REGIONAL ALBANIAN POLITIES 1871 - 1945

MALĖSI AND MIRDITĖ
The Albanian mountain region north of Shkodėr was inhabited by various Gheg tribes,
collectively known as Mountaineers (Malėsi). 
Among them were the Gruda, the Hoti, the Kastrati, the Kilmeni, the Pulati, the
Shalla, the Shoshi, the Skreli and many others.
The most powerfull were the Mirditė, a confederation of five Roman Catholic clans
(Dibri, Fandi, Kushneni, Oroshi and Spashi) headed by Kapedans of the Markut family
pretending to be desccendants of Gjergj Kastriota Skėnderbeg (1403 - 1468), the
hero of anti-Osmanli resistance in the 15th century.(1)
All tribes enjoyed fargoing autonomy, only accepting Osmanli laws as far as they
didn't interfere with the Kanuni i Lekė Dukagjinit, their own customary law. 
They also were exempted from taxes, their only obligations being to perform some
military tasks such as garding the northern frontiers and the regional trading ways
and to contribute a yearly contingent to the Osmanli army, the Mirditė then having
the privilege of being commanded by their Kapedan and not by Osmanli officers.

In the first years after the collapse of Osmanli power in Albania in 1912-1913 the
tribes acted very independently, the Mirditė now even advocating the creation of a
separate Roman Catholic state. 
Their major attempt to do so occured in 1921 when, in a bizarre alliance with the
Esatists, Greeks from Northern Epiros, Yugoslavs and remnants of Wrangel's White
Army, they established a Republic of the Mirditė that lasted some four months (jul
17 to nov 20)

(1) In 1888 their capital Orosh also became the seat of a separate Roman
    Catholic jurisdiction for the Mirditė, with its leaders, the Abbots
    of the Abbey of Orosh as spiritual heads of the tribe. 

Kapedans of the Mirditė

1868 - 1920   Prenk Bibė Doda Pashė (with
              interruptions)                                 18.. - 1920      
1920 -        Gjon Marka Gjoni, nephew   

President of the Republic of the Mirditė

1921          Gjon Marka Gjoni                               s.a.

Minister of Foreign Affairs

1921          Andon Ashiku

Minister of War

1921          Prenk Lleshi

Minister of Home Affairs

1921          Zef Ndoci 

After this there were several other revolts like when the Albanian government tried
to disarm the tribes in 1922 or in 1926.
The Mirditė were also among the first to revolt against foreign occupation in 1940
when the Italians tried to recrute soldiers for the war in Northern Africa.
After the communist take-over, some resistance continued until the 1950ties.
__________________________________________________________________________________

NORTHERN EPIROS (SOUTH ALBANIA)
The southern Sandjaks of the Osmanli Vilayet of Yanya (Chamlak, Delvine, Preveze and
Yanya) - known to the Greeks as Epiros, after an ancient Kingdom - were inhabited
by a mixed population of Albanians and Greeks.
In 1912-1913 they were occupied by Greek troops and - although also claimed by the
Albanians - intended to be annexed to Greece. 
Before this could formally be done the Great Powers however partitioned the Vilayet
and according to the Florence Protocol of 1913 :

- the major part of the Sandjak of Delvine (Gr.: Gijirokaster) and a small part of 
  the Sandjak of Yanya (Gr.: Ioanina) were declared part of Albania. 

- the Sandjaks of Chamlak (Gr. : Parga) and Preveze (Gr. Préveza), nearly all of
  the Sandjak of Yanya and a small part of the Sandjak of Delvine were ceded to
  Greece.

The partition didn't however clarify the situation and soon a Greek movement aiming
at the reunion of the Albanian part with Greece came into existence.

In 1914 adherents of the movement seized power in Gijirokaster and proclaimed a
Provisional Government of Northern Epiros. (2)

President of the Provisional Government

1914 - 1916   Giorgios Zographos                             1863 - 1920   

Minister of Foreign Affairs

1914 - 1916   Alexandros Karapanos

Minister of War

1914 - 1916   Dimitrios Dulis 

After the outbreak of WWI the Allies allowed Greece to occupy the region and a
Greek military administration toke charge of it, the Provisional Government however 
also continuing to exist under military supervision.

In 1916-1917 this Greek zone of occupation wad gradually taken over by the French
and the Italians and the Provisional Government also ended.  
After the end of the war the region was once again claimed by Greece, but in 1921
it formally was confirmed as a part of Albania by the Great Powers.

(2) Another Greek polity, the Autonomous Government of Himara, headed by
    Spiros Spiromilos (1... - 1...) seems also to have existed for some
    time.

    All information on this subject is very welcome.


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