Editing Albania (section)

=== Rilindja ===
{{Main|Albanian Renaissance}}
{{See also|League of Prizren}}

{{multiple image
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| image1            = NaumVeqilharxhi.jpg
| alt1              = Naum Veqilharxhi
| caption1          = [[Naum Veqilharxhi]] was among the most important figures of the early [[Albanian National Awakening|Albanian Renaissance]].
| image2            = Dora d'Istria (drawing).jpg
| alt2              = Dora d'Istria
| caption2          = [[Dora d'Istria]] was among the main advocates in Europe for the [[Albanian Renaissance|Albanian cause]].<ref>{{cite web |author1=Observator Cultural |title=Dor de Dunăre şi alte nostalgii cosmopolite |url=https://www.observatorcultural.ro/articol/dor-de-dunare-si-alte-nostalgii-cosmopolite-2/ |website=observatorcultural.ro |language=ro|author1-link=Observator Cultural}}</ref>
}}

The [[Albanian Renaissance]] was a period with its roots in the late 18th century and continuing into the 19th century, during which the Albanian people gathered spiritual and intellectual strength for an independent cultural and political life within an [[Independent Albania|independent nation]]. Modern [[Albanian culture]] flourished too, especially [[Albanian literature]] and [[Albanian art|arts]], and was frequently linked to the influences of the [[Romanticism]] and [[Age of Enlightenment|Enlightenment]] principles.<ref>{{cite book |author1=Sarah Amsler |title=Theorising Social Change in Post-Soviet Countries: Critical Approaches |publisher=Peter Lang, 2007 |isbn=9783039103294 |pages=96105 |edition=Balihar Sanghera, Sarah Amsler, Tatiana Yarkova |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MzXP_r6oAxwC&pg=PA96 |year=2007}}</ref> Prior to the [[Rise of nationalism in the Ottoman Empire|rise of nationalism]], Ottoman authorities suppressed any expression of national unity or conscience by the Albanian people.

The victory of Russia over the Ottoman Empire following the [[Russian-Ottoman War]]s resulted the execution of the [[Treaty of San Stefano]] which assigned Albanian-populated lands to their Slavic and Greek neighbours. However, the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|United Kingdom]] and [[Austro-Hungarian Empire]] consequently blocked the arrangement and caused the [[Treaty of Berlin (1878)|Treaty of Berlin]]. From this point, Albanians started to organise themselves with the goal to protect and unite the Albanian-populated lands into a unitary nation, leading to the formation of the [[League of Prizren]]. The league had initially the assistance of the Ottoman authorities whose position was based on the religious solidarity of Muslim people and landlords connected with the [[Ottoman Porte|Ottoman administration]]. They favoured and protected the Muslim solidarity and called for defence of Muslim lands simultaneously constituting the reason for titling the league [[League of Prizren#Formation|Committee of the Real Muslims]].<ref>{{Citation |last1=Kopecek |first1=Michal |last2=Ersoy |first2=Ahmed |last3=Gorni |first3=Maciej |last4=Kechriotis |first4=Vangelis |last5=Manchev |first5=Boyan |last6=Trencsenyi |first6=Balazs |last7=Turda |first7=Marius |title=Discourses of collective identity in Central and Southeast Europe (1770–1945) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k5Vsjg508EYC&pg=PA349 |volume=1 |year=2006 |publisher=Central European University Press |location=Budapest, Hungary |isbn=978-963-7326-52-3 |page=348 |quote=The position of the League in the beginning was based on religious solidarity. It was even called ''Komiteti i Myslimanëve të Vërtetë'' (The Committee of the Real Muslims)&nbsp;... decisions are taken and supported mostly by landlords and people closely connected with Ottoman administration and religious authorities..}}</ref>

Approximately 300 Muslims participated in the assembly composed by delegates from Bosnia, the [[sanjakbey|administrator]] of the [[Sanjak of Prizren]] as representatives of the central authorities and no delegates from [[Vilayet of Scutari]].<ref>{{Citation |last1=Kopeček |first1=Michal |last2=Ersoy |first2=Ahmed |last3=Gorni |first3=Maciej |last4=Kechriotis |first4=Vangelis |last5=Manchev |first5=Boyan |last6=Trencsenyi |first6=Balazs |last7=Turda |first7=Marius |title=Discourses of collective identity in Central and Southeast Europe (1770–1945) |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k5Vsjg508EYC&pg=PA349 |access-date=18 January 2011 |volume=1 |year=2006 |publisher=Central European University Press |location=Budapest, Hungary |isbn=978-963-7326-52-3 |page=347 |chapter=Program of the Albanian League of Prizren |quote=there were no delegates from Shkodra villayet and a few Bosnian delegates also participated. Present was also mutasarrif (administrator of sandjak) of Prizren as representative of the central authorities}}</ref> Signed by only 47 Muslim deputies, the league issued the [[Kararname (League of Prizren)|Kararname]] that contained a proclamation that the people from northern Albania, [[Epirus]] and [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]] are willing to defend the [[territorial integrity]] of the Ottoman Empire by all possible means against the troops of [[Kingdom of Bulgaria|Bulgaria]], [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia]] and [[Kingdom of Montenegro|Montenegro]].<ref name="albanianhistory.net">{{cite web |url=http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts19/AH1878_2.html |title=1878 The Resolutions of the League of Prizren |last=Elsie |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Elsie |publisher=albanianhistory.net |access-date=20 February 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908114200/http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts19/AH1878_2.html |archive-date=8 September 2010 |quote=On 10 June 1878,&nbsp;... The League of Prizren, Alb. Lidhja e Prizrenit,&nbsp;... On 13 June 1878, the League submitted an eighteen-page memorandum to Benjamin Disraeli, the British representative at the Congress of Berlin}}</ref>

Ottomans authorities cancelled their assistance when the league, under [[Abdyl Frashëri]], became focused on working towards Albanian autonomy and requested merging four [[Ottoman vilayet|vilayet]]s, including [[Kosovo Vilayet|Kosovo]], [[Scutari Vilayet|Shkodër]], [[Monastir Vilayet|Monastir]] and [[Janina Vilayet|Ioannina]], into a unified vilayet, the [[Albanian Vilayet]]. The league used military force to prevent the annexing areas of [[Plav Municipality|Plav]] and [[Gusinje]] assigned to Montenegro. After several successful battles with Montenegrin troops, such as the [[Battle of Novšiće]], the league was forced to retreat from their contested regions. The league was later defeated by the Ottoman army sent by the sultan.<ref name="League of Prizren">{{cite encyclopedia|title=Albanian League|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/12553/Albanian-League|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |access-date=5 January 2012}}</ref>
{{Clear}}

==== Independence ====
{{Main|Independent Albania}}
{{See also|Albanian Declaration of Independence}}
{{Further|Massacres of Albanians in the Balkan Wars}}

[[File:Ismail Qemali (portrait).jpg|thumb|right|175px|[[Ismail Qemali]] is regarded as the [[List of national founders#Albania|founding father]] of the modern Albanian nation.]]

Albania [[Albanian Declaration of Independence|declared independence]] from the Ottoman Empire on 28 November 1912, accompanied by the establishment of the [[Senate of Albania|Senate]] and [[Provisional Government of Albania|Government]] by the [[Assembly of Vlorë]] on 4 December 1912.<ref>{{cite book |last=Giaro |first=Tomasz |title=Modernisierung durch Transfer zwischen den Weltkriegen |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dmrRCdTQBTcC&q=Provisional%20government%20of%20vlore%20december%204%201912&pg=PA185 |access-date=24 January 2011 |year=2007 |publisher=Vittorio Klosterman GmbH |location=Frankfurt am Main, Germany |isbn=978-3-465-04017-0 |page=185 |chapter=The Albanian legal and constitutional system between the World Wars |quote=From its own members congress elected a senate (Pleqësi), composed of 18 members, which assumed advisory role to the government.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1920.html |title=Ismail Kemal bey Vlora: Memoirs |first=Ismail |last=Qemali |access-date=23 January 2011 |quote=15th–28th November 1912&nbsp;... |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617232905/http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1920.html |archive-date=17 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1920.html |title=Ismail Kemal bey Vlora: Memoirs |first=Ismail |last=Qemali |access-date=23 January 2011 |quote=On the resumption of the sitting, I was elected President of the Provisional Government, with a mandate to form a Cabinet&nbsp;... |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100617232905/http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1920.html |archive-date=17 June 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Giaro |first=Tomasz |title=Modernisierung durch Transfer zwischen den Weltkriegen |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dmrRCdTQBTcC&q=Provisional%20government%20of%20vlore%20december%204%201912&pg=PA185 |access-date=24 January 2011 |year=2007 |publisher=Vittorio Klosterman GmbH |location=Frankfurt am Main, Germany |isbn=978-3-465-04017-0 |page=185 |chapter=The Albanian legal and constitutional system between the World Wars |quote=a provisional government, consisting of ten members and led by Vlora, was formed on 4 December.}}</ref> Its sovereignty was recognised by the [[London Conference of 1912–1913|Conference of London]]. On 29 July 1913, the [[Treaty of London (1913)|Treaty of London]] delineated the borders of the country and its neighbors, leaving many Albanians outside Albania, predominantly [[Partition (politics)|partitioned]] between [[Kingdom of Montenegro|Montenegro]], [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia]], and [[Kingdom of Greece|Greece]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Elsie |first=Robert |title=1913 The Conference of London |url=http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1913_2.html |access-date=5 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717005551/http://www.albanianhistory.net/texts20_1/AH1913_2.html |archive-date=17 July 2011}}</ref>

Headquartered in Vlorë, the [[International Commission of Control]] was established on 15 October 1913 to take care of the administration of Albania until its own political institutions were in order.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jelavich |first=Barbara |title=History of the Balkans: Twentieth century |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hd-or3qtqrsC&pg=PA100 |access-date=21 January 2011 |volume=2 |orig-year=1983 |year=1999 |publisher=The Press Syndicate of University of Cambridge |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |isbn=978-0-521-27459-3 |page=[https://archive.org/details/historyofbalkans0000jela/page/101 101] |chapter=The end of Ottoman rule in Europe |quote=the International Commission&nbsp;... had headquarters in Vlorë |url=https://archive.org/details/historyofbalkans0000jela/page/101}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cecl.gr/RigasNetwork/databank/REPORTS/r23/ZAHARIA.html |title=The post – 1989 constitutional course of south east Europe |last=Zaharia |first=Perikli |date=24 March 2003 |publisher=Centre for European Constitutional Law |location=Athens |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616151647/http://www.cecl.gr/RigasNetwork/databank/REPORTS/r23/ZAHARIA.html |archive-date=16 June 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=22 January 2011}}</ref> The [[International Gendarmerie]] was established as the [[Principality of Albania]]'s first law enforcement agency. In November, the first gendarmerie members arrived in the country. Prince of Albania [[Wilhelm of Wied]] ''(Princ Vilhelm Vidi)'' was selected as the first prince of the principality.<ref>{{Citation |last1=Seton-Watson |first1=R.W. |last2=Wilson |first2=J. Dover |last3=Zimmern |first3=Alfred E. |last4=Greenwood |first4=Arthur |title=The War and Democracy |chapter-url=http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10668/10668.txt |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113042806/http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10668/10668.txt |archive-date=13 November 2012 |date=10 January 2004 |orig-year=1915 |publisher=MacMillan |edition=1st |location=London |chapter=III Germany |quote=Prince William of Wied, the first Prince of Albania}}</ref> On 7 March, he arrived in the provisional capital of [[Durrës]] and began to organise his government, appointing [[Turhan Pasha Përmeti]] to form the first Albanian cabinet.

In November 1913, the Albanian pro-Ottoman forces had offered the throne of Albania to the Ottoman war minister of Albanian origin, [[Ahmed Izzet Pasha]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |title=Albania under prince Wied |first=Robert |last=Elsie |author-link=Robert Elsie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717003848/http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |quote=pro-Ottoman forces&nbsp;... were opposed to the increasing Western influence&nbsp;... In November 1913, these forces,&nbsp;... had offered the vacant Albanian throne to General Izzet Pasha&nbsp;... War Minister who was of Albanian origin. |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=25 January 2011}}</ref> The pro-Ottoman peasants believed that the new regime was a tool of the six Christian [[Great Power]]s and local landowners, who owned half of the arable land.<ref>{{Citation |last=Jelavich |first=Barbara |title=History of the Balkans: Twentieth century |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hd-or3qtqrsC&pg=PA100 |access-date=25 January 2011 |volume=2 |orig-year=1983 |year=1999 |publisher=The Press Syndicate of University of Cambridge |location=Cambridge, United Kingdom |isbn=978-0-521-27459-3 |page=103 |quote=peasants..willing listeners to Ottoman propaganda&nbsp;... attached the new regime as a tool of the beys and Christian powers}}</ref>

In February 1914, the [[Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus]] was proclaimed in [[Gjirokastër]] by the local [[Greeks in Albania|Greek population]] against incorporation to Albania. This initiative was short-lived, and in 1921 the southern provinces were incorporated into the Albanian Principality.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Bowden|first1=William|title=Epirus Vetus : the archaeology of a late antique province |date=2003 |publisher=Duckworth |location=London |isbn=978-0-7156-3116-4 |page=28 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IjsbAAAAYAAJ&q=%22+Autonomous+Republic+of+Northern+Epirus.%22 |quote=the Greek Epirote population of the area refused to be incorporated into the new Albanian state and in February 1914 declared the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus&nbsp;... in 1921 Albania was recognised as an independent sovereign state, with its borders established on their present lines.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last1=ed|first1=Gregory C. Ference|title=Chronology of 20th century eastern European history |date=1994|publisher=Gale Research|location=Detroit [u.a.]|isbn=978-0-8103-8879-6|page=9|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RSLsAAAAMAAJ|quote=February 28 George Zographos, a former foreign minister of Greece, proclaims at Gjirokaster the establishment of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus, with Zographos as president. He notifies the International Commission that his government has been established because the Great Powers have not provided the Greeks in southern Albania any guarantees for the protection of the life, property and religious freedom, and ethnic existence.}}</ref> Meanwhile, the [[Peasant Revolt in Albania|revolt of Albanian peasants]] against the new regime erupted under the leadership of the group of Muslim clerics gathered around [[Essad Pasha Toptani]], who proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and Islam.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albaniainbrief.com/Albanian%20History/Fighting%20for%20amputated%20Albania.htm |title=The Efforts to settle amputated Albania state |publisher=albaniainbrief.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601023209/http://albaniainbrief.com/Albanian%20History/Fighting%20for%20amputated%20Albania.htm |archive-date=1 June 2011 |url-status=usurped |access-date=28 January 2011 |quote=Thousands of muslim peasants,&nbsp;... were exploited by their leaders Haxhi Qamili, Arif Hiqmeti, Musa Qazimi and Mustafa Ndroqi,&nbsp;... to rebel}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Vickers |first=Miranda |title=The Albanians: a modern history |publisher=I.B. Tauris |year=1999 |quote=He gathered round him a group of discontented Muslim priests&nbsp;... and proclaimed himself the savior of Albania and the Champion of Islam. |page=81 |isbn=978-1-86064-541-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IzI0uOZ2j6gC}}</ref> To gain the support of the [[Mirdita]] Catholic volunteers from northern Albania, Prince [[Wilhelm of Wied|Wied]] appointed their leader, [[Prênk Bibë Doda]], foreign minister of the Principality of Albania. In May and June 1914, the International Gendarmerie was joined by [[Isa Boletini]] and his men, mostly from [[Kosovo]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |title=Albania under prince Wied |first=Robert |last=Elsie |author-link=Robert Elsie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717003848/http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |quote=mostly volunteers from Kosova under their leader Isa Boletini |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=25 January 2011}}</ref> and the rebels defeated northern [[Mirdita]] Catholics, capturing most of Central Albania by the end of August 1914.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |title=Albania under prince Wied |first=Robert |last=Elsie |author-link=Robert Elsie |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717003848/http://www.albanianphotography.net/en/dmm.html |quote=Panic broke out in Durrës, and the royal family sought refuge on an Italian vessel&nbsp;... |archive-date=17 July 2011 |url-status=dead |access-date=25 January 2011}}</ref> Prince Wied's regime collapsed, and he left the country on 3 September 1914.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Springer |first1=Elisabeth |last2=Kammerhofer |first2=Leopold |title=Archiv und Forschung |publisher=Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag |year=1993 |page=346 |isbn=978-3-486-55989-7}}</ref>