The Purgi tower was built at a river port, which was important to the grain trade with Ragusa. The tower was built as a defense of the port by the Albanian nobleman Nikolla Muzaka in 1389- After Nikolla Muzaka Rugina Balsha incorporated the tower into her realm of Vlora and Kanina. In danger of the Ottomans Rugina Balsha wanted to cede her princedom to Venice, unfortunately the negotiations wer prolongated until 1417, when the Ottomans conquered Pirg. The last mentioned possessor of the tower was Ajdin Gropa mentioned in 1421. (AA II 441 (106-107) - de illa turri del birgo; KJ Sp., XI, 14 - et turrim Purgi).