but the main stream was towards the nearest Christian land, Sicily, and the mainland of the kingdom of Naples. It is difficult to fix the exact date of the first arrival of the Albanian colonists in these parts. The first date I have found for certain, so far, is 1448. In that year Alphonsus I of Aragon, in return for services rendered by Albanian soldiers in his pay against the French, granted them lands in Sicily with a certain measure of autonomy under their Captains George and Basil Reres.[1]
In 1456 there was a great earthquake throughout Calabria and Apulia. After this the Neapolitan Government granted large districts of the country laid waste to Albanian colonists, in order that they might reclaim it. When Scanderbeg had fought for Ferdinand I of Naples, he was rewarded by the grant of land at S Pietro in Galatina. He did not himself occupy his new estate; but his son and many of his countrymen came. Other Albanians came in 1467 after Scanderbeg's death, many more during the Pontificate of Paul II (1468-1471); others, again, after the year 1478, when the Sultan finally subjected all Albania to his rule. The town of Korone (Κόρωνη) in the Peloponnesos had surrendered freely to the Venetians in 1204. Later many Albanians came to settle here.[2] In 1498 Bayazed II seized the town. In 1532 Charles II sent a fleet under Andrew Doria to retake it. The Christian Albanians rose against the Turks and helped the Imperial fleet. But soon after the Turks recaptured the place. Then, fearing their vengeance, the Albanians fled to Italy. There were more than 200 ships full of them; their bishop Benedict[3] came too. So they arrived in the kingdom of Naples. The Government gave them grants of land and money. The Albanians of Korone spread throughout the kingdom. Some joined Greek refugees in the city of Naples, and there formed a community of the Byzantine rite, under Prince Thomas Palaiologos. The name "dei Coronei" remains as a memory of this immigration.[4]
- ↑ These were the sons of Demetrios Reres, who had led the Albanian forces for Alphonsus. His diploma is printed by Rodotà, iii, 52-53. The name Reres occurs constantly among the Albanians in Italy.
- ↑ There are still large colonies of Albanians in the kingdom of Greece.
- ↑ It is strange that an Albanian bishop of the Byzantine rite should have a Latin name. Perhaps he took it after he had arrived in Italy. Or was his name Εὐλογητός?
- ↑ So the Archimandrite Pietro Camodeca de Nobili Coronei in Calabria now. For the story of Korone see Rodotà, iii, 54-57.
