A Historic Day Giulio Caprin Trieste, March 6, 1914 I had asked my dear colleague Simplicius, with whom I frequently collaborated, for a portrait—even an imaginary one—of the newly appointed ruler, Prince Wied, the Mbret of Albania. My colleague replied: “An interestin…

La Domenica del Corriere, February 1–8, 1914 In the distant future, Albanian history will need many pages to recount the long and arduous negotiations required to realize the project of the European Powers—though it would be more accurate to say Italy and Austria, …

Berat Albania, [1]     Berati's citadel crowns the upper Town To the modern seeker for the unusual along geographic byways, this old stronghold serves as a colorful reminder of Albania's turbulent past, when now Sicily and Naples, now Turkey, Austria, and…

The Italo-Albanians of Sicily Since the 15th century, a diaspora of Albanian-speaking people from the Balkans has been rooted in several Sicilian towns, including Piana degli Albanesi, Contessa Entellina, Mezzojuso, Palazzo Adriano, and S. Cristina Gela. Today, over …

Fascist Italy Occupies Albania Elton A. Varfi   Rome, 1938. A man sits in his office, depressed and on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He is waiting for the arrival of a prince, but as usual, once again, the prince has been sent to Rome after the fact. This is precis…

Athleta Christi: George Kastrioti Skanderbeg Elton Varfi   Appendix   When Mehmed II learned of Skanderbeg's death, he exclaimed: “ Such a lion will never be born again in this world! Now Europe and Asia are mine! Poor Christianity, it has finally lost its sword …

Athleta Christi: George Kastrioti Skanderbeg Elton Varfi In War Against the Sultan As soon as the Sultan learned of the Pope's death and the conclusion of the crusade, he decided to attack George Kastrioti at a time when the commander had a collapse of his forces. …