Written by Petrit Latifi
Albanian inhabitants of Spiç (Spizanotten – Spiçanë – Spizza) from Turkish Albania (at that time under Ottoman occupation), by Fedor von Karacsay (Hungarian soldier, cartographer and painter) published in 1842.
History of the Albanians of Spiç or Spizza
“In 1832, according to all the news from Albania, on the 20th of August, the Grand Lord (of Shkodër) is preparing an expedition against the Montenegrins, who, for their part, have arranged everything for a vigorous resistance. Already these rebels have taken the offensive against the Spizzanot Turks, from whom they have taken livestock.”1
“[…] On the opposite side of the Albanian side, the Montenegrins tried to take the Turkish fortresses Podgorizza (Podgorica), Spax (Shpuz) and Xabliak (Zhablak) at the beginning of 1840, and the Spizzanoten (Spic) to humiliate their most implacable enemies and united the three Albanian districts Hatti Grudie and Clementi with Montenegro. The commandant of Podgorizza, however, Spahia Lecsitsch, repelled all attacks and in the summer of 1842 a ceasefire was reached.”2
“In 1851, on the 26th of March, five hundred Montenegrins attacked the town of Spizza in Albania, in order to plunder as usual or to take family revenge. A lively fight ensued, in which the Montenegrins came off worse. Two of them and a Spizzanote remained on the spot. A border violation that they committed on Austrian territory will probably not go without just punishment. Arrived here yesterday: Field Marshal Baron Jellatschitsch von Napayedl, Mr. v. Uferom, K. Prussian Minister Resident in Rome, from Berlin..”3
References
Spizanotten aus türk Albanien, Fedor von Karacsay 1842
Balkan Academia 