The fortified settlement of Drisht was first mentioned in the reign of John I Tzimiskes (969-976) but can be traced back to the Roman town of Drivastum; it probably even was an earlier Illyrian fortification. In 1184 the Serbian king Stefan Nemanja of Rashka conquered Drisht, after the fall of the Serbian Empire in the second half of the 14th century the town became independent and minted their own coins. From 1369 to the 14th of April 1396 the Albanian noble family of Balsha ruled Drisht until they had to cede to Venice. During the Venetian rule (1396-1404) an cistern was added to the fortress. In 1476 the Ottomans conquered the fortification and the Christian population fled to other Venetian territories, resulting in Drisht loosing its importance and diminished.