Albanian revolt of 1847

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Albanian revolt of 1847
DateJune−December 1847
Location
Sanjak of Avlona, Sanjak of Delvina and Sanjak of Ioannina
Result Ottoman victory
Belligerents

 Ottoman Empire

Albanian National League

  • Lab Albanians
  • Mallakastriot Albanians
  • Tosk Albanians
  • Çam Albanians
Commanders and leaders
Omer Vrioni
Isuf Pasha Vrioni †
Ferid Vrioni †
Ismail Pasha (WIA)
Shahin Kosturi Pasha
Mehmed Reshid Pasha
Hasan Pasha †		 Çelo Picari
Zenel Gjoleka
Hodo Nivica
Rrapo Hekali (POW)
Ahmed Dino
Casualties and losses
minimal 25,000 - 50,000 Killed [1]
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The Albanian revolt of 1847 was a 19th-century uprising in southern Albania directed against Ottoman Tanzimat reforms which started in 1839 and were gradually being put in action in the regions of Albania.

Background

Main article: Uprising of Dervish Cara

The primary aim of the Tanzimat reforms was that of creating a strong modern local apparatus with which to govern the empire. The old privileges were abolished and taxes were to be collected from Ottoman officials, rather than by local Albanian beys.[2]

After the

Janina with about 800 agas and local brigands as well as representatives of the towns and religious institutions.[3]

Revolt

Albanian peasants, mostly from southern Albania, reacted to the actions of Ottoman administration and in June 1847, their representatives met in Mesaplik.[4] The meeting, known as "Assembly of Mesaplik" (Albanian:Kuvendim i Mesaplikut), opposed the centralist Tanzimat reforms. In a memorandum sent to the Turkish sultan the participants declared that they would not send soldiers in the regular army, would not pay the new taxes and would also not accept the new administration.[3] The Assembly highlighted that the Albanian people, Muslim and Christian, are one and undivided, calling on all, without exception, to go to war against Ottoman rulers and demand that life, honor and wealth of all Albanians be guaranteed regardless of religion.[3] On these grounds was formed the Albanian National League.[3] The League created a committee with Zenel Gjoleka as its leader. The goal of the committee was to better organize political and military activities of Albanian resistance. When the new Ottoman administration tried to gather the new taxes in Kuç, the peasants went into open rebellion in July 1847. 500 men led by Zenel Gjoleka marched toward Delvinë and liberated the city. In a short period of time the uprising expanded in all Vlorë region, Chameria, Përmet and especially in Mallakastër where the local rebels were led by another notable local leader, Rrapo Hekali.[5]

castle under siege. The Porte was alarmed by the news and a relief force of 3000 men under Shahin bey Kosturi was sent from Thessaly against the rebels in Gjirokastër, but Kosturi and his Ottoman force were also defeated by the forces of Gjoleka. Gjoleka also tried to cooperate with the Greeks, and negotiated with the Greek government of Ioannis Kolettis, but with little success.[6] Contacts with Kolettis seem to have continued, since Gjoleka has received a large scale participation by Christian chieftains, Albanians and Greeks, in his movement.[7] A new Ottoman army of 5000 men was sent from Ioannina against Gjoleka. With a force of 1500 men Gjoleka was able to defeat again the Ottoman army yet again in the Battle of Dholan on 28 August 1847.[8]

At the same time some 15,000 Ottoman forces under the Turkish marshal

Manastir, where he was poisoned on December 30, 1847. Gjoleka with a small group of fighters retreated to Greece
, which ended the uprising.

Both Albanian and Greek inhabited villages in the region suffered when the uprising was suppressed the following autumn by the Ottoman forces.[9]

References

  1. ^ “Iorga, Nicolae”, TA, XX, 175-176 , Geschichte des Osmanischen Reiches
  2. ^
    ISBN 1-86064-541-0
    .
  3. ^ a b c d Stefanaq Pollo (1983). Historia e Shqipërisë: Vitet 30 të shek. XIX-1912. Akademia e Shkencave e RPS të Shqipërisë, Instituti i Historisë. pp. 129–130.
  4. ^ La Ligue albanaise de Prizren, 1878-1881: discours et exposés tenus à l'occasion de son centenaire Author Zëri i popullit Publisher Académie des sciences de la RPS d'Albanie, Institut d'histoire, 1978 p.68
  5. ^ The history of Albania: a brief survey Author Kristo Frashëri Publisher s.n., 1964 p.122-123
  6. ISBN 0-253-34189-2
    .
  7. ISSN 0290-7402
    . Retrieved 1 September 2022. The Gjoleka's Rebellion in Toskaria : The secret, indirect, contacts with Kolettis seem to have continued since Gjoleka achieved a large participation of Christians, both Albanian and Greek, chieftains in it
  8. ^ The history of Albania: a brief survey Author Kristo Frashëri Publisher s.n., 1964 p.123
  9. ISBN 9780715632017
    . The same year saw an insurrection led by the Albanian Gionlekka or Gioleka, which attracted some Greek support. Greek as well as Albanian villages suffered when the revolt was suppressed in the autumn of the year it had begun.
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