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107-501: Leader of Albania Government Battle Life in exile and death Legacy Family Zog I (born Ahmed Muhtar Zogolli ; 8 October 1895 – 9 April 1961) was the leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939. At age 27, he first served as Albania's youngest ever Prime Minister (1922–1924), then as president (1925–1928), and finally as king (1928–1939). Born to a beylik family in Ottoman Albania , Zogolli

214-747: A constitutional monarchy similar to the contemporary regime in Italy, created a strong police force, and instituted the Zogist salute (flat hand over the heart with palm facing downwards). Zog hoarded gold coins and precious stones, which were used to back Albania's first paper currency . Zog's mother, Sadije, was declared Queen Mother of Albania, and Zog also gave his brother and sisters Royal status as Prince and Princesses Zogu. One of his sisters, Senije ( c.  1897 – 1969), married Shehzade Mehmed Abid Efendi , another Ottoman prince and son of Sultan Abdul Hamid II . Zog's constitution forbade any Prince of

321-489: A Western European lifestyle. Upon his return, Zogolli became involved in the political life of the fledgling Albanian government that had been created in the wake of the First World War. His political supporters included many southern feudal landowners called beys , Turkish for "province chieftain" with title variations including Beyg, Begum, Bygjymi. The Bey title refers to the social group to which he belonged, which

428-478: A cement factory; Korçë, a brewery; and Durrës and Shkodër, cigarette factories that used locally grown tobacco. In 1934, the price of the grain reached the lowest level, at about 7.5 gold francs. A strong decline in prices, mainly in the agricultural and livestock industry, affected the monetary and credit policies of the National Commercial Bank. During the years of the crisis, the bank reduced

535-467: A constitutional monarch, in practice Zog retained the dictatorial powers he had enjoyed as president. Thus, in effect, Albania remained a military dictatorship. In 1938, as a result of a request from his advisor and friend Constantino Spanchis, Zog opened the borders of Albania to Jewish refugees fleeing persecution in Nazi Germany . Although born as an aristocrat and hereditary Bey , King Zog

642-495: A different director and each featuring a different opera aria. This segment, entitled ' Un ballo in maschera ' after the Giuseppe Verdi opera, was directed by Nicolas Roeg , with actor Theresa Russell playing King Zog during a fictionalized account of his visit to Vienna in 1931 and the assassination attempt on the steps of that city's opera house (as noted earlier, Zog had actually seen a performance of 'Pagliacci' before

749-456: A general and national culture." The types of secondary schools were: gymnasium and lyceum where all subjects were taught in French; Normal commercial institutes, city schools and technical institutes. In secondary schools, lessons were extended: eight years in full gymnasium, nine years in lyceum, of which one is preparation; normally four years; in the commercial institute four years; 4 years in

856-489: A greater role in Albania's fiscal policy. His administration was marred by disputes with Kosovo Albanian leaders, primarily Hasan Prishtina and Bajram Curri , among others. On the debit side, Zogu's Albania was a police state in which civil liberties were all but nonexistent and the press was closely censored. Political opponents were imprisoned and often killed. For all intents and purposes, he held all governing power in

963-608: A gun battle with would-be assassins on the Opera House steps ( Zog I of Albania § Assassination attempts ). Zog remained sensitive to steadily mounting disillusion with the Kingdom of Italy 's domination of Albania. The Royal Albanian Army , though always 15,600 strong, sapped the country's funds, and the Italians' monopoly on training the armed forces rankled public opinion. As a counterweight, Zog kept British officers in

1070-453: A large number of pedagogical and scientific publications. Organizations such as Gruaja Shqiptare attempted to modernize Albanian society and in 1938 the first national Radio station went on-air. These were the first steps toward modernization of the country, but Albania remained Europe's most underdeveloped nation in many respects. The lack of economic development prompted several strikes. In 1936, Albanian workers working for foreign companies in

1177-454: A protectorate under Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III . While some Albanians continued to resist, "a large part of the population ... welcomed the Italians with cheers", according to one contemporary account. Prior to the birth of Prince Leka, the position of heir presumptive was held by Tati Esad Murad Kryziu , Prince of Kosova , who was born on the 24th of December 1923 in Tirana, and who

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1284-607: A second-rate member of the Axis. The imminent birth of an Albanian royal child meanwhile threatened to give Zog a lasting dynasty. After Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia (March 15, 1939) without notifying Mussolini in advance, the Italian dictator decided to proceed with his own annexation of Albania. Italy's King Victor Emmanuel III criticized the plan to take Albania as an unnecessary risk. Bey Bey , also spelled as Baig , Bayg , Beigh , Beig , Bek , Baeg, Begh, or Beg ,

1391-565: A senior leader of the Muslim community in the kingdom of Lagos . Subsequently, he and his children became known in Nigeria by the double-barrelled surname Shitta-Bey , a tradition which has survived to the present day through their lineal descendants. In the Ottoman period, the lords of the semi-autonomous Mani Peninsula used the title of beis (μπέης); for example, Petros Mavromichalis

1498-525: A state ceremony on 17 November 2012, coinciding with celebrations for Albania's independence centennial . The bodies of the king and his family members now lie in the reconstructed royal mausoleum in the capital Tirana. The interment was attended by the government of Albania, including the President and Prime Minister, and representatives of the former royal families of Romania, Montenegro, Russia and Albania. In Albania: From other countries: Zog's name

1605-472: Is Albanism." The national hymn characterized neither Muhammad nor Jesus Christ, but King Zogu as "Shpëtimtari i Atdheut" (Savior of the Fatherland). The hymn to the flag honored the soldier dying for his country as a "Saint". Increasingly the mosque and the church were expected to function as servants of the state, the patriotic clergy of all faiths preaching the gospel of Albanism. Monarchy stipulated that

1712-581: Is a Turkic title for a chieftain , and an honorific title traditionally applied to people with special lineages to the leaders or rulers of variously sized areas in the numerous Turkic kingdoms, emirates, sultanates and empires in Central Asia , South Asia , Southeast Europe , and the Middle East , such as the Ottomans , Timurids or the various khanates and emirates in Central Asia and

1819-550: The Balkan states . Albania then drifted back into the Italian orbit. Two days after the birth of Zog's son and heir apparent, on 7 April 1939 ( Good Friday ), Mussolini's Italy invaded , facing no significant resistance. The Albanian army was ill-equipped to resist, as it was almost entirely dominated by Italian advisors and officers and was no match for the Italian Army. The Italians were, however, resisted by small elements in

1926-577: The Eurasian Steppe . The feminine equivalent title was begum . The regions or provinces where "beys" ruled or which they administered were called beylik , roughly meaning "governorate" or "region" (the equivalent of a county , duchy , grand duchy or principality in Europe, depending on the size and importance of the beylik ). However the exact scope of power handed to the beks (alternative spelling to beys) varied with each country, thus there

2033-563: The First Treaty of Tirana (1926), although Zog still retained British officers in the Gendarmerie as a counterbalance against the Italians, who had pressured Zog to remove them. During the worldwide depression of the early 1930s, Zog's government became almost completely dependent on Mussolini. Grain had to be imported, many Albanians emigrated, and Italians were allowed to settle in Albania. In 1932 and 1933, Albania could not pay

2140-487: The Foch Hospital , Suresnes , Hauts-de-Seine on 9 April 1961, aged 65, of an undisclosed condition. Zog was said to have regularly smoked 200 cigarettes a day, giving him a possible claim to the title of the world's heaviest smoker in 1929, but had been seriously ill for some time. He was survived by his wife and son, and was initially buried at the cimetière parisien de Thiais , near Paris. On his death, his son Leka

2247-1009: The Germans invaded . Their escape from France was helped by Prince Mehmed Orhan Osmanoğlu from the Ottoman Imperial Dynasty , who was aide-de-camp of Zog I. The royal family then settled in England. Their first residence was at The Ritz in London. This was followed in 1941 by a brief stay at Forest Ridge, a house in the South Ascot area of Sunninghill in Berkshire , near where Zog's nieces had been at school in Ascot . In 1941 they moved to Parmoor House, Parmoor , near Frieth in Buckinghamshire, with some staff of

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2354-490: The Italian language in all Albanian schools, a demand that was swiftly refused by Zog. In defiance of Italian demands, he ordered the national budget to be slashed by 30 percent, dismissed all Italian military advisers, and nationalized Italian-run Roman Catholic schools in the north of Albania to decrease Italian influence on the population of Albania. In 1934, he tried without success to build ties with France , Germany , and

2461-615: The Kuçovë oil field held a strike that was organized by Puna. Another was held in Vlorë and in February 1936 a strike was held by workers and craftsmen in Korçë which grew into a demonstration that was known as the "Hunger Strike". Migjeni 's works describe the poverty and the social situation of that period. In 1929 a communist society was established but was not supported by Orthodox, Catholic or

2568-704: The North Caucasus highlands were known as taubiy (taubey), meaning the "mountainous chief". Sometimes a Bey was a territorial vassal within a khanate, as in each of the three zuzes under the Khan of the Kazakhs. The variation Beg , Baig or Bai , is still used as a family name or a part of a name in South and Central Asia as well as the Balkans . In Slavic -influenced names, it can be seen in conjunction with

2675-824: The Ottoman Empire , Upon his father's death in 1911, Zogolli became governor of Mat, being appointed ahead of his elder half-brother, Xhelal Bey Zogolli . In 1912, he participated in the Albanian Declaration of Independence as the representative of the Mat District. As a young man during the First World War, Zogolli volunteered on the side of Austria-Hungary . He was detained at Vienna in 1917 and 1918 and in Rome in 1918 and 1919 before returning to Albania in 1919. During his time in Vienna, he grew to enjoy

2782-590: The Royal Albanian Gendarmerie despite strong Italian pressure to remove them. In 1931, King Zog openly stood up to the Italians, refusing to renew the 1926 First Treaty of Tirana . During the crisis of 1929–1933, Zog asked the Italians for a loan of 100 million gold francs in 1931, and the request was approved by the Royal Italian Government. In 1932 and 1933, Albania could not make the interest payments on its loans from

2889-889: The Second World War but was barred from returning to Albania by the anti-monarchist government led by Enver Hoxha . Zog spent the rest of his life in France and died in April 1961 at the age of 65. His remains were buried at the Thiais Cemetery near Paris, before being transferred to the royal mausoleum in Tirana in 2012. Zog was born as Ahmed Muhtar Zogolli in Burgajet Castle , near Burrel in northern Albania, third son to Xhemal Pasha Zogolli , and first son by his second wife Sadije Toptani in 1895. His family

2996-494: The Trade school of Vlorë with an enrollment of 5,700 pupils. Those who wanted to continue their education often went abroad to Italy, Austria, France etc... In 1939 about 420 Albanians were studying abroad. Among the literate population 446 people had a university degree and 1,773 had secondary schooling. Daily newspapers started publishing, including: Demokracia , Liria Kombëtare , Besa , Hylli i Dritës , and Leka along with

3103-560: The 1904 work Turkish Life in Town and Country that "distinguished persons and their sons" as well as "high government officials" could become bey , which was one of two "merely conventional designations as indefinite as our ' Esquire ' has come to be [in the United Kingdom]". The Republican Turkish authorities abolished the title circa the 1930s. The title bey ( Arabic : بيه Egyptian Arabic pronunciation: [beː] )

3210-617: The Albanian monarch. Relations with Italy were improved in 1936. A government of young men led by Mehdi Frashëri , an enlightened Bektashi administrator, won a commitment from Italy to fulfill financial promises that Mussolini had made to Albania, and to grant new loans for harbour improvements at Durrës and other projects that kept the Royal Albanian Government afloat. Soon Italians began taking positions in Albania's civil service, and Italian settlers were allowed into

3317-474: The Albanian political émigrés in Vienna were subsequently arrested, beside Hasan Prishtina . Most of them were quickly released and expelled from Austria. Gjeloshi was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months of jail, while Çami got 2 years and 6 months. The fascist government of Benito Mussolini 's Italy had supported Zog since early in his presidency; that support had led to increased Italian influence in Albanian affairs. The Italians compelled Zog to refuse to renew

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3424-469: The Albanians only allowed the forces to land unarmed. Mussolini then attempted to buy off the Albanians. In 1935, he presented the Albanian government with 3 million gold francs as a gift. leader of Albania Government Battle Life in exile and death Legacy Family Zog's success in defeating two local rebellions convinced Mussolini that the Italians had to reach a new agreement with

3531-569: The European model, though large parts of Albania still maintained a social structure unchanged from the days of Ottoman rule, and most villages were serf plantations run by the Beys. On 28 June 1925, Zogu ceded Sveti Naum to Yugoslavia in exchange for Peshkëpi (Pëshkupat) village and other concessions. Zogu enacted several major reforms. His principal ally during this period was the Kingdom of Italy , which lent his government funds in exchange for

3638-481: The European stage. He also initially took the parallel name "Skanderbeg III" (Zogu claimed to be a successor of Skanderbeg through descent through Skanderbeg's sister; "Skanderbeg II" was taken to be Prince Wied , but this fell out of use). On the same day as he declared himself king (he was never technically crowned), he also declared himself Field Marshal of the Royal Albanian Army . He proclaimed

3745-565: The First is clearly standing in for King Zog I, for both are Muslims and both were first president before being the first king of their Balkan nation. (Italy is Santa Bellanca, which is behaving badly in Africa in the work, a tie to the invasion and conquest of Ethiopia.) In the animated series Disenchantment , King Zog is referenced as the first and only King of Albania. Albanian Kingdom (1928%E2%80%931939) In 1928, President Zogu secured

3852-785: The Flag and the King. Hymns idealizing the nation, Skanderbeg, war heroes, the king and the flag predominated in public-school music classes to the exclusion of virtually every other theme. The first reading lesson in elementary schools introduced a patriotic catechism beginning with this sentence, "I am an Albanian. My country is Albania." Then there follows in poetic form, "But man himself, what does he love in life?" "He loves his country." "Where does he live with hope? Where does he want to die?" "In his country." "Where may he be happy, and live with honor?" "In Albania." As Germany annexed Austria and moved against Czechoslovakia , Italy saw itself becoming

3959-616: The Islamic because of its atheistic ideology. Originally, under the monarchy, religious institutions were put under state control. In 1923, the Albanian Muslim congress convened at Tirana and decided to break with the Caliphate establishing a new form of prayer (standing, instead of the traditional salah ritual), banishing polygamy, and doing away with the mandatory use of veil (hijab) by women in public, which had been forced on

4066-408: The Italian government paid for the rest. In 1938 there was a general activation of the national capital in industry. During this period the number of enterprises reached 244, while the number of employees at State administration rose up to 7.435. Industrial production rose, while agriculture declined. In 1938, the total area of agricultural land estimated at 1,163 hectares (2,874 acres), about 39.5% of

4173-478: The Italian military advisers, and nationalised Italian-run Catholic schools in the northern part of the country. By June 1934, the Albanian Kingdom had signed trade agreements with the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and Greece , and Benito Mussolini had suspended all payments to Tirana. An Italian attempt to intimidate the Albanians by sending a fleet of Regia Marina warships to Albania failed because

4280-498: The King and began plotting against him. Zog had accumulated a great number of enemies over the years, and the Albanian tradition of blood vengeance required them to try to kill him. Zog surrounded himself with guards and rarely appeared in public. The King's loyalists disarmed all of Albania's tribes except for his own Mati tribesmen and their allies, the Dibra . Nevertheless, on a visit to Vienna in 1931, Zog and his bodyguards fought

4387-684: The Royal House from serving as Prime Minister or a member of the Cabinet, and contained provisions for the potential extinction of the royal family. The constitution also forbade the union of the Albanian throne with that of any other country, a term which would later be violated with the Italian invasion . Under the Zogist constitution, the King of the Albanians, like the King of the Belgians , ascended

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4494-961: The Slavic -ov/-ović/ev suffixes meaning "son of", such as in Bakir and Alija Izetbegović , and Abai Kunanbaev . The title is also used as an honorific by members of the Moorish Science Temple of America and the Moorish Orthodox Church . 'Bey' is also used colloquially in Urdu -speaking parts of India , and its usage is similar to "chap" or "man". When used aggressively, it is an offensive term. The Hungarian word 'bő' originates from an Old Turkic loanword, cognate with Ottoman 'bey', that used to mean 'clan leader' in Old Hungarian. Later, as an adjective, it acquired

4601-630: The Society for the Economic Development of Albania. In response, Rome turned up the pressure, demanding that Tirana name Italians to direct the Gendarmerie, join Italy in a customs union, grant Italy control of the country's sugar, telegraph, and electrical monopolies, teach the Italian language in all Albanian schools, and admit Italian colonists. Zog refused. Instead, he ordered the national budget slashed by 30 percent, dismissed

4708-552: The amount of currency in circulation, which worsened the deflation. The artificially increased value of the franc lowered the prices of products. In mid-1935, Albania entered a recovery phase. Industry recovered, and Zogu created tax incentives, especially for cement factories, which were made exempt from taxes for three years. Between 1933 and 1935, economic development emerged in the agriculture, livestock and industrial capital industries. Construction of roads and bridges began, along with fifty-three telegraph post links. During much of

4815-589: The city and 4 years in the Technical Institute. The normal school of the commercial institute was considered as a high level school, the city school is the lower level and the technical institute high level. The branches that a city school could have, the division of which begins in the third year, were: trade, woodworking, ironworking, animal husbandry, agriculture and home economics. The grades used in secondary schools were: 1 (very good); 2 (good); 3 (fairly good): 4 (passable); 5 (bad); 6 (very bad). In

4922-513: The construction industry. During this eleven-year period serious efforts were made to create a national road network using an investment of sixty million gold francs borrowed from the Italian Kingdom. During the ten-year period between 1929 and 1939 850 km of main roads, 456 km of secondary roads, 4,062 small bridges 10,250 miles long, and seventy-six major bridges 2,050 miles in length were constructed. This period also introduced

5029-421: The construction of a sewage network, and, for the first time, money was invested to build segments of roads in the northern part of Albania. The most important roads were: Shkodër-Puka, Mat-Bishop Bridge, Krujë-Mat, Tirana-Elbasan, Lushnjë-Mbrostar, Korçë-Burrel, Burrel-Dibër, Tiranë-Shijak-Durrës, Tiranë-Ndroq-Durrës, and Tiranë-Krrabë-Elbasan. Engineers from Europe were employed to complete these projects. In 1938,

5136-471: The corridors of the Albanian Parliament premises on 23 February 1924. Beqir Valteri , originating from the same area as Zog, was waiting for him and opened fire suddenly. Zog was shot twice. Meanwhile, Valteri fled but, surrounded by the militia, took refuge in one of the bathrooms, refusing to surrender and singing patriotic songs. According to the memoirs of Ekrem Vlora , he surrendered after

5243-442: The country's peasants practiced subsistence agriculture , using ancient methods and tools, such as wooden plows . Much of the country's richest farmland lay under water in malaria -infested coastal marshlands . Albania lacked a banking system, a railroad, a modern port, an efficient military, a university, or a modern printing press. The Albanians had Europe's highest birthrate and infant mortality rate , and life expectancy for men

5350-531: The country. Education in the Kingdom of Albania was divided into two levels: primary education and secondary education. According to the Organic Law of Education (June 1928), the purpose of early education was to raise children morally, to develop their spiritual and physical strength and to equip them with knowledge and skills necessary for their private and social life. Initial education was compulsory and

5457-638: The court living in locations around Lane End. In 1946, Zog and most of his family left England and went to live in Egypt at the behest of King Farouk . In 1951, Zog bought the Knollwood estate in Muttontown, New York , Long Island but the sixty-room estate was never occupied; it quickly fell into ruin and Zog sold the estate in 1955. Farouk was overthrown in 1952 , and the family left for France in 1955. He made his final home in France, where he died at

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5564-435: The crisis was between 1934 and 1935. Most industries were paralyzed or went bankrupt. The crisis deeply affected all credit systems. At this time, due to the ongoing budget deficit, and financial difficulties evident in many areas and sectors of the country, loans were taken from Western countries, but the majority were from Italy. In 1931, Albanian agriculture was affected by a major drought which caused serious consequences in

5671-401: The daughter of Shefqet Bey Verlaci before he became king. Soon after he became king, however, he broke off the engagement. According to traditional customs of blood vengeance prevalent in Albania at the time, Verlaci had the right and obligation to kill Zog. The king frequently surrounded himself with a personal guard and avoided public appearances. He also feared that he might be poisoned, so

5778-402: The dictatorial powers he had held as President Zogu. Civil liberties remained more or less nonexistent, and political opponents were frequently imprisoned and killed. Thus, for all intents and purposes, Albania remained a military dictatorship . Soon after his official swearing in as monarch, King Zog broke off his engagement to Shefqet Vërlaci 's daughter, and Vërlaci withdrew his support for

5885-400: The ethnic designation of Uzbeks comes from the name of Öz Beg Khan of the Golden Horde , being an example of the usage of this word in personal names and even names of whole ethnic groups. The general rule is that the honorific is used with first names and not with surnames or last names. The word entered English from Turkish bey , itself derived from Old Turkic beg , which – in

5992-487: The form bäg – has been mentioned as early as in the Orkhon inscriptions (8th century AD) and is usually translated as "tribal leader". The actual origin of the word is still disputed, though it is mostly agreed that it was a loan-word, in Old Turkic. This Turkic word is usually considered a borrowing from an Iranian language. However, German Turkologist Gerhard Doerfer assessed the derivation from Iranian as superficially attractive but quite uncertain, and pointed out

6099-430: The gendarmerie and general population. The royal family, realising that their lives were in danger, fled into exile, taking with them a considerable amount of gold from the National Bank of Tirana and Durrës . Since the royal family had expected an Italian invasion, the gathering of gold had started in advance. "Oh God, it was so short" were King Zog's last words to Geraldine on Albanian soil. Mussolini declared Albania

6206-436: The government was forced to distribute emergency food aid in poor areas. Places that sold Albanian goods placed tariffs on imports of cheese and butter. The crisis affected the livestock industry, which accounted for 70% of total national exports. Another significant impact was the establishment of the so-called "tax xhelepit", which applied to head/livestock. In 1933, the state cut the taxes by 50%. Peasant farmers accounted for

6313-417: The interest on its loans from the Society for the Economic Development of Albania, and the Italians used this as a pretext for further dominance. They demanded that Tirana put Italians in charge of the Gendarmerie, join Italy in a customs union, and grant the Italian Kingdom control of Albania's sugar, telegraph, and electrical monopolies. Finally, Italy called for the Albanian government to establish teaching of

6420-539: The intervention of Qazim Koculi and Ali Klissura . Zog stepped down briefly from political activity, but promised to forgive Valteri. Valteri, a member of the revolutionary Bashkimi ("The union") committee led by Avni Rustemi , was set free by the Court of Tirana after declaring that it was an individual act. Meanwhile, all rumors pointed to the opposition, specifically to Rustemi. Two weeks later Zog and Valteri would meet in private. Soon after, Rustemi would be shot. Another attempt occurred on 21 February 1931, while Zog

6527-519: The interwar period, Italians held most of the technical jobs in the Albanian economy. Albania had four ports: Durrës, Shëngjin, Vlorë, and Sarandë. Albania's main exports were petroleum, animal skins, cheese, livestock, and eggs. Primary imports were grain and other foodstuffs, metal products, and machinery. In 1939, the value of Albania's imports was four times that of its exports. About seventy percent of Albania's exports went to Italy. Italian factories furnished about forty percent of Albania's imports, and

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6634-406: The introduction of modern architecture, and sought to improve welfare, the balance of trade, and the education of Albanian youth. In 1929, the world was caught by a major crisis caused by overproduction . Its effects were very damaging to Albania. During this year, Zog saw the first signs of the crisis, mainly in the financial and monetary system ; they became more sensitive in 1930. The peak of

6741-427: The literary scene with his poems about the Albanians' perseverance during their quest for freedom. During this period 600 night schools were opened in an attempt to eradicate illiteracy, but in 1939 80% of the adult population was still illiterate. In 1939 Albania had 643 primary schools and 18 high schools. The most important high schools were: Pedagogical school of Elbasan , Lyceum of Korçë , Shkodër Gymnasium , and

6848-420: The littlest child to the oldest man, to show our independence is not for sale." The world, aware that Zog and his entourage had carried off most of the Albanian treasury's gold, was not impressed. After a short stay in Greece, the Zog party went to Istanbul in Turkey , then fled through Romania , Poland , Latvia , Sweden , Norway , Belgium to Paris . Zog and his family lived a time in France and fled when

6955-458: The lyceum of Korça, the system of grades was different: 10 was the best grade, 5 was a passing grade, and 0 was the worst grade. The following lessons were taught in high schools and lyceums: In 1928, the Basic Statute was adopted, along with a Civil Code and agrarian reform was instituted, removing ferexhesë . The Islamic law was replaced by the Swiss Civil Code , following the model of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in Turkey. King Zog supported

7062-463: The monarchy in the person of Zog's son Leka Zogu who, since 1961, had been styled "Leka I, King of the Albanians". The official but disputed results stated that about two-thirds of voters favoured a continued republican government. Leka, believing the result to be fraudulent, attempted an armed uprising: he was unsuccessful and was forced into exile, although he later returned and lived in Tirana until his death on 30 November 2011. A main street in Tirana

7169-588: The mother of the king assumed supervision of the royal kitchen. In April 1938, Zog married Countess Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Appony , a Roman Catholic aristocrat who was half- Hungarian and half- American . The ceremony was broadcast throughout Tirana via Radio Tirana that was officially launched by the monarch five months later. Their only child, Crown Prince Leka , was born in Albania on 5 April 1939. About 600 blood feuds reportedly existed against Zog, and during his reign he reputedly survived more than 55 assassination attempts. One of these occurred inside

7276-407: The municipality, which for this purpose was obliged to allocate in its budget at least 5 percent of its income. Among the primary schools, the following are appointed as teachers: Secondary education was organized "in the most suitable way to strengthen the will and discipline in the work of the Albanian youth and to awaken the sense of duty towards oneself and towards the Motherland and equip it with

7383-412: The nation. On 1 September 1928, Albania was transformed into a kingdom, and President Zogu declared himself to be Zog I, with the title King of the Albanians . He appointed as his advisor Mehmed Orhan Efendi , a prince of the recently-abolished Ottoman Empire . He took as his regnal name his surname rather than his forename since the Islamic name Ahmet might have had the effect of isolating him on

7490-473: The national food supply. In 1932, as a result of this situation, 33% more wheat and corn was imported. The crisis of 1930–1934 differs in many ways: the percentage of the population living with non-agricultural employment was reduced from 15.9% in 1930 to 15.4% in 1938. Albanian exports grew from 2 million gold francs to 12 million between 1923 and 1931, but fell back to 1923 levels within the next two years. A difficult situation occurred between 1935 and 1936 when

7597-411: The national radio station began broadcasting. Construction of the port of Durrës began. The construction of brace works, irrigation canals, etc., was interrupted by the beginning of World War II (1939–1945). The Royal Albanian Army was the army of the Albanian Kingdom and King Zogu from 1928 until 1939. Its commander-in-chief was King Zog; its commander was General Xhemal Aranitasi ; its Chief of Staff

7704-516: The occupied state and private property, while smallholders owned 60%. Cereal production in Albania did not meet its needs. Wheat production was estimated at 38,000 tons, while production of maize was 143,000 tons. After the crisis, the production of industrial crops rose. Tobacco accounted for about 1,100 hectares (2,600 acres). Cereal crops were also grown. Framers planted about 1.2 million roots for cereal crops, 100,000 citrus roots, 41.5 million vineyard roots, and 1.6 million olive trees roots. During

7811-559: The other resistance groups and eventually took control of the country . They were able to defeat the Nazi remnants and had full control of Albania in November 1944. Zog attempted to reclaim his throne after the war. However, when the communist government, successful in its partisan movement, seized power, one of its first acts was to ban Zog from ever returning to Albania. It formally deposed him in 1946. In 1952, his representatives met with

7918-464: The parliament's consent to its own dissolution. A new constituent assembly amended the constitution making Albania a kingdom and transforming Zogu into Zog I, " King of the Albanians ". International recognition arrived forthwith. The new constitution abolished the Albanian Senate and created a unicameral Assembly . Although nominally a constitutional monarch, in practice King Zog retained

8025-404: The period between 1936 and 1938 the economy recovered. Trade amounted to 32.7 million gold francs, with 65% growth. Exports grew by 61.5% and imports by 67.3%. Exports in 1938 represented 66.3% of the 1928 level. During the 1936–1938 period the state budget had increased. The Albanian kingdom period was characterized by the growing number of utility works; in 1939 there were thirty-six enterprises in

8132-620: The possibility that the word may be genuinely Turkic . Two principal etymologies have been proposed by scholars: It was also used by the Uyghurs . It permitted the Turkic Begs in the Altishahr region to maintain their previous status, and they administered the area for the Qing as officials. High-ranking Begs were allowed to call themselves Begs. Lucy Mary Jane Garnett wrote in

8239-547: The real attack). In the "new" Doc Savage pulp fiction novel, The Whistling Wraith (July 1993, Bantam/Spectra), from the original notes of Lester Dent (primary writer of the sagas) but now completed as a novel by Will Murray, the life & person of Zog, as well as Albania's political problems and foreign policy issues with Mussolini's Italy are key to the plot. The story slots into the Doc Savage timeline in 1938 (a few weeks after The Motion Menace, per p. 61). Egil Goz

8346-523: The reign of Zog primary education became necessary. Despite meager educational opportunities, literature flourished in Albania between the two world wars. Substantial progress had been achieved in literature, and art publishing operations. Distinguished writers included: Fan Stilian Noli , Alexander Drenova , Esad Mekuli , Ndre Mjeda , Haki Stermilli , Lasgush Poradeci , Faik Konica , Sterjo Spasse , Ndoc Nikaj , Foqion Postoli , Migjeni and others. A Franciscan priest and poet, Gjergj Fishta , dominated

8453-570: The representatives of the Yugoslavian government over possible collaboration. Sponsored by MI6 and the CIA , some forces loyal to Zog attempted to mount infiltrations into the country , but most were ambushed due to intelligence sent to the Soviet Union by spy Kim Philby . A referendum in 1997 – seven years after the end of Communist rule – proposed to restore

8560-414: The state should be neutral, with no official religion and that the free exercise of religion should be extended to all faiths. Neither in government nor in the school system should favor be shown to any one faith over another. Albanism was substituted for religion, and officials and schoolteachers were called "apostles" and "missionaries." Albania's sacred symbols were no longer the cross and the crescent, but

8667-615: The throne and exercised Royal powers only after taking an oath before Parliament; Zog himself swore an oath on the Bible and the Quran (the king being Muslim ) in an attempt to unify the country. In 1929, King Zog abolished Islamic law in Albania, adopting in its place a civil code based on the Swiss one, as Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had done in Turkey in the same decade. Although nominally

8774-641: The urban population by the Ottomans during the occupation. In 1929 the Albanian Orthodox Church was declared autocephalous (self-headed). A year later, in 1930, the first official religious census was carried out. Reiterating conventional Ottoman data from a century earlier which previously covered double the new state's territory and population, 50% of the population was grouped as Sunni Muslim, 20% as Orthodox Christian, 20% as Bektashi Muslim. and 10% as Catholic Christian. The monarchy

8881-417: The value of investments reached 150 million Albanian Lek (1961 currency prices). On the eve of the fascist invasion, Albania had 300 trucks, 20 buses, and 200 cars and pickups. During 1938, 95,000 tons of cargo were transported, equal to 1 million tons per kilometer. During the same period, the total turnover of goods in retail trade amounted to 3,900 million in 1947 prices. On 28 November 1938, Radio Tirana,

8988-668: The vast majority of the Albanian population. Albania had practically no industry, and the country's potential for hydroelectric power was virtually untapped. Oil was the country's main extractable resource. The Italians took over the oil-drilling concessions of all other foreign companies in 1939 by creating the company "Sveja". A pipeline between the Kuçovë oil field and Vlorë's port expedited shipments of crude petroleum to Italy's refineries. This company dealt with Albania's natural resources. Albania also possessed: bitumen, lignite, iron, chromite, copper, bauxite, manganese, and some gold. Shkodër had

9095-474: The villainous Francisco Scaramanga telling his compatriots that the Rastafari of Jamaica "believes it owes allegiance" to the King of Ethiopia , this "King Zog or what-have-you." Fleming had been assigned with the task of escorting Zog when in exile after Albania was annexed by Italy. In Aria , a 1987 British anthology film, Zog was a character in the first of ten short self-contained segments, each by

9202-766: The virtual sovereign's title in Barbaresque North African 'regency' states was "Bey" (compare Dey ). Notably in Tunis , the Husainid Dynasty used a whole series of title and styles including Bey: Bey was also the title that was awarded by the Sultan of Turkey in the twilight of the Ottoman Empire to Oloye Mohammed Shitta , an African merchant prince of the Yoruba people who served as

9309-407: Was General Gustav von Myrdacz . The army was financed mainly by Italy during period between 1936 and 1939. The army had 15,600 deployed personnel and 29,860 reserve personnel. Poor and remote, Albania remained decades behind the other Balkan countries in educational and social development. Only some 13% of the population lived in towns. Illiteracy plagued almost the entire population. About 90% of

9416-458: Was a beylik family of landowners , with feudal authority over the region of Mati . His grandfather was Xhelal Pasha Zogolli . His mother's Toptani family claimed to be descended from the sister of Albania's greatest national hero, the 15th-century general Skanderbeg . He was educated at Galatasaray High School ( French : Lycée Impérial de Galatasaray ) in Beyoğlu , a district of the capital of

9523-496: Was about thirty-eight years. The American Red Cross opened schools and hospitals at Durrës and Tirana , and one Red Cross worker founded an Albanian chapter of the Boy Scouts that all boys between twelve and eighteen years old were subsequently required to join by law. Although hundreds of schools opened across the country, in 1938 only 36% of all Albanian children of school age were receiving education of any kind. During

9630-577: Was active in Albanian politics from a young age and fought on the side of Austria-Hungary during the First World War . In 1922, he adopted the name Ahmed Zogu . He held various ministerial posts in the Albanian government before being driven into exile in June 1924, but returned later in the year with Yugoslav and White Russian military support and was subsequently elected prime minister. Zogu

9737-659: Was also called beyk or bek ( بيك ) – from Turkish beyg ( بيـگ ) – in North Africa, including Egypt. A bey could maintain a similar office within Arab states that broke away from the High Porte , such as Egypt and Sudan under the Muhammad Ali Dynasty , where it was a rank below pasha (maintained in two rank classes after 1922), and a title of courtesy for a pasha's son. Even much earlier,

9844-512: Was also used by noble families in the north, along with merchants, industrialists, and intellectuals. During the early 1920s, Zogolli served as Governor of Shkodër (1920–1921), Minister of the Interior (March–November 1920, 1921–1924), and chief of the Albanian military (1921–1922). His primary rivals were Luigj Gurakuqi and Fan S. Noli . In 1922, Zogolli formally changed his surname from Zogolli to Zogu, which sounds more Albanian. In 1923, he

9951-412: Was born a year later. Albania fell further under Italian influence during Zog's reign, and by the end of the 1930s the country had become almost fully dependent on Italy despite Zog's resistance. In April 1939, Italy invaded Albania and the country was rapidly overrun. Mussolini declared Albania an Italian protectorate under King Victor Emmanuel III , forcing Zog into exile. He lived in England during

10058-498: Was determined that religion should no longer be a foreign-oriented master dividing Albanians, but a nationalized servant uniting them. It was at this time that newspaper editorials began to disparage the almost universal adoption of Muslim and Christian names, suggesting instead that children be given neutral Albanian names. Official slogans began to appear everywhere. "Religion separates, patriotism unites." "We are no longer Muslim, Orthodox, Catholic, we are all Albanians." "Our religion

10165-457: Was elected president in January 1925 and vested with dictatorial powers, with which he enacted major domestic reforms, suppressed civil liberties , and struck an alliance with Benito Mussolini's Italy . In September 1928, Albania was proclaimed a monarchy and he acceded to the throne as Zog I, King of the Albanians. He married Geraldine Apponyi de Nagy-Appony in 1938, and their only child Leka

10272-416: Was given free of charge. Primary schools was done over a five-year span and the lessons taught were: Primary education was compulsory for males and females from the age of 6 to 13. Excluded from the obligation were: The state assumed only the expenses of teaching staff of primary schools, the expenses for the maintenance of buildings, furniture and tools as well as those for their maintenance were charged to

10379-568: Was in the company of Minister Eqrem Libohova who was wounded, while Zog's guard Llesh Topallaj was mistaken for Zog by Gjeloshi, who shot him three times in the back of the head. Çami's gun was stuck and did not fire. Zog came out of the event unharmed, thanks also to the prompt intervention of Albanian Consul Zef Serreqi and local police. The Austrian authorities arrested Çami, Gjeloshi, and later Qazim Mulleti , Rexhep Mitrovica , Menduh Angoni , Angjelin Suma , Luigj Shkurti, Sejfi Vllamasi , etc. All

10486-678: Was in use by 1972 in the English language palaeontological mnemonic for the names of zonal index fossils in part of the Lower Carboniferous System of Great Britain (namely C leistopora, which geologists decided to call 'zone k', Z aphrentis, C aninia, S eminula and D ibanophylum): " K ing Z og c aught s yphilis and d ied". In the James Bond novel The Man with the Golden Gun , Ian Fleming writes of

10593-503: Was known as Petrobey . Other Beys saw their own Beylik promoted to statehood, e.g.: Bey or a variation has also been used as an aristocratic title in various Turkic states, such as Bäk in the Tatar Khanate of Kazan , in charge of a Beylik called Bäklek . The Uzbek Khanate of Khiva , Emirate of Bukhara and The Khanate of Kokand used the "beks" as local administrations of "bekliks" or provinces. The Balkar princes in

10700-493: Was later renamed " Boulevard Zog I " by the Albanian government. In October 2012, the government of Albania decided to bring back the remains of the former king from France, where he died in 1961. Zog's body was exhumed from the Thiais Cemetery , Paris on 15 November 2012. A guard of honour was provided by the French President, in the form of French Legionnaires in ceremonial dress. Zog's remains were returned in

10807-444: Was no clear-cut system, rigidly applied to all countries defining all the possible power and prestige that came along with the title. Today, the word is still used formally as a social title for men, similar to the way the titles " sir " and " mister " are used in the English language. Additionally, it is widely used in the naming customs of Central Asia , namely in countries such as Uzbekistan , Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan . Notably,

10914-487: Was officially elected as the first President of Albania by the Constituent Assembly on 21 January 1925, taking office on 1 February for a seven-year term. A new constitution vested Zogu with sweeping executive and legislative powers, to the point that he was effectively a dictator. He had the right to appoint all major government personnel, as well as one-third of the lower house. Zogu's government followed

11021-438: Was pronounced H. M. King Leka of the Albanians by the exiled Albanian community. His widow, Geraldine, died of natural causes in 2002 at the age of 87 in a military hospital in Tirana . During World War II , three resistance groups were operating in Albania : the nationalists , the royalists and the communists . Some of the Albanian establishment opted for collaboration . The communist partisans refused to co-operate with

11128-505: Was shot and wounded in Parliament . A crisis arose in 1924 after the assassination of one of Zogu's industrialist opponents, Avni Rustemi ; in the aftermath, a leftist revolt forced Zogu, along with 600 of his allies, into exile in June 1924. He returned to Albania with the backing of Yugoslav forces and Yugoslavia-based General Pyotr Wrangel 's White Russian troops led by Russian Gen Sergei Ulagay and became Prime Minister . Zogu

11235-590: Was somewhat ignored by other monarchs in Europe because he was a self-proclaimed monarch who had no links to any other European royal families. Nonetheless, he did have strong connections with Muslim royal families in the Arab World , particularly Egypt , whose ruling dynasty had Albanian origins. As king, he was honoured by the governments of Italy , Luxembourg , Egypt , Yugoslavia , France , Romania , Greece , Belgium , Bulgaria , Hungary , Poland , Czechoslovakia , and Austria . Zog had been engaged to

11342-635: Was the son of the King's sister, Princess Nafije. He became an honorary General of the Royal Albanian Army in 1928, at age five. He was made Heir Presumptive with the style of His Highness and title of "Prince of Kosova" ( Princ i Kosovës ) in 1931. After the royal house's exile, he moved to France, where he died in August 1993, aged 69. The royal family fled to Greece . Zog, speaking a few days after his arrival there, characterized Hitler and Mussolini as madmen facing "two fools who sleep": Chamberlain and Daladier . Zog went on to declare, "We prefer to die, from

11449-473: Was visiting the Vienna State Opera house for a performance of Pagliacci . The attackers ( Aziz Çami and Ndok Gjeloshi ) struck whilst Zog was getting into his car. The attempt was organized by "National Union" ( Albanian : Bashkimi Kombëtar" ), a union of Zog opponents in exile which was formed in Vienna (1925) with the initiative of Ali Këlcyra , Sejfi Vllamasi , Xhemal Bushati etc. Zog

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