A Forgotten American Novel about Skanderbeg: In the Crescent’s Dark Shadow by John H. Crabb

The literary world is replete with stories of forgotten masterpieces, awaiting rediscovery by scholars and enthusiasts. One such masterpiece, In the Crescent’s Dark Shadow, a novel written by John H. Crabb and published by Dorrance & Company on October 21, 1952, has remained largely unknown until now, despite Dorrance Publishing still being in operation. Notably, this fascinating work of historical fiction tells the story of Scanderbeg, the 15th-century Albanian hero who fought both for and against the Ottoman Empire.

John Holland Crabb, the author, was a native of Huntington Woods, Oakland, Michigan. His impressive academic background, which includes a 1943 graduation from the University of Michigan with an AB in History, laid the foundation for his meticulous research and attention to detail in the novel. Crabb’s subsequent academic pursuits took him to Harvard Law School, where he graduated in 1948. He was also admitted to Tufts University School of Diplomacy upon his graduation from Harvard. His academic excellence earned him a Fulbright Scholarship, which he utilized in Guatemala in 1958.

Crabb’s professional life was marked by a distinguished career in academia. He served as a law professor at the University of North Dakota School of Law, imparting his knowledge to future generations. In his later years, Crabb’s teaching endeavors took him to France and Africa, a testament to his cosmopolitan outlook and commitment to education.

The publication of In the Crescent’s Dark Shadow was noted by several newspapers of the time, such as the New York Times, the Oakland Tribune, the Morning Union, and the Roanoke Times. Despite this initial recognition, the novel has since faded into obscurity and remained unknown. 

Fortunately, efforts are being made to revive interest in Crabb’s novel. The author of this essay has purchased hard copies of the novel, In the Crescent’s Dark Shadow, ensuring that this forgotten masterpiece will not be lost to the sands of time. 

The novel itself is organized into ten chapters, transporting readers to the Balkans during the Ottoman Empire’s reign. The story begins with Iskander Bey, accoutered in the best 1443 Ottoman military regalia, and Ali Mustapha, the civilian representative of the Ottoman Empire, on a mission to recruit janissaries in Macedonia. Crabb vividly describes the janissaries, providing a rich historical context for the narrative.

Crabb introduces Iskander Bey with a detailed account of his early life, military prowess, and rise within the Ottoman hierarchy:

Iskander Bey’s career as a Janissary had been eminently successful. He had been born about thirty years previously as George Castriot, the son of an Albanian nobleman. At a tender age he had been surrendered as a hostage to the Turks as a gage of the continued loyalty of the Albanian chieftains to the Sublime Porte. He became a Mohammedan and was named Iskander—in rather distant homage to the honor and glory of Alexander the Great of Macedonian antiquity. The sultan had taken immediate fancy to the boy, and had him reared amid the surroundings of the Ottoman court. He was also given the training necessary for his being of practical use as a Janissary.

This passage not only sets the stage for Iskander Bey’s eventual rebellion against the Ottomans but also underscores his complexity as a character—both as a military leader of the empire and a future leader of resistance against the Ottoman Empire.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the novel is Crabb’s portrayal of Iskander Bey, the protagonist. Born as Gjergj Kastrioti, the son of an Albanian nobleman, Iskander Bey’s life is a testament to the complexities of identity, loyalty, and power. Crabb describes Iskander Bey’s early life as a hostage to the Turks, his conversion to Islam, and his subsequent rise through the ranks of the Ottoman army and his return to Croia, today’s Kruja.

Through Iskander Bey’s character, Crabb masterfully explores the tensions between loyalty to one’s heritage and loyalty to one’s adopted empire. Iskander Bey’s story serves as a powerful backdrop for the larger narrative of Skanderbeg’s resistance against the Ottoman Empire.

As we rediscover, reevaluate, and reintroduce Crabb’s novel, alongside other unknown works scholars and readers can gain fresh insights into a pivotal period of history and rediscover unique interpretations of one of its most enduring figures. In acknowledging In the Crescent’s Dark Shadow, we honor not only the literary potential of this work, the deserved recognition of the author, but also the historical legacy of Skanderbeg—a figure whose story continues to inspire across centuries and countries. 

By Halit Daci 

John H. Crabb 

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