Peasant Revolt in Albania
Encyclopedia
The Peasant Revolt in Albania, or the Muslim Uprising in Albania, was the uprising of peasants from central Albania, mostly Muslims, against the regime of prince Wilhelm of Wied during 1914, and was one of the reasons for prince's withrawal from the country which marked the fall of the Principality of Albania
. The revolt was led by Muslim leaders Haxhi Qamili, Arif Hiqmeti, Musa Qazimi and Mustafa Ndroqi. Besides total amnesty
, rebels demanded return of Albania under suzerainty
of the sultan
of Ottoman Empire
.
Prince Wilhelm of Wied took the throne
of Principality of Albania
on March 7, 1914, and faced the chaotic political situation, both within the country and with its neighbours. Based on the Treaty of London signed on May 30, 1913, the Great Powers
resolved on July 29, 1913 that they should establish International gendarmerie to take care about public order and security on the territory of newly recognized Principality of Albania
. On the same basis they established International Commission of Control
on October 15, 1913, to take care of the administration of newly-established Albania
until its own political institutions were in order.
Prince Wilhelm of Wied had to deal with a difficult political situation:
There were numerous armed groups in Principality of Albania
during regime of prince Wilhelm:
Essad Pasha Toptani, as minister of war and interior, was against peaceful solution of problem with Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence
of February 28, 1914. He opposed International Commission of Control
which believed that problem can be solved by diplomatic means. Prince and his cabinet accepted proposals of Essad Pasha to decide for military solution. In order to increase the military strength of the Principality of Albania, several thousand Italian rifles
and Austrian machine
and mountain guns
were purchased and distributed to the (predominantly Muslim) population of the central Albania.
. Izzet Pasha sent major Beqir Grebenali, another ethnic Albanian, to be one of his chief representatives in Albania. The Provisional Government of Albania
under control of Ismail Qemali
captured and executed major Beqir Grebenali. Such provocative and damaging display of independence of Qemali's government angered Great Powers and International Commission of Control
forced Qemali to step aside and leave Albania. At that time the Commission was not able to force Essad Pasha to leave Albania, because it did not have enough authority.
was a tool of the six Christian Great Powers
and the landowners that owned the half of arable land. Revolt was led by Muslim leaders Haxhi Qamili, Arif Hiqmeti, Musa Qazimi and Mustafa Ndroqi. This group of discontented Muslim priests gathered around Essad Pasha Toptani who proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and Islam.
After receiving the news that thousands of rebels surrounded Shijak
on May 17 (only 10km from Durres), Essad Pasha Toptani was accused of fomenting the revolt against William of Wied. He was exiled to Italy
on May 20, without trial. In Italy, he was received with honor since both Italian and Austrian representatives played roles in intrigues that surrounded the revolt.
The chaos and revolts deteriorated after Essad Pasha was exile
d. In order to gain support of the Mirdita Catholic volunteers from the northern mountains Prince of Wied appointed their leader, Prênk Bibë Doda
, to be the foreign minister of the Principality of Albania
. The International Dutch Gendarmerie
was also joined by Isa Boletini
and his men, mostly from Kosovo
. Dutch gendarmes together with northern Mirdita Catholics attempted to capture Shijak, but when they engaged the rebels on May 23, they were surrounded and captured, as well as the another expedition from Durres which attempted to release the captured gendarmes. Rebels launched the attack on Durres and even started firing on it with their light weapons. The people in Durres panicked and Prince and his family found shelter on an Italian ship
anchored in the bay.
On the same evening the rebels released Dutch officer and sent him to Prince of Wied with their demands:
Prince of Wied appointed Colonel Thomson
to be commander of defence of Durrës. He was killed on June 15, during one attack of rebels. During next week Dutch officers were captured by rebels in most of the central Albania. The rebels captured Berat
on July 12 and Vlore
, without fight, on August 21.
Only a week after prince Wilhelm of Wied's departure from Durres on September 3 1914, another violent revolt arose. The rebels managed to lay siege on Durres, imprison Wied's supporters, to call for Muslim prince and to establish the Senate for Central Albania. Insurgents hoisted the flag of the Ottoman Empire. Vast majority of population living in the northern and the southern part of Albania
disassociated themselves from the Senate of Central Albania.
and Germany
, who arrived in Dures on July 4. Soon the First World War broke out and by August 4 most of Dutch officers returned to Netherlands
. In autumn 1914 Essad Pasha
decided to accept invitation of Senate of the Central Albania to return to Albania to take over the power. First, he had to provide financial backing for his government. Therefore he travelled to Niš
, Kingdom of Serbia
, where he and Serbian prime minister Pašić
signed the secret treaty of Serbian-Albanian alliance on September 17, 1914. In October 1914 Essad Pasha returned to Albania. With Italian
and Serbian
financial backing he established armed forces in Dibër
and captured interior of Albania and Dures.
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
. The revolt was led by Muslim leaders Haxhi Qamili, Arif Hiqmeti, Musa Qazimi and Mustafa Ndroqi. Besides total amnesty
Amnesty
Amnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
, rebels demanded return of Albania under suzerainty
Suzerainty
Suzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
of the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Background
Prince Wilhelm of Wied took the throne
Throne
A throne is the official chair or seat upon which a monarch is seated on state or ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy or the Crown itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the...
of Principality of Albania
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
on March 7, 1914, and faced the chaotic political situation, both within the country and with its neighbours. Based on the Treaty of London signed on May 30, 1913, the Great Powers
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
resolved on July 29, 1913 that they should establish International gendarmerie to take care about public order and security on the territory of newly recognized Principality of Albania
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
. On the same basis they established International Commission of Control
International Commission of Control
The International Commission of Control was the commission established on October 15, 1913, on the basis of the decision by the six Great Powers made on July 29, 1913, according to the London Treaty signed on May 30, 1913...
on October 15, 1913, to take care of the administration of newly-established 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...
until its own political institutions were in order.
Prince Wilhelm of Wied had to deal with a difficult political situation:
- Essad Pasha Toptani, who dominated new government of the Principality of AlbaniaPrincipality of AlbaniaThe Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
because he was both minister of interior and minister of war. By choosing to reside in DurresDurrësDurrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
instead in Shkoder, the prince of Wied was at mercy of Essad Pasha. - the International Commission of ControlInternational Commission of ControlThe International Commission of Control was the commission established on October 15, 1913, on the basis of the decision by the six Great Powers made on July 29, 1913, according to the London Treaty signed on May 30, 1913...
and foreign advisers who still had great deal of authority - the representatives of Austria-HungaryAustria-HungaryAustria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and Italia - the resistance in the southern districts of Principality of Albania that was finally given a special administration by Protocol of CorfuProtocol of CorfuThe 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...
- the fighting between forces under control of Essad Pasha Toptani and the Provisional Government of AlbaniaProvisional Government of AlbaniaThe Provisional Government of Albania is the first Government created by Assembly of Vlorë in 4 December 1912. It was a paternal government, led by Ismail Qemali, until his resignation in 22 January 1914 and by Fejzi Bej Alizoti, until the coronation of William, Prince of Albania.- Government...
- the major peasant revolt of mostly pro-Ottoman muslim peasants.
There were numerous armed groups in Principality of Albania
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
during regime of prince Wilhelm:
- the International GendarmerieInternational GendarmerieThe International Gendarmerie was the first law enforcement agency of the Principality of Albania. It was established by the decision of the ambassadors of the six Great Powers that participated in the London Peace Conference. This decision was made on the basis of the London Treaty signed on May...
under control of the International Commission of ControlInternational Commission of ControlThe International Commission of Control was the commission established on October 15, 1913, on the basis of the decision by the six Great Powers made on July 29, 1913, according to the London Treaty signed on May 30, 1913...
and prince Wilhelm - the irregular bands of southerners led by local leaders
- the native outlaw
- the Bulgarian outlaw, Komitadjis
- the Greek rebels from the Northern EpirusNorthern EpirusNorthern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
- the peasant rebels in central Albania
- Essad Pasha's gendarmerie
- the volunteers from KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
led by Isa BoletiniIsa BoletiniIsa Boletini was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerilla fighter, born in the village of Boletin near Mitroviça, Ottoman Empire... - the Mirdita Chatolic volunteers from the northern mountains under the command of Prênk Bibë DodaPrênk Bibë DodaPrênk Bibë Doda was an Albanian leader of the resistance against the Ottoman Empire and politician in the Principality of Albania.-Background:...
Essad Pasha Toptani, as minister of war and interior, was against peaceful solution of problem with Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence
Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence
The Northern Epirote Declaration of Independence occurred on February 28, 1914, in Argyrokastron , against the decision of incorporation of Northern Epirus to the newly established Albanian principality....
of February 28, 1914. He opposed International Commission of Control
International Commission of Control
The International Commission of Control was the commission established on October 15, 1913, on the basis of the decision by the six Great Powers made on July 29, 1913, according to the London Treaty signed on May 30, 1913...
which believed that problem can be solved by diplomatic means. Prince and his cabinet accepted proposals of Essad Pasha to decide for military solution. In order to increase the military strength of the Principality of Albania, several thousand Italian rifles
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
and Austrian machine
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
and mountain guns
Mountain gun
Mountain guns are artillery pieces designed for use in mountain warfare and areas where usual wheeled transport is not possible. They are similar to infantry support guns, and are generally capable of being broken down into smaller loads .Due to their ability to be broken down into smaller...
were purchased and distributed to the (predominantly Muslim) population of the central Albania.
The plot of pro-Ottoman Albanians
In November 1913 the Albanian pro-Ottoman forces had offered throne of Albanian Principality to the Ottoman war minister of Albanian origin, Izzet Pasha. The Ottoman Empire sent agents to encourage an revolt, hoping to restore Ottoman suzerainty over AlbaniaAlbania (toponym)
The toponym Albania may indicate several different geographical regions: a country in the Balkans; an ancient land in the Caucasus; as well as Scotland, Albania being a Latinization of a Gaelic name for Scotland, Alba...
. Izzet Pasha sent major Beqir Grebenali, another ethnic Albanian, to be one of his chief representatives in Albania. The Provisional Government of Albania
Provisional Government of Albania
The Provisional Government of Albania is the first Government created by Assembly of Vlorë in 4 December 1912. It was a paternal government, led by Ismail Qemali, until his resignation in 22 January 1914 and by Fejzi Bej Alizoti, until the coronation of William, Prince of Albania.- Government...
under control of Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemali
Ismail Qemal Bej Vlora or commonly Ismail Qemali and in Turkish İsmail Kemal Bey or İsmail Kemal Vlora , was a distinguished leader of the Albanian national movement, founder of the modern Albanian state and its first head of state and government.-Life:He was born in Avlonya to a noble family...
captured and executed major Beqir Grebenali. Such provocative and damaging display of independence of Qemali's government angered Great Powers and International Commission of Control
International Commission of Control
The International Commission of Control was the commission established on October 15, 1913, on the basis of the decision by the six Great Powers made on July 29, 1913, according to the London Treaty signed on May 30, 1913...
forced Qemali to step aside and leave Albania. At that time the Commission was not able to force Essad Pasha to leave Albania, because it did not have enough authority.
Revolt
The pro-Ottoman peasants believed that the new regime of the Principality of AlbaniaPrincipality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
was a tool of the six Christian Great Powers
Great power
A great power is a nation or state that has the ability to exert its influence on a global scale. Great powers characteristically possess military and economic strength and diplomatic and cultural influence which may cause small powers to consider the opinions of great powers before taking actions...
and the landowners that owned the half of arable land. Revolt was led by Muslim leaders Haxhi Qamili, Arif Hiqmeti, Musa Qazimi and Mustafa Ndroqi. This group of discontented Muslim priests gathered around Essad Pasha Toptani who proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and Islam.
After receiving the news that thousands of rebels surrounded Shijak
Shijak
-Overview:Shijak is a Town in the country of Albania. Shijak is located within the administration of Durrës, 11 km away from the city of Durrës, and 38 km from the city of Tirana. The communes of Xhafzotaj, Gjepalaj, and Maminas border Shijak. The municipality has a surface area of 3.4...
on May 17 (only 10km from Durres), Essad Pasha Toptani was accused of fomenting the revolt against William of Wied. He was exiled to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
on May 20, without trial. In Italy, he was received with honor since both Italian and Austrian representatives played roles in intrigues that surrounded the revolt.
The chaos and revolts deteriorated after Essad Pasha was exile
Exile
Exile means to be away from one's home , while either being explicitly refused permission to return and/or being threatened with imprisonment or death upon return...
d. In order to gain support of the Mirdita Catholic volunteers from the northern mountains Prince of Wied appointed their leader, Prênk Bibë Doda
Prênk Bibë Doda
Prênk Bibë Doda was an Albanian leader of the resistance against the Ottoman Empire and politician in the Principality of Albania.-Background:...
, to be the foreign minister of the Principality of Albania
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
. The International Dutch Gendarmerie
International Gendarmerie
The International Gendarmerie was the first law enforcement agency of the Principality of Albania. It was established by the decision of the ambassadors of the six Great Powers that participated in the London Peace Conference. This decision was made on the basis of the London Treaty signed on May...
was also joined by Isa Boletini
Isa Boletini
Isa Boletini was an Albanian nationalist figure and guerilla fighter, born in the village of Boletin near Mitroviça, Ottoman Empire...
and his men, mostly from Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
. Dutch gendarmes together with northern Mirdita Catholics attempted to capture Shijak, but when they engaged the rebels on May 23, they were surrounded and captured, as well as the another expedition from Durres which attempted to release the captured gendarmes. Rebels launched the attack on Durres and even started firing on it with their light weapons. The people in Durres panicked and Prince and his family found shelter on an Italian ship
Italian Navy
Italian Navy may refer to:* Pre-unitarian navies of the Italian states* Regia Marina, the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of Italy * Italian Navy , the navy of the Italian Republic...
anchored in the bay.
On the same evening the rebels released Dutch officer and sent him to Prince of Wied with their demands:
- total amnestyAmnestyAmnesty is a legislative or executive act by which a state restores those who may have been guilty of an offense against it to the positions of innocent people, without changing the laws defining the offense. It includes more than pardon, in as much as it obliterates all legal remembrance of the...
- return of Albania under suzeraintySuzeraintySuzerainty occurs where a region or people is a tributary to a more powerful entity which controls its foreign affairs while allowing the tributary vassal state some limited domestic autonomy. The dominant entity in the suzerainty relationship, or the more powerful entity itself, is called a...
of sultanSultanSultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Ottoman EmpireOttoman EmpireThe Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Prince of Wied appointed Colonel Thomson
Lodewijk Thomson
Lodewijk Willem Johan Karel Thomson was a Dutch military commander and politician. He served as a member of the Dutch parliament between 1905 and 1913. In 1914 he became the commander of a newly created International Gendarmerie force in the Principality of Albania...
to be commander of defence of Durrës. He was killed on June 15, during one attack of rebels. During next week Dutch officers were captured by rebels in most of the central Albania. The rebels captured Berat
Berat
Berat is a town located in south-central Albania. As of 2009, the town has an estimated population of around 71,000 people. It is the capital of both the District of Berat and the larger County of Berat...
on July 12 and Vlore
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
, without fight, on August 21.
Only a week after prince Wilhelm of Wied's departure from Durres on September 3 1914, another violent revolt arose. The rebels managed to lay siege on Durres, imprison Wied's supporters, to call for Muslim prince and to establish the Senate for Central Albania. Insurgents hoisted the flag of the Ottoman Empire. Vast majority of population living in the northern and the southern part of Albania
Principality of Albania
The Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
disassociated themselves from the Senate of Central Albania.
Aftermath
Dutch officers were gradually replaced with officers from Austria-HungaryAustria-Hungary
Austria-Hungary , more formally known as the Kingdoms and Lands Represented in the Imperial Council and the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown of Saint Stephen, was a constitutional monarchic union between the crowns of the Austrian Empire and the Kingdom of Hungary in...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, who arrived in Dures on July 4. Soon the First World War broke out and by August 4 most of Dutch officers returned to Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. In autumn 1914 Essad Pasha
Essad Pasha
Essad Pasha Toptani or Esad Pasha Toptani , primarily known as Essad Pasha, was Ottoman army officer, Albanian deputy in Ottoman parliament and politician in the early twentieth century in Albania...
decided to accept invitation of Senate of the Central Albania to return to Albania to take over the power. First, he had to provide financial backing for his government. Therefore he travelled to Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
, Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
, where he and Serbian prime minister Pašić
Nikola Pašic
Nikola P. Pašić was a Serbian and Yugoslav politician and diplomat, the most important Serbian political figure for almost 40 years, leader of the People's Radical Party who, among other posts, was twice a mayor of Belgrade...
signed the secret treaty of Serbian-Albanian alliance on September 17, 1914. In October 1914 Essad Pasha returned to Albania. With Italian
Kingdom of Italy (1861–1946)
The Kingdom of Italy was a state forged in 1861 by the unification of Italy under the influence of the Kingdom of Sardinia, which was its legal predecessor state...
and Serbian
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
financial backing he established armed forces in Dibër
Dibër District
The District of Dibër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Dibër County. It has a population of 62,825, and an area of 1088 km². It is in the north-east of the country, and its capital is Peshkopi....
and captured interior of Albania and Dures.
See also
- Wilhelm of Wied
- Principality of AlbaniaPrincipality of AlbaniaThe Principality of Albania refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by William, Prince of Albania and to the state after the First World War, until the abolition of the monarchy in 1925, when Albania was declared a republic.-Principality:The Principality was established on February...
- Essad Pasha Toptani
- International GendarmerieInternational GendarmerieThe International Gendarmerie was the first law enforcement agency of the Principality of Albania. It was established by the decision of the ambassadors of the six Great Powers that participated in the London Peace Conference. This decision was made on the basis of the London Treaty signed on May...
External links
- Colonel Thomson and Albania, Harrie Teunissen