[3] He also had brothers Reposh and Kostandin, and five sisters, Mara, Jelena, Angelina, Vlajka and Mamica.
[4] His father became an Ottoman vassal at the end of the 14th century, and as such, paid tribute and provided military services (like in the Battle of Ankara in 1402).
[7] In the 1419–26 period Gjon was an ally of Serbian Despot Stefan Lazarević, who was also an Ottoman vassal,[8] and had informed the Republic of Venice during the Second Scutari War (1419–23) between Venice and Serbia that he was compelled to give his son as a hostage to Despot Stefan.
According to Fan Noli it was Stanisha who was sent by his father, together with auxiliary forces, to help the Serbians against the Venetians at Scutari.
[10] It was also believed that he "disappeared", however, it was found that he was mentioned as the son of deceased Gjon Kastrioti in a Venetian document dated 12 February 1445.