Skanderbeg

As a young Albanian prince in 1420 medieval Europe, George Kastrioti is forcibly taken as an insurance policy by the Ottoman Empire to ensure his father's loyalty. George Kastrioti eventually grows into the fierce warrior known as "Skanderbeg" and becomes the commander of an elite Turkish fighting force known as the "Janissaries". He consumes the next 20 years advancing Turkish control throughout the Balkan Peninsula against the wishes of his family and former Albanian people. However, after encountering unanticipated revelations of long-standing treachery, Skanderbeg realizes he has given his life to the wrong cause. Skanderbeg retaliates by taking only the Albanian contingent from among his highly-trained Janissary force and deserting the Turkish army in the midst of an important battle. He and his men return to Albania where he retrieves his stolen throne by deception and reunites with family he hasn't seen in 20 years. He creates an Albanian League with the noble families in the region and the surrounding countries to form a coalition to drive out the Ottoman Empire. The furious Sultan sends a former commander of Skanderbeg's and a large army to retrieve the rebellious warrior and quell any notions of an Albanian uprising but Skanderbeg sends the humiliated general home to the Sultan with a message proclaiming Albania's intentions for independence, setting the stage for the fight for freedom yet to come. Skanderbeg's story continues in "Skanderbeg: Dragon Warrior".