| Vladan Gjurica | |
| Death Date: | April 1465 |
| Death Place: | Constantinople, Ottoman empire[1] |
| Occupation: | Military Commander |
| Known For: | Advisor of Skanderbeg during the Skanderbeg's rebellion |
Vladan Gjurica (d. April 1465) was an Albanian nobleman and Skanderbeg's main advisor during Skanderbeg's rebellion.[2] [3]
He is thought to be from Gjoricë, in modern-day Dibër County from which he got the surname Gjurica/Jurica.[4] He was most likely a member of the Arianiti family. During the wedding of Mamica Kastrioti, it is recorded that he was wounded in the head during a clash between Lekë Dukagjini and Lekë Zaharia over Irene Dushmani.[5] [6]
During the Battle of Vajkal he was captured by the Ottoman troops and sent to Constantinople where he was tortured and skinned alive.
...Count Vrana and Vladan Yuritza, who tried to separate them, were severely wounded, the former in his arm and the latter on his head. Then it was decided to let the two lovers fight it out....
...Count Vrana and Vladan Yuritza, who happened to be nearby, tried to mollify the two screaming contenders, but to no effect. Instead, both of them received light wounds, one in his arm and the other on his head. A suggestion by another drunk guest to fight it out with their bare fists appealed to both Dukagjini and Zakaria. As armed men from each clan watched from the side, the two men began by eyeballing one another, and with careful steps they circled one another. The wind was tossing both their white shirts and black hair. Since they were of equal height and both quite muscular, nobody could tell which way the match would go. After the preliminary moments of posturing and circling observation, the men decided to move in closer to the other and they started exchanging some punches...