Skanderbeg’s helmet is made of white metal, adorned with a gilded strip. It is crested with the head of a horned goat made of bronze, also gilded. The bottom part bears a copper strip iscribed with initials separated by rosettes * IN * PE * RA * TO * RE * BT *, which mean: Jesus Nazarenus * Principi Emathie * Regi Albaniae * Terrori Osmanorum * Regi Epirotarum * Benedictat Te (Jesus Nazarene Blesses Thee [Skanderbeg], Prince of Mat, King of Albania, Terror of the Ottomans, King of Epirus). It is thought that the copper strip with the initials is the work of the descendants of Skanderbeg, as Skanderbeg never held any other title but “Lord of Albania” (Dominus Albaniae). (Turkish: Arnaut, Greek: Arbanas, Arbanensis, Italian: Albanian, Epirotarum, Albanensis, Albanian: Arber, Arben, Arberesh, Epirotas.)
The ram’s head may be a badge of rank meaning major domus and lieutenant of the king, an office Skanderbeg may have held as a governor of Dibra. [46]
Another explanation is that the ram’s head refers to Alexander the Great nicknamed “Dhu l-Karnejn” (arab for: owner of the two horns) after his conquest of Egypt when he styled himself “Son of Ammon”. [47] This second explanation reflects the theory that the idea of Macedonian-Albanian and Epirot-Albanian continuity is strong not only among Albanians but also among other peoples of Europe. It agrees with the work of Marinus Barletius who writes: “When the people saw all those young and brave men around Skanderbeg, then it was not hard to believe that the armies of [Sultan] Murat were so defeated by the Albanians. Indeed, the times when the star of Macedonia shone brilliantly had returned, just as they seemed in those long forgotten times of Pyrrhus and Alexander.”
After the death of Skanderbeg the helmet was brought to Italy by his wife Donika Kastrioti and his son Gjoni (who married one of the last descendants of the Palaiologos family). Who inherited them after their death is unknown. By 1590 the helmet was owned by Count Eolfang of Sturnbeng. It eventually made its way into the Hapsburg royal collection. In 1806 the helmet was transferred to the Imperial Museum in Vienna and was placed in the Maximilian Hall (hall XXV, no. 71). Periodically Albanian kings have petitioned the Austrians for return of the helmet. Most recently King Zog unsuccessfully attempted to repatriate it in 1931. At the request of the pre-WWII Albanian government, a replica of the helmet was given to Albania and lies now in the National Museum of Tirana, Albania. The replica was manufactured by an Austrian master in 1937.
The original helmet still remains a possession of the Austrian state and is currently housed at the Neue Berg Collection of Arms and Armour in Vienna. [48]