Aubrey Herbert - Albania

Albania

He became a passionate advocate of Albanian independence, having visited the country in 1907, 1911 and 1913. During a stay in Tirana (1913) he befriended Essad Pasha. When the Albanian delegates to the 1912–13 London Balkan Peace Conference arrived, they secured the assistance of Herbert as an advisor. He was very active in their cause and is regarded as having a considerable influence on Albania's obtaining independence in the resulting Treaty of London (1913). One of his constant correspondents on Albania was Edith Durham.

He was twice offered the throne of Albania. On the first occasion, just before World War I, he was interested, but was dissuaded by the then prime minister, Herbert Asquith, a family friend. The offer remained unofficial and was rejected by the Foreign Office. The Albanian crown went to William of Wied.

The second occasion the crown was offered was after the defeat of the Italian Army by the Albanians in September 1920. Again the offer was unofficial, though it was made on behalf of the Albanian government. Herbert discussed the offer with Philip Kerr and Maurice Hankey, pursuing the idea of perhaps acting under the banner of the League of Nations; Eric Drummond, a friend of Herbert, had become its first Secretary General, and lobbying by Herbert led to the acceptance of Albania as a member in the League of Nations in December 1920. With a change of Foreign Minister in the Albanian government Aubrey's chance of a crown greatly diminished. The crown was then (April 1921), still more unofficially, offered to the Duke of Atholl by Jim Barnes of the British Friends of Albania residing in Italy.

The National Library of Albania in Tirana was once named after Herbert, as was a village in the country.