

and morally sanctioned. Shame on her!

3 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable book, July 16, 2009

By 

bytycci (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Battle of Kosovo 1389: An Albanian Epic (Hardcover)

This book is indispensable for anyone (scholars and amateurs alike)trying to understand the complex relationships of history, myth, identity and nationalism in the Balkans. By providing the little known Albanian mythical perspective on the real event of the Kosovo battle of 1389 it informs the modern debate on Kosovo and Albanian-Serb relations in a way that few books do.