The historical role of the League of Prizren (1878-1881)

From: Agron Islami

There is no doubt that June 10, 1878 - the Albanian League of Prizren - marks one of the most important events in the creation of the Albanian state and nation. It all started with the Albanian elites who were an active part of the political and cultural life in Istanbul, who drafted the first Albanian political platform.

The main points that make up the programmatic cream of the Albanian League of Prizren, were initially part of the activity of the Albanian Cultural Association in Istanbul, founded in 1864. Then, these patriotic ideas - aimed at raising national consciousness, through the development of language and culture – became topics in the sessions of the Ottoman Parliament in 1877-'88. It was the Albanian deputy, the representative of Ioannina, Abdyl bey Frashëri, who presented a detailed report on the reform in education in the session of December 1877. Frashëri put the main emphasis on the low level of education in the Albanian lands and on the necessity of drafting a general education policy, so that the Albanian population could be educated and reach a certain level of civilization. Another Albanian deputy, Mihal Harito, in the session of January 20, 1878, focused on the problem of sending Ottoman officials to Albania and Bosnia, without knowing the language of the country, for which the witnesses in the courts were forced to testify with the help of translators. (which prolonged the service expected from court officials).

In the sessions of January 1878, the topics of the protection of the territories and the situation of the Muhajirs who had been forcibly expelled from their lands in the area of ​​Sanxhak of Nis, were in the focus of the deputy Mustafa Efendi Kosova, then the mufti of Pristina, Zejnel Abidini, Abdyl Bej Frashërit, etc.

As is known, the Russo-Ottoman war and the losses suffered by the Ottoman Empire led to the signing of the agreement of Saint Stefan (Aya Stefanos) on March 3, 1878, which provided for a large part of the Albanian lands to be given to the Bulgarian states, Serbian, Montenegrin and Greek. But when Russia declared war on the Ottoman Empire, all members of the Ottoman Parliament, Muslim and non-Muslim, united to oppose Russian expansion. The sessions continued until February 14, 1878, when the Sultan suspended Parliament.

The March agreement between the Ottomans and the Russians, which seriously damaged the Ottoman Empire and which in particular affected the Albanian lands, led to the establishment of the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Albanians - which was the continuation of the diplomatic struggle of the Albanian elite for the protection of the lands within of the Ottoman Empire.

The agreement of St. Stephen also upset the balance of forces established in the Paris Conference (1856), as well as violated the agreements signed with Austria-Hungary and Germany. Thus, Russia had violated the agreement that provided for the handover of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Austro-Hungarian Empire. At the same time, the creation of a large Bulgarian principality also violated the condition that prohibited the creation of a large state in the Balkans. On the other hand, the surrender to Russia of the eastern lands of the Ottoman Empire (Kars, Ardahan and Batum), directly threatened English interests in the Far East region. As a result, it was decided that in June 1878, in Berlin, once again the powers of that time would meet to review the agreement of St. Stephen.

The most tangible change that was made at the Congress of Berlin is that of the borders of the Bulgarian principality. Thus, as a result of this decision, the Province of Eastern Rumelia (Rumel-i Şark Vilayeti) and Macedonia were founded. The first territory was to be ruled by a Christian governor (vali), while the second remained under Ottoman jurisdiction, but on the condition that the reforms proposed for Crete in the nizamna of 1867 were implemented.

The objections expressed by the Albanian elite against the Agreement of Saint Stephen - where it was foreseen that the territories inhabited by Albanians would be given to Montenegro and Greece - the delegations of the Congress of Berlin did not take them into account. Even the German chancellor, Bismarck (Otto von Bismarck), denied the existence of the Albanian nation and the same proposed that the Muslim Albanians be known as Turks, while the Orthodox Albanians as Greeks.

The decisions of the Congress of Berlin did not leave any other door open to the Albanians - except to experience the same fate as the Ottoman Empire, or to fight to defend against the neighbors who were supported by the great powers of that time. Thus, the response in the form of petitions addressed to the representatives of the Great Powers, very quickly turned into a military movement for defense. This movement was initially supported by Sultan Abdylhamit II, who tactically intended to take advantage of the Albanian uprising. On this political tactic, he ordered the prefects of Gjakova, Peja and Prizren to remain neutral against the Albanian movement. Thus, on June 10, 1878, the first meeting of the League was held, with representatives from all over Albania and without any interference from the law enforcement in Prizren.

The Albanian elite had well understood the unfavorable position in the international arena. Therefore, in order to preserve the lands, the only way was to wage a political struggle for autonomy within the borders of the Ottoman Empire. On this basis, the branches of the League of Prizren were founded in the Albanian cities, which acted according to the program directives that came from Prizren. The demands of the League of Prizren were: the administration of Albanian lands in a single vilayet; the employees of the Albanian Vilayet should be familiar with the language of the country; elections for the parliament of the Albanian Vilayet should be held once every four years; the extent of the education system and the use of the Albanian language (with the Latin alphabet) as a school language; budget allocation from the center of the Empire - for investments in the field of education - as well as other issues that advanced the position of the Albanian people within the Empire.

The Ottoman newspapers in Istanbul treated the demands of the Albanians as treason against the Caliphate; in fact, the question was often asked how the Albanians - who are a little more than a million - would defend themselves against Russia, which defeated the great Ottoman Army. It was Sami Frashëri who made the opinion among the Ottoman readers and necessarily the one who argued with his colleagues who without any doubt wrote against the platform of the League of Prizren (which had already been made public by Sami, in the newspaper he himself directed, Shark Translator). In December 1878, responding to these nationalist writings in the newspaper Translate the truth, among other things, emphasized that the Albanians were not traitors, but that their goal was to protect their lands from enemy invasions. According to him, this was done through the creation of an Albanian Vilayet where all lands in this administrative unit would be included. He even wrote that the Albanians did not ask for help from Europe, but from the Sultan, and that this is proof of loyalty to the state.

In fact, Sami Frashër's approach was the platform of the League of Prizren. Always - taking into account the political circumstances in which the Albanians found themselves - they sought autonomy and not independence. The soft approach of the Albanians made the Sultan not take the demands of the League very seriously. Even, due to the international pressure to hand over the Albanian territories to Montenegro, he sent Mehmet Ali Pasha Maxharri to Kosovo, to convince the Albanians to accept the agreements. As is known, the Albanians did not disagree with him, but they first killed the postman in Prizren, and then the Pasha sheltered in Gjakova asked him to leave the city. Since he ignored the call, he was killed on October 6, 1878.

The assassination of Mehmet Ali Pasha Maxharri created even more divisions between the Albanians and the Ottomans, but had a positive effect on the unification of opinions within the Albanian League, where there were members divided into conservative and nationalist wings. At the same time, the danger of the fragmentation of the Albanian lands between Montenegro and Greece - which came as a result of the international agreement of the Congress of Berlin - led to a reflection of the non-Muslim Albanians, those who were influenced by the Greeks and Italians.

The League now came up with the new platform of action and formally announced to the High Gate and the Western Powers that they had no ground to lose. Thus, in February 1879, when talks were being held to determine the new Ottoman-Greek border, the Albanians sent armed forces to the border. As a result, it was decided to postpone the talks for another time. According to the Congress of Berlin, Ottoman forces released Plava and Gucia. But, when the Montenegrin occupation of these areas began, they faced the forces of the League of Prizren. The Montenegrins denounced the Sultan to the international community - for non-cooperation. The Sultan sent Ahmet Muhtar Pasha, but even he failed to convince the Albanians. Thus, on April 2, 1880, the representatives of the countries participating in the Congress of Berlin gathered to examine the situation on the ground. The representative of Italy, Count Corti (Luigi Corti), proposed that instead of Plava and Gucia, the region of Hoti, Gruda and Kelmendi should be annexed. The count made this proposal hoping that there would be no resistance, since these areas were inhabited by Christian Albanians. However, even this time the Montenegrins encountered strong resistance.

The failures of the Montenegrins in Hot and Grudë caused, in June 1880, the western powers to ask the Sultan to surrender Ulqin instead of these regions. Sultan Abdylhamit II, who in a way remained indifferent to the forces of the League of Prizren, this time would face the threat that in the event of the failure of the surrender of Ulcinj, then Izmir would be occupied. This threat caused the Sultan to send special troops to surrender Ulcinj. In October 1880, Ulcinj fell to the land control of the Ottoman forces, as well as the military fleet of the Great Powers that controlled the sea.

The League of Prizren - headed by Ymer Prizren - seeing the High Gate's attempts to break the Albanian resistance, declared itself as a temporary government, while creating an army of 20 thousand people commanded by Sulejman Vokshi. The Government of the League took control of the entire space of Kosovo, as well as Skopje.

The Sultan's expeditions against the League of Prizren will begin after the solution of the Ottoman-Greek border problem (March 25, 1881). Thus, the Albanian resistance will be broken by the actions directed by Dervish Pasha, during the months of March-April. However, the League of Prizren both as a platform and as an organization constitutes the first foundations of the Albanian state. For the first time, the Albanians united against the High Gate and the European powers, to protect their lands. The platform of the League of Prizren became known to the entire international diplomatic chorus. At the same time, the defeat of the Montenegrin forces in Ulcin is an indication of the good military organization of the military forces by the government formed by the Albanians. Thus, although for a very short time, the League of Prizren represents a unique case that did not happen before during the Ottoman rule. /Telegraph/