Delvinë
Encyclopedia
Delvinë is a small town in Vlorë County
in southern Albania
, 16 km northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District
. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 (2004 estimate).
The city is built on a mountain slope. It has a mosque, a Catholic church, a Protestant church, and an Orthodox church. Nearby are the remainders of a medieval castle. To the south west of the city is the site of ancient Phoenice
, which was declared an Archaeological Park in 2005.
There is little local employment apart from that provided by the State, and Delvinë benefits little from the tourist boom in Saranda.
The town has a mixed population of Albanians
and Greeks. The latter, according to the Human Rights Watch
, constituted 50% in 1989 and 25% in 1999 of the town's population.
tribe of the Chaonians
.
In the Middle Ages, Delvinë was part of the Despotate of Epirus
. In the middle of the 14th century the aristocratic Delvina family ruled Delvinë. In 1354, Mehmet Ali Pasha Delvina was testified as the owner of the castle and the city.
visited Delvinë around 1670 and gave some information about the city in his travel book. He reported that in the Middle Ages Delvinë was in the hands of the Spanish and later the Venetians. In his own time, Ajaz Mehmet Pasha - a native Albanian - governed the Sanjak-bey
of Delvinë. The sanjak covered 24 zeamet
s and 155 timar
s. There was a Turkish garrison, whose command on the castle was from Delvinë. According to the description of Çelebis, the small fortress had a good cisterne, an ammunition depot and a small mosque. In the city there were about 100 brick-built houses. These stood relatively far apart and nearly every house had a tower. He noted that a town wall was missing. There was several mosques, three Medreses and about 80 stores as well as an open market place.
In 1878 a Greek rebellion
broke out, with the revolutionaries, mostly Epirotes, taking control of Sarandë
and Delvinë. However, it was suppressed by the Ottoman troops, who burned 20 villages of the region. In the early 20th century a çetë(armed band) consisting of 200 activists of the Albanian National Awakening was formed in Delvinë. During the Balkan Wars
and the subsequent Ottoman defeat, the Greek Army entered the city at March 3, 1913. In June 1914 the town hosted the constituent assembly of the representatives of Northern Epirus
that discussed and finally approved the Protocol of Corfu
, on July 26, 1914. Delvino then became part of the short-lived Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
.
. After the war, nearly all the Jews emigrated to Israel.
school, was founded at 1537, when the town was still under Venetian
control, and was maintained by bequests from wealthy local families. Moreover, at 1875 a Greek female school was founded.
Vlorë County
The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
in southern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, 16 km northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District
Delvinë District
The District of Delvinë or District of Delvina is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 11,985 includes a substantial Greek community. The district has an area of 348 km² . It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Delvinë...
. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 (2004 estimate).
The city is built on a mountain slope. It has a mosque, a Catholic church, a Protestant church, and an Orthodox church. Nearby are the remainders of a medieval castle. To the south west of the city is the site of ancient Phoenice
Phoenice
Phoenice or Phoenike was an ancient Greek city in Epirus and capital of the Chaonians. It was also the location of the Treaty of Phoenice which ended the First Macedonian War, as well as one of the wealthiest cities in Epirus until the Roman conquest. During the early Byzantine period, Phoenice...
, which was declared an Archaeological Park in 2005.
There is little local employment apart from that provided by the State, and Delvinë benefits little from the tourist boom in Saranda.
The town has a mixed population of Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
and Greeks. The latter, according to the Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
, constituted 50% in 1989 and 25% in 1999 of the town's population.
History
In antiquity the region was inhabited by the GreekGreeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
tribe of the Chaonians
Chaonians
The Chaonians were an ancient Greek tribe that inhabited the region of Epirus located in the north-west of modern Greece and southern Albania. On their southern frontier lay another Epirote kingdom, that of the Molossians, to their southwest stood the kingdom of the Thesprotians, and to their...
.
In the Middle Ages, Delvinë was part of the Despotate of Epirus
Despotate of Epirus
The Despotate or Principality of Epirus was one of the Byzantine Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire that emerged in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the Byzantine Empire, along with the Empire of Nicaea, and the Empire of Trebizond...
. In the middle of the 14th century the aristocratic Delvina family ruled Delvinë. In 1354, Mehmet Ali Pasha Delvina was testified as the owner of the castle and the city.
Delvinë under Ottoman Turkish control
The Turkish traveler Evliya ÇelebiEvliya Çelebi
Evliya Çelebi was an Ottoman traveler who journeyed through the territory of the Ottoman Empire and neighboring lands over a period of forty years.- Life :...
visited Delvinë around 1670 and gave some information about the city in his travel book. He reported that in the Middle Ages Delvinë was in the hands of the Spanish and later the Venetians. In his own time, Ajaz Mehmet Pasha - a native Albanian - governed the Sanjak-bey
Sanjak-bey
Sanjak-bey, Sanjaq-bey or -beg was the Turkish title of the Bey in military and administrative command of a sanjak , answerable to a Wāli or other provincial governor. In a few cases the Sanjak-Bey was himself a governor directly answering to Istanbul....
of Delvinë. The sanjak covered 24 zeamet
Zeamet
A Zeamet was the appellative given to a land in the timar system during the Ottoman Empire between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, that had a tax revenue with an annual value between 20 000 and 100,000 akçes. The revenues produced from the land acted as compensation for military services....
s and 155 timar
Timar
Timar is a land granted by the Ottoman sultans between the fourteenth and sixteenth centuries, with a tax revenue annual value of less than 20 000 akçes. The revenues produced from land acted as compensation for military service. A Timar holder was known as a Timariot...
s. There was a Turkish garrison, whose command on the castle was from Delvinë. According to the description of Çelebis, the small fortress had a good cisterne, an ammunition depot and a small mosque. In the city there were about 100 brick-built houses. These stood relatively far apart and nearly every house had a tower. He noted that a town wall was missing. There was several mosques, three Medreses and about 80 stores as well as an open market place.
In 1878 a Greek rebellion
Epirus Revolt of 1878
The 1878 revolt in Epirus was the part of a series of Greek uprisings that occurred in the Ottoman-ruled Greece during the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War . Although Greek officials individually supported the revolt, the Greek Government, being aware of the international situation in eastern...
broke out, with the revolutionaries, mostly Epirotes, taking control of Sarandë
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
and Delvinë. However, it was suppressed by the Ottoman troops, who burned 20 villages of the region. In the early 20th century a çetë(armed band) consisting of 200 activists of the Albanian National Awakening was formed in Delvinë. During the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
and the subsequent Ottoman defeat, the Greek Army entered the city at March 3, 1913. In June 1914 the town hosted the constituent assembly of the representatives of Northern Epirus
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
that discussed and finally approved the Protocol of Corfu
Protocol of Corfu
The Protocol of Corfu , signed on May 17, 1914, was an agreement between representatives of the Albanian Government and the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus, which officially recognized the area of Northern Epirus as an autonomous region within the Albanian state...
, on July 26, 1914. Delvino then became part of the short-lived Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
.
Jewish community
Until the Second World War, a small Jewish community existed in Delvinë. It consisted of Jews from Spain who had come to Delvinë when under Ottoman rule and had close connections to the large Jewish community in IoanninaIoannina
Ioannina , often called Jannena within Greece, is the largest city of Epirus, north-western Greece, with a population of 70,203 . It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 meters above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis . It is located within the Ioannina municipality, and is the...
. After the war, nearly all the Jews emigrated to Israel.
Education
The first school in Delvina, a Greek languageGreek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
school, was founded at 1537, when the town was still under Venetian
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
control, and was maintained by bequests from wealthy local families. Moreover, at 1875 a Greek female school was founded.
Notable people
- Sulejman DelvinaSulejman DelvinaSulejman Delvina was an Albanian politician and prime minister in 1920.- Life :Sulejman Delvina was born in Delvinë, modern southern Albania on October 5, 1884. In 1899 he graduated from the Mekteb-i Mülkiye...
, fifth Prime Minister of Albania - Avni bej DelvinaAvni bej DelvinaAvni bej Delvina was one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence.-References:...
, bej of the city, was one of the signatories of the Albanian Declaration of IndependenceAlbanian Declaration of IndependenceThe Albanian Declaration of Independence is the declaration of independence of the Albanian Vilayet from the Ottoman Empire. Albania was proclaimed independent in Vlorë on November 28, 1912.-Background:...
. - Limoz DizdariLimoz DizdariLimoz Dizdari, Merited Artist of Albania, is a well known Albanian composer of classical music and music for movies.-References:...
, composer - Ecumenical Patriarch Serapheim II of ConstantinopleEcumenical Patriarch Serapheim II of Constantinople-Life:Serapheim II was born in Delvinë, southern Albania to Albanian parents in the late 17th century. Before he was elected as Patriarch of Constantinople on 22 July 1757 he was Metropolitan of Philippoupolis....
, cleric and Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople - Sabri GodoSabri GodoSabri Godo is a politician, writer and screenwriter in Albania. He was born on August 8, 1929 in Delvinë. He did primary school in Delvinë and then secondary school in Tirana where he continued the latter left in the half in the third year where he participated in anti-fascist war, 15 July 1943...
, writer and politician
See also
- FiniqFiniqFiniq is a village and municipality in southern Albania located 8 km from the Ionian Sea and 20 km north of the Greek border. It is part of Delvinë District and Vlorë County. Its inhabitants speak Greek as their mother tongue. It is the center of the commune of Finiq, which comprises the...