Papal Relations
Portrait of SkanderbegSkanderbeg's military successes evoked a good deal of interest and admiration of the Papal States, Venice and Naples, themselves threatened by the growing Ottoman power across the Adriatic. The Albanian warrior played his hand with a good deal of political and diplomatic skill in his dealings with the three Italian states. Hoping to strengthen and expand the last Christian bridgehead in the Balkans, they provided Skenderbeg with money, supplies and occasionally with troops. One of his most powerful and consistent supporters was Alfonso the Magnanimous, the Aragone king of Naples, who decided to take Skanderbeg under his protection as vassal in 1451, shortly after the latter had scored his second victory against Murad II. In addition to financial assistance, the King of Naples undertook to supply the Albanian leader with troops, military equipment as well as with sanctuary for himself and his family if such a need should arise. As an active defender of the Christian cause in the Balkans, Skanderbeg was also closely involved with the politics of four Popes, one of them being Pope Pius II, the Renaissance humanist, writer and diplomat.
Profoundly shaken by the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Pius II tried to organize a new crusade against the Turks; consequently he did his best to come to Skanderbeg's aid, as two of his predecessors Pope Nicholas V and Pope Calixtus III, had done before him. This policy was continued by his successor, Pope Paul II. They gave him the title Athleta Christi.
For a quarter of a century he and his country prevented Turks from invading Catholic Western Europe.
Gjergj Kastriot's Legacy
http://www.campusprogram.com/referen...kanderbeg.html
PS: Nuk eshte pak te jesh i implikuar ne politiken e 4 Papave ne Rome. Ku jane trimat e Bizantit?
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