Hysen Bajri was an Albanian Flagbearer (“Bajraktar”) born in 1825 in Koshutan, Rugova. He was the younger brother of Kadri Bajri. As a young man, he joined the warriors of Rugova and his older brother Kadri Bajri, to defend the Albanian lands from the Ottoman and Serbian advances in Montenegro. In all the wars he participated, he held the flag in his hand. During a duel, he cut the head of Miter Milani, the brother of Montenegrin commander Marko Miljanov. He fell heroically at the Battle of Shekullar in 1848 resisting Montenegrin attacks.

Hysen Bajri proved to be a capable leader and strategist fighting together with Rexhë Avdia, Qelë Shabani, Tafil Ahmeti, Balë Ali, Hajdar Feka, Isuf Mujani, Halil Turkun, Sokol Qelë, Istref Salihi and Rrustem Ademi.

Albanian toponyms

According to Albanian folklore, Montenegros border in 1848 was at the region of “Kalludra” (near modern day Berane, also an Albanian town before 1878) which to this day has the Albanian toponym “Gurra e Dashit” meaning “the Ram’s rock”.

References

Gjurmime albanologjike Folklor dhe etnologji. Volumes 8–9. 1979

Folklor kosovar Volume 1. Qemal Haxhihasani, Agron Xhagolli, Instituti i Kulturës Popullore (Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë). 1985