Principality of Mirdita

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Principality of Mirdita
Principata e Mirditës
1515–1921
CapitalOrosh
Common languagesAlbanian
Religion
Roman Catholic
GovernmentPrincipality
LegislatureAssembly of Mirdita and
the Highlands
History 
• Established
1515
• Disestablished
1921
Preceded by		 Succeeded by
Principality of Dukagjini
Republic of Mirdita

Principality of Mirdita (Albanian: Principata e Mirditës) was an autonomous principality that started from around 1515 and continued to exist for around 400 years under the Gjomarka noble family.[1] The principality was located in northern modern Albania. Due to refusal of Mirdita's inhabitants of submission to the Ottoman Empire, Fandi i Vogel, Fandi i Madh, and Dibra, were out of the Turks control in the XVI century. Ottoman authorities, seeing the impossibility for an invasion of this remote area, preferred to set a fixed tax that was collect for the Sublime Porte. In 1515 Mirdita residents refused to pay the tax to the Turkish rulers and took arms against them. Since then, Turkish legislation did never act in those areas held by tribal traditions described in the Kanun and even ensured the region the right of autonomy with its own heredity princes (kapedans). Altogether after 1818 the principality reached its maximum and was significantly expanded with the union of twelve bajraks. Due to the inhabitants of Mirdita along with the surrounding tribal regions, always obtaining a status of autonomy and semi-independence from the Ottomans and managing to preserve their Roman Catholic faith the region is known as a stronghold of Albanian nationalism and devout Catholicism.[2]

History[]

The early period of Mirdita is rather unknown, but after the death of Skanderbeg in 1468, Dukagjini family was overly weakened, the Ottomans blooded causing massive displacement and large movements of Albanian population across the Adriatic. But according to traditional Mirdita legends, one of the brothers of Lekë Dukagjini, respectively, Pal Dukagjini was put on Oroshi Cleft, at that gorge where for five centuries Albanians in Mirdita stayed with an unprecedented heroism. From Pal Dukagjini descend the family of Mark Gjon Marku, the hereditary leader of Mirdita Province. This genealogy appears chronologically in this way.[3] Later, the genealogical tree Albanian family divides into three parts: Preng Lleshi, Lleshi i Zi and Dod Lleshi. A good part of these "Kapedans", as they were called the princes of the families, were killed defending the homeland in various wars. The Mirdita provinces, Fandi i Vogel, Fandi i Madh, and Dibra, were out of the Turks control in the XVI century. Ottoman authorities, seeing the impossibility for an invasion of this remote area, preferred to set a mixed tax (xhizjen) that was collect for the Sublime Porte.[4]

In 1515 Mirdita residents refused to pay the tax to the Turkish rulers and took arms against them. Since then, Turkish legislation did never act in those areas held by tribal traditions described in the Kanun. A document from 1570 presented Mirdita as a bajrak unity with a strong military force and inherited Prince called Mirdita, a Catholic population which included 1500 warriors who guarded almost every path of Mirdita and there ruled Gjon Marku I.[5] Don Stefano Gaspari an Albanian Catholic priest who was send from the Vatican to Albania to look at the state of the Albanian catholic clergy, in the repost of 1671 he wrote "The inhabitants of Mirdita have lived in their region from 180 years ago, he also reports that after Skanderbeg's death" Turkey could not bring down Mirdita by force therefore the Sultan was forced to reach an agreement with Gjon Marku I, the agreement was that the Ottoman Empire accepts that Mirdita recognizes only nominal authority of the Sultan, Mirdita is ruled according to the Kanun its natural and traditional law are exercised from the head of the state and implemented by Gjomarka family, and that Mirdita will offer soldiers to the Ottoman Empire in time of war, this army will be led by the traditional chiefs and it will be commanded by a Kapedan or a Prince, the soldiers of the army of Mirdita will go to war with their traditional costume.[6]

This de facto deal among Gjomarka and Ottoman Empire continued for almost 300 years. A well known Albanologist François Pouqueville consul to Napoleon Bonaparte at the court of Ali Pasha Tepelena in Ioannina during the years 1806-1816 wrote "in 1550 Mirdita chose the princely dynasty of Gjon Marku I which inherited up to the present".[7] Gjon Marku I was succeeded by his son Marka Gjoni, the influence of the house of Gjomarku under him spread all over reaching the point where he was quickly called upon to lead the other tribes. Marka Gjoni was succeeded by his son Gjomarku II. Gjomarku II devoted himself more to the organization of the country, by earning the trust and the honor of the people, he gained the respect from the Sublime Porte and maintained the autonomy of Mirdita. The further treaties with Turkey in 1692, 1718, 1739 managed to secure some right for the Albanian Catholics.[8]

In the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century the kapedan (captain) who died fighting the Ottomans and succeeded by his son who partook in wars on side of the Ottomans against the Greeks who were fighting for independence.[9] He was succeeded by his younger brother Nikolla Tusha or Kola Doda Tusha whose uncle Llesh i Zi (Black Llesh) took over, a man with a reputation for bravery and cruelty.[9] Llesh i Zi fought with the empire against the Greeks and later in 1830 backed Mustafa Bushati in his fight against them assisting him at the siege of Shkodër until its capture by the Ottomans on November 1831 who exiled him to Yanina.[9] His nephew Nikolla was appointed kapedan and he partook in Ottoman military expeditions against the Montenegrins gaining the admiration and support of Grand Vezir Reşid Mehmed Pasha who appointed him in the imperial vanguard at the battle of Konya against Egyptian forces.[9] The sons of Lleshi i ZI attempted a coup and Nikolla had them murdered leading to a blood feud within the family.[9] By the 1860s, the kapedan of Mirdita was and ran into difficulties with the Ottoman Empire over an alleged involvement in an uprising and from fellow tribesmen who refused to recognize him as leader after he had not paid them wages for their participation in the Crimean War.[10] Dying in 1868 he was succeeded by his young son .[10] In the late Ottoman period, the Mirdita tribe were all devoutly Catholic, had 2,500 households and five bajraktars (chieftains).[11] In times of war the Mirdita could mobilise up to 5,000 irregular troops when expected by the Ottoman state.

Republic of Mirdita[]

Prenk Bib Doda (1900s)

During the Balkan Wars, Albania became independent and Mirdita was included in the new country.[12] Prenk Bib Doda with hopes of claiming the Albanian throne gave strong support to government of Ismail Qemali in Vlorë.[12] After World War One Doda was assassinated in 1919 near the marshes of Lezhë and as he was childless, a relative Marka Gjoni claimed the position of kapedan.[12] Many of the Mirdita leaders refused to acknowledge him and he lacked popularity among the tribe due to issues of cowardice shown during the war.[12] By 1921 Marka Gjoni received money from Belgrade and rebelled against the new 'Muslim' Albanian government and he declared a "Mirdita Republic" at Prizren in Yugoslav territory on 17 July 1921.[12] Recognised by Greece and supported by Yugoslavia the attempted statelet was put down by Albanian troops on 20 November 1921.[12] Marka Gjoni fled to Yugoslavia which after some time he was allowed to return to Albania and in Mirdita was active in local affairs for a few years before his death.[12]

His son Gjon Markagjoni became the next kapedan and reached an understanding with the Albanian state, later being given prominent government ministries to lead.[13] During the Second World War he collaborated with Italian and later German military forces occupying Albania and by 1944 fled to Italy.[14] His son became the next kapedan and with his Mirdita fighters later fled to the Luma region continuing an anti-communist struggle.[14] In early 1946 he was killed in his sleep by his brother in law hoping for a reprieve from communist forces who in turn was killed by Mark's brother.[15] Mark's son, Gjon Markagjoni (1938-2003) spent his years in a communist internment camp, as did other members of the Gjonmarkaj family.[16] With the collapse of communism in Albania (1992), the position of Prince of Mirdita or kapedan has become a memory of a long ago past.[16]

Ethnography[]

Traditionally Mirdita consisted of three bajraks (clans or tribes): Kushneni, Oroshi and Spaçi that claimed an origin from a legendary brother of Shoshi and Shala.[17] Being related to the three bajraks they did not practice endogamy with the Shoshi and Shala tribes and instead intermarried with the Dibrri and Fani bajraks. Together these bajraks of Dibrri, Fani, Kushneni, Orosh and Spaçi composed the larger Mirdita tribal unit.[18] The Mirdita tribe had a flag with a white hand upon a red background and the five fingers represented the bajraks.[17] During 1818, the bajraks of Ohri i Vogël (Little Ohri) composed of Bushkashi, Kthella and Selita seceded from the Mat tribal region located south of Mirdita and four bajraks of Rranza, Manatia, Bulgëri and Vela from the Lezha highlands.[17] Altogether after 1818 the Mirdita tribal region was made up of twelve bajraks.[17]

List of rulers[]

  • Gjon Marku I
  • Marka Gjoni
  • Gjon Marku II
  • Llesh Gjoni
  • Preng Leshi
  • Dode Prenga
  • Lleshi i Zi
  • Nikoll Prenga
  • Gjok Doda
  • Bib Doda Tusha
  • Prenk Bib Doda
  • Marka Gjoni

Republic of Mirdita[]

See Also[]

References[]

  1. ^ The American Slavic and East European Review 1952, p. 568.
  2. ^ The American Slavic and East European Review 1952, p. 231.
  3. ^ Ndue Gjon Marku 2017, p. 7.
  4. ^ Ndue Gjon Marku 2017, p. 17.
  5. ^ Ndue Gjon Marku 2017, p. 9.
  6. ^ Ndue Gjon Marku 2017, p. 10.
  7. ^ Ndue Gjon Marku 2017, p. 11.
  8. ^ Ndue Gjon Marku 2017, p. 17.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Elsie 2015, p. 227.
  10. ^ Jump up to: a b Elsie 2015, p. 228.
  11. ^ Elsie 2015, p. 214.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Elsie 2015, p. 232.
  13. ^ Elsie 2015, pp. 232–233.
  14. ^ Jump up to: a b Elsie 2015, p. 233.
  15. ^ Elsie 2015, pp. 233–234.
  16. ^ Jump up to: a b Elsie 2015, p. 234.
  17. ^ Jump up to: a b c d Elsie 2015, p. 219.
  18. ^ Elsie 2015, pp. 213, 219.

Sources[]

  • Gjon Marku, Ndue (2017). Mirdita House of Gjomarku Kanun.
  • The American Slavic and East European Review 1952. 1952.
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