Timeline of Albanian History

 

Albanian history is not exactly common knowledge. People kept asking me about it, which was a problem considering I didn't really know anything about Albania until recently. Hence the timeline. I thought of trying to write a witty title, but there is no reason. This simply is a timeline of Albanian history, and I am obviously a nerd.

 

The information below was compiled from several sources (read: mostly Wikipedia) encountered in my journey of educating myself on all things Albania. No promises as to accuracy or relevance.  I've added some images and random historical facts for your amusement.

An ancient Albanian guy impressing the ladies?

* 1000(ish) BCE – Albanian references appear in early Greco-Roman records of Illyria.

* 150 CE – Ptolemy's writing and maps mention the city of Albanopolis (northeast of present-day Durrës) and the Illyrian tribes called Albanoi

who lived nearby. 

Battle of Kosovo

*  600’s –Slavic tribes wrestle control of the area  from the Byzantine Empire. 

* 800’s – Invasion and domination by the Bulgarians.

* 1200’s - Local Albanian noble families emerge.  Invasions from Serbia, present-day Italy, and waves of Crusaders.  Occupiers establish the Kingdom of Albania.

* 1389 – Ottoman Empire conquers the Balkans after a decisive victory at the Battle of Kosovo. 

Skanderbeg!

* 1405 - George Kastrioti is born.  He later becomes the Albanian national hero Skanderbeg.

* 1450 – Led by Skanderbeg, the Albanians rout Ottoman forces under Sultan Murad II. 

* 1480’s – Albania again falls to the Turks.  Many Albanians flee. Many of those remaining are forced to convert to Islam. 

  

Ali Pasha, in all his glory

* 1600’s – Muslim Albanians find status, careers, and fancy uniforms in the Ottoman government and military.

* 1822 – Ali Pashë Tepelena is assassinated by Ottoman agents for promoting an autonomous Albanian state.

* 1861 - First Albanian language school in modern times opens in Shkodër. 

* 1877/8 - Ottman Empire defeated in the Russo-Turkish War.  This weakens their influence in the Balkans, but not so much in Albania.

Russo-Turkish war battle (supposedly)

* 1878 – At the Congress of Berlin, the great powers divide Albanian lands among several states. The League of Prizren forms to organize resistance. 

 

* 1881 – Ottoman forces crush Albanian resistance fighters.

* 1897 - Ottoman authorities ban Albanian language books.

* 1908 – Albanian intellectuals choose the Latin alphabet as the standard script, rejecting Arabic and Cyrillic.    

*  1912 – Albanians rise against the Ottomans and seize Skopje.  The First Balkan War begins.  Half of Albania’s claimed territory is allotted to Serbia and Greece.    

 * 1913 – First Balkan War ends.  Second Balkan War begins.  Second Balkan War ends. Albania is recognized as an independent state ruled by a constitutional monarchy (read: German puppet government).  

Puppet Prince William

* 1914 – The new Albanian state collapses with the outbreak of World War I.  Puppet Prince William flees, apparently after a naive but earnest attempt at ruling justly. 

* 1918 – WWI ends with the Italians occupying most of Albania.  Serbia, Greece, and France control the rest.   

* 1919 (a busy year) – Serbia attacks.  Albania enters a state of guerrilla warfare. European powers redraw Albanian’s boundaries again, this time dividing the territory among Greece, Italy, and Yugoslavia.  Albanians resist and force out the Italians. Albania is admitted to the League of Nations as a sovereign state. 

Is Zog also an aspiring band leader?

* 1921 – Royal Yugoslav Army invades, but League of Nations forces a withdrawal. 

* 1923 – Albania’s Sunni Muslims break remaining ties with disbanding Ottomans.

* 1928 – Ahmet Zogu is declared King Zog I, Skanderbeg III, King of Albania.  

* 1939 – Italians invade.  King Zog and company flee.

* 1943 – Italians flee.  Germans invade.  

* 1944 – Germans flee. Supplied with Bristish weapons, Communist partisans take control. Under Enver Hoxha, Albania enters a self-inflicted period of totalitarianism. 

* 1960 – Albania sides with China in the Sino-Soviet split.

meeting of the Comrades

* 1966 - Hoxha initiates the Cultural and Ideological Revolution.

* 1967 - Violent campaign against religious activity.  Over 2000 buildings were closed and converted and thousands of religious officials were jailed.  Albania declared the world's first athiest state.

Berisha is the current Prime Minister. 

* 1989 -  Communist rule in Eastern Europe collapses.

* 1990 - Public protests erupt. Modest reforms instituted. Albanians granted the right to travel.  Thousands flee by land. Thousands seize ships at port and sail illegally to Italy.

* 1992 – Democratic Party wins elections. Sali Berisha becomes first elected president. 

Photo by Time Magazine, 1997

* 1993 – A new wave of political repression is instigated by the ruling party.  Pope John Paul II makes a historic visit. (The last pope to travel to Albania died en route in 1464.) 

 * 1997 (another busy year) – Crown Prince Leka, son of late King Zog, returns from exile in bid to take throne. Referendum on restoration of the monarchy fails. He is accused of trying to stir up an armed insurrection and flees back into exile. A massive pyramid investment scheme collapses, costing thousands of Albanians their savings and triggering fierce anti-government protests.  Up to a million weapons are looted from army stores as angry mobs take to the streets. 

Photo by Carol Guzy

* 1998 – Escalating unrest in Kosovo sends refugees across border into Albania. 

Prince Leka is very tall.

Kosovar refugees (I think)

* 1999 – NATO strikes Yugoslav military targets. Serbs attack ethnic-Albanian Kosovars. Tens of thousands of refugees pour into Albania. 

*  2001 – UN claims Albanians are being poisoned by fatal toxins in their environment, urges international help. The government is strongly criticized for its lax policy toward human trafficking. 

  

* 2002 - Albanian royals return from exile.   

 

* 2003 – Albania and EU begin first step in a long road to possible EU membership. 

     * 2004 – Twenty+ Albanians die in a failed attempt to enter Italy in inflatable boats.





 *2005 – Sali Berisha reelected.   

I could not resist using this picture to illustrate Bush's visit.  Also, is that the same type of hat the guy is wearing in the first picture on this post?  Maybe it is an Albanian tradition.

·    * 2006 – Speedboats banned in effort to curb human and drug smuggling in the Adriatic. 

* 2007 – President George W. Bush becomes the first US leader to visit Albania.  


* 2009 - Albania joins NATO.

* 2010 – EU leaders reject Albania's membership candidacy, but ease visa requirements. 
Kosovo becomes a sovereign state (sort of).   

* 2011 - Deadly clashes leave four anti-government protesters dead in demonstration about corruption and alleged election vote rigging.   

I would like to end on a more positive note, but unfortunately I cannot invent history.  Hopefully by the time I leave I'll be able to update this post with some positive historical events.