The second Battle of Kosovo (1448) according to Antonio Bonfini
This study offers a new perspective on the Second Battle of Kosovo by presenting
the first complete Albanian translation of the original Latin report
by Antonio Bonfini from Rerum Hungaricarum Decades. Bonfini’s contemporary
narrative, completed in 1498, is a valuable source of the period
for this key event in European history. Through a careful analysis of Bonfini’s
text, the author challenges existing interpretations of the battle. While
many historians have blamed Skanderbeg for the Hungarian defeat, Bonfini
places the responsibility directly on John Hunyadi, who prematurely initiated
the confrontation with the Ottoman forces, thereby altering the previously
agreed-upon plan with Skanderbeg. Furthermore, Bonfini identifies George
Branković as the principal traitor, who not only undermined Hunyadi’s campaign
by refusing to commit his military forces to the battle, but also provided
the Ottomans with secret intelligence. The study not only presents a
new translation but also offers a critical analysis of Bonfini’s work, providing
context and shedding light on the biases and perspectives of a contemporary
chronicler. Through a detailed examination of the Second Battle of Kosovo,
viewed through the prism of Bonfini’s narrative, this study makes a significant
contribution to our understanding of this complex historical event and to the
broader context of fifteenth-century Balkan politics.