Petrit Latifi

The Albanian revolt of 1885 in Prizren and fighting at the Drin river.

“The “N. Fr. Pr.” is telegraphed from Belgrade on 11 this afternoon: Private letters received from Prizren and related locations in Old Serbia confirm the prevalence of the uprising in the vicinity of Prizren and Kosovo and report repeated clashes between Turkish troops and insurgent Albanians on the Drin River. The Turkish government has also addressed the request for a ban on arms exports to Old Serbia to the Austro-Hungarian government”.¹

The Albanian revolt of 1904

“The Situation in the Balkans.

While the war is in full swing in the far east, things are also beginning to stir uneasily in the near east—as usual with the approach of spring. Reports are coming from the Balkan Peninsula about rebels resting in various parts of Macedonia, particularly in the area of ​​Gjakova and in the Vilayet of Kosovo.

This time the troublemakers are the Arnauts or Albanians, who are using armed force to oppose the implementation of the reforms demanded by the powers. The situation of the troops is said to be critical, and even nearby Prizren is said to be threatened. Ten battalions and three batteries were sent from the Vilayets of Uesküb and Monastir to the rebellious area; further troop reinforcements are being prepared.

In response to the representations of the ambassadors of the Entente powers, the Porte gave the assurance that comprehensive measures were underway and that the suppression of the movement would take place as soon as possible”.²

In 1911, the “Brixener Chronik” reported that the Albanians of Tuzi, Mirditë, Oroshi, Hoti, Shkreli and Shen Gjin revolted against the Turkish authorities.

“The uprising in Albania has broken out again. On March 28, the Albanians set fire to the Tuzi barracks. The center of this year’s uprising is the Vilayet of Shkodër, not Kosovo as last year. The Catholic tribe of the Miridites is, as the Republic reports, in full revolt. From the town of Mirdita, Oroshi, the Kajmakan, along with the soldiers and officials, was driven out.

In Buka, on the road to Prizren, the Miridites killed the owners and the Mudir. In Hoti, the insurgents set fire to the Turkish blockhouse. In Shkreli, there were violent clashes between troops and Albanians. On the road to Shen Gjin, the Turkish post was stopped and robbed. In Luma, the military destroyed a “kulla” in which the rebels had barricaded themselves; after a long, bloody battle, the siege had to be abandoned and the troops had to withdraw with considerable losses.

Three battalions have already left for Shkodër (Albania). According to the newspapers, eight redis battalions of the Vilayet of Trebizond are also being mobilized, destined for Shkodër. In addition, the Redif battalions of Tirana and the Scutari vilayet are being mobilized. 1,500 volunteers have departed from Shkodër and have already arrived in Kopliku on the Shkodër-Tuzi road, not far from the Kastrati area, which is infested with rebels. Another 3,000 men are being prepared for the march in Shkodër”.³

Albanians of Prishtina, Gjakova and Pejë revolt against the Young Turks

“Uprising in Albania? In the event of a war between Italy and Turkey, there are fears of a new uprising in Albania, because Turkey is not keeping the promises made to the Albanians. Threats against the Young Turks have also been made several times, clearly showing the great bitterness of the Albanians against Turkey. In Pristina, a Turkish gendarme was shot and several Turks wounded during an Albanian riot.

In the Pejë area, a clash broke out between Muslim Albanians and Turkish troops. 150 Albanians were killed, the rest fled.

Governor-General Halil Beg has just returned from an inspection tour of Albania and confirms the pessimistic descriptions of the Young Turk emissaries. The situation in Albania is worse than before. Promises were made to the Christian Albanians in early summer simply to persuade them to return, but these promises could not be kept immediately, and there is currently such excitement among them that a new military expedition to Albania has become unavoidable.

Two thousand Albanians raided a Turkish arms depot in Gjakova and took possession of the large stocks of weapons and ammunition. The Albanians then sent a deputation to the Vali of Kossovo, which presented the wishes and demands of the Albanian tribes”.⁴

References

1. https://digital.tessmann.it/tessmannDigital/digitisedJournalsArchive/page/journal/1/1/14.03.1885/40084/3/filterId-1%0140084%01262068-query-Kossowo-filterF_type-.html ↩︎
2. https://digital.tessmann.it/tessmannDigital/digitisedJournalsArchive/page/journal/8/1/26.02.1904/77869/2/filterId-8%0177869%01521835-query-Kossowo-filterF_type-.html ↩︎
3. https://digital.tessmann.it/tessmannDigital/digitisedJournalsArchive/page/journal/3/1/01.04.1911/4444/2/filterId-3%014444%0139513-query-Kossowo-filterF_type-.html ↩︎
4. https://digital.tessmann.it/tessmannDigital/digitisedJournalsArchive/page/journal/3/1/30.09.1911/4516/2/filterId-3%014516%0140187-query-Kossowo-filterF_type-.html ↩︎