106 years since the death of Ismail Qemali

Today marks 106 years since the death of the father of Albanian independence, the great Albanian Ismail Qemali. He is suspected of being poisoned.

He was born in Vlora, in 1844, the son of Mahmut Nedim bey. He completed primary school in his hometown. He then continued to Zosime High School in Ioannina, where he learned ancient Greek, Latin and French. In 1860, at a very young age, only 16 years old, because of his language skills, he started working at the High Gate Translation Office in Istanbul.

Until 1900, Ismail Qemali worked in various positions in the Ottoman administration, in the Province of Ioannina (1862), in the Province of Danube (1866-1876), in Filibe (1876), in Mardin 1883), in Bollu (1884-1889). ), in Beirut (1889).

In 1900, when he was in charge of the kajmakam in Kesrije, due to persecution from cooperation with the Young Turks and ideas to achieve an organization of the Albanians, he left his position, escaped to Greece and from there went to Europe. In the trial that took place in absentia, he was sentenced to death.

In 1902, Ismail Qemali participated in the congress of Young Turks that was organized under the leadership of Prince Sabahedin and Lutfullah, in Paris. Only after the re-promulgation of the Constitution (1908) did Ismail Qemali return from Europe. In the elections that took place after the re-promulgation of the Constitution, Ismail Qemali was elected deputy of Berat and became part of the opposition party "Osmanlı Ahrar Fırkası".

During the period of Albanian uprisings against the violence exercised by the administration of the Young Turks who were in government, Ismail Qemali tried to secure support from European states to create an autonomous administration within the Ottoman Empire.

During the uprising of the Greater Highlands (1911) he went to Cetinje in Montenegro, where on his initiative the 12-point memorandum of the Greek Parliament was signed. With the uprising of 1912, an autonomy of the Albanians within the Ottoman Empire was achieved, but the beginning of the Balkan War not only interrupted the formation of such a structure, but also brought about the occupation and fragmentation of the Albanian territories. Ismail Qemali led the movement and the meeting that was held in the Vlora family palace, where on November 28, 1912, the Independence of Albania was declared and he was elected chairman of the Provisional Government of Vlora.

In March 1913, through the Duke de Montpensier, he went to Brindisi and then visited the capital of European states to ensure support for the Albanian cause at the Ambassadors' Conference in London. On January 22, 1914, Ismail Qemali resigned from the Provisional Government of Vlora, handed over power to the International Commission and left with his family for France.

He died on January 24, 1919, in Perugia and on February 12, he was buried in the courtyard of the Tekke in Kanina, above Vlora.