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55-575: The leaders of the Albanian Revolt of 1911 organized a meeting at the location of Greçë near Selcë village in Kelmend. Today, this location is a natural and cultural monument of Shkodër County listed as "Ahu i Gerçës". Ismail Kemal joined them and together they draw up the memorandum, sometimes referred to as the " Red Book " because of the color of its covers, which addressed their requests both to Ottoman Empire and Europe (in particular to

110-759: A July 17 meeting held in a monastery in Cepo , delegates from all kazas of Janina Vilayet declared that they will fully support the Greçë Memorandum. They sent a letter to the Sultan, there they appealed for the implementation of the Memorandum and the treatment of the Albanian people as a whole. This countered with the aim of the Sublime Porte to treat the Memorandum as a local issue of Malësia. After

165-520: A champion of Orthodoxy, Russia provided military missions and supplies to Montenegro. He afterwards visited the courts of Berlin and Vienna . His efforts to enlist the sympathies of the Russian imperial family produced important results for Montenegro; considerable subsidies were granted by the tsar and tsaritsa for educational and other purposes, and supplies of arms and ammunition were sent to Cetinje . In 1871 Prince Dolgorukov arrived at Montenegro on

220-443: A general insurrection Montenegrin troops also captured twelve Turkish soldiers on their own initiative and took them to Podgorica government called upon Shefqet Turgut Pasha...on 11 May he proclaimed martial law...On the third day however, the impatient general ordered his troops to seize the important hill of Dečić overlooking Tuzi. In they Podgorica declarationof 18 May sixty Albanian chiefs rejected Turgut's demands... During

275-544: A hand in the new revolt. In particular general Vukotić aided the rebels by passing out weapons, which the Malsors used against Turks. ... yet another revolt took place at the end of March 1911, when Kingdom of Montenegro forced the mountain people who had taken refugee there, to return across the frontier In March 1911 the Catholic tribes together with the thousands of refugees from Kosova who had fled to Montenegro, staged

330-505: A high degree and give me strength to continue the titanic and unequal struggle to give my poor Albania her freedom. God will have mercy on us and he will surely help us. The Battle of Derelik , new Albanian Covadonga , confirms my faith. Now I am here, resting my old bones and ready to start the fight, if the Turks do not give us the promised autonomy." Milloi bat ezker bere maitagarria gatik ta eskumuñak. The only remaining evidence of

385-473: A nationalistic program.... The Ghegs of Iskodra had embraced nationalistic program. ... the Turkish government prematurely announced on 12 June, that the revolt was over Twenty two Albanians signed the memorandum, including four each from the fises of Grude, Hoti and Skrel; five from Kastrati; three from Klement, and two from Shale The demands included a guarantee of immunity from punishment for all Albanians,

440-634: A special mission from the tsar, and distributed large sums of money among the people. In 1869 Prince Nikola, whose authority was now firmly established, succeeded in preventing the impetuous highlanders from aiding the Krivošijans in their revolt against the Austrian government; similarly in 1897 he checked the martial excitement caused by the outbreak of the Greco-Turkish War . In 1876 Nikola declared war against Turkey; his military reputation

495-582: The Albanian revolt of 1911 was one of many Albanian revolts in the Ottoman Empire and lasted from 24 March 1911 until 4 August 1911 in the region of Malësia (also spelled Malissori). The main headquarters of the rebels were in Podgorica and King Nikola provided weapons for the insurgents. King Nicholas promised to support Malësor with arms and to provide a shelter to their families before

550-611: The Albanian revolts of 1910 and 1911. He was welcomed by the choir of the Serbian Orthodox Seminary with Turkish songs and vice-consul Milan Rakić had gathered a large contingent of Serbs, but many Albanians boycotted the event. Ottoman representatives managed to deal with the leaders of Albanian rebels in Kosovo Vilayet and Scutari Vilayet separately, because they were not united and lacked central control. The Ottoman Empire first managed to pacify

605-787: The Concert of Europe and captured Scutari after a siege , despite the fact that they blockaded the whole coast of Montenegro . Again in the Great War which began in 1914 he was the first to go to Serbia's aid to repel the Austro-Hungarian forces from the Balkan Peninsula . In January 1916, after the defeat of Serbia, Montenegro was also conquered by Austria-Hungary , and the King fled to Italy and then to France. The government transferred its operations to Bordeaux . After

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660-570: The Sublime Porte tried to minimize the effects of the Memorandum by treating it as a local initiative of the Malësia region, it gave the Albanian struggle for independence a strong boost. Leaders such as Namik Delvina, Muharrem Rushiti, Musa Demi, Spiro Bellkameni and Qamil Panariti and their chetas strengthened the pressure on the Ottoman authorities to accept requests of the Memorandum. In

715-496: The flag of Albania (according to Robert Elsie it was raised for the first time after Skanderbeg's death) and established the provisional government. Shefqet Turgut Pasha wanted to meet this threat and returned to the region with 8.000 soldiers. As soon as he reached Shkodër on 11 May, he issued a general proclamation which declared martial law and offered an amnesty for all rebels (except for Malisor chieftains) if they immediately return to their homes. After Ottoman troops entered

770-544: The "Albanian troubles" and Italy doubted the sincerity of the foreign ministers pledges of nonintervention in Albanian imbroglio. The British ambassador in Vienna, however, rightly discounted the possibility of Austrian government's having encouraged the rebellion in any way... ...on 8 June the semi-official Fremdenblatt carried a summons to the Young Turks to put their house in order. Eventually, Austria Hungary,..., let

825-562: The European Great Powers. On 11 June sultan Mehmed V visited Skopje where he was greeted enthusiastically by the local population together with two Albanian chieftains who swore their allegiance to the Ottoman sultan. On 15 June, the date of the Battle of Kosovo , he visited the site of the historical battle greeted by 100.000 people. During his visit to Kosovo vilayet he signed a general amnesty for all participants of

880-573: The Great Britain). This memorandum was signed by 22 Albanian chieftains, four from each tribe of Hoti , Gruda and Shkreli , five from Kastrati , three from Kelmend and two from Shalë . Requests in the memorandum included: The Memorandum was submitted to the representatives of Great Powers in Cetinje, Montenegro. It was drafted by Qemali as a reply to amnesty offered by Ottoman military commander Shefqet Turgut Pasha on 18 June. Although

935-521: The Porte know that she could no longer ignore the savage repression of the Catholic tribes and would have to take action if this continued. As perpetual clashes between Albanians and Ottoman government were attracting European attention, the Ottoman government turned to peaceful means. Nicholas I of Montenegro Nikola I Petrović-Njegoš ( Serbian Cyrillic : Никола I Петровић-Његош ; 7 October [ O.S. 25 September] 1841 – 1 March 1921)

990-461: The area Tocci fled the empire abandoning his activities. On 14 May, three days after his proclamation, Shefqet Turgut Pasha ordered his troops to seize Dečić, hill that overlooked Tuzi . Sixty Albanian chieftains rejected Turgut Pasha's proclamation on their meeting in Podgorica on 18 May. After almost a month of intense fightings rebels were trapped and their only choices were either to die fighting, to surrender or to flee to Montenegro. Most of

1045-598: The assembly of the tribal leaders of the revolt was held in a village in Montenegro (Gerče) on 23 June 1911 to adopt the "Gërçe Memorandum" (sometimes referred to as "Red Book"(Libri i Kuq) because of the color of its covers ) with their requests both to Ottoman Empire and Europe (in particular to the Great Britain). This memorandum was signed by 22 Albanian chieftains, four from each tribe of Hoti, Grude and Skrel, five from Kastrati , three from Klementi and two from Shale. Requests of memorandum included: The Memorandum

1100-569: The case of a Muslim community. Montenegrin king Nikola composed a poem The Uprising of Malisores ( Serbian : Малисорски устанак 1911 ) in honor of this uprising. In the spring of 1911, teacher and poet Palok Traboini , then serving as personal secretary to Ded Gjo Luli , while journing through Dalmatia brought along with him three flags and delivered them to Ded Gjo Luli of Hoti , Dok Ujka of Gruda and Prel Luca of Triepshi respectively. The flags had been fabricated in Vienna , Austria at

1155-714: The celebration of his jubilee, he assumed the title of king , in accordance with a petition from the Skupština . He was at the same time gazetted field-marshal in the Russian army , an honor never previously conferred on any foreigner except the Duke of Wellington . When the Balkan Wars broke out in 1912 King Nikola was one of the most enthusiastic of the allies. He wanted to drive the Ottomans completely out of Europe. He defied

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1210-514: The crisis because it was afraid that Austria-Hungary might increase its influence in Montenegro and use the crisis to invade and annex Albania . Serbia and Italy also believed that Austria-Hungary was responsible for the revolt in Albania and suspected that Austria had plans to intervene in Albania. The British ambassador in Vienna rejected the possibility that Austria-Hungary caused

1265-506: The dignity of vladika , or prince-bishop, became hereditary in the Petrović family, the sovereign power had descended from uncle to nephew, the vladikas belonging to the order of the black clergy (i.e., monastic clergy) who are forbidden to marry. A change was introduced by Danilo I, who declined the episcopal office, married and declared the principality hereditary in the direct male line. Mirko Petrović-Njegoš having renounced his claim to

1320-709: The end of the First World War , a meeting in Podgorica voted to depose Nikola and annex Montenegro to Serbia. A few days later, Serbia (including Montenegro) merged with the former South Slav territories of Austria-Hungary to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes , which was renamed Yugoslavia in 1929. Nikola, who was in exile in France , continued to claim the throne until his death in Antibes in 1921. He

1375-547: The figurine of an eagle with flapping wings. The flag appeared in the form of a labarum , in the style of Roman legions. On 13 July 1911, the Basque magazine Euskal-Herria published a letter addressed to the senior editor of the magazine that was written by Juan Aladro de Kastriota and signed in Euskara : «The signs of sympathy that I have received from everywhere on the occasion of my last campaign, are to me comforting in

1430-497: The flag is a photograph by Kel Marubi which is presently archived at the National Museum of Photography . Nicholas assured the Ottoman ambassador that his government was observing "the strictest neutrality" while his eldest son claimed that "we Montenegrins most sincerely desire peace". Despite these denials, it became increasingly clear that Montenegro did have a hand in the new revolt. In particular general Vukotić aided

1485-628: The independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire . On 23 June 1911, the Albanians gathered in the small village in Montenegro and drafted the Gerche Memorandum, also known as The Red Book. Twenty two Albanians signed the memorandum, including four each from the fises of Grude, Hoti and Skrel; five from Kastrati; three from Klement, and two from Shale The demands included a guarantee of immunity from punishment for all Albanians,

1540-405: The independence of Montenegro, and in the succeeding decades Montenegro enjoyed considerable prosperity and stability. Education, communications and the army expanded greatly (the latter with support from Imperial Russia ). In 1883 Prince Nikola visited the sultan , with whom he subsequently maintained the most cordial relations; in 1896 he celebrated the bicentenary of the Petrović dynasty, and in

1595-498: The letter was sent, the secret committee of Janina organized a number of new armed acts. They planned a culminating action on July 23, in the anniversary of the Young Turk Revolution but failed. Later, some other efforts failed, and the Memorandum of Greçë gradually lost its importance. The coming events and situation in 1912 enabled Albanians to better organize their efforts , and consequently to successfully declare

1650-569: The main tasks of the Black Society for Salvation was to organize uprisings in the southern territories. The members of the society organized a meeting in Kolonjë . The meeting was attended by the emissaries from the Kosovo vilayet who brought the proclamation of Isa Boletini. The leaders of the society decided in that meeting to organize groups of armed rebels and to launch the uprising in

1705-511: The month of intense fighting...By the end of June the Catholic insurgents jointed by the powerful Mirdite clans, were trapped...They had but three choices left to them: to surrender, to die where they were or to flee across the border into Montenegro. Most chose the last option. Once again became a haven for large body of insurgent forces determined to make war on Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile Ismail Kemal and Tiranli Cemal Bey personally visited rebellious Malisors in Montenegro to encourage them to accept

Greçë Memorandum - Misplaced Pages Continue

1760-484: The northern Albanian malësorë (highlanders) from Scutari Vilayet reaching a compromise during a meeting in Podgorica . In order to resolve the problems in the south, the Ottoman representatives invited Albanian southern leaders to a meeting in Tepelenë on 18 August 1911. They promised to meet most of their demands, like general amnesty , the opening of Albanian language schools, and the restriction that military service

1815-521: The period before the First Balkan War were organized mostly in the region of Malesia . Isa Boletini , one of the leaders of the Albanian insurgents in Kosovo vilayet, wrote a proclamation on 23 March 1911 to the Albanians in the south to join Albanians from the Kosovo vilayet in their uprising. He sent his emissaries on 15 April 1911 to pass his proclamation to the southern insurgents. One of

1870-469: The period of peace which followed Nikola carried out a series of military, administrative and educational reforms. The country was embroiled in a series of wars with the Ottoman Empire between 1862 and 1878. In 1867 he met the emperor Napoleon III at Paris, and in 1868 he undertook a journey to Russia, where he received an affectionate welcome from the tsar , Alexander II in St Petersburg. Being

1925-534: The rebels by passing out weapons, which the Malsors used against Turks. The Malësori Uprising of 1911 ... Podgorica became the headquarters of the insurgents, due to support the Albanians received from King Nicholas of Montenegro... who ensured they got the weapons... Nicholas assured the Ottoman ambassador that his government was observing "the strictest neutrality" while his eldest son claimed that "we Montenegrins most sincerely desire peace". Despite these denials, it became increasingly clear that Montenegro did have

1980-417: The rebels chose to flee to Montenegro which became a base for large number of rebels determined to attack the Ottoman Empire. Ismail Kemal Bey and Tiranli Cemal bey traveled from Italy to Montenegro at the end of May and met the rebels to convince them to adopt the nationalistic agenda which they eventually did. On 12 June Porte prematurely proclaimed that the revolt had ended. At initiative Ismail Qemali

2035-585: The recognition of "the national existence of Albanians",... selecting Albanian deputies ...according to the principle of proportional representation...Albanian language in ... schools, ... This article about politics in Albania is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Albanian Revolt of 1911 [REDACTED] Ded Gjo Luli [REDACTED] Sokol Baci [REDACTED] Mehmet Shpendi [REDACTED] Prek Cali [REDACTED] Isa Boletini The Malissori uprising or

2090-439: The recognition of "the national existence of Albanians",... selecting Albanian deputies ...according to the principle of proportional representation...Albanian language in ... schools, ... ...Russians so anxious to keep in touch... they were afraid that Austrians, if left to themselves might assume the role of sole protectors of Montenegro, or even exploit the crisis to invade and annex Albania. Serbia still blamed Aehrenthal for

2145-576: The request of Aladro Kastriota and were a gift for the fighting insurgents of Malesia . One of the flags was first unfurled at the Church of Traboini in Hot on 6 April 1911 by Kol Ded Gjoni, son of Ded Gjo Luli and later raised several times by his fighters on top of the Bratila peak. Placed on the flag was a piece of cloth with the inscription "Flamuri i Liris" Mars 1911 and on the carrying spear can be seen

2200-517: The revolt began. Although both king Nikola and prince Danilo were assuring Ottoman ambassador that they are observing "the strictest neutrality" it was obvious that Kingdom of Montenegro was involved in this revolt. General Vukotić organized passing out the weapon to the rebels. Nikola's strategy was to stimulate unrest in northern Albania and north-western Kosovo to the point where he could intervene and annex more territory for Montenegro. Most of contemporary studies confirm that this uprising

2255-528: The revolt. On 8 June, von Aehrenthal , the foreign minister of Austria-Hungary , issued a semi-official note to the Ottoman Empire and informed the Porte that Ottoman repression of the Catholic tribes will not be ignored and in case it is continued Austria-Hungary will take an action. Austrian intervention to support the rebels was urged by Catholic journals in Vienna as well. The Albanian revolts in

Greçë Memorandum - Misplaced Pages Continue

2310-529: The same year he attended the coronation of Nicholas II ; in May 1898 he visited Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle . In 1900 Nikola took the style of Royal Highness . According to Bolati, the Montenegrin court was not grieving that much over the murder of King Alexander Obrenović , as they saw him as an enemy of Montenegro and obstacle to the unification of Serb Lands. "Although it wasn't said openly, it

2365-410: The south in early June 1911. The society managed to establish committees in several towns including Korçë , Elbasan , Debar and Ohrid , but it failed to maintain control over them because each committee acted on its own direction. After the Battle of Deçiq Ottoman government decided for peaceful means of suppression of the revolt because frequent clashes with Albanians attracted the attention of

2420-534: The throne, his son was nominated heir-presumptive, and the old system of succession was thus incidentally continued. Prince Nikola, who had been trained from infancy in martial and athletic exercises, spent a portion of his early boyhood in Trieste at the household of the Kustic family, to which his aunt, the princess Darinka, wife of Danilo II, belonged. The princess was an ardent francophile , and at her suggestion,

2475-655: The young heir-presumptive of the vladikas was sent to the Lycée Louis-le-Grand in Paris . Unlike his contemporary, King Milan of Serbia , Prince Nikola was little influenced in his tastes and habits by his Parisian education; the young highlander, whose keen patriotism, capability for leadership and poetic talents early displayed themselves, showed no inclination for the pleasures of the French capital, and eagerly looked forward to returning to his native land. Nikola

2530-507: Was a member of the " United Serbian Youth " (Уједињена омладина српска) during its existence (1866–1871). After the organization was prohibited in the Principality of Serbia and Austro-Hungary , the " Association for Serb Liberation and Unification " (Дружина за ослобођење и уједињење српско) was established by Nikola, Marko Popović , Simo Popović, Mašo Vrbica , Vasa Pelagić , and more, in Cetinje (1871). Nicholas I of Montenegro

2585-638: Was also reflected in literature. His most significant works are the Serb patriotic song " Onamo, 'namo! " (There, over there!), and the drama "Empress of the Balkan". While still in Paris, Nikola succeeded his assassinated uncle Danilo I as prince (13 August 1860). At age 19, in Cetinje , on 8 November 1860, he married Milena , 13 years old, daughter of a Vojvoda named Petar Vukotić and wife Jelena Vojvodić . In

2640-540: Was buried in Italy. In 1989, the remains of Nikola, his queen Milena, and two of their twelve children were re-buried in Montenegro. Five of Nicholas I's daughters were married, each to princes and kings, giving Nicholas the nickname "the father-in-law of Europe ". Nicholas shared this sobriquet with his contemporary Christian IX, King of Denmark . Christian IX's children also married members of European royalty from multiple countries . The pretender to Nicholas I's throne

2695-506: Was decided to organize an Albanian uprising. Troops of Montenegro supported the revolt and captured 12 Ottoman soldiers and imprisoned them in Podgorica . The first serious attempt of the Ottoman government to suppress the revolt resulted with the Battle of Deçiq . Terenzio Tocci gathered the Mirdite chieftains on 26 April 1911 in Orosh , proclaimed the independence of Albania, raised

2750-613: Was enhanced by the ensuing campaign, and still more by that of 1877/78 , during which he captured Nikšić , Bar and Ulcinj . The war resulted in a considerable extension of the Montenegrin frontier and the acquisition of a seaboard on the Adriatic . Nikola justified the war as a revenge for the Battle of Kosovo (1389). In 1876 he sent a message to the Montenegrins in Herzegovina : The Congress of Berlin in 1878 recognised

2805-412: Was submitted to the representatives of Great Powers in Cetinje, Montenegro. It was basically a reply to amnesty offered by Ottoman military commander Shefqet Turgut Pasha. At the end of May 1911 Russia protested against military moves of Ottoman army near the border of Montenegro and sent a note to the Ottoman foreign minister. Russian Empire was very willing to participate in efforts to resolve

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2860-704: Was supported by Montenegro. At the end of March 1911 the Kingdom of Montenegro forced them to return to Kosovo Vilayet. Thousands of refugees together with the Albanian Catholic tribes staged the Albanian Revolt of 1911. The Albanian National Committee was founded in Podgorica in February 1911. In a meeting of the Committee held in Podgorica from 2 to 4 February 1911, under the leadership of Nikolla bey Ivanaj and Sokol Baci Ivezaj , it

2915-538: Was the last monarch of the Montenegro from 1860 to 1918, reigning as prince from 1860 to 1910 and as the country's first and only king from 1910 to 1918. His grandsons were kings Alexander I of Yugoslavia and Umberto II of Italy among others. Nikola was born in the village of Njeguši , the home of the reigning House of Petrović . He was the son of Mirko Petrović-Njegoš , a celebrated Montenegrin warrior (an elder brother to Danilo I of Montenegro ) and his wife, Anastasija Martinovich (1824–1895). After 1696, when

2970-422: Was thought that the Petrović dynasty would achieve [the unification]. All procedures of King Nikola shows that he himself believed that". He gave Montenegro its first constitution in 1905 following pressure from a population eager for more freedom. He also introduced west-European style press freedom and criminal law codes. In 1906, he introduced Montenegrin currency , the perper . On 28 August 1910, during

3025-418: Was to be performed only in the territory of the vilayets with substantial Albanian population. Other demands included requiring administrative officers to learn the Albanian language , and that the possession of weapons would be permitted. The Albanian Revolt of 1911 stimulated Albanian nationalism because it proved that it was impossible to maintain the unity of the population of the Ottoman Empire even in

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