Maschito was founded in 1467 by King
Ferdinand I of Naples, when the Albanian hero
Skanderbeg was sent with numerous troops to fight the
Angevin pretenders to the throne of Naples and the Barons. The capture of
Kruja by the Turks and the abandonment of
Shkodër (1478–79) led to the first migration of Albanians (
Arbëreshë) to
Basilicata. In 1533, when the Fortress of
Koroni fell the Albanian refugees of the area were allowed to settle areas of the
Kingdom of Naples, including Maschito. At that time the territory of Maschito belonged to the
Bishop of Venosa and the Prior of Gerosolmitano of Bari. By law, around November 17, 1539, the Notary Giacomo Citamiore of Venosa, and the Spanish viceroy of Naples,
Pedro Álvarez de Toledo, ceded the aforementioned territory to Giovanni de Icis. The Albanians were obligated to pay one ducat a year from the annual income of each household, and 200 ducats extra a year if the number of homes increased by one. ==Economy==