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Brief History of Peqin
The first settlement in Peqin goes back over 2000 years.
At that time the region of Illyria (Illyricum) was controlled by the Romans.
The Illyrians have inhabited the Western Balkan Peninsula since ancient times.
Claudius, the Roman emperor from 41 to 54 AD, throughout his reign, began many public works both in Rome, the province and beyond.
Via Appia represents the first and most famous route of ancient Roman roads, passing from Rome to Campania and Southern Italy.
The road was slightly curved at the surface to enable good drainage of water and the foundation was built of heavy cemented stones along with a special mixture of lime mortar.
Many Roman roads have survived for millennia, although some of them are either damaged or overlaid by modern roads.
The Egnatia Road, built during the reign of Emperor Claudius in the 2nd century BC, ran from the Adriatic Sea through ancient Illyricum, Macedonia and Thrace (present-day Albania, Republic of Macedonia, Greece and Turkey) to Byzantium (present-day Istanbul) 1,120 km.
It was built not only for military purposes and to build churches along the way, but also for the official administrative business of the Roman Empire throughout the region.
Strabo, Polybuis on ancient itineraries would write: "From Apollonia and Dyrrachium, Egnatia extends east following the difficult valley of the river Genusus (modern Shkumbini) to Lake Ohrid through a passage in the Candavian mountains."
The Albanian section of Via Egnatia has withstood the test quite well and is only 148 km long. The road Egnatia Durrës - Peqin is approximately 50 km.
https://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/macedonia_1849.jpg
Claudiana (modern Peqin) represents one of the oldest settlements built alongside the northern side of the river Genusus (modern Shkumbin).
Studies indicates that via Egnatia was always adapted to local topography, geomorphology, and ground conditions.
The historical period of the Illyrian emperors begins with Claudius Gothicus in 268 and continues in 284 with the rise of Diocletian.
Men of Illyrian or Thraco-Dacian origin, however continued to be prominent in the Empire throughout the 4th century and beyond.
During the Middle Ages, the descendants of the Illyro-Romans have influenced the growth of the Balkan peninsula. It is said that their wandering enterprise facilitated commerce and opened ancient trade routes. These people had access to old Roman road network, Apia and Egnatia.
Claudiana, this ancient settlement grew economically and commercially alongside the other settlements and strongly benefited from the Egnatia road and the geographical position along Genusus river and perfectly aligned low hills covered with olive trees.
Nowadays Claudiana (Modern Peqin) is a witness of many parts of the ancient roman road, specifically to mention the almost intact bridge close to Peqin cemetery, going east to Fatishe village.
The conquest of Illyria in 168 BC, along with that of Epirus, consolidated the Roman domain over the Adriatic Sea.
The mountainous geography of the region meant that the region was hard to subdue, but by 9 century the Great Illyrian Revolt had been quelled.
Illyricum had seen some fighting during the Great Roman Civil War between Julius Caesar and the forces of the Senate led by Pompey several decades earlier. A battle erupted also between Julius Caesar and Pompey in the area of Bishqem, a few kilometers from Peqin.
Albanians are the direct descendants of the ancient Illyrians, whose culture evolved from the Stone Age.
The earliest known king of Illyria was Hyllus (The Star), who is recorded to have died in the year 1225 BC, but Illyria reached its zenith in the fourth century BC, when Bardhylus (White Star) united under scepter the kingdoms of Illyria, Epirus, and a good part of Macedonia.
The last king of Illyria was Gents (2nd century). Authors of antiquity relate that the Illyrians were a sociable and hospitable people, renowned for their bravery at war. Illyrian women were equal in status to the men.
The land of Illyria was rich in minerals and Illyrians become skillful in the mining and processing of metals.
Claudiana settlement had a remarkable culture and economic development. Its distinct impression is evident to nowadays, not only through preserved remnants of Egnatia road and foundation of a fortified castle in the centre of Peqin city, but also through the knowledge of that time, mediated by authors and cartographers of the ancient civilization.
The Romans who lived in some of the coastal towns supported Caesar, while the native peoples largely supported Pompey.
Roman Empire endured in the region until 476 B.C (the Ottoman capture of Constantinople in 1453.), and gradually developing into the Byzantine empire. After 53 days, the Ottoman Empire, led by Sultan Mehmet II, vanquished Constantinople. The city was proclaimed to be the capital of the Ottoman Empire, and its name was changed to Istanbul.
This event marked the end of the Byzantine Empire, and so the end of the Roman Empire.
From 500 to 1400 A.C Goths, Huns, Avars, Serbs, Croats, and Bulgars successively have invaded Illyrian lands and tried hard to assimilate the Illyrian populations of these regions, but the Illyrians bravely defied the assimilation through centuries.
In 732 AC, Illyrians were subordinated to the patriarchate of Constantinople by the Byzantine Emperor, Leo the Isaurian.
The Roman and Orthodox Churches split decisively in 1054. The Orthodox Church did not accept the papal authority from Rome. Christians in southern Albania were left under the ecumenical patriarch of Constantinople and those in the north under the pope in Rome.
Serbs occupied parts of northern and eastern Albanian inhabited lands in 1100-1200 AC.
The Ottoman Turks expanded their empire from Anatolia to the Balkans in the fourteenth century. They crossed the Bosporus in 1352, and in 1389 they crushed a Serb-led army that included Albanian forces at Kosovo Polje, located in the southern part of present-day Yugoslavia.
In 1272 AC, Forces of the King of Naples occupied Durrës and established the Kingdom of Arbëria, the first Albanian kingdom since the fall of Illyria.
Albanian ruler of Durrës invited Ottoman forces to intervene against a rival in 1385.
The Sanjak of Albania was founded around 1430, controlling mostly Central Albania.
In 1466, Gjon Kastrioti “Skanderbeg”, proclaimed chief of the League of Lezhë, began the defense of Krujë against massive Ottoman armies.
During his reign, ottoman armies faced a strong barrier in their advancement toward west. After his death, Scutari was the last city that fell to the ottoman empire in 1478.
Many Albanians escaped to southern Italy, Greece, Egypt, and elsewhere.
Ottoman rule became more consolidated in 1479, after the fall of Shkodra.
In 1835 the Ottoman Turks divided the Albanian-inhabited lands among several vilayets; Janina, Manastir, Shkodra, and Kosova with Ottoman administrators.
In June 1839, Serbs were defeated by Ottoman Turks in the Battle of Kosovo at the Field of the Blackbirds.
Peqin was part of Manastir vilayet.
Historical sources of 1431 indicate that Peqin was known as BIKLINET and later PEKLIN which translates as "hospitable people".
Late Middle Ages, this ancient settlement developed as a trade and craft center.
During the centuries of Ottoman rule, the Albanian lands remained one of Europe's most backward areas.
In the mountains north of the Shkumbin River, Geg herders retained their self-governing society comprised of clans.
The foundation of Peqin is mainly owed to Abdurrahman Abdi Pasha, 1616 - 1686, an important historical figure.
Born in the village of Çopani near Peqin, he was an Ottoman politician and military leader of albanian origin, who served as the last ruler of the province of Budin.
A memorial to the late commander Abdurrahman Abdi Pasha, the last vizier of Buda, stands on the Anjou bastion of the Buda castle.
The memorial was erected in 1932 by the descendants of György Szabó, who was a Hungarian soldier.
The inscription, in Hungarian and Turkish, says: "The last governor of the 145-year long occupation of Buda, Abdurrahman Abdi
Pasha the Albanian fell at this place on September 2, 1686, when he was 70 years old.
He was a heroic enemy; may he rest in peace.
Abdurrahman Pasha gave a unique contribution to the identity of his place of origin, Peqin.
He built in Peqin one of the best mosques of Albania, to this day a great cultural heritage of Albania.
This mosque is unique as it is built together with a clock, called Clock mosque.
It was built in 1666 by Abdi Pasha the Albanian and resembled a lot to the Et'hem Bey Mosque in the Albanian capital Tirana.
The mosque is located in the central square of the old Peqin town at the main route between Durres and Elbasan.
Later destroyed by a fire, it was rebuilt in the 1830s by a descendant of Abdi Pasha, Cafer Sadık Pasha.
Its minaret and its dome were destroyed in 1967 by the communist dictatorship.
The mosque was reconstructed in 1992, and still to this day, is a central part of Peqin heritage.
An important testament of Peqin heritage is the Castle as well.
The foundations of the castle are thought to date back from the Roman period, the time of the construction of the Via Egnatia.
Its walls, at one point, had a height of around 12 metres.
The castle was later rebuilt and expanded during the Turkish occupation of Albania; at which time it was passed into the control of the Spahi (lord) of the local chief. Later, was added a palace and a harem.
The last resident of the castle was Demir Pasha.
Evliya Çelebi, the 17th-century historian, mentioned the Peqin fortress in his writings:
.... the walls of this castle reach about 12 m in height. Within resides the dizdar, along with 70 soldiers.
There are five cannons in the castle, and ten small houses roofed with tiles.
There is also a small mosque with no minaret.
On the left side of the castle, connected to a wall, is a prayer chapel called (namazgja)...
The castle was equipped with tunnels which served as exits several km away from the city in difficult times.
Similarly, clay pipes have been found, going through the walls of the castle, which archaeologists believe is an indication that water was supplied from outside the castle during wartime.
During Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, the Ottoman Empire was crushed by its rival Russian Empire, seriously deteriorating Ottoman power over Albanian-populated areas.
In Jul 13,1878, the Treaty of Berlin was the final act of the Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878), by which the United Kingdom, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire under Sultan Abdul Hamid II, amended the Treaty of San Stefano signed on March 3rd of the same year.
The Treaty of San Stefano put an end to the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78.
The Congress of Berlin partitioned the Balkans among European powers and Albania once again, was plundered by the great powers of Europe to satisfy the greed of neighboring countries.
Behind the scenes they plotted to the detriment of Albanian national interests.
Albanian intellectuals and patriots met in Manastir (Bitola, Macedonia) in 1908, at the Congress of Manastir to standardize the Albanian alphabet using the Latin script.
It marked an important event for the unification of Albanians, one country - one language.
Congress of Manastir (Bitola, Macedonia) in 1908
The core commission of the Manastir Congress:
1. Gjergj Fishta 2. Midhat Frashëri 3. Luigj Gurakuqi 4. Gjergj Qiriazi 5. Dom Ndre Mjeda 6. Grigor Cilka
7. Dhimitër Buda 8. Shahin Kolonja 9. Sotir Peçi 10. Bajo Topulli 11. Nyz'het Vrioni. Photo by Kel Marubi
Albania was still in turmoil. On October 18, 1912, The First Balkan War broke out between the members of the Balkan League; Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire.
Albanian leaders, acted on this opportunity, and affirmed Albania as an independent state on November 28, 1912.
The delegates at Vlore city declared the independence of Albania.
A provisional government was established, and Ismail Bej Qemali was elected its head.
This marked Albania’s Independence Day.
Austria-Hungary and Italy strongly supported the creation of an independent Albania. In part, this was coherent with Austria-Hungary's previous policy of resisting Serb expansion to the Adriatic. Italy had motifs on the territory, exhibited later, in the invasion of 1939.
Russia endorsed Serbia and Montenegro. Germany and Britain kept on neutral.
However, there was never peace in the land of Albanians.
In Sep 23, 1913, Serbian troops marched into Albania.
The combined Turkish and Albanian defenders led by Hasan Riza Pasha and his lieutenant, Esad Pasha Toptani, resisted for seven months and managed to inflict a heavy toll on the besiegers.
Essad Pasha was able to save many of his soldiers. At the same time he managed to get the support of Serbia and Montenegro for the new Kingdom of Albania, which would gain Scutari indirectly by the Great Powers.
Caricature shows Albania defending itself from neighboring countries.
Volunteers from Peqin registering for the Shkodra war. Ismail Kadiu was their leader.
Photo above is taken from Astrit Kaziu's book: “Writings in the time of the coronavirus”.
Volunteers from Peqin and the surrounding areas, took part in the Scutari war, and were under the command of Ismail bej Kadiu.
Durrës Prefecture announced the command of the General Powers: "The Mustaffëz battalion of Durrës is armed with mausers and the depot office was ordered to take 130 martinas to Peqin tomorrow, which are located here".
Ismail Kadiu was the leader of volunteers from Peqin
Peqin’s valliant soldier
The Peqin’s brave solders are still sung by Shkodra residents today for their bravery and ingenuity.
The war broke out in the gravel of Kiri,
Well done Peqin’s brave solders.
The morning of April 24, 1913, the invincible garrison of Shkodra, lined up in convoys, with fighting flags, along with weapons, machine guns, cannons, and other equipment, set off in the direction of Lezha. After a short stay of three weeks by Montenegrin troops, the city of Shkodra passed for a year under the administration of the International Military Commission and then joined the rest of Albania.
Treaty of London 1913
Borders of the Balkan states after the Treaty of London and the Treaty of Bucharest
Paris Peace Conference, 1919: Albania was divided between Greece, Italy, and Yugoslavia at the conference, which did not admit Albanian representation.
Patriot and nationalist Mustafa Kruja, Louis Bumçi, Turhan Pasha Libohova and Mehdi Myfit Frashëri were demanding:
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Albania of 1913, in the way it was determined at the London Conference and Florence. Seeing in this plan Albania
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they accept the assistance of the Italian state, but this assistance should not be of the nature of «violation of the sovereignty of the Albanian State”.
Albanian delegation in Paris was of the idea that Albania would accept only a guard protector to help Albania towards independence.
This idea was created after analyzing political European groups which operated actively in Europe.
Albanian delegates wanted to demonstrate to Europe that Albanian intellectuals were able to create an independent state and could take actively part in foreign political affairs not just in Europe but over the boundaries as well.
Disappointed of Paris conference decisions, Albanian leaders met in Lushnjë, in January 1920, and firmly rejected the partitioning of Albania by the Treaty of Paris of May 1919.
They created a bicameral parliament and warned that Albanians would take up arms in defense of their country’s territorial integrity.
Peqin Patriot Adem Gjinishi represented Peqin in the Congress of Lushnjë.
Aqif Elbasani was elected president of the congress and Ferit Vokopola secretary.
A League of Nations commission forced a Yugoslavian withdrawal and reaffirmed the 1913 borders of Albania.
Ahmet Zogolli (self-proclaimed King of Albania) became Prime Minister in 1922, and reigned until 1939, after Italian invasion where Italian King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy was crowned King of Albania. Zog fled with his wife, Queen Géraldine Apponyi de Nagyappony, and their infant son Leka, to Greece.
Italian invasion of Albania: Fifty thousand Italian marines landed in the ports of Durrës, Vlorë, Shëngjin and Sarandë.
During the WWII, Albanian communist and non-communist nationalist groups resisted Italian occupation.
Communists and nationalists had divergent points of view regarding the establishment of a democratic system in the Albania post war.
Mustafa Gjinishi was an intellectual and the main leader of the partisan war, the first commissar in the Peza Squad (commanded by Myslim Peza). He was elected to lead the war in the National Liberation Council.
Italian invasion of Albania: Fifty thousand Italian marines landed in the ports of Durrës, Vlorë, Shëngjin and Sarandë.
During the WWII, Albanian communist and non-communist nationalist groups resisted Italian occupation.Communists and nationalists had divergent points of view regarding the establishment of a democratic system in the Albania post war.
Mustafa Gjinishi was an intellectual and the main leader of the partisan war, the first commissar in the Peza Squad (commanded by Myslim Peza). He was elected to lead the war in the National Liberation Council.
Mustafa was an excellent student at the American Technical School of Harri Fullci in Tirana.During the National Liberation War, he connected the people of Peqin with the Peza leader Muslim Peza. Italians and Germans occupants sentenced Mustafa Gjinishi to death in absentia and sent arrest warrants to every city. Mustafa was killed on August 24, 1944, in Peshkopi by comrades on the same political side, at the instigation of two Yugoslavs attached to the Albanian communist leadership, Miladin Popovic and Dushan Mugosha - friends of Enver Hoxha. They despised Mustafa Gjinishi because he wanted Kosovo and Chameria to join Albania after the war.
He remained a devoted supporter of the Anglo-American mission in Albania, for the establishment of a true and pluralistic western democracy. For his contribution, he is awarded "People's Hero", "Order of the National Flag of Class I" - "Honor of the Nation".
(Extract from Astrit Kaziu's book "Legend Gjinishi - in front of the truth")
At the end of WWII, Enver Hoxha, leader of a national liberation movement during Italy’s occupation of Albania in World War II, came to power when the Communist insurgency seized control of the country in 1944, beginning nearly 45 years of harsh Stalinist rule.
Demir Godelli (1896–1969) studied in Moscow before the war and embraced communist ideas.
He had political relations with Gjergj Dimitrov and along with Ali Kelmendi was appointed by the Comintern delegated to represent Albania in France. Later in 1932 he developed a large political activity in Peqin and Albania.
He was elected president of the patriotic society "Union", a progressive association.
Demir collaborated with Avni Rustemi, Riza Cerova, Mustafa Gjinishi, Asim Vokshi, and later with Petro Marko. After the liberation he was the first figure in Peqin – elected Mayor. However, Demir Godelli was strongly disappointed with the establishment of a dictatorship in Albania which had nothing to do with his progressist communist ideals. For his progressive views, he received backlash from the monist leadership of the time.
After almost 45 years of communist rule, in Dec 8, 1990, Tirana University students demonstrated in the streets and called for the dictatorship to end. Ramiz Alia met with the students 4 days later; a multiparty system was introduced; the Democratic Party, the first opposition party was established; the regime authorized political pluralism.
Peqin inhabitants, eager for a system change, embraced democratic views and the establishment of a true democracy.
Even in Peqin, many honest communists with pure ideals maintained a silent attitude towards the totalitarianism installed in Albania, as the persecution’s methods were among the harshest, but the system also generated a category of extremist communists, who for their petty privileges, denounced in the infamous structures of the Civil State Security, Peqin citizens who more courageously and regardless of the risk of life, openly expressed dissatisfaction with the system. As a result, some of them were interned, persecuted, and imprisoned for years.
Peqin bow today with respect before their sacrifice.
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Xhemile Gjinishi
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Nazmi Bica
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Sabri Gripshi
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Aqif Selimi
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Ali Kodra
Peqin has produced many prominent national figures in different fields.
Rifat Teqja (People's Artist) - conductor
(1928 - 2013)
He was a prominent conductor of Albanian music and tightly related to the artistic life of the Opera and Ballet Theater, where he has conducted for almost 35 years.
Formed at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow for symphonic conducting, Maestro Teqja was appointed principal conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of the Opera and Ballet Theater, where he performed many of the most important stage works of the operatic and choreographic repertoire: opera "Il Barbiere di Seviglie "Eugene Onjegin", "Madame Butterfly", "La Boheme", "Aleko", "Le Nozze di Figaro", ballets: "The Nutcracker", "Romeo and Juliet", "Lola", "Fadeta", etc.
He has the merit for the realization of the main albanian stage works, such as: opera: "Mrika", "Skënderbeu", "Our Land", "Borana", "Awakening", ballets "Cuca e Maleve", "The tenth wound of Gjergj Elez Alise”, as well as for the interpretation of the basic fund of albanian symphonic and orchestral music with the orchestra of TKOB, RTSH and the Academy of Arts.
Under his direction, many works of foreign symphonic and concert repertoire were performed for the first time in Albania. Together with Mustafa Krantja, he is the founder of the conducting class at the State Conservatory, where he has made a valuable contribution in the field of pedagogy. From his conducting class, have emerged conductors who have played and continue to play an important role in Albanian musical life and beyond.
Rifat Teqja has won various national awards and holds the title of People's Artist.
Ferdinand Deda, born in Peqin, was a famous composer, conductor, songwriter.
After graduating from the artistic high school in Tirana in 1960, he studied at the Prague Conservatory of Music for conducting. Since he was a student, he led the RTSH orchestra and after his studies, he was appointed to this orchestra.
In the years 1991-1992 he specialized in Italy.
Since 1964 he has performed over 300 concerts inside and outside the country in Italy, Turkey, Greece. With the RTSH Symphony Orchestra he has composed many movie soundtracks. Ferdinand Deda distinguished as a composer, has composed 3 symphonic dances "meditation 1-2-3". He has also composed four sketches for piano, trio for violin, cello, and piano, singing prelude, imprompt for piano and string orchestra, fantasy for xylophone and orchestra, concerto for horn and orchestra, concerto for clarinet and orchestra, rhapsody with folk themes for orchestra, concerto for bassoons, clarinet and flute, film music, etc … Ferdinand was also prominent in the genre of children's song. His works have won many awards. Ferdinand Deda was the founder of spring concerts at RTVSH.
In 1997 he was announced the winner of the "golden disc" and was honored with the titles "Merited Artist" and "Grand Master".
Bujar Cani, born in Peqin, was a prominent national football player.
He started his career in the team of Peqin in 1962. To pursue his passion, he had to face a series of obstacles, due to his biography, which was inconsistent with the standards of the ruling communist clique.
Bujar's special skills attracted the attention of the Elbasan Football Club.
His games continued to improve rapidly over the years, and later, for his skills, the coach Loro Borici included him as one of the main athletes of the National Football Team.
Throughout his career he was known for his calm and restrained manner on the football field, as well as his talent for intuitively reading the game, preferring elegance and intelligence rather than physique and aggression as a defender.
A culminating event in his sports career will undoubtedly remain the participation in the match Albania - Germany (ended with the result 0 - 1) where the tall and very intuitive Bujar Cani, would be an insurmountable barrier for players of international caliber as a striker, Muller.
Today he is considered one of the greatest defenders in the history of the National Football League in Albania.
Bujar Cani represents a prominent personality and football icon in Albania. His contribution is finally stamped in the elite of the history of Albanian football, added value and legitimate pride for his hometown, Peqin.
Dionis Kumbaro - prominent albanian professor and scientist who performs an excellent innovative work in nuclear physics.
After graduating from high school in Peqin with excellent results, he then attended higher studies at the University of Tirana for Electronics.
Thanks to his exceptional talent and skills, Dionis specializes in electronics in Milan, Italy, at the electronics company OLIVETTI.
Subsequently, he worked as a chief specialist for electronics in the Auto-tractor enterprise and then as a chief specialist for medical devices in the Ministry of Health.
He later specialized in medical electronics at UPSALA University in Sweden.
Dionis has made several scientific articles in the field of nuclear physics, and collaborates with scientists in many countries around the world such as: America, Canada, China, South Korea, Switzerland, Rome, London, Japan, etc.
In 2006, he represented Sweden at the conference on synchrotron radiation projection in Edinburgh, Scotland.
He is currently the Chief Research Engineer at the MAX IV National Laboratory at Lund University, Sweden, a laboratory with a high international reputation, in synchrotron radiation research.
For his special contribution in the field of science, Dionis Kumbaro was decorated by the Queen of Sweden, and on November 2, 2019 was decorated by the Prime Minister of Albania Mr. Edi Rama, with the high title "Ambassador of the Nation".