Treaty of Gaeta

The Treaty of Gaeta was a political treaty signed in Gaeta on March 26, 1451, between Alfonso V for the Kingdom of Naples and Stefan, Bishop of Krujë, and Nikollë de Berguçi, ambassadors of Skanderbeg. In the treaty Skanderbeg recognized himself a vassal of the Kingdom of Naples, and in return he would have the Kingdom's protection from the Ottoman Empire. Alfonso V believed that he would be able to resurrect the politics of his Angevine predecessors and to use Albania as a foothold to further expand his realm into the Balkans.[1]

Treaty of Gaeta

Signed	March 26, 1451 (1451-03-26)
Location	Gaeta
Signatories	Arnaldo Fonolleda Stefan, Bishop of Krujë and Nikollë de Berguçi
Parties	Kingdom of Naples Skanderbeg

Terms of the Treaty

The treaty was requested by Skanderbeg in order to ensure protection from the Ottoman Empire. Although the party on the treaty was Alfonso V himself, the treaty was signed by his main notary, Arnaldo Fonolleda. The ambassadors of Skanderbeg were respectively two bishops: Stefan was an orthodox bishop and de Berguçi was a Catholic Dominican bishop.[2]

According to the treaty, if the Albanians were to need the Kingdom of Naples's help in military issues, they would be obligated to donate each city in danger to the Naple's crown. In addition Skanderbeg had to swear an oath of fidelity to the Aragon crown. As soon as the Albanian lands would be freed by Ottoman invasions, Skanderbeg had to pay taxes to Alfonso, and had to recognize the Naple's crown, however he would keep his autonomy and self-government. The last point of the treaty specifies that Skanderbeg had to buy salt only from the warehouses of Alfonso, rather than from the Ottomans, but with the same price that the Ottomans would have otherwise charged.[2] To follow the treaty, Naples sent a detachment of 100 Napolitan soldiers commanded by Bernard Vaquer to the castle of Krujë in the end of May 1451.[3] Vaquer was appointed to position of special commissioner[4] and took over Kruje on behalf of the Kingdom of Naples and put its garrison under his command.[5]

Aftermath

After Alfonso signed this treaty with Skanderbeg, he signed similar treaties with other chieftains from Albania: Gjergj Arianiti, Gjin Muzaka, George Stresi Balsha, Peter Spani, Paul Dukagjini, Constantinos Spanchis, Thopia Muzaka, Peter of Himara, Simon Zanebisha and Karlo Toco.[6]

References

1. umetnosti, Srpska akademija nauka i (1983). Glas. p. 74.
2. Frashëri, Kristo (2002), Gjergj Kastrioti Skënderbeu: jeta dhe vepra, 1405–1468 (in Albanian), Botimet Toena, pp. 310–316, ISBN 99927-1-627-4
3. Tibbetts, Jann (30 July 2016). 50 Great Military Leaders of All Time. Vij Books India Pvt Ltd. p. 571. ISBN 978-93-85505-66-9. Following the Treaty of Gaeta, in the end of May 1451, a small detachment of 100 Catalan soldiers, headed by Bernard Vaquer, was established at the castle of Kruje.
4. Gegaj, Athanas (1937). L'Albanie et l'Invasion turque au XVe siècle (in French). Bureaux du Recueil, Bibliothéque de l'Université. p. 88. Retrieved 19 December 2017. En vertu du traité, Alphonse V envoya en Albanie, au mois de juin 1451, un officier de sa trésorerie, Bernard Vaquer, avec les pouvoirs de commissaire spécial.
5. Marinescu, Constantin (1994). La politique orientale d'Alfonse V d'Aragon, roi de Naples (1416-1458). Institut d'Estudis Catalans. pp. 181, 182. ISBN 978-84-7283-276-3.
6. Noli, Fan Stilian (1947), George Castrioti Scanderbeg (1405–1468), International Universities Press, p. 49, OCLC 732882, Later on Alphonse concluded similar treaties with George Araniti, Ghin Musachi, George Stresi Balsha, Peter Spani, Paul Ducaghini,...