HISTORY
Albania is the Medieval Latin name of the country which is called Shqipëri by its people. The name may be derived from the Illyrian tribe of the Albani recorded by Roman geographer Ptolemy.
The Ottoman Turks conquered Albania around 1400 and remained in power for the next five hundred years.
Gjergj Kastrioti, known as Skanderbeg meaning "Lord Alexander," was a member of the noble Kastrioti family who was appointed as sanjakbey (governor) of the Sanjak of Dibra in 1440. In 1443, during the Battle of Niš, he deserted the Ottomans.
Skanderbeg led his men to the mountainous stronghold of Krujë, where he arrived on November 28, 1443 and by the use of a forged letter from Sultan Murad to the Governor of Krujë he became lord of the city that very day. He raised a red standard with a black double-headed eagle on Krujë (Albania uses a similar flag as its national symbol to this day).
 |
| Portrait of Skanderbeg c 1648 |
In 1444 Skanderbeg organized a group of nobles to form the League of Lezhë, an alliance of Albanian principalities that is regarded as the first unified Albanian state. For 25 years he held the Ottoman Empire at bay in Albania and weakened and harassed them in neighboring territories.
The Congress of Manastir standardized the Albanian alphabet on November 22, 1911, a date commemorated as Alphabet Day in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia. Prior to the Congress of Manastir, there was no unified Albanian alphabet, with various regional variations and inconsistencies hindering communication and literary development. The standardization effort sought to establish a common alphabet that would serve as a foundation for the Albanian language and foster a sense of unity among Albanians scattered across different regions.
Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire on November 28, 1912, after the First Balkan War. The declaration of independence was spearheaded by Ismail Qemali, a prominent Albanian politician who had advocated for national autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. Amidst the chaos of the First Balkan War, Qemali convened an assembly of Albanian leaders in the city of Vlorë and proclaimed the establishment of an independent Albania. Albanians celebrate their independence each year on November 28th.
The Albanian flag is red with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the center. The red stands for bravery, strength and valor, while the double-headed eagle represents the sovereign state of Albania located in the Balkans. The flag was adopted as the symbol of the new nation when the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Vlora on November 28, 1912.
Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910, in Üsküb, Ottoman Empire. She was the youngest of the children of a family from Shkodër, Albania and her father was involved in Albanian politics.
Albania declared its independence from the Ottoman Empire on November 28, 1912, after the First Balkan War. The declaration of independence was spearheaded by Ismail Qemali, a prominent Albanian politician who had advocated for national autonomy within the Ottoman Empire. Amidst the chaos of the First Balkan War, Qemali convened an assembly of Albanian leaders in the city of Vlorë and proclaimed the establishment of an independent Albania. Albanians celebrate their independence each year on November 28th.
 |
| The original act of the Albanian declaration of Independence. |
The Albanian flag is red with a silhouetted black double-headed eagle in the center. The red stands for bravery, strength and valor, while the double-headed eagle represents the sovereign state of Albania located in the Balkans. The flag was adopted as the symbol of the new nation when the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed in Vlora on November 28, 1912.
Mother Teresa was born on August 26, 1910, in Üsküb, Ottoman Empire. She was the youngest of the children of a family from Shkodër, Albania and her father was involved in Albanian politics.
Ahmet Zogu declared Albania to be a monarchy and proclaimed himself king on September 1, 1928. The leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939, he served as Prime Minister (1922–1924), President (1925–1928) and then as King Zog (1928–1939).
King Zog of Albania was the only national leader in modern times to return fire during an assassination attempt.
When Geraldine Apponyi married King Zog in 1938 she became the first American woman to be a Queen.
In an effort to mimic Hitler’s conquest of Prague, Mussolini’s troops invaded and occupied Albania on April 7, 1939. King Zog was ejected from his throne by the Italians and escaped to England. He never saw his country again.
Countless Jewish lives were saved in Albania during World War II. Under the oath of "Besa", a uniquely Albanian code of honor, a guest in one's home must be protected at all costs, even if it means laying down your life for your guest. Alone among Nazi-occupied nations, Albania's Jewish population actually increased during the Holocaust.
Enver Hoxha, First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania, declared the People's Republic of Albania on January 11, 1946, with himself as head of state.
The Ghegs of northern Albania are the only tribal society that survived in Europe until the middle of the 20th century.
In 1967 Albania became the world’s first officially atheist state.
Leka II, the only child of the pretender to Albania's throne, Crown Prince Leka I, was born in South Africa on March 26, 1982. The South African government declared his maternity ward temporarily Albanian territory to ensure that Leka was born on Albanian soil.
In 1992, after the fall of communism, the country's name changed to simply Republic of Albania.
In 1995, drivers in the Albanian city of Shkodra refused to pay a new traffic-light tax on the grounds that their city had no traffic lights.
 |
| Zog I Skanderbeg III King of the Albanians (1895–1961) |
King Zog of Albania was the only national leader in modern times to return fire during an assassination attempt.
When Geraldine Apponyi married King Zog in 1938 she became the first American woman to be a Queen.
In an effort to mimic Hitler’s conquest of Prague, Mussolini’s troops invaded and occupied Albania on April 7, 1939. King Zog was ejected from his throne by the Italians and escaped to England. He never saw his country again.
Countless Jewish lives were saved in Albania during World War II. Under the oath of "Besa", a uniquely Albanian code of honor, a guest in one's home must be protected at all costs, even if it means laying down your life for your guest. Alone among Nazi-occupied nations, Albania's Jewish population actually increased during the Holocaust.
Enver Hoxha, First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania, declared the People's Republic of Albania on January 11, 1946, with himself as head of state.
 |
| Enver Hoxha at the top of his power. By Forrásjelölés Hasonló, Wikipedia |
The Ghegs of northern Albania are the only tribal society that survived in Europe until the middle of the 20th century.
In 1967 Albania became the world’s first officially atheist state.
Leka II, the only child of the pretender to Albania's throne, Crown Prince Leka I, was born in South Africa on March 26, 1982. The South African government declared his maternity ward temporarily Albanian territory to ensure that Leka was born on Albanian soil.
In 1992, after the fall of communism, the country's name changed to simply Republic of Albania.
In 1995, drivers in the Albanian city of Shkodra refused to pay a new traffic-light tax on the grounds that their city had no traffic lights.
In 1997 a series of Ponzi schemes run by the Albanian government collapsed. Two-thirds of the citizenry were invested and between them they lost a total $1.2 billion ($400 per capita). Some of the losers started protesting against the government and the protests ultimately turned into a period of civil disorder that toppled the government and killed over 2000 people.
Albania was chosen as the top country in Lonely Planet's list of ten top countries to visit for 2011.
Nodding your head means 'no' and shaking your head means 'yes' in Albania.
The Albanians call Albania ‘Shqiperia’ or Republika e Shqiperise in full. 'Shqiperia' means “land of the eagle."
The Albanian currency, the lek, was named after Alexander the Great, whose name was often shortened to Leka in Albanian.
Nodding your head means 'no' and shaking your head means 'yes' in Albania.
The Albanians call Albania ‘Shqiperia’ or Republika e Shqiperise in full. 'Shqiperia' means “land of the eagle."
The Albanian currency, the lek, was named after Alexander the Great, whose name was often shortened to Leka in Albanian.
No comments:
Post a Comment