Zooming Albanian factor in the nineteenth century through Western lenses "

The developments of the nineteenth century were determining for the history of Balkan region as it shaped the future of many generations to come, resulting in (mainly) growing discontents that led to several wars during the last century. It was beginning of the decay of the Ottoman Empire that many longed for, and many nations used every opportunity to take a full advantage of it. The aim of this work is to explore exclusively (only) Western sources in an attempt to provide, as much as possible, an objective and neutral picture. Therefore, the idea behind the decision to examine non-Balkan sources is impartiality, in order to bring the reader as close as possible to the reality of the nineteenth century. A number of nineteenth century books, magazines and newspapers of the time, by respective Western authors, are explored and analysed. Reading and examining a large volume of data and information of this period, offers a unique sense of feeling, similar to that of living the nineteenth century world. Albanians, who have historically populated the heart of Balkans, are focal point of this region (in many of the regional and international sources) for this particular period, vis-à-vis the Ottoman governance as well as relations with other regional neighbours. Their contribution to the history of nations in the region was unquestionably critical, but their M A . A rb en S A L IH U "Zooming Albanian factor in the nineteenth century through Western lenses"


Introduction
The Balkans peninsula is a cultural corner in Southeast Europe, with heterogeneous ethnicities and, equally, with history of heterogeneous disputes among them.The Balkan Peninsula has usually been seen as significant and attractive area for former empires to control it, and therefore, it became home to Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.The latter empire, the Ottoman Empire, which is the focus of this work, controlled the Balkans from the fourteenth up to early twentieth century.During this period various disputes and a number of wars that took place shaped the future of many nations of this region.The central focus of this research is largely the Albanian inputs to the history of the Balkan nations in the nineteenth century, and their attempts to contribute and encourage national education.
Having a picture of Ottoman Empire's geography and internal governance is, however, important to develop, a somewhat, virtual image of the empire's organizational setting that, naturally, changed from time to time.The major administrative divisions made were in terms of Provinces (Vilayets), and Districts (Sanjaks).The size of territory and respective functional responsibilities, of both Vilayets and Sanjaks, varied and was modified, depending on circumstances on the ground and at times accommodating local population needs.The size of Ottoman European territory in 1877 was around 410,000 km 2 and with an approximate population of just under 10 million (see Table 1 below).', 1877, The Times, 20 Oct, p. 10 The mosaic of ethnicities and respective religions made the Balkans an interesting area for exploration to many foreigners at the time.Their accounts on their experiences in European Turkey, through their encounters with diverse people of different ethnicities and religions, are, indeed, of great value.Such diversity undoubtedly carries with it certain complexities that generated turbulences often ending with unpleasant outcomes.The Map 1 provided below shows a general Balkan picture of geographical territory of ethnicities and religions, as well as particular close focus on Albanian territory and religions.
The period, especially from 1875 to 1877 (preceding San Stefano Treaty and Berlin Congress), that is often overlooked, plays a major part in highlighting the causes that eventually prompted the big powers of the time, to take decisions to slice up, the already decaying Turkish Empire.Naturally, as a consequence, some nations (like Serbia, Greece and Montenegro) gained vast territories and respective resources (even unexpectedly), mainly to the detriment of Albania who was astonished and outraged.The history of nations, written in their respective national history books, may often be painted with an unreal description of events and developments; certain events and developments are minimized or maximized depending on the ways that suits best national interests.
Albanians, who were among the largest in the region both, in terms of population1 and geographical area2 , likewise have played critical role in the Balkan history, especially in the nineteenth century.Yet, the prevailing antagonism in the region, then and now, for one or another reason, still shapes thoughts and divides people's views on whether the Albanian deeds in relations to neighbours and to the Ottoman empire in general, were good or evil.Traces of Albanian involvement in the history of a number of nations in the region, indeed, are several.

Serbia
It was an Albanian, who was in Turkish service, that on December 12, 1806, executed the planned attack on Ottoman headquarter in Belgrade, along with some Serbian friends.He was commander and chief of the operation that led to disintegration of Turkish establishment from Belgrade, during the first decade of nineteenth century (Ranke 1844, p.151).

Greece
Albanians played a fundamental role (with Marco Botzaris and his Albanian compatriots) in helping Greece gain independence (Howe 1828, Gerhart & Schaff 1866, pp.25-26).Howe (1828) calls Botzaris "the hero of Greek [independence] revolution"(p.12).The Albanian influence in Greek _____________________________ ILIRIA International Review -Vol 6, No 2 (2016) © Felix-Verlag, Holzkirchen, Germany and Iliria College, Pristina, Kosovo 212 politics was massive, in the initial decades after their independence, where Albanians along with Greeks for some time shared the prime minister post of the Greek state (Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, 1854).Later during the nineteenth century the impact of Albanians declined as they were "fast assimilated to the Hellenic model" ('Dalmatia and her neighbours', 1877).

Italy
Albanians, in addition, not only fought3 alongside Garibaldi to unite Italy ('Hezegovina'1876, p. 5) but had also played crucial role.Shaw (1901) notes Francesco Crispi (former Italian Prime Minister)4 is Italy's foremost statesman (p.457) and his name "has been written in golden letters in the history of Italian independence…though a Sicilian by birth, was an Albanian by race…" (p.458).

Ottoman Empire
The Albanian contribution to the Turkish Empire is also unquestionable.The Albanians helped Ottomans maintain the empire not only in the region but also further, and that, both, in terms of military involvement and general (or administrative) governance.Albanians did provide Ottomans "with some of their ablest and most energetic ministers" (Lewes 1866, p.615), Prime Minister ('The trouble in the Balkans ', 1903, p.8), and University Rector ('The Eastern Question', 1876, p.3), among others.In addition Encyclopaedia Britannica (1842) explains that "…throughout Turkish empire: ... the Albanians are regarded as the most valuable of their troops….The main strength of the Turkish infantry in the late Russian campaign has consisted of Albanians" (p.379).
In addition, Albanian skills, ability and character attracted general praise and respect not only at Ottoman government level but also within the Ottoman population as well.Albanians vs. Albanians While the Albanian impact in the nineteenth century is undisputable, equally so are their deeds that resulted unconstructive and detrimental to their own cause.The Albanian factor was dynamic and influential throughout the Empire, but the ability of the Albanians to unite and present a unifying front has failed historically.The Albanian nation has shown that it is not proactive, but rather reactive.Even the Albanian gathering and forming the Prizren League (in the 1878), is a late response when the Albanian land was, then de facto already in the hands of regional powers, only to be legitimised by San Stefano Treaty and Berlin Congress.
What is distressing, in the nineteenth century, Albanians were at times even fighting among themselves representing the opposite sides for a particular cause.For instance Albanian Souliots 5 who fought for Greek independence clashed against the forces of Mehmet Ali, a powerful Albanian leader, and former governor of Egypt (Howe 1828, p.167).What is even more painful, even at the time when the regional forces were occupying Albanian territory, the Albanians considered clashing among themselves while represented opposing sides, (Turkish and Montenegrins), spitefully, wittingly or unwittingly, even at such critical times for national interest ('Montenegro' 1876, p.3). Cases of the Albanians not presenting a unifying front are recorded also in early twentieth century (1900)(1901)(1902)(1903)(1904)(1905)(1906)(1907)(1908)(1909)(1910)(1911)(1912)) and more recently this was repeated during the 1990s when there was a vast polarisation on what stance should Albanians take, in course of repressive Serbian actions towards the local Albanian population in Kosovo.

Population and geographical administration of Balkans
The population of Balkans varied from one period to another.There are a number of sources provided regarding the size of population of the Balkan ethnicities in the nineteenth century.One of the earliest and rather more credible is by Boué (1840).According to him the Turkish Empire in the Balkans, in 1840, had about 14.6 million inhabitants, from which Albanians were 1.6 million, Greeks 900,000 and Serbs around 886,000 (see Table 2 below).Spencer (1850) explains that population of Albania was even larger but bad governance led to the decrease when he says 5 Souli is a mountainous field now located in northwest of Greece _____________________________ ILIRIA International Review -Vol 6, No 2 (2016) © Felix-Verlag, Holzkirchen, Germany and Iliria College, Pristina, Kosovo

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'the population of Albania, ..previous to the rule of Ali Pacha of Janina , contained two millions and a half.The wars and massacres of that tyrant destroyed, it is presumed, half a million..." (p.103).
Brownell (1862) about a decade later does not highlight any major changes.According to him the population "of Servia [Serbia] is 900,000, the Bulgarians 2,000,000, the Albanians 1,600,000, the Greeks 900,000" (p.75).The New York Times reports in mid-1880 that Albanian6 population is approximately "3,000,000 which...perfectly decided to resist annexation to any foreign state."('The situation in Europe', 1880, p. 2).As regard the spread of religion, Islam spread slowly.Encyclopaedia Britannica (1824) substantiates this when it says "[i]t should be observed, however, that the Albanians were originally Christians; that the partly now professing Mahometanism embraced it only at recent period... " (p. 587).
By the year 1854, The New York Times reports that "[t]he number of Mohammedans in all European Turkey does not exceed 3,800,000 while [the rest]...number about 11,500,000…" ('Article 6 ', 1854, p. 4).Therefore, this implies that, from a total number of about 15.3 million (total population from all ethnic groups of European Turkey), only about 24.8 % of that, was Muslim.
Speaking about religion in the European Turkey, Arnold (1913) states that Islam was not spread by sword and that "Christians who have come into contact with a living Muslim society have been profoundly impressed by the virtues exhibited therein.".(p.424).The author further explains that "…the Ottoman Turks in the early days of their rule in Europe received many a tribute of praise from Christian lips…" (p.425)The Times notes that "[n]otwithstanding all allowances that may be made, the Mahomedan element is everywhere in the minority..." ('Races and Religion in Turkey' 1876, p.6)As far as Albania's religion division is concerned, even after living for about five century under Turkish administration, by 1878,"Albania, with its two millions of inhabitants, [had] half Mussulman and half Christian" ('The acceptance ', 1878, p. 11).

Education
The history of Balkan nations' education under the Ottoman administration is not homogeneous for all.Certain nations have had a long history of literature preceding the arrival of Ottomans in the Balkans, while some not.Following the arrival of Ottomans, a number of writings found (that originate from the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth century) indicate that their main focus was religion.Later things begin to change, and along with it also the education systems.By mid eighteenth century, among other, in Voskopoja, a former large Balkan city (now only a village in Albania), a vital point of reference for the education and teaching at the time, for a number of nations notably: Albanians, Aromunians (Vlach ethnicity of Romania) and Greeks.Here was formed the so called _____________________________ ILIRIA International Review -Vol 6, No 2 (2016) © Felix-Verlag, Holzkirchen, Germany and Iliria College, Pristina, Kosovo

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"New Academy…a centre of learning founded in 1744,…not an exclusively theological institution… [and] enjoyed a good reputation for its teaching in ancient Greek, philosophy, mathematics and physics, and produced many a writer and scholar of repute."(Elsie, 1991).
The first Albanians that endeavoured to express themselves in their own language are found in the early 18 th century that led to the creation of what is known as Bejtexhinj Literature (meaning "Coupled Makers" Literature).Elsie (2010) notes that "…the language of Bejtexhinj was an Albanian so laden with Turkish, Arabic, and Persian vocabulary that is quite tedious for Albanian today to read without lexicon" (p.38).
At around this time there were a number of attempts to create an Albanian alphabet too.Such an example is the Elbasan alphabet that "was written not in standard Greek script but in an original alphabet of forty letters, the oldest known example of an original Albanian alphabet."(Elsie, 1991) Voskopoja's 'New Academy', however, was not only a source of teaching and education but also of inspiration, for many of its students.Among them was also Todhri Haxhifilipi who's inspiration led him to begin to write"…his works in a particular alphabet of fifty-three letters based most likely on a Greek cursive script (some see Glagolitic influence in it), which he appears to have invented himself".(Elsie 1991).By the 1840s Albanians had another attempt for a new alphabet to accommodate the Albanian language.In 1844, a famous Albanian figure, Naum Veqilharxhi after working for years finally came up with his invented (Albanian) alphabet containing 33 letters (p.469).
During the 18 th century also Serbian scholars turned their attention to Serbia's own language and literature by assembling grammars and dictionaries to create a modern Serbian language, and writing books (Sowards 1996).The same occurred with Bulgarians who by the 1760s oriented their resources towards "regeneration and revitalization of Bulgarian ethnic identity" (Roudometof 2001, p.49)The importance of education was felt also in Greece as well as among other nations throughout the Balkans region and by late nineteenth century the number of schools of Balkan nations increased enormously throughout the region, in many hundreds (Roudometof 2001, pp 144-149).

Conclusion
This research focuses on Albanian factor in the nineteenth century in context of impact it generated vis-à-vis Turkish Empire and the nations of the region.The study finds that Albanians played a critical role in the history of a number of nations in the region, even running a number of governments at a particular period of time, during the nineteenth century.All in all, the nations of Balkans had a unique experience under Turkish administration.Some nations, however, namely Serbia 7 and Montenegro had plain strategy, inner organisation but also military help from abroad Russia.
Others like the Albanians, even though generally considered as a bright, brave and capable race, who individually penetrated to the most senior political, administrative or military positions in Turkish Empire and further (e.g.Italy), but failed miserably (at an appropriate time) to present a united front, for their common cause.Consequently, they failed to avoid the division of their own territory.They were, indeed, reactive, because they acted late, and presented no proactive 'tangible' vision how Albania should look like.For their own cause, they were unquestionably disorganised (until late nineteenth century) and even worse, at times enemies of themselves, by creating divergences when the nation needed their vision and leadership the most.As one of the biggest nations in the Balkans, the Albanians, undoubtedly, could have run far better their affairs should they have had a mission and vision, long before their territory began to be sliced up.
Naim Frasheri, (1897) a famous Albanian poet, rightly, and not by coincidence, put the blame, on Albanian distressing state, squarely on Albanians themselves.Through a beautiful poem, Frasheri depicts the Albanian reality of the time, in original and concise manner, when he says (we) Pellasgo-Albanians..: "Kept Turkey, Revived Greece, Helped Italy, But what about Albania?
7 Serbia entered the war very focused and organised.The Serbian army had "Militia and Volunteers, natives and strangers, commanded by Tchernayeff, a Russian General"('The war', 1876, p.5).In addition, what is striking, even Serbian students studying abroad gave up their studies to come and help the homeland.(ibid) 213 _____________________________ ILIRIA International Review -Vol 6, No 2 (2016) © Felix-Verlag, Holzkirchen, Germany and Iliria College, Pristina, Kosovo 218

Table 1 :
Administrative division of Turkey in Europe: the size of territory and respective population in 1877

Table 2 :
Population of Balkan nations in the Ottoman Empire in 1840 An original table that depicts the religion affiliation of each district (sanjak), results that the Balkan population had majority of Christians 4.15 million or about 56.6 %, while around 3.46 million or 43.4 % were of Muslim religion (see the Table 3 below).