A little-known chapter in Anglo-Albanian history reveals how an English knight became involved in Skanderbeg’s resistance against the Ottoman Empire, serving as a military commander and diplomatic intermediary in the 15th century.
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Although relatively little is known about his personal life, surviving historical records suggest that Newport played both a military and diplomatic role during one of the most critical periods of Skanderbeg’s struggle against the Ottoman Empire.
A Papal Envoy and Diplomatic Intermediary
Before becoming associated with military operations in Albania, John of Newport was involved in European diplomacy.
A papal document issued during the pontificate of Pope Callixtus III identifies John Newport, an English knight, as the Pope’s commissioner to Bosnia, Slavonia and Albania. The same document describes him as a chamberlain (camerlengus) and counsellor of King Alfonso V of Aragon and Naples.
This connection was particularly significant because Alfonso V was one of Skanderbeg’s most important foreign supporters. The two rulers had established a political and military alliance through the Treaty of Gaeta in 1451, providing the Albanian leader with valuable assistance in his struggle against Ottoman expansion.
Newport’s position within both papal and royal circles placed him in an unusual position to facilitate diplomatic contacts between the Western European powers and Skanderbeg.
Historical accounts also associate him with a group of foreign archers who came to fight alongside the Albanian forces.
The Battle of Albulena: A Turning Point in 1457
One of the most significant episodes associated with John of Newport is the Battle of Albulena, also known as the Battle of Ujëbardha, fought on September 2, 1457.
Skanderbeg faced a massive Ottoman expedition led by Isak Bey Evrenoz and supported by Hamza Kastrioti, his nephew who had joined the Ottoman side.
The Ottoman campaign posed a serious threat to the Albanian resistance. After months of preparation, Skanderbeg launched a surprise attack against the Ottoman encampment, achieving one of the most celebrated victories of his military career.
According to historical accounts, John of Newport commanded a group of archers who participated in the fighting alongside Skanderbeg's forces.
English and Welsh archers were renowned throughout medieval Europe for their military skills, particularly their use of the longbow. Their reported presence in Albania offers an interesting insight into the international character of Skanderbeg's military resistance.
The victory at Albulena inflicted a devastating defeat on the Ottoman expeditionary force, captured Hamza Kastrioti and strengthened Skanderbeg's position at a moment when his movement was under enormous pressure.
John of Newport's Warning to the Pope
Newport's involvement did not end on the battlefield.
Following the Albanian victory in 1457, Skanderbeg continued to face the threat of further Ottoman attacks and urgently needed Western European assistance.
According to accounts preserved in historical writings concerning the period, John of Newport travelled to Rome alongside an Albanian ambassador returning from Naples to request additional support for Skanderbeg.
His mission brought him before the papal court, where he reportedly described the danger facing Albania and the wider implications of an Ottoman victory.
A statement attributed to Newport, preserved in accounts associated with Cardinal Enea Silvio Piccolomini, who later became Pope Pius II, expressed the strategic importance of Albania's resistance:
“The invasion of Europe will be a certainty, for there is no other power capable of resisting the Turks if the Albanian stronghold falls.”
The warning reflected the importance that some European political and religious circles attached to Skanderbeg's resistance. Albania was increasingly regarded as a strategic barrier against Ottoman expansion into Western Europe.
Skanderbeg's International Military and Diplomatic Network
John of Newport was not the only foreign figure associated with Skanderbeg's struggle.
The Albanian leader maintained diplomatic and military connections with several European states and attracted foreign warriors, merchants, diplomats and intellectuals who became involved in his cause.
Among the figures associated with these international connections was Stefan Maramonte, an Italian-Slavic military figure who served in diplomatic missions on Skanderbeg's behalf, including contacts with Milan.
The Gazulli family also played an important role in the Albanian leader's diplomatic and intellectual network. Pal and Andrea Gazulli were educated Albanian figures involved in diplomatic and ecclesiastical affairs, with connections extending to major European centres such as Venice, Rome and Ragusa (modern-day Dubrovnik).
There are also historical references to German volunteers who participated in the defence of Kruja during the Ottoman campaigns.
Together, these connections demonstrate that Skanderbeg's resistance was not an isolated military undertaking. It was part of a much wider European political and diplomatic struggle against Ottoman expansion.
William Bland and the Search for John of Newport's History
An important contribution to the modern investigation of John of Newport's story came from William "Bill" Bland, a British writer, political activist and founder of the Albania Society of Britain.
Bland devoted considerable attention to Anglo-Albanian historical relations and attempted to uncover the identity and activities of the English knight who had reportedly fought alongside Skanderbeg.
During a visit to Albania in 1984, he searched for historical documentation that could help him prepare a biographical study of Newport. However, he acknowledged difficulties in locating original documents in Albanian archives and indicated that further research would be necessary elsewhere.
The most important documentary evidence concerning Newport's activities appears to be connected with Italian, Vatican and other European archival collections.
One particularly important reference is the papal safe-conduct document issued in 1457, which identifies John Newport as an English knight, the Pope's commissioner to Bosnia, Slavonia and Albania, and a counsellor and chamberlain of King Alfonso of Aragon.
Bland's research was part of a broader effort to document the historical connections between Britain and Albania. He regarded Newport as an early example of a Westerner who became involved in the Albanian struggle against Ottoman expansion.
Despite the limited surviving information about his life, John of Newport remains an intriguing figure in the history of medieval European relations with Albania.
His story offers another perspective on Skanderbeg's international standing and the extent to which the Albanian resistance attracted military and diplomatic attention beyond the Balkans.
The historical record is still incomplete, but the surviving documents provide evidence that an English knight was connected to the political, diplomatic and military events surrounding Skanderbeg's struggle in the 15th century.